Brad Mortensen and I worked together at Weber State for over two decades. When we first met, neither of us were all that important on campus, but we both cared about the political efficacy of the Weber State community. We wanted to make sure that everyone who was connected to our campus had the knowledge and skills to be effective in Utah politics if they wanted to be. Early work we did, establishing a political leadership institute, were the seeds of the nationally recognized work that the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service does today.

One major difference between us was that I had no idea how to plant those seeds. I relied heavily on Brad’s advice and guidance as I figured out how to navigate Utah politics, which did not come easily to me. There were many cues I missed and references I did not understand. When I got a job as a political talk show host on KSL, Brad was generous with both his time and expertise, helping me learn to read political tea leaves. My ability to see Utah is dependent on those early years of asking Brad questions.

He is also the reason I won a national civic engagement award last summer and why I have so much on my plate today. He cares about civic work, and when he hears about opportunities to make civics available to our campus, he asks me to lead out on them. I always say yes. One of the possible advantages to Brad being at Utah State is that maybe I will be a little less busy, but I will miss him and our conversations very much.

A few years ago, I got asked to serve on a committee that worked to address declining enrollment at Weber State. The committee chair was Jessica Oyler. She made us meet three times a week, talking about all the ways we could help students succeed in college. Listening to what she focused on and how she cared about what happened to students, I realized I didn’t see college students that well. She taught me how to think about the university from the perspective of the life cycle of a student, which changed everything about how I taught. Based on what she taught me, I have made significant effort to improve my craft.

No one I have ever met cares more about students than Jessica, who once scolded me so harshly because I said students needed more grit that my ears are still ringing. She showed up for every possible student event, from trunk-or-treats to dances to games. She once took me to Montana to watch our football team, and another time she made me watch a play in which a lizard killed a cheerleader. These experiences taught me to show up for my students in ways I never had before, which helped me to connect with them better. Jessica did not hesitate to call faculty and encourage us to make it possible for students to succeed, asking us to look at our schedules and modalities and really reflect on if the way we have always done things is the way we should be doing them. A number of people on campus had issues with being asked, but most of us understood that she had students at the center of every interaction, and the things she asked us to think about made our classes, programs, and our campus better.

My son knows who Brad and Jessica are. When I told him they were leaving for Utah State, the first thing he asked was, “Do I have to go to Utah State now?” He had always expected to attend Weber State. Not because I worked there, but because Brad wore a purple suit and Jessica told him he had to. In fact, my son’s favorite color is purple, because of Brad and Jessica. Young people who know them would likely say the same. They made it so people wanted to go to Weber State.

New administrators will come to our campus and I have no doubt they will be amazing. I may even say yes when they ask me to do stuff. But I will always be aware that the Leah who shows up, day in and day out, for students and people in Northern Utah, owes a significant debt to the administrators who just left.

Leah Murray is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the director of the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service at Weber State University. This commentary is provided through a partnership with Weber State. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent the institutional values or positions of the university.