Colorado State University

To know Hunter Weber at all is to know that he is a high achiever and campus leader. Weber is president of CSU Collegiate DECA, CSU’s Tourism Association and his fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. He is a mentor and resident assistant majoring in global tourism, international business and marketing, and has studied abroad in South Africa.

What you might not immediately realize about Weber is that he has had to overcome learning disabilities to accomplish all of this.

Since elementary school, Weber has struggled with dyslexia and a mild form of autism that is triggered by large crowds. His early educational journey took him from an “individualized education program” to consistently achieving honor roll thanks to family support and personal tutoring. By the end of high school, Weber felt he had a good understanding of his learning practices and his dyslexia under control.

College changed that. As a first-generation student, Weber was navigating a new environment and didn’t know where to find support. Assignments were more challenging, and the required reading seemed endless. He watched his grades drop while his stress and anxiety mounted.

“I felt as though maybe I wasn’t academically suited for college after all but wasn’t sure what to do because this was my life goal,” Weber said.

Weber’s desire to help others showed him the path to help himself. In training to become an R.A., Weber learned about the Student Disability Center and other available resources. His mentors in the Warner College of Natural Resources and College of Business also gave him advice that helped him turn around his college experience.

“Communication was the main resource and the main skill” that led to success, Weber said.

By communicating his needs with professors, Weber was able to excel in his courses. He graduates this month with a 3.5 GPA, degrees in natural resource global tourism and international business, and a certificate in strategic marketing. He even pursued a minor in French – dealing with dyslexia in another language.

helping those like him 

Weber wants to prevent others from struggling the way he did. As an R.A. and peer mentor, he shares CSU resources like Student Case Management, the Student Disability Center and cultural offices from the start to set fellow students up for success. His advice includes building a network of support by getting involved – something he has done prolifically, with nine student organizations on his CV.

“That is basically your support system within the university, and it gives you the opportunity to do more than just courses and work,” Weber said. “You’re establishing these connections that can last a lifetime.”

Those connections have inspired Weber to push past barriers and pay forward the guidance he has gratefully accepted. He is proud of the recognition he has received, including being named Provincial Collegian of the Year by Delta Sigma Pi – one of only five in the nation – but he has found mentoring other students to be especially rewarding.

“Giving people the same opportunities that I had, that’s what really motivates me.”

Soon, Weber will turn connecting people with opportunities into a career. He has been hired by United Airlines to be a business diversity specialist, where he will find ways in which United can support diverse business leaders.