Hailing from across Wyoming, first-year medical students from the University of Wyoming’s College of Health Science met with state political and medical leaders in Cheyenne during the annual WWAMI legislative day Feb. 17.

Jordan Moore of Powell is among the 20 students in the 2025 entering class of the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program. The WWAMI students met with Gov. Mark Gordon, who took the time to hear each student’s motivation to go into medicine.

Representing the leadership of UW at the legislative day were President Ed Seidel; Interim Provost Anne Alexander; Patrick Hardigan, dean of the College of Health Sciences; and Todd Guth, Wyoming  WWAMI director. The 2026 legislative day marked the first time since the creation of WWAMI that the president of the University of Washington, Robert J. Jones, has visited Wyoming.

“My proudest moment of the day was when our 20 students were announced to both chambers of the legislative body to rounds of applause and cheers,” Guth said. “It brought a big smile to my face and a small tear to my eye to hear their names read aloud at the Capitol and watch their individual reactions as they stood up for the legislators.”

“Through direct conversations with Gov. Gordon and members of the Legislature, our students gain firsthand insight into the rural health challenges and policy decisions they will one day navigate as practitioners,” added Dean Hardigan.