Student Spotlight

Name: Emily Logan
Major: Applied Statistics and Analytics
Graduation: December 2023
Instagram: @3milylogan

I'm Emily! I'm from Texas and love going to school here at BYU, even when the sidewalks on campus are death traps in the winter. I love volleyball and my brother recently convinced me to take a Ju-Jitsu class with him, so I guess we're trying that out! Read more about Emily here.

Name: Emilee Forbush
Major: Pre-Computer Science: Animation and Games
Minor: Creative Writing
Graduation: December 2027

I am passionate about all thing's stories. I hope my major will teach me the skills required to develop video games, and my minor will aid me in my ambition to become an author. I hope to use this major and minor pair to build worlds that you can enjoy through the written word... Read more about Emilee here.

Name: Colby St Gelais
Major: Communications
Minor: Design Thinking
Graduation: April 2025
Instagram: @colbyst.gelais

What has been the most significant plot twist in your life?

The most significant plot twist in my life was the moment I found out what I wanted to do as a career. I had received a special assignment to create content for the Facebook pages in my mission. I had little knowledge of video production, but I learned how to do it and quickly fell in love as I learned I had a knack for it. Read more about Colby here.

Name: Esther Dewitt
Major: Psychology
Minor: Music
Graduation Date: 2026
Instagram: @queen__esther_

I’m from Williamsburg, VA but I’ve grown up moving all over the world because of my dad’s job. I love music, I’ve played piano for 13 years and have sung and done theatre for 9 years. In the future, I want to go to graduate school, get my PhD and work as a clinical psychologist. I hope to work in war torn areas and refugee camps providing... Read more about Esther here.

Name: Jack Holland
Major: Pre-Business
Graduation: 2026
Instagram: @haircutoff76

My name is Adam Holland, but I go by Jack because Adam is my father’s name. My family consists of me, my younger brother Ricky, my father Adam, my mother Jacquie, and our two golden retrievers, Liberty and Bailey. I have family in the Salt Lake Valley region. I am second generation BYU student on my mother’s side and fourth generation on my father’s side. I was born while my parents were still attending school. Needless to say, I bleed Blue. Read more about Jack here.

Emmie Hall
Major: Cyber Security
Graduation: 2026
Instagram: @emmster_100

I was born in San Francisco but moved to North Carolina at the age of eight. One of my favorite things about the South is the food, especially Bojangles biscuits (if you know, you know). I love tennis and play every chance I get. I can fall asleep anywhere and I enjoy public speaking, traveling, and shopping for clothes. When not in school, I'm most likely cheering on the Cougars at sporting events, spending time with friends, or working out with my roommates. Read more about Emmie here.

Name: Sophie Cranney
Major: Psychology
Graduation: April 2025
Instagram: @sophie_cranney

Hi! My name is Sophie Cranney and I'm from a teeny town in Northern Michigan called Harbor Springs. Before coming to BYU, I studied at the University of Michigan. I was baptized into the LDS church in October of 2021 and applied to BYU directly after. I came here in the fall of 2022, and it has been the greatest adventure of my life so far. I am extremely passionate about my studies in psychology and am so excited to see how my career will grow over my next two years here. Read more about Sophie here.

Name: Zach Stevenson
Major: American Studies & French Studies
Graduation: April 2024
Instagram: @zzstevenson6

I'm the fourth of seven children, and I love to read (primarily contemporary literary fiction and long-form journalism), write and watch films at the International Cinema. I was born in Madison, Wisconsin and spent a few years in California as a young child, but the only place I've ever called home is Purcellville, Virginia, a small but growing town about an hour outside of Washington D.C. Read more about Zach here.

Name: Ian Brunson
Major: Nutritional Science
Minor: Chemistry and Mathematics
Graduation: April 2026
Instagram: @brunson.ian

I am from Marshfield, Wisconsin, and served a mission in Billings, Montana, and Sao Paulo Brazil. I enjoy anything that keeps me active (running, swimming, powerlifting) and I love music as well. I play guitar, piano, and trumpet. Read more about Ian here.

