Hannah Renae Hicks was born in Gunnison, CO on September 5, 1994. She is a sophomore here at Western State Colorado University. She is studying Communications and although she doesn’t know what she is going to do with the degree, she explained, “It’s the fastest way to get out of college.” She is having a baby this summer, so she knows she needs to get a good job fast. Hicks has a fairly big family. She has two younger siblings. She has a younger sister named Hope who is 18, and a younger brother named Tate who is 10. Hicks keeps herself very busy. She has many hobbies including drawing, Horseback riding, cooking, waterskiing, and coyote hunting. Hicks favorite professional sport is football and her favorite team is Colorado’s very own Denver Broncos. She is a typical Christian.

Hicks’ journey to Western was not a very easy one. She originally wanted to go to Switzerland and study at Franklin University. But she started having epilepsy problems and her parents “Didn’t want her so far away” so she applied to Western and got accepted three months before the school year started. Hicks currently works at the Tinderfoot Daycare Center, working with infants and will continue to work there after her baby is born because she will get free daycare. When she spoke of her favorite class this year, she said, “I hate all my classes this year. It’s a mental thing, but I’d rather be traveling than in school.” High school was just as crazy for Hicks because she never got along with anyone. She doesn’t like to be social and is introverted, which has always made school a bit difficult.

Though she’s had bad luck with school, Hicks is fond of the Gunnison Community. She described the Gunnison Community as “very tight knit.” She has found from living in Gunnison all her life, that whether in high school or college, there is always drama. Though she did find a difference between her teachers and the professors here at Western. The professors, she said “care more.” Then Hicks explained her favorite memory of living in Gunnison; the Catttem’s Days. It is a big rodeo event where there are show horses and the “only time everyone is nice to each other.” She also explained how “everyone comes together and the cowboys are super cute.” Everyone also wears pink to support breast cancer and gives donations. It is a time of year that gives the community a “whole feel” and she “feels a part of something.”

This year is going to be a big one for Hicks. At the end of last year, she found out she was pregnant and it was her “most memorable moment of her life”. Hicks explained, “I'm looking forward to meeting this baby because being pregnant is the most amazing experience ever. I can't wait to meet the child that was given to me as a gift, that I am entrusted to take care of and raise right. And I am excited to meet the child that's given me a family. His name is Isaac John by the way. And I plan on staying in Gunnison, going to school, and working . And raising my baby the best a mother could.”

Though she is in school and busy prepping to have a baby, Hicks dreams of traveling. She has never been outside the U.S., but she’s had some interesting traveling experiences. “The furthest I’ve been is to Washington D.C. but I did drive to the Mexican Border once,” she said. Hernext top travel choice is Australia “because I have a friend who lives there.Her second choice is Switzerland “because I have a friend there, it’s mountainous, and I want to travel to swim with sharks.” Her final place to travel would be Africa “to hunt.”