Originally published on August 29, 2017.
After a visit to Southern Utah University, Cory Reese from South Jordan, Utah, knew SUU was the school for him. From the small class sizes to the friendly faculty, Cory felt at home on the beautiful tree-lined campus.
As a student, Cory was involved in Psi Chi, the International Honors Society for psychology, worked for the alumni association, and represented the school as a Presidential Ambassador.
Because of the caring professors that took an interest in his success, Cory developed a desire to help others and decided to study psychology.
“College wasn’t always easy, but I learned the importance of continuing to push forward even when times were tough,” said Cory. “Being able to balance school, work, and family has been an asset ever since then. My experience at SUU helped me develop an internal drive to work hard and to help others. I think a theme of service has been woven through my life since then.”
Cory is currently a social worker for the University of Utah Dialysis Program. For the last 12 years, he has provided social work at dialysis centers in Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Hurricane, and Cedar City, Utah.
In addition to his accomplishments as a social worker, Cory’s perseverance has carried him to the finish line of over 70 races all over the United States since 2009. These races range from local 5k’s to the “world’s toughest footrace”, a 135-mile ultramarathon through Death Valley, and a 72-hour race called Across the Years in which Cory ran a stunning 205 miles.
Documentation of these exploits can be found on Cory’s blog, Fast Cory, and in his recently published book Nowhere Near First - Ultramarathon Adventures from the Back of the Pack.
Cory credits his education at SUU as building his strong foundation.
“The fundamentals that I learned in my classes are skills that I use every day in my profession. I felt like my professors really cared about me, and they challenged me to learn and grow.”
Learn more about SUU’s Psychology program.
