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Honors Program
Honors Tracker

Student Spotlight

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Student Spotlight

Samantha Otterstrom

Samantha Otterstrom
Major: Food Science
Graduation: Fall 2029
Hometown: Provo, UT

I am Samantha Otterstrom and I grew up in Provo, Utah as the second youngest of nine kids. I am currently a sophomore and majoring in food science. I love to bake, read, travel, go hiking and boat. I'm taking my second unexpected connections course and I'm taking it with my sister which has been fun! I'm currently preparing to serve a mission in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and I'm so excited! See more information about Samantha here.
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Student Spotlight

Carter Mitchell Glass

Carter Mitchell Glass
Major: Music Performance-Brass Emphasis
Graduation: April 2026
Hometown: DC Metropolitan area
Instagram: @carterplastic

My name is Carter Glass, and I am finishing up my senior year here at BYU! I grew up as a military brat living all over the world, and I'm majoring in trumpet performance. I love writing nonfiction, watching movies, hiking, DC sports teams and anything to do with music. I'm currently working on finishing up my honors thesis, and hope to continue my education with an MA in musicology.
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Student Spotlight

Natalie Tretriluxana

Natalie Tretriluxana
Major: Psychology
Graduation: April 2027
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Instagram: @natalietret

My name is Natalie, and I am from Berkeley, California. I'm currently a junior in the Honors Program, studying Psychology! I love cooking, playing the piano, and spending time with family. I love the Honors Program because it gives me a chance to think and analyze things much deeper than I could have ever expected, and it really helps me learn things beyond the surface level. I'm very passionate about psychological and mental health and the Honors Program has given me the opportunity to push myself in those areas. I plan to continue my studies after graduation and hope to contribute meaningful research to help others. Click here to see Natalie's Insta Reel.
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Student Spotlight

Larson Roberts

Larson Roberts
Major: Pre-Business
Graduation: April 2028
Instagram: @Larson.Roberts

Hey y'all! My name is Larson Roberts, and I am from Austin, Texas. I'm currently a sophomore and am applying to the Strategic Management major next year. Recently, I just returned from serving a mission in Arequipa, Peru, and I'm working as a TA for Honors 120 right now. This is my first semester taking the unexpected connections courses, and it has been an incredible and unique experience that cannot be found elsewhere on campus. Outside of classes, I love going to BYU football games, hiking, watching Survivor, and juggling!
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Student Spotlight

Maddie Kenealey

Maddie Kenealey
Major: Journalism & Sports Media
Minor: History
Graduation: April 2028
Instagram: @maddiekenealey

I'm the oldest of five kids, I'm a full time student and I work as an Honors student Advisor as well as TA. I love to read, write and travel, and I devote my free time to my family, friends, poetry club and honors events. I've been to 13 countries, and I own way more books than it is convenient to move apartments with.
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Student Spotlight

Wyatt Bailey

Name: Wyatt Bailey
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Major: Genetics, Genomics, & Biotechnology
Minors: Strategy, Japanese, & Business
Graduation: December 2027

My name is Wyatt Bailey, and I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm currently a junior in the Honors program, studying Genetics, Genomics, & Biotechnology, and minoring in Strategy, Japanese, & Business. I'm currently serving on the Honors Student Leadership Council this year. I recently completed an economic reporting internship with Common Sense Institute, and I have plans to continue my education after graduation in an MBA program. ()
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Student Spotlight

Elise Christensen

Elise Christensen
Major: Classical Studies
Minor: Interdisciplinary Humanities
Graduation: 2029
Hometown: West Valley City, Utah

My name is Elise and I am from West Valley City, Utah! My mom is from Hong Kong, my dad is from California, and I have 4 siblings. I enjoy reading historical fiction, playing the flute, and painting with watercolors. I want to become a Latin teacher because I love the extra layer of analyzation and history Latin brings to my studies. It is such a mathematical language yet is so diverse in its ways of expression and poetry. I joined Honors because I love connecting concepts across disciplines and hearing new perspectives from people with different thoughts and ideas. More on Instagram!
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Student Spotlight

Abigail Hoban

Name: Abigail Hoban
Major(s): Public Health with Epidemiology Emphasis
Graduation: April 2026

My name is Abigail, and I’m from North Carolina. I’m a senior at BYU and have loved being part of the honors program since my freshman year. I'm interested in health policy and infectious disease, and I'm currently working on a research project studying the access and effectiveness of a new vaccination focused on preventing RSV in infants.
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Student Spotlight

Ian Brunson

Name: Ian Brunson
Major(s): Nutritional Science
Minor(s): Chemistry
Graduation: April 2026
Instagram: @brunson.ian

