Outstanding University Honors Graduates 2025
Meet Sophie Cranney and Tristan Mott
The Honors Program named two Outstanding Honors Graduates for the graduating class of 2024-2025. Sophie Cranney and Tristan Mott represented the University Honors graduates and shared their remarks at Honors graduation exercises in April. Each year, the Honors Program selects graduating students who embody the spirit of our mission:
“The Honors Program mission is to develop student-scholars from across the university who will become broad thinkers, creative problem solvers, and influential leaders by cultivating academic excellence, a community of scholars, interdisciplinary thinking, and skills of inquiry.”
Like their fellow Honors graduates, Cranney and Mott have both achieved a great deal during their time at BYU. They have demonstrated significant involvement with the Honors Program and the wider campus community, serving their fellow students and contributing to the expanding body of knowledge both on and off campus. We applaud their efforts and thank them for their contributions to the Honors Program!
Cranney is graduating with a degree in Psychology and has accepted a position as a research assistant at the University of Utah. She plans on using this gap year to acquire additional research experience before pursuing a PhD in clinical neuropsychology. Moved by the results of a class research project on the well-being of mothers at BYU, Cranney felt a strong desire to continue the work. That led to her Honors thesis on supporting student mothers on campus. Using survey data, she evaluated perceived support, mental well-being, and awareness of resources. Her findings helped her identify opportunities to enhance support systems, ensuring that student mothers receive the necessary assistance to thrive academically and personally while here at BYU. “Because of my thesis, I’ve become a stronger student, a more thoughtful researcher, and more skilled at asking and answering meaningful questions—abilities that will serve me well throughout my life and future career,” Cranney said.
Mott is graduating with a major in Computer Engineering and a minor in Computer Science. He will continue his graduate education here at BYU, pursuing a PhD in Computer Science. His thesis was inspired by both his love for baseball and fascination with statistics. Working with a Texas Rangers employee on prediction models for optimal baseball strategies, Mott wanted to create his own prediction model and ultimately that became the focus of his Honors thesis. He developed a model and algorithm to show optimal decisions that should be made during a baseball game. He noted his model beat the betting lines! Mott presented his findings at the MIT Sports Analytics Conference in Boston, where he was surprised to meet people who had read his research and were interested in the work he had done. “People in the world actually care about the research we’re doing at BYU and in the Honors Program,” he explained.
The Honors team asked Cranney and Mott to share more about their experiences. Keep reading to learn more about each of them and their time here at BYU:
Sophia Claire Cranney
Major: Psychology
What’s been your favorite part of your BYU experience?
One of the most meaningful parts of my BYU experience has been the opportunity to grow my testimony and deepen my faith. When I first arrived on campus, I had been a member of the Church for less than a year. I was overwhelmed and had so much to learn. But the BYU community—through inspired education, lasting friendships, and daily examples of discipleship—created a space where I could truly grow. Because of my time here, I now have a strong and enduring testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored Church
What was your most memorable Honors experience?
Writing the Great Questions Essay. From start to finish, it was a challenging process, but the outcome was truly transformative. Through this project, I learned how to express myself through the lens of disciplines beyond my own, and, even more importantly, I found deep personal resolution on an issue that had weighed on me for most of my life.
How did researching and writing an Honors thesis add to your undergraduate experience?
Researching and writing my Honors Thesis gave me a deep sense of independence and helped me develop invaluable skills. There are so many lessons I never would have learned without this opportunity and the incredible mentorship it provided.
How have the mission and aims of BYU shaped your education?
The mission and aims of BYU have uniquely positioned me to receive not only an excellent education, but also to grow as a true disciple of Christ. I’ve been able to grow intellectually and spiritually, an experience that I know I could not have gotten anywhere else.
Tell us a little about the service or leadership opportunities you had while you were here.
During my time as an undergraduate student, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several research labs, which allowed me to present at conferences and contribute to published work. From the moment I arrived at BYU, I knew I wanted to be involved in research, and I’m so grateful that the university is so well-equipped to teach undergraduates the skills they need to thrive in the professional world. Beyond academics, I’ve cherished my time in Adaptive Show Choir, where I’ve deepened my understanding of physical and mental disabilities while teaching individuals how to sing and dance—two things I’ve always loved. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering with the University Accessibility Center in various capacities. Service has been such a meaningful part of my BYU experience. It has strengthened me spiritually and broadened my understanding of how the world works for people with different life experiences.
As you prepare for graduation, what advice do you have for your fellow Honors students?
My biggest piece of advice is this: don’t give up. The Honors Program can feel daunting, and it’s easy to fall into a mindset of inadequacy. But I firmly believe that everyone has the potential to be an Honors student. The ones who succeed aren’t necessarily the ones who never struggle -- they’re the ones who recognize their own potential and choose to keep moving forward when things get hard. Keep going. You belong here!
What’s been your favorite part of your BYU experience?
One of the most meaningful parts of my BYU experience has been the opportunity to grow my testimony and deepen my faith. When I first arrived on campus, I had been a member of the Church for less than a year. I was overwhelmed and had so much to learn. But the BYU community—through inspired education, lasting friendships, and daily examples of discipleship—created a space where I could truly grow. Because of my time here, I now have a strong and enduring testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored Church
What was your most memorable Honors experience?
