He Came to NUAMES to Become an Engineer. He Returned to Become a Teacher.
Some of the most important decisions people make don't seem particularly significant in the moment. Looking back, however, they often become the turning points that shape everything that follows.
For Brighton Fox, one of those moments arrived with a text message.
When Brighton was preparing to attend NUAMES as a sophomore, space at the school was limited and admission was determined by lottery (a system NUAMES no longer uses following the opening of its new campus. Brighton couldn’t attend the drawing, but a friend’s family, there for their own child, heard his number, “K5,” called, and immediately texted him the news. He grabbed a sticky note, wrote down the number, and slipped it into a small homemade frame that he still keeps in his office.
More than a decade later, that same sticky note still sits in his office.
"It was my reminder," Brighton recalled. "This is going to be hard, but remember how excited you were when you got in."
At the time, Brighton saw it as a reminder to keep pushing through difficult classes.
Looking back, it marked the beginning of a journey that would eventually bring him back to the very school where it all began.
Looking for Something More
Brighton enrolled at NUAMES because of its early college opportunities and strong emphasis on engineering and design. Growing up, he had always enjoyed building things, solving problems, and figuring out how they worked. The chance to earn college credit while taking engineering-focused classes felt like exactly the opportunity he had been looking for.
Walking onto the Weber State University campus as a sophomore felt like stepping into a completely different world. Coming from a small junior high, Brighton suddenly found himself navigating a college campus, choosing college courses, and experiencing a level of independence that made him feel far older than his years.
"I felt so grown up," he said with a laugh. "I was still a kid, but it felt freeing."
The transition wasn't always easy. The workload was more demanding, expectations were higher, and Brighton quickly realized the excitement he had felt after the lottery would have to carry him through some challenging moments.
Fortunately, he wasn't facing those challenges alone.
The Teacher Who Changed Everything
One of Brighton's first engineering instructors was Tyler Cook.
Coincidentally, it was also Cook's first year teaching at NUAMES. Looking back, Brighton doesn't remember him simply because he taught engineering. He remembers him because he made engineering feel exciting.
Coming from a family rooted in the cabinetry business, Brighton hadn't spent much time around engineers or academics. College felt unfamiliar, and many of the career paths his classmates talked about were completely new to him.
Tyler changed that.
"He was one of the first adults I knew who was into the nerdy stuff," Brighton recalled with a smile. "He was just real."
In Cook's CAD and engineering design classes, Brighton discovered a passion that continues to shape his life today. What began as classroom assignments evolved into hobbies involving CAD modeling, 3D printing, CNC woodworking, and fabrication projects—many of which still fill his garage today.
More importantly, Tyler demonstrated something Brighton hadn't fully appreciated before.
A great teacher doesn't simply explain a subject.
A great teacher inspires curiosity.
"He really ignited that passion," Brighton said. "He was one of the first people I could talk to about this stuff. He showed me what a good teacher could be." Years later, Brighton realized Tyler had influenced far more than his career interests.
He had quietly inspired him to become a teacher.
More Than Academics
Brighton remembers NUAMES as a place where students challenged one another academically while building friendships that have lasted well beyond graduation.
"I still hang out with that group almost every day," he said of the friends he met during high school.
The academic expectations were equally memorable.
By his second year, Brighton was building his own college schedule while balancing work outside of school. It wasn't easy, but he never felt like he had to navigate those challenges alone.
He credits the counselors at NUAMES with helping him through some of the most difficult moments.
"I definitely used them as therapists more than a few times," he joked. "They were incredible. I didn't really have anyone in my immediate family who knew much about college, so I talked their ears off. They were always willing to help."
Looking back, Brighton says that support made all the difference. The work was challenging, but there was always someone willing to help students succeed.
Capstone Project
For his senior capstone, Brighton designed and built a prototype prosthetic arm for his cousin, who had lost part of her arm below the elbow. The project became much more than an assignment.
Opening Doors
Graduating from NUAMES with an associate degree gave Brighton a significant head start as he continued his education at the University of Utah. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science before completing a master's degree with an emphasis in Artificial Intelligence.
One project from high school, however, continues to stand out above the rest.
For his senior capstone, Brighton designed and built a prototype prosthetic arm for his cousin, who had lost part of her arm below the elbow. Using sensors that detected electrical signals from muscles, he created a system capable of translating those signals into movement.
The project became much more than a classroom assignment.
"It helped me get into the University of Utah," Brighton said. "Then we talked about it for probably half of my first job interview."
Today, Brighton works as a Software Engineer at Secturion Systems, where he develops internal AI tools that support engineers working in highly secure cybersecurity environments. His career has included cutting-edge work in artificial intelligence and software engineering. Ironically, though, those aren't the accomplishments he talks about most.
Discovering a Different Passion
While studying engineering, Brighton kept finding himself drawn back to teaching.
During his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he regularly taught English classes and discovered how rewarding it was to help people understand something new. After returning home, he volunteered with his former junior high school's Science Olympiad program before becoming a teaching assistant at the University of Utah.
Eventually, he became the lead teaching assistant for one of the university's most demanding computer science courses, mentoring other teaching assistants, leading lab sessions, and helping develop assignments and exams.
It was there that Brighton discovered what he loved most.
"I loved watching people suddenly feel confident in their abilities," he said. "Seeing that moment when something finally clicks...it's just incredible."
He remembers students walking into office hours convinced they weren't capable of succeeding. Some passed. Some didn't.
But the moments that stayed with him were the ones when students realized they were capable of doing something they had once believed was impossible.
Those moments, Brighton says, mattered far more than any exam score.
Coming Full Circle
Several years after graduating, Brighton reached back out to Tyler Cook. He told his former teacher something had been weighing on him.
Even after building a successful engineering career, he couldn't shake the feeling that he belonged in a classroom.
Cook encouraged him to spend time in the industry before making the leap. A few years later, Brighton returned to sit in on several NUAMES classes.
The feeling hadn't changed.
"I loved it," Brighton said. "I realized this was where I wanted to be."
Today, Brighton teaches programming, robotics, and artificial intelligence at NUAMES while also helping develop an AI curriculum for students across Utah.
Returning as a teacher has given him an entirely new appreciation for the culture he experienced as a student.
As a teenager, he noticed teachers who cared.
As a teacher, he sees how intentional that culture really is.
"One thing they keep emphasizing is relationships," Brighton said. "Yes, teaching is important, but they want us to be mentors—people students can come to and rely on."
For Brighton, that philosophy is what continues to make NUAMES different.
Looking Forward
When Brighton reflects on the last decade, he doesn't begin with his engineering degree, his graduate work in artificial intelligence, or the software he develops today.
Instead, he remembers the students who walked into his office convinced they couldn't succeed. Then he remembers the moment they realized they could.
"I hope that if nothing else, I convince people they can do hard stuff," Brighton said. "Knowledge is there. It's up to us to reach for it and make something with it."
Looking back, Brighton believes his journey didn't begin with artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, or even engineering.
It began with a teacher who took the time to invest in a curious sophomore, challenged him to think differently, and helped him discover what he was capable of becoming.
Today, standing in front of his own classroom at NUAMES, Brighton hopes every student leaves with that same belief: that difficult things are worth pursuing, great teachers can change a life, and one opportunity can shape a future in ways you never expect.