On Saturday, June 21st, Eric finished the BYU EMBA program. It was an exciting and emotional day. He was excited, I was emotional.
(I took this picture of him last Wednesday-his last night of homework!)
To finish off their 2 year program, BYU put together an overnight retreat for students and spouses in Midway at the Zermott Resort. We had dinner on Friday night with Lloyd Newell coming to speak to us. His talk was so good and so uplifting. He talked to us about the importance of continuing to learn and how our spiritual education is more important than our secular education. We had a lovely dinner and a fun time spending the evening with some of Eric's Professors and classmates.
The next day was kind of like a mini Education Week. Three of Eric's professors spoke to us about life after the MBA program and how to reconnect with the things that matter the most in our lives. The first lecture was on "Family Finances" (now that we have student loans to pay), the next was on "Building a Resilient Marriage", and the final lecture was on "The Importance of Family Time". Each lecture was amazing and Eric and I were able to make some new family goals from some of the things we were reminded of. It was nice to end the program on such a high note and to have the professors remind us that, just because you have a great education, don't forget what is really important in your life. It was awesome!
All the students had one final assignment to submit before we could leave Saturday evening. Here is Eric turning in his very last assignment! This is when I started getting emotional. They had the screens up at the front of the room, and as each assignment was turned in and the students names were being checked off, everyone was walking around high fiving and hugging each other. It was cool to see the support each member of the EMBA class offered each other and the excitement that they all shared in finishing this journey.
Before we left, some of the professors and program directors gave a few last words of advice and counsel and thanked these 60+ students for an amazing 2 years. Hearing how this program changed not only the students lives, but the professors lives, was really wonderful. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed our family with this opportunity. It wasn't always easy and there were many weekends when I was not grateful for this. But, it blessed Eric's life so much, not only academically, but he is a better man for the people he met and the lessons he learned from his professors and classmates. I am grateful that in a small way, I was able to serve Eric and support him through this time in our life. Words cannot express how proud I am of him!!
Here is the graduating BYU EMBA Class of 2014!!
