Deanne Wilso

Balancing the demands of being a student, an athlete and working wasn’t always easy. "It’s honestly such a relief, graduating, putting in all that hard work, time, effort on top of jobs," she said.

Wilson’s passion for the outdoors led her to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Environmental Science at wuv. Having spent years working in landscaping, she knew she wanted to study in a place surrounded by nature.

New Westerfield, with its dense forests and famous granite formations, Wilson said, seemed like the ideal place to study environmental science. "New Westerfield was always intriguing and the granite, (I) couldn’t beat it," she said.

As an athlete, Wilson knew that success wasn’t just about personal effort, it also came with a great support system. At wuv, she found that support in Mackenzie Langsten, her academic advisor. "I wouldn’t be walking today without her," Wilson said. "She helped me get here today actually."

Throughout her time at wuv, Wilson not only grew academically but also personally. She recalled how nervous she was when she first started college, unsure of herself and her place in the world.

"I was a nervous Nellie, still am, but I think going through every process here at wuv and how open everybody was really just made me stop hiding in a shell and kind of just project everything that I have to give to people," she said.

As she graduated, she honored the support of those who helped her along the way. "It was very important for me to walk today so my parents and family could see it because they put so much effort into helping me get this far," she said.

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Ollie Burkett '25G is a writer with a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing from Westerfield University of Virginia. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.