Briefly tell us about yourself and your passions: I am from a small town in Wisconsin called Marshfield. I have two sisters and all three of us are here at BYU. I love anything that gets me up and moving and compete in powerlifting. I love playing pickleball and skiing with my wife!
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Student Spotlight

Maeser Flake

Name: Maeser Jay Flake
Major: Physics
Minor: Mathematics
Planned Graduation Date: April 2026

Why did you join the Honors Program?
My parents named me after Karl G. Maeser, and that is honestly probably part of why I joined the honors program. I also love learning, and I love the idea of interdisciplinary connections.
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Student Spotlight

Timo Blankenbehler

Name: Timo Blankenbehler
Major: Political Science
Minor: Economics
Planned Graduation Date: 2029
Instagram: @timo_blan

Briefly tell us about yourself and your passions: Hello, I am Timo Blankenbehler, an incoming freshman majoring in Political Science on a Pre-Law track. I love to hang out with friends and watch sports. In my free time, I often go to the gym, cook, or study for my classes. I hope to one day be a successful lawyer with a happy family, being able to support my family from my dedication in school and work.

Why did you decide to join the Honors Program?
... by taking classes that require abstract thinking, I can find connections I would have never had thought of before.
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Student Spotlight

Zoe Peterson

Name: Zoe Peterson
Current Major(s): Genetics, Genomics, & Biotechnology
Graduation: April 2026
Instagram: @zoecpeterson

My name is Zoe and I've been studying in the Honors Program since 2022! I'm a junior Pre-Optometry student currently getting ready to begin my thesis this coming fall in disease prevention related nutrition research. I finished up my Great Question Essay this past fall and loved getting to explore my curiosities and interests in an academic setting as I focused on answering why we have tradition. I am currently working as the Lead Student Instructor for Honors 120 and love getting to introduce new students to how amazing the Honors Program is and building community with new Honors students as we discuss interdisciplinary thinking. Read more about Zoe here.
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Student Spotlight

Olivia Osguthorpe

Name: Olivia Osguthorpe
Major: Sociology
Graduation Date: April 2025
Instagram: @olivia-osguthorpe

Briefly tell us about yourself and your passions
I grew up in Eagle, Idaho, where I gained a love of whitewater rafting and hiking. I served in the Alpine German-Speaking Mission from 2020-2022. I love research and writing, and I can't wait to start my Instructional Psychology & Technology master's here at BYU... [Read More about Olivia Here]
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Student Spotlight

Elijah Pearce

Name: Elijah Pearce
Major: Editing & Publishing
Minor: Digital Humanities and Technology
Graduation Date: April 2025
Instagram: @the_elijah_pearce

What has been your favorite Honors experience?
I have really enjoyed my time with my thesis. It's on format principles to address dyslexia. For the thesis, I created a layout of the Book of Mormon for individuals with dyslexia. This has been something that I've been wanting to work on since my first year at BYU...[Read more about Elijah here]
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Student Spotlight

Destiny Romero

Name: Destiny Romero
Major: Exercise and Wellness
Minor(s): Healthcare Leadership, Gerontology, Spanish Certificate
Graduation: June 2025
Instagram: @d.hansromero

What’s one item on your bucket list?
Go paragliding! I've been skydiving but it was too short, I want to hang in the clouds a little longer. [Read more about Destiny here]
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Student Spotlight

Douglas Stone

Name: Douglas Stone
Major: Chemical Engineering
Graduation: April 2026

Why did you decide to join the Honors Program?
I wanted to have the full BYU experience, and the Honors Program seemed like a great way to expose me to people and classes I wouldn’t be familiar with in my microcosmic chemical engineering world. [Read More about Douglas Here]
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Student Spotlight

Abigail Archibald

Name: Abigail Archibald
Major: Sociology
Minor: Portuguese
Graduation: 2030
Instagram: @abi_archibald

My name is Abi Archibald I am a freshman at BYU. I am majoring in Sociology and hope to go to law school after graduation. I love to read a good book, watch Gilmore Girls, and do anything active. My favorite thing to do is spend time outside whether that is skiing, boating, or just sitting outside. I love my friends and family and of course my dog! [Read More About Abigail here]
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Student Spotlight

Brandon Abraham

Name: Brandon Abraham
Major: Neuroscience
Graduation: April 2029
Instagram: @brandonsabraham

Briefly tell us about yourself and your passions:
I'm a Sophomore from Middleton, Idaho who loves learning. If there's something to be learned, I want to learn it. I love meeting and serving people, exercising, striving to further my discipleship to Jesus Christ, and trying new things. [Read more about Brandon here]
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