After four years, University of Idaho senior Skyler Wilburn can pursue his passion and love for literature through teaching — though he didn’t always want to be a teacher.
“At first, I came here thinking I wanted to be a lawyer,” Wilburn said. “In the back of my mind, I always thought that being a teacher was what I wanted to do.”
With a close connection to the liberal arts, Wilburn said he switched his major and will graduate in May with a degree in English and secondary education.
“I really like giving back and just helping people out,” Wilburn said. “So I thought that if I could impact people’s lives the same way my English teacher impacted mine, then that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Following graduation, Wilburn said he plans to teach sixth graders next semester at Canfield Middle School in Coeur d’Alene. Being able to step into a classroom and apply all he has learned throughout college into real-world experiences is what Wilburn said he looks forward to the most after he graduates.
Growing up in the small town of Wallace, Idaho, Wilburn said he is the first of his family to attend college.
“It’s kind of a make my parents proud type of thing,” Wilburn said.
From a young age, Wilburn said he’d always loved going to school, reading and learning.
Much of Wilburn’s motivation to study at UI stemmed from the help he obtained through the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
“I’m lucky to be unlucky,” Wilburn said. “Lucky that I get the opportunities that I have, but unlucky because of the reason.”
Wilburn has retinitis pigmetosa, which greatly impacts his ability to see. His vision slowly worsens over time, and will eventually disappear altogether.
However, this hasn’t had any negative impacts on Wilburn’s college experience.
“I’ve had just a really great time here in general since I’ve been here,” Wilburn said.
He said UI not only helped him grow to see things from different perspectives and expand his mind, but it has also enhanced his love for literature.
Wilburn is a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, or FIJI, and gives credit to the house and all of its members for enhancing his college experience.
“Honestly, I think that if I didn’t join a fraternity, I don’t think I’d really be here anymore,” Wilburn said.
FIJI played a significant role in Wilburn’s life. He said over the past four years in the house, he’s noticed his vision slipping, and his brothers were a big support system through it all.
Being from Wallace, he said coming to UI was a culture shock, which caused him to lose direction during his freshman year.
FIJI helped him stay on track in school, while also providing him with lifelong friendships, like his relationship with UI junior Davin Wadsworth.
Wadsworth and Wilburn grew up about 15 minutes from each other, but didn’t truly become friends until college when Wadsworth joined FIJI, and the two were on the Vandal club wrestling team.
“We spend a lot of time together,” Wadsworth said. “All of my weekend agendas are like, ‘Let’s see what Skyler’s up to,’ because Skyler’s a fun guy to hang out with for sure. He’s got a lot of drive, oh my gosh. The odds are so stacked against that kid and he just surprises me every day.”
Savannah Cardon can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @savannahlcardon