Summer University | May 13 - 15, 2024
Summer University is a three-day professional and personal development conference for full- and part-time staff. It is a mixture of self-improvement, service, and fun events for employees at UVU to show our appreciation for the exceptional care you do every day to support our students.
Mark your Calendars! This year's Summer University festivities will be held the third week of May from the 13th to the 15th. Check back for presentation and registration details.
Registration is now open! Follow the link below to sign-up and take part in our yearly Summer University experience:
Opening Keynote
Jeanette Bennett
Mat is a Professor of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. Previous to his position at BYU he was an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at Texas A&M University. He has also served as the co-director of BYU’s residential study abroad program in London. He teaches experience design courses at the undergraduate and MBA levels at BYU. He also teaches course with Dr. Jamin Rowan for BYU's honors program entitled The Art of Transformative Storytelling which looks at the influence of storytelling efficacy on personal transformation. Mat works with organizations across a variety of sectors including healthcare, education, not for profit, tourism, manufacturing, and consumer product goods to provide training and consulting around experience design.
Mat co-authored, "Designing Experiences", with Robert Rossman which was published in 2019 by Columbia Business School Press. In 2021 Axiom Business Awards selected the book as a silver medalist winner in the Business Intelligence/Innovation category.
Closing Keynote
Mat Duerden
Jeanette focuses her pen on Utah Valley Magazine, BusinessQ Magazine, and Prosper Magazine.
She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Brigham Young University and has been a regular guest on HuffPostLive. She has moderated gubernatorial debates and numerous business panels. Bennett plays the piano and organ, but her feet did the talking when she took third place in a “Dancing with your Community Stars” contest.
Bennett has a love/hate relationship with deadlines, half marathons, and the stock market — and she has a love/love relationship with glossy pages, watching her kids play sports, and enjoying Utah’s canyons. She and her husband, Matt, are raising their five children in Cedar Hills.
Monday
Activities (Note: Limit 1 activity per employee)
| 7:30am | UCCU/UVU Employee Golf Tournament at Talon’s Cove ($35.00) |
| 9:00am–12:00pm | Top Golf ($20.00): Check-in starting at 8:30am |
| 9:00am – 2:00pm |
• Bingo
• Bowling • Massage Chairs • Pickleball • Sound Bath
• Climbing Wall • NRG Dance Fitness class |
Tuesday
Morning
| 8:30am – 9:50am | General session kick-off (Breakfast Provided) Opening Keynote: Jeanette Bennett Location: SC Ballroom |
| 9:50am – 10:00am | Break |
| 10:00am – 11:00am | Breakout Sessions |
| 11:00am – 11:10am | Break |
| 11:10am – 12:10pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 12:10pm – 1:30pm | Lunch Break |
Afternoon
| 1:30pm – 2:30pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 2:30pm – 2:40pm | Break |
| 2:40pm – 3:40pm | Breakout Sessions |
Check your registration email for your custom breakout session schedule. To see the all Breakout Sessions, view full listing here .
Wednesday
Morning
| 8:00am – 11:30am | Service projects: See options below |
Lunch
| Noon – 1:30pm | General Session Closing (Lunch Provided) Closing Keynote: Mat Duerden Location: SC Ballroom |
NOTE: Limit 1 activity per employee
All activities take place on Monday, May 13th. Register for an activity via your Summer University Registration. Spots are limited. Be sure to coordinate activity availibility times with your personal schedule.
| Activity | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| UCCU/UVU Employee Golf Tournament ($35) | 7:30am | Talon's Cove |
| TopGolf ($20) | Check-in 8:30am. Activity 9:00am-12:00pm | Topgolf Vinyard |
| Pickleball | 9:00am-11:00am | SLWC Mac Court |
| Sound Bath | 10:00am | SC 213 A/B |
| NRG Dance Fitness Class | 9:00am | SL 305 A |
| Rock Climbing | Anytime between 12:00pm- 2:00pm | The Project Climbing Wall in SLWC |
| Bowling | 12:00pm-1:00pm | SL Bowling Alley |
| Bingo | 1:00pm | Center Stage |
| Massage Chairs | 9:00am-1:00pm (15 minute session blocks) | SL 211C |
NOTE: Limit 1 option per employee. Additional instructions will be provided after sign-up.
We have the opportunity of building Help Me Grow kits for United Way. The kits are used to help children learn and develop. Projects involve simple cutting apart components and assembling booklets or game pieces. On-campus and remote options are availible. Access to scissors reccommended.
Location: Center Stage (or your desk if you would rather work remotely)
Project: Monster Flip Book
This project involves coloring, simple cutting, and assembly of small book and is designed to be completed in person at Center Stage. Please bring your own scissors as we will have a limited supply. We will also provide come crayons/pencils, but please feel free to bring your own your personal use.
Project: Animal Matching Game
This project involves simple cutting only and is designed to be completed at your desk. There is no assembly beyond putting the game into a plastic baggie after cutting it. You will need to have a way to cut these squares.
Other Details: We are allowing all of those who would like to work in-person to do so during the normal service project timeframe. If you would like to participate remotely, we will have a way to pick up the materials from People and culture on Monday and ask that you return your completed projects by Wednesday so we can get them to United Way. More information on this option will be supplied to those who sign up.
What to wear/bring: This craft does not require any particular skill-set, just a desire to serve.
G.R.I.T. stands for "Growing Resilience and Inclusiveness Together". The GRIT Garden works towards this mission through "three P's of Sustainability": people, planet, and prosperity. University faculty and staff have an opportunity to get involved by working in the garden. All of the crops produced in the garden go to the UVU food bank to support at-risk students. Come and support UVU's sustainability efforts by helping in the GRIT Garden! Bringing personal equipment such as gloves, water, sunscreen, and tools (labeled) is encouraged.
Location: UVU’s G.R.I.T. Garden (East of McKay Education building)
Recommended Equipment:
Live Empowered is an institution in American Fork dedicated to providing services to adults with a range of special needs including physical disability, intellectual disability, brain injury, autism, and other diagnoses. Many of their clients are non-verbal and operate on a 4–5-year-old level. This service project with Live Empowered will be hosted on campus and is intended to foster social connection and engagement for these individuals. Volunteers will enjoy various activities, such as bowling and ping pong, creating opportunities for fun and interaction for our guests. We are seeking volunteers to assist in creating an unforgettably fun experience for our guests on campus.
Location: Various areas around campus
Number of Volunteers: 30
Equipment needed: None
The Magic Yarn Project creates magic in the lives of children battling cancer by making yarn wigs for children going through Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy treatments often leave young scalps too sensitive for scratchy traditional wigs, but yarn wigs are comfy, soft, and warm. Magic Yarn wigs are inspired by beloved Disney characters and invite children back to the world of play and daydreaming. They are a beacon of fun, laughter, and imagination during a scary time. Volunteers will be tying the yarn onto premade hats to create the princess wig. Wigs are very easy and take 60-90 minutes to complete.
What to wear/bring: This craft does not require any particular skill-set, just a desire to serve.
Location: 206 A,B,C
Equipment needed: None
Check back for the 2024 Summer University video!