Name: Dallin Swanson
Major: Exercise Science
Minor: Gerontology
Graduation: April 2023

I am from Draper and served a mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil. My wife and I are both graduating this semester and have loved our time at BYU. I will begin medical school in July and am very excited to start!

What are people often surprised to learn about you?

I have an identical twin. You might see him on campus and if you call him Dallin, he will likely respond by saying hi. Read more about Dallin here.

Rachel Hunter
Major: Bioinformatics
Minor: Chinese
Graduation: 2025
Instagram: @Rachel.hunter01

What’s one item on your bucket list?

Study abroad in China

What are three things that can always be found in your pantry/refrigerator?

Eggs, rice, and muffin mix.

Why did you decide to join the Honors Program?

I joined the Honors Program after viewing a number of research papers from the program. My major and minor are very different. I appreciate the challenge to learn using different perspectives to identify new solutions for challenges. Read more about Rachel here.

Siena Christensen
Major: Linguistics
Minor: Portuguese
Graduation Date: April 2024
Instagram: @siena.with.1.n

"Study the science of art, Study the art of science," Leonardo da Vinci once wisely said. It's for this reason that I love the Honors program so much! Throughout my life, I've sought to find this balance in school, hobbies, and other pursuits. I chose to study Linguistics as a way to apply both creativity and logic to something I love: language. In my free time, I love to do art and write (though not that well) or solve puzzles. Though I'm not sure where I'll end up after graduation, I know I'll find some career that will allow me to explore both sides of myself. Read more about Siena here.

Carter Glass
Major: Music
Minor: Global and Community Impact
Graduation: April 2025
Instagram: @carterplastic

As a military brat, I've lived in six states, two countries, and ten different houses. I love love love pop culture, especially music and movies. Music has been a huge boon in my life, being a lifeline when I've been lost and a place for me to build community. I'm a trumpet player, though I've dabbled in a little bit of everything. My lifelong goal is to take the difference that music has made in my life, and hopefully pay it forward.

What are your favorite books?

The War for Late Night by Bill Carter Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Read more about Carter here.

Emma Wheeler Volz
Major: Media Arts
Minor: Business
Graduation: August 2023
Instagram: @memsvolz

I am an aspiring documentary filmmaker, avid tennis player, and rock n' roll lover.

What’s the best-kept secret at BYU? Why?

Definitely the cactus cooler pops in the vending machines.

What is something you wish everyone knew about your major/field of study?

When you choose to study film, you choose to study everything. While film is a very technical art form, it also holds the potential to encapsulate any subject, any language, any story, or any abstraction. With film, expressive possibilities are endless. Read more about Emma here.

Andrew Issa Rosenbalm
Major: Media Arts
Gradation: April 2028
Instagram: @andrewrosenbalm

What is your favorite quote and why?

“You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.” - John Landis Mason

I’m fascinated by the concept of us being our most genuine selves when we’re young. Then, as we got older, we conform more and more to society’s norms, often to a point of losing our individuality. But those characteristics that make us different are the very things that give color to our world and our lives. Read more about Andrew here.

Megan Houston
Major: Communication Disorders
Graduation: April 2025

Why did you decide to join the Honors Program?

I decided to Join the Honors Program because I want to be involved with research during my undergraduate education and writing a thesis sounds terrifying yet so rewarding. I also love to be a part of the Honors community. Being in the Honors program has already blessed me with research opportunities I would not have without it. I love the growth that I am experiencing in this program! Read more about Megan here.

Jonathan Dickson
Major: Strategic Management
Minors: Statistics & Philosophy
Graduation: Spring 2025
LinkedIn: jmdickson

I really enjoy organizing and solving abstract problems. I find it fascinating to deconstruct a complicated situation into its component parts and arrange those into an actionable solution. This interest applies directly to my interest in business, and I hope to have a career in consulting. Read more about Jonathan Dickson here.

Ekta Khoteja
Major: Statistics
Graduation: December 2025

Other than my one-sided love for math and statistics, I have an unquenchable thirst for true crime. Find me listening to true crime podcasts anytime I have my headphones on. I aim to be a data scientist in the field of criminology or forensics. Coming from the culturally diverse country of Nepal naturally made me curious about the world, so I love trying new experiences. Read more about Ekta here.