Fall Issue of UWyo Magazine Highlights Trustees’ Scholar Alumni Living, Working in Wyoming

The fall issue of UWyo Magazine, the University of Wyoming’s flagship publication, tells the stories of more than 20 alumni Trustees’ Scholars living and working in the state.

As UW’s premier scholarship, the Trustees’ Scholars Award was started in 2010 to reward the state’s highest-achieving students. Each year, UW grants the award to about 100 Wyoming high school seniors. Many scholars choose to stay in Wyoming, giving back to the state and enriching their communities.

“Receiving the Trustees’ Scholars Award was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me,” says recipient Andrew Halverson, who grew up in Green River and now lives in Casper, where he serves as engineering manager at Disa Technologies Inc., a company started by UW graduates that designed a high-pressure slurry ablation technology to unlock higher recovery of ore and legacy waste in mining. “I think it is very important to reward merit. The top performers in high school will generally go on to do great things and contribute to the world in plenty of ways. This scholarship is not only a reward for their hard work in their studies but also helps set them up for even greater success as long as they continue to drive forward with the same resolve that earned them the scholarship.”

Additional featured alumni include: Ashley (Bridges) Harris of Cowley, the executive administrative assistant at Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center in Green River; Ashley Umphlett of Cody, the Rawlins wildlife biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department; Brady Wagstaff of Evanston, the co-founder and CEO of Uplink Robotics in Laramie; Brian Schlidt of Casper, a psychiatrist who provides telemedicine to the state from his hometown; Bryce Nichols of Afton, an assistant city attorney in Casper; Candace (Wollert) Garner of Lingle, a registered dietitian in Sheridan; David Rule of Pinedale, a travel and building YouTuber based in his hometown; Drayson Bratt of Powell, owner of High Mountain Fitness in Lander; Hank Hoversland of Casper, executive director of the nonprofit Wyoming Taxpayers Association in Cheyenne; Kasandra Kister of Riverton, a physician assistant working with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe on the Wind River Indian Reservation; and Kristanza Bronnenberg of Cody, an optometrist at Basin Vision Center in her hometown.

Also, Marcus Rieker of Casper, senior software engineer and team lead at AVB Inc. in his hometown; Matthew Hines of Gillette, a staff accountant for A.B.C. CPA in his hometown; Megan Baker of Torrington, an adult education instructor and site coordinator in the College and Career Readiness Center at Eastern Wyoming College in her hometown; Ryan Speight of Cheyenne, a natural resources analyst and wetland specialist for the Wyoming Department of Transportation in his hometown; Sarah Trembly of Lander, the nurse manager of the emergency department at SageWest Health Care in her hometown; Sydney (Pomajzl) Musser of Cody, a first-grade teacher at Livingston Elementary School in her hometown; Teresia Crane of Cheyenne, supervising auditor at the state’s Department of Audit in her hometown; and Tyler Graham of Cheyenne, a doctor of physical therapy who works for Fremont Therapy Group in Rawlins.

“Our graduates become leaders in business, health care, education, the arts, government and countless other fields,” says UW President Shane Reeves. “Many return home to help build Wyoming’s future. Others carry the Brown and Gold with them wherever life takes them. In this issue of UWyo Magazine, you’ll meet alumni who are making a real difference in Wyoming and around the world.”

Readers of the fall issue of UWyo Magazine also will enjoy stories about current Trustees’ Award Scholars, a feature on a major gift to UW and more. Visit www.uwyo.edu/uwyo.