Writing the Great Questions Essay. From start to finish, it was a challenging process, but the outcome was truly transformative. Through this project, I learned how to express myself through the lens of disciplines beyond my own, and, even more importantly, I found deep personal resolution on an issue that had weighed on me for most of my life.
How did researching and writing an Honors thesis add to your undergraduate experience?
Researching and writing my Honors Thesis gave me a deep sense of independence and helped me develop invaluable skills. There are so many lessons I never would have learned without this opportunity and the incredible mentorship it provided.
How have the mission and aims of BYU shaped your education?
The mission and aims of BYU have uniquely positioned me to receive not only an excellent education, but also to grow as a true disciple of Christ. I’ve been able to grow intellectually and spiritually, an experience that I know I could not have gotten anywhere else.
Tell us a little about the service or leadership opportunities you had while you were here.
During my time as an undergraduate student, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several research labs, which allowed me to present at conferences and contribute to published work. From the moment I arrived at BYU, I knew I wanted to be involved in research, and I’m so grateful that the university is so well-equipped to teach undergraduates the skills they need to thrive in the professional world. Beyond academics, I’ve cherished my time in Adaptive Show Choir, where I’ve deepened my understanding of physical and mental disabilities while teaching individuals how to sing and dance—two things I’ve always loved. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering with the University Accessibility Center in various capacities. Service has been such a meaningful part of my BYU experience. It has strengthened me spiritually and broadened my understanding of how the world works for people with different life experiences.
As you prepare for graduation, what advice do you have for your fellow Honors students?
My biggest piece of advice is this: don’t give up. The Honors Program can feel daunting, and it’s easy to fall into a mindset of inadequacy. But I firmly believe that everyone has the potential to be an Honors student. The ones who succeed aren’t necessarily the ones who never struggle -- they’re the ones who recognize their own potential and choose to keep moving forward when things get hard. Keep going. You belong here!
Tristan Johnson Mott
Major: Computer Engineering
Minor: Computer Science
What’s been your favorite part of your BYU experience?
My favorite part of the BYU experience has been mentored research. I was fortunate to be able to work for both the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science departments, and both were amazing experiences. They helped me publish multiple times and allowed and encouraged me to pursue research questions that I was personally passionate about.
What was your most memorable Honors experience?
My most memorable Honors experience was my bird watching unexpected connections class. I loved spending time outside each week listening to new birds!
How did researching and writing an Honors thesis add to your undergraduate experience?
It gave me purpose in my education. In my classes, I paid extra attention to things that I thought might improve my research. I always looked forward to finishing my homework so I could work on my thesis.
How have the mission and aims of BYU shaped your education?
The idea of lifelong learning has left a big impact on me. I learned this mostly by observing the examples of my professors, who I can see are still working hard to learn new things. It inspired me to make sure I am always a student for the rest of my life.
Tell us a little about the service or leadership opportunities you had while you were here.
Throughout my junior year, I was the president of the BYU Sports Analytic Club. I organized monthly meetings during which members of the club competed in analytics competitions and listened to presentations by professional athletes and analysts. My participation was initially motivated because my research advisor asked me to revamp the club. After a while, my motivation was mainly to help younger students learn how to apply the skills they were learning in school to problems they were passionate about. I also have mentored several younger undergraduate researchers in my lab. I find a lot of joy sitting down and writing code with someone and then seeing things click as they begin to understand. It is even better when I get to see them start accomplishing great things on their own.
As you prepare for graduation, what advice do you have for your fellow Honors students?
Be a lifelong learner and read. Never stop reading. Read the news, read academic papers, read classic fiction. I really believe it makes us more aware of others, more self-aware, and more intelligent. The most valuable part of getting an education is learning how to learn!
Minor: Computer Science
What’s been your favorite part of your BYU experience?
My favorite part of the BYU experience has been mentored research. I was fortunate to be able to work for both the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science departments, and both were amazing experiences. They helped me publish multiple times and allowed and encouraged me to pursue research questions that I was personally passionate about.
What was your most memorable Honors experience?
My most memorable Honors experience was my bird watching unexpected connections class. I loved spending time outside each week listening to new birds!
How did researching and writing an Honors thesis add to your undergraduate experience?
It gave me purpose in my education. In my classes, I paid extra attention to things that I thought might improve my research. I always looked forward to finishing my homework so I could work on my thesis.
How have the mission and aims of BYU shaped your education?
The idea of lifelong learning has left a big impact on me. I learned this mostly by observing the examples of my professors, who I can see are still working hard to learn new things. It inspired me to make sure I am always a student for the rest of my life.
Tell us a little about the service or leadership opportunities you had while you were here.
Throughout my junior year, I was the president of the BYU Sports Analytic Club. I organized monthly meetings during which members of the club competed in analytics competitions and listened to presentations by professional athletes and analysts. My participation was initially motivated because my research advisor asked me to revamp the club. After a while, my motivation was mainly to help younger students learn how to apply the skills they were learning in school to problems they were passionate about. I also have mentored several younger undergraduate researchers in my lab. I find a lot of joy sitting down and writing code with someone and then seeing things click as they begin to understand. It is even better when I get to see them start accomplishing great things on their own.
As you prepare for graduation, what advice do you have for your fellow Honors students?
Be a lifelong learner and read. Never stop reading. Read the news, read academic papers, read classic fiction. I really believe it makes us more aware of others, more self-aware, and more intelligent. The most valuable part of getting an education is learning how to learn!