Alum’s Research “Uplifts” Families of Children with Autism
When Jamie Easler was a BYU graduate student six years ago, she realized she wanted to better understand youth on the autism spectrum and, by extension, their families.
Change people's lives at home and around the world
December 2022
Millie Rapp never imagined she’d be a single mother. In her first stint at BYU, she’d been the cocaptain of the cross-country team and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. After graduation, she and her husband moved to the other side of the country and had two boys—and then their marriage unraveled.
Rapp took a job working long hours to improve environmental conditions in a cement plant and then later worked for a power company in Tucson, Arizona. While she was on the job, she felt a prompting to return to BYU for more education.
“I feel like I was led to return to BYU.”
“I’d always wanted to get my MBA,” Rapp says, “but I hadn’t envisioned quitting my job during a pandemic and moving to Utah.” She also wasn’t sure how she’d pay for the program—thankfully she received scholarships.
At BYU Rapp received mentoring from professionals, interned with big-name companies, and even got global supply chain experience. As an MBA grad, she now has a promising career in corporate strategy.
“I feel like I was led to return to BYU,” she says. “It’s really been a critical part of helping me rebuild my life. It put me in connection with people who saw my potential.”
When Jamie Easler was a BYU graduate student six years ago, she realized she wanted to better understand youth on the autism spectrum and, by extension, their families.
Jace Watt jumped at the chance to study abroad in Tanzania, where he and other BYU students were hosted by the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka.
Manufacturing engineering technology student Seth Huber developed and began testing a boot to offload foot pressure so diabetics can heal from these painful sores.