Finding Home and Purpose: Michael Merrill's Journey at BYU-Idaho

January 2025

Michael Merrill grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland, and O’Fallon, Illinois. In his late teenage years, Merrill was serving a mission in Tonga during the global upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic. His mission then took unexpected turns reassigning him to West Valley, Salt Lake City. These experiences instilled in him a resilience and adaptability that would prove invaluable in his academic and professional pursuits.

Upon returning to the United States, Michael was uncertain about where to attend college. Juggling different possibilities, he felt drawn time and time again to BYU-Idaho. “Even though I didn’t know much about the University, I felt a great sense of peace whenever I pictured myself attending,” Merrill reflects. “I knew that’s where God wanted me to be.” 

Fall 2021 marked the beginning of his academic journey at BYU-Idaho, where he decided to major in Economics with a minor in Data Science. His academic pursuits were complemented by a diverse array of work experiences he was able to gain from his connections at BYU-Idaho. Merrill has spent time working at a developmental disability agency, operating machinery at a general contractor company in Idaho Falls and is currently interning at Melaleuca as a Business Analyst.

"I had a lot of spiritual experiences happen that reminded me that I needed to start looking at internships," Merrill recounts. Following these promptings led him to his current internship position and to get involved with BYU-Idaho’s career center. Through this opportunity, he was able to travel to Bentonville, Arkansas, to interview with Walmart about potential internship opportunities after graduation. "There is so much opportunity at BYU-Idaho," he affirms. "The skills that I’ve learned, and the networking that I’ve been able to do, has opened so many doors for me. BYU-Idaho has all the tools you could ever need."

Beyond academics and career, Merrill immersed himself in campus life, excelling in intramural sports ranging from soccer and volleyball to futsal and pickleball. His competitive spirit shone brightly through BYUI’s soccer team, The Spartans, clinching a championship victory last semester. "I love BYU-Idaho," Merrill stated. "Anyone can come here and find an amazing education and get anywhere in life they want to be."

Merrill also expressed profound gratitude for BYU-Idaho’s supportive environment and dedicated faculty. "I have found my passion in economics, and my professors are amazing," he notes. "I can go into their offices and get advice from them anytime. BYU-Idaho has become a place that I can call home." 

"The tuition is incredibly affordable," Michael emphasizes. "My scholarships have made all the difference.” Merrill is the recipient of the full BYU-Idaho Grant Tuition Scholarship and an internship grant. “Donor’s support has removed a lot of potential stress and allowed me to focus solely on school and internship experiences. It’s such a powerful gift the donors give us as students, and it’s something I want to do someday as well. I’m grateful to be able to call Rexburg home.”