Take Your Potential To The Summit

by Dr. Ryan Stolley, Research Assistant Professor of Chemistry

When I first started college, I was full of doubt-wondering if I was truly “smart enough” to succeed. But throughout my career in education, I learned that success in higher education isn’t about knowing everything right away. It’s about persistence, resilience, and embracing the process of learning, even when things get tough.

Many students who embark on a journey in higher education share this same worry about “not being smart enough,” but I want you to know that college is meant for learning, not for having all the answers. Believing we should know everything—especially when it seems like our peers do—sells ourselves short. It’s normal to face challenges like stress and confusion along the way, and these take grit and persistence to overcome. This process fosters reflection, growth, and discovery, and is essential to true learning.

I’m speaking from personal experience here. I grew up pretty poor with a single mother and was often a solitary latchkey kid. I always loved knowledge, in particular science, but didn’t have the best opportunities at home or in school. Although I faced challenges in high school, as a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue higher education through tuition waivers for Native American students at Fort Lewis College. Initially, I struggled academically, but two kind and dedicated mentors provided me with research opportunities in chemistry and offered invaluable guidance. Their support helped me cultivate a sense of agency, ultimately leading to a successful undergraduate career. After earning my PhD and working for a few years, I returned to an academic lab position at the U, where I discovered my passion for both chemistry and teaching/mentoring students. Now, as the Associate Director of the Science Research Initiative (SRI), I have the opportunity to focus on both of these passions and I couldn’t be happier.

The skills you need to succeed in college are all things teachers have been telling their students since the dawn of time:

1. Maximize your organizational skills, particularly time management, to combat feelings of being overwhelmed. Dedicating specific time blocks for each task-whether for studying or downtime— will show you that most tasks take less time than expected. By sticking to a solid schedule for at least three months, you’ll learn to manage your time better and discover you have more of it than you realized.

2. Social skills and community-building are essential. Being able to work effectively in teams and navigate personalities is a skill that lasts a lifetime. Work to identify what types of people you work productively with, which doesn’t necessarily mean the people you want to be friends with. At the same time, nurture your close relationships with friends and family, and spend time building new, quality friendships. This holistic support network can provide encouragement and relief when you’re tackling challenges.

3. Practice asking for help. The world is big and confusing and we’re all in this together. There are many support structures in place at the U, and there are tons of people whose jobs and passions are focused on assisting you. It’s also essential to practice navigating systems with people who can guide you, regardless of whether you jive together.

The truth is… a lot of tasks, assignments, and transitions in college are going to be difficult, but you are immensely capable and resilient. You won’t truly know your abilities until you push beyond your current limits. This means adding one more plate to your lift, running an extra lap, or dedicating an additional 30 minutes to your homework. Only then will you discover what you’re truly capable of. Before long, you’ll be lifting ten times as much, running ten times as many laps, and learning volumes.

So, get ready for an exciting adventure full of new experiences and boundless opportunities. I encourage you to embrace everything that comes your way, to explore communities that spark your passion, and to view setbacks as learning moments. While college may present its ups and downs, it will also be an incredibly rewarding journey that will teach you so much about yourself and the world around you.

Opportunity Knocks

by Dr. Rudi von Arnim, Professor of Economics

“Why are things the way that they are and how can I understand the world better?” This is a question I found myself asking over and over again as a student. I wanted to figure out why our countries, societies, and communities operate the way they do. I wanted to know why there are poor people and rich people, and poor countries and rich countries. Maybe you’re like me and are asking yourself the same questions.

In the College of Social and Behavioral Science, we ask these types of questions every day, and we seek to put questions and answers to good use in our attempts to make the world a better place. As you’ll soon learn, college is all about asking big questions and following the multitude of paths it leads you down. But if you want answers to your burning questions, you first need to knock on somebody’s door.

This is the key to finding your path as a student—you can’t assume things are going to come to you. Instead, you need to seek out mentorship and advice from professors, staff, and fellow students. When you do, you’ll realize things you didn’t know, paths you didn’t know existed, ideas for what to do next, and new ways to think about it all.

In one of my first job interviews to become an academic, they asked why I wanted this type job, and I remember telling them quite spontaneously, “I want to do for students what my professors have done for me.” I had just finished grad school, and my advisor was an amazing mentor who forgave me all my mistakes, errors, and weaknesses, and was immensely supportive. I am still so very grateful for him. We strive to offer this same type of mentorship at the University of Utah. To me, it is the absolute best part of my job. I love working with students and helping them figure out what they want to do and how to achieve their goals.

The U has many programs to help you chart your career path. In the College of Social and Behavioral Science, we are always thinking of ways to help students maximize their college experience. One way we’re doing that is through a new Living Learning Community supported by The School of Environment, Society, and Sustainability (ESS) called “SALT,” which stands for Sustainability, Action, and Leading Together. Set to launch in Fall 2025, SALT will provide housing for 40 freshman students interested in these themes to live together and participate in coordinated activities like guest speakers, pizza nights, field trips, and more. This gives students a place where they can engage with environmental issues both in the classroom and outside of it, on a consistent basis. This program is also designed to facilitate foundational conversations that will teach students how to succeed in college and figure out what they want to do.

The best way to seize opportunities like these? You guessed it—knock on a faculty member’s door and say, “I’m interested in this topic – how can I pursue it?” Or: “I love this topic, how do I build a career around it?” You will see: faculty welcome your initiative, and it will absolutely transform your college trajectory.

All of the U’s innovative programs will uniquely empower you to tackle the very question that inspired my journey into academia many years ago—one that I’m still exploring: “How can I make the world a better place?” I can’t wait to see where your door-knocking leads you.

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