Graduate School Here We Come!

In October 2006 I heard the talk "Rise Up, O Men of God" given by President Gordon B. Hinkley. At the time I was newly married and contemplating my educational goals. I was more interested in getting the "paper"(diploma) as fast as I could and getting out of school. Then these words, I felt, were directed to me:

"Approximately 61 percent of young men enroll in college immediately following high school, compared to 72 percent of young women.

Women have earned more bachelor's degrees than men every year since 1982, and more master degrees since 1986.

It is plainly evident from these statistics that young women are exceeding young men in pursuing educational programs. And so I say to you young men, rise up and discipline yourselves to take advantage of educational opportunities. Do you wish to marry a girl whose education has been far superior to your own? We speak of being "equally yoked." That applies, I think, to the matter of education."

Most who know me would assume that my motivation was based on pride, and the desire to not allow any girl to be better than me. That assumption, fortunately, is wrong. I left that conference feeling lazy. At the time I was thinking about studying Travel and Tourism, mostly because it is a great way to get me home to Hawaii, and also because there are only 45 credits required for graduation (I could have graduated in December 2007).

I guess I felt bad for trying to find a quick way out. I hate being called lazy (though history would affirm that such is the case). So I set forth to find an area of study that I would enjoy, regardless of the time required for graduation. Shortly after I was introduced to the Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation major and, as you’ve seen from earlier posts, I am enjoying it quite thoroughly.

Almost immediately I realized that graduate research and education would help me(us) be more competitive when the job search arrives. This semester I wrote a proposal with one of my professors to do research of desert bighorn sheep in southern Utah. At the end of October we were told that the proposal had been approved. In November Dr. Smith (Tom), Eva, Naia, and I took a trip down to the study area. Tom and I both got to fly through the study area and help to survey the sheep population. So, basically barring any extreme circumstances, my graduate research should begin in January 2009. I will get a great head-start on my graduate degree (I should finish my undergraduate degree in April 2009). We’re a little sad that we will be away from Hawaii for so long, but this will ultimately help us get there (without living with parents or having Eva work). Here are a few pictures of our trip.

I got to fly in a helicopter for the first time in 10 years. I got a little nauseous. Those things are smaller than I remember.

This is Dr. Smith. He's pretty new at BYU, and prior to being a professor there he was a research biologist in Alaska. He has a couple of current polar bear and brown bear studies that I would like to help with.

This is a pretty good looking ram that my boss Justin found while surveying another area.

Naia figured out what the camera is for and began posing. She was pretty happy to be at the hotel room after the 3 hour drive from Provo to Moab.

It was nice of Tom to let me bring my family, even though it was only an over night trip.

This is Dead Horse Point, part of the study area.