Jon McNaughtan - Why I'm Grateful for SUU

The holidays for me have always been a time to be with family and reflect on fond memories of being with loved ones. Though the majority of my life I thought of my family as a small group, consisting of my parents and siblings, this holiday season I feel privileged to take a moment to talk about what family has come to mean to me by sharing a few of the reasons I am grateful for the extended family that I found while attending SUU. 

I will clarify that my wife (Liz Day McNaughtan) and I both graduated from SUU in 2009 and while the most important relationship we developed on the SUU campus was ours, we are grateful for the many other friendships that stem from our association with SUU. In fact, for the last few years we have lived in Michigan, where our closest family members are a brutal 24 hour drive away. However, we have been very grateful for our extended Thunderbird family here in the Midwest that helped us move in, shared Thanksgiving dinner, and cheered on the T-Birds over the last three years. Not only have we continued friendships we started while at SUU, but have made new ones as we mingle with great fellow alumni.

What’s more, I am grateful that my experience at SUU was authentic. I have traveled back to Cedar City every year for homecoming except one. What still amazes me is that every time I go back the friends I made and mentors that guided me are there to express how much they care and ask about my life. At so many colleges the students are little more than a number, but at SUU even six years removed people still care because they were and are authentically interested in my success.

On top of lasting authentic relationships, I have found that in addition to being academically prepared while at SUU, my participation in applied experiences shaped my view of leadership and gave me the confidence to tackle challenging projects. I will forever be grateful for the rare opportunities I had to serve in student government, presidential ambassadors, residence life, and the many clubs I couldn’t help but join. I didn’t realize how rare the SUU experience was until I continued my education at other institutions and realized that many students long for an applied education to compliment their academic preparation but struggle to find opportunities.

In 2003 when I pulled out of Heber City, Utah, on the way to college at SUU I thought I was leaving home to start a temporary new adventure. However, it turned out I was just about to find a new home and extended family of fellow T-Birds that continue to influence my life in positive ways. I am grateful for the choice I made to attend SUU and for the continued experiences that demonstrate to me the power of a high quality personalized education.   

Jon McNaughtan is a 2009 graduate of SUU where he earned his bachelor's degree in communication. He and his family live in An Arbor, MI, where he is a PhD. student in The Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.