Cheryl Riniker, a Utah State University alumna, is tapping into the power of legacy with a significant planned gift aimed at enriching the educational journey of future students at her alma mater, particularly in the realm of languages and culture. As reported by USU Today, Riniker, who earned her bachelor's in French and a master's in English, attributes much of her professional and personal growth to the foundational experiences she garnered during her time at the institution.
Her commitment reflects a tradition of education and curiosity that runs in the family, having attended USU alongside her mother, who returned to study as a nontraditional student and thrived with the support of the university community. She remembers the convenience of living at home while going to classes, where discussions about ideas were coupled with the warmth of a familiar space and the presence of their cats. Her insights and the details of this reminiscence were conveyed in a statement obtained by USU Today. The shared intellectual pursuit between Riniker and her mother not only enriched their personal connection but also deepened their ties to USU and the Department of World Languages and Cultures, which provided them with unwavering encouragement and support throughout their studies.
Despite pursuing a career in the tech industry and spending over two decades at Oracle Corporation, Riniker cites her language studies and a particular philosophy course in deductive logic as the underpinnings of her success, according to her interview with USU Today. She shared, "The extra-credit problems were like puzzles to me, and, it turns out, I love puzzles," linking the structure and rules of learning languages, both spoken and programming, to her analytical skills that served her professional journey.
In her current role as a senior principal support engineer at Oracle, Riniker continues to leverage her linguistic prowess, engaging with global colleagues and clients by sprinkling greetings in languages such as Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi. This tiny connection not only breaks the ice but fortifies understanding across diverse cultures, including her own relationship with her French-Canadian husband. The planned gift will feed into the Carl T. Degener Memorial Scholarship Endowment, enabling future students to explore world languages and cultures, with Riniker expressing her intention in an interview with USU Today, "I have always felt that if you can give back to someone, you can make the world just a little bit better for someone," reinforcing her belief in giving back as a catalyst for positive change.
