In the coming days, thousands of students will walk onto our campuses — some returning, others for the first time. Remembering my days as a student here, it has me wondering: What have this year’s Wildcats not yet imagined for their future?

By the end of this decade, Weber State students could be making a diagnosis, caring for your loved one, or conducting research that leads to medical breakthroughs. They may be the brains behind your family’s next favorite Netflix series. They could be launching the next big tech company — perhaps in a field that’s just now emerging. (Think how quickly AI exploded on the scene!)

But before any of this can happen, these futures must feel attainable. Students need to trust that higher education is working for them — that it’s accessible, affordable, and built for the real world.

We live in a moment when many are questioning the value of higher education. Families are concerned about cost and return on investment. Utahns are asking more from their universities, rightly demanding a quality education that aligns with their goals, leads to meaningful work, and secures a prosperous future for their families.

Weber State has a long history of answering that call. Following World War II, when the American West faced a nursing shortage, Weber State pioneered flexible two-year nursing degrees and “career ladder” pathways, helping to shift nursing education out of hospital apprenticeships and into modern higher education. Today, WSU produces more registered nurses than any other institution in Utah, proving that academic ambition and practical, real-world value can go hand in hand.

Of course, there are countless other success stories from Utah colleges and universities. Some of the greatest leaps in education, technology, and medicine started right here on Utah campuses. More and more, institutions are working together to uplift Utahns. Schools within the Utah System of Higher Education are teaming up to help thousands of students access education and boost the state’s economy through talent development and innovation. 

The days of milestones made possible by a college education are far from over. Today’s students can dream just as big. With the right education and support, how far will they go? And what positive changes will they make along the way?

For 137 years, Weber State has upheld a student-centered mission to make dreams possible. But we can’t rest on our laurels. As the university’s president, I’m committed to ensuring we don’t just adapt to the changing landscape of higher education, but take the lead.

That means listening closely to our communities and employers. It means offering new programs as state needs arise, and updating existing ones as industries evolve. It means expanding hands-on opportunities so every student learns by doing — in laboratories, clinics, businesses, and communities. It means actively removing financial and structural barriers so college stays within reach for everyone, whether first-time students or adult learners who are working full-time and raising families.

Weber State should always be known for developing talent, igniting creativity, inspiring innovation, and yes, changing the world — starting right here in Utah.

That’s what makes the back-to-school season so exciting. Imagine what discoveries could start with a simple question in the classroom. A new business could begin as an idea scribbled in a student’s notebook. Life-changing moments could happen when students meet the professors who convince them they can do something they weren’t sure they could do.

The future of Utah isn’t generations away. It’s walking into class next week. I’m excited to see who these students will become at Weber — and what our state will become because of them.

Chris Mallett is the president of Weber State University, his alma mater and the place that shaped his belief in the life-changing impact of higher education. Follow his Instagram @weberstatepresident