A Bright Future

Many Trustees’ Scholars plan to stay in the state and pay it forward.

 

By Micaela Myers

 

For generations, the Trustees’ Scholars Award has helped hundreds of students excel at the University of Wyoming. Many of these students stay in Wyoming, giving back to the state that so generously supported them.
 
Nolan Reitz
Hometown: Powell
Degrees: B.S. in computer engineering with a minor in honors, 2028

“I know so many students, including myself, who selected UW not because they had to but because the opportunities provided by the Trustees’ Scholars Award are unlike any others, and they made UW a competitive choice for those excelling scholars,” Reitz says.

 

At UW, Reitz serves as the software team lead for the Cowboy Robotics Club, which competes in the University Rover Challenge. He enjoys working on electronics and coding.

 

In the future, Reitz hopes to use his degree to help his community: “I would love to stay in Wyoming, as it is a unique state that has so many charming features. Communities are tight, and the whole state feels very connected. In addition, Wyoming is home to some stunning natural places, so getting to reside here year-round is a treat.”

 

Isabella Johnson
Hometown: Buffalo
Degrees: B.S. in speech, language and hearing sciences with minors in Spanish and honors, 2026
Johnson recently graduated debt-free, thanks to the Trustees’ Scholars Award.

 

“It encourages Wyoming students to attend UW,” she says. “These individuals have demonstrated merit, work ethic, dedication and prestige, and I think that is exactly the values that we want to promote and attract to UW.”

 

Johnson plans to go on for her master’s degree in speech, language and hearing and then serve the rural populations of Wyoming.

 

“Aside from its incredible natural landscape, I love Wyoming for its culture,” she says. “This really is a state where people are willing to help their neighbor, take the time to get to know one another, work honestly and hard, and promote a strong community. It sounds silly, but I really do feel that people follow the Code of the West. People in Wyoming are proud of their state and their identity and strive to preserve the environment that makes Wyoming special.”

 

Lucas Dillon
Hometown: Laramie
Degrees: B.S. in mechanical engineering with a minor in honors, 2028
Dillon combined the Trustees’ Scholars Award with the Hathaway and Cowboy Commitment, giving him “phenomenal support,” he says. It also enabled him to give back.

 

“I am part of the UW Round Table, where I refurbish and redistribute furniture to those in need,” he says.

 

Having an undergraduate education paid for allows many scholars to further their education. Dillon plans to go on to study aerospace.

 

He carries a deep love for living and working in Wyoming: “I have come to love the smaller community we have here. My family lives nearby, and I have friends here and in surrounding towns. I enjoy biking and skiing, which we have great opportunities for here.”

 

Leah Rose
Hometown: Casper
Degree: B.A. in music education, 2026

Rose is a fourth-generation music educator in the state of Wyoming and recently started teaching band at Laramie Middle School.

 

“I have grown up in a tight-knit community of educators who are constantly trying to help each other and keep music education alive in Wyoming,” she says. “This interconnectedness is unique to our state and is one of the things I look forward to most.”

 

The Trustees’ Scholars Award allowed her to pursue her dreams and passions at UW, including serving as vice president of service for Kappa Kappa Psi Alpha Nu, vice president of the National Association for Music Education chapter and social media manager for the Western Thunder Marching Band.

 

Rose says, “The Trustees’ Scholars Award incentivizes the best young minds in Wyoming to stay and contribute back to their state.”
 

Mackenzie Priest
Hometown: Elk Mountain
Degrees: B.S. in kinesiology and health promotion with a minor in psychology, 2027
Priest plans to pursue a doctorate in occupational therapy and then return to Wyoming.

 

“I would love to be a school-based occupational therapist or work in early intervention with preschoolers or K–12 students,” she says.

 

“I plan to stay in Wyoming because a lot of my family is here and it is a great place to live. I love the many outdoor activities Wyoming offers year-round.”

 

The Trustees’ Scholars Award allowed Priest to succeed academically and to pay it forward: “Not only can I be successful in academics, but I also have time to give back to the community, specifically at the Cancer Center at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. I am so thankful for the opportunity to dedicate so much of my time to my academics and not have to worry so much about the financial aspects.”
 
Grant Hilton
Hometown: Cheyenne
Degree: B.S. in physiology, 2026
After medical school, Hilton plans to help alleviate the state’s rural doctor shortage by returning to Wyoming.

 

“All of the opportunities that the state of Wyoming has granted me throughout my time here have been nothing short of life-changing, so I owe everything to this state,” he says.

 

Earning the Trustees’ Scholars Award helped Hilton excel as an undergraduate without a financial burden: “It is important because it incentivizes high schoolers in Wyoming to aspire to do great things.”

 

Makenzi Scott
Hometown: Rock Springs
Degrees: B.S. in finance and economics, 2025; M.S. in finance, 2026
This summer, Scott finished her certified financial planner certification and master’s degree at UW: “I plan to become a financial planner in Rock Springs. The economy back home is largely based on the boom-and-bust cycle of the trona mines, so helping my future clients be prepared is incredibly important.”

 

During her time at UW, the Trustees’ Scholars Award allowed Scott to establish her own business — breeding and training barrel racing horses — which she plans to continue after college. She’s also a member of the UW rodeo team.

 

Scott’s goal of becoming a Trustees’ Scholar started all the way back in eighth grade.

 

“It gave me drive through school,” she says. “It provides a reason for Wyomingites to stay and give back to the state that has given us so much.”

 

Scott can’t imagine living anywhere else: “I love the big open spaces. It gives a feeling of freedom that is unique to Wyoming.”
 
Sophia Meyers
Hometown: Casper 
Degrees: B.S. in psychology with minors in honors and neuroscience, 2028
Because of the Trustees’ Scholars Award, Meyers has been able to dedicate herself to her academics, campus involvement and personal growth, including becoming active in club sports.

 

“I think the Trustees’ Scholars Award is incredibly important for students who may not otherwise be able to afford university,” she says.

 

Meyers plans to return to her home state after attending physician assistant school: “Access to medical care can be limited in many rural areas, and I hope to make a meaningful difference by serving communities across Wyoming. This state truly feels like home to me. I love the sense of community, the outdoors and the hard-working grounded attitude that Wyoming embodies. The feeling of being out on the plains under the stars is so amazing, and I could never give it up. There is nowhere else like it, and I want to continue building my life and career here.”  

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