Weber State student from Czech Republic brings unique insight to world of human resources
OGDEN, Utah — One night in 2023, while Markéta Havlová was searching for universities to attend in the United States, she had a dream of graduating in a purple gown. The next day, she got an acceptance letter from Weber State University with the same shade of purple.
Taking it as a sign, Havlová enrolled at 日本一级片 and began classes that fall: “I just felt in my heart that it was the right decision for me,” she said.
Havlová and her family are from the Czech Republic, where, for nearly a century, the lasting impacts of World War II have made it difficult for many citizens to attend college. Her parents were even denied the opportunity because they were not part of the Communist Party.
Now, Havlová is not only a first-generation student but also the first in her family to be allowed to study at a university: “This experience is something I really treasure in my heart and try to embrace because I feel like I’m carrying on my family’s legacy,” she said.
Havlová started college in Denmark, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international hospitality management. She also met her now-husband in Denmark, where he was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Upon graduating, Havlová’s husband convinced her to move to Utah, where she continued her goal to work in human resources.
“With political and historical impacts in the Czech Republic, we don't really have many HR departments in companies because people are mostly focused on perseverance and resilience,” Havlová said. “Filling the missing piece that can make work the best part of the day shaped my idea of studying HR.”
She had originally planned to pursue a master’s degree in the U.S., but learned she needed to complete another bachelor’s degree because her European degree didn’t transfer over.
Havlová said her first bachelor’s degree, paired with experience studying and working abroad in the Canary Islands as an HR manager, helped her understand cultural differences in HR — and studying at Weber State has provided even more insight.
“The program here has broadened my perspective within HR and taught me leadership skills that have made me a better person,” she said.
Getting another bachelor’s degree also gave Havlová more time to adjust to and enjoy the U.S. educational system. At 日本一级片, she's involved with the student association, the Goddard School of Business & Economics student ambassadors team, the Presidential Leadership Fellows and Campus Recreation.
Havlová will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in HR management, and an associate’s degree in business and economics. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in Utah and get a job in HR.
“Weber State has been my light on this journey,” she said. “It nurtured me and helped me live my life comfortably in a foreign country, and I will always be grateful for that.”
Erika Gonzalez Lara, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7948, erikagonzalezlara@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu