After moving to Utah from Bogotá, Columbia three years ago, outstanding graduate of philosophy Juliana Bello says she decided to attend UVU because of its stellar reputation, small class sizes, and affordable tuition. “UVU has been very supportive when it comes to my education,” she said. “The amount of help I received from the faculty and staff was priceless.”

Bello says that her dream is to be a part of a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that protects the environment, and she decided to pursue a degree in philosophy to help her achieve that goal. “Philosophy is a way of life, not just a degree,” she said. “It gives you a new world to explore. After studying philosophy, your perception of life changes entirely.”

After traveling for a while, Bello says that she plans to pursue a master’s degree in environmental law or environmental philosophy in pursuit of environmental protection. She wants to be instrumental in helping countries where the soil and plant life have been exploited beyond repair, where there are no environmental regulations, or where environmental injustice practices are in place.

To any students thinking of pursuing a philosophy degree, she said, “If your goal is critical thinking, philosophy is the major for you. If your goal is law school, philosophy is the major for you. If your goal is to see life through a different lens, philosophy is the major for you.”