Hands-on learning and real-world experience are central to UVU’s commitment to exceptional accountability. Through research, internships, community engagement, and industry partnerships, students gain skills that prepare them to tackle real-world challenges. This focus on meaningful, practical education demonstrates our careful stewardship of legislative funding, ensuring every dollar invested supports valuable student experiences and strengthens Utah’s workforce and communities.
74% of UVU alumni live in Utah 10 years after graduation, contributing to Utah’s thriving economy.
UVU Business Intelligence and Research Services (BIRS)
As the workforce evolves, UVU is keeping pace and forging new paths with its Innovation Academy, where students learn from field experts in hands-on and interest-specific programs. Along with opportunities like study abroad, research and creative works, professional mentorship, and integrated studies, the Innovation Academy offers a growing list of programs:
The Excellence and Innovation Initiative (e2i): Students work on real industry projects under professional mentorship.
Excelerate: Tuition-free courses where students earn college credit through learning experiences outside the classroom.
The Capitol Reef Field Station: Students engage in research and creative work surrounded by the beauty of Southern Utah.
UVU-FanX Studios Writer’s Room: Select cohorts work with Hollywood filmmakers to hone screenwriting skills.
Jessa Wright, a student in the UVU-FanX Studios cohort, had a lifelong dream realized when she learned that her Writer’s Room script was moving into development with FanX Studios, directed by Hollywood actress and director Katie Cassidy.
In Feb. 2025, the Innovation Academy’s UVU-FanX Green Room Series hosted a special screening of the 1988 film “Die Hard,” followed by a Q&A with the film’s screenwriter, Steven E. de Souza. Additionally, eight FanX Studios Writer’s Room students were selected as Brandon Fugal Fellows, a prestigious cohort for aspiring entertainment industry professionals. The students will receive a cash award and yearlong mentorship from de Souza.
“FanX Studios and UVU are an excellent match. And this is only the beginning."
— Brent Baum, FanX Studios CEO
In March 2025, UVU public relations and strategic communication students and UVU Professor Farah Sanders, Ph.D., met with the Heber City Council to share research and proposals about the city’s high growth rate and lack of affordable housing. Using data collected from Wasatch County residents over three years, students created a PR campaign to address affordable housing, which included distributing public education materials, creating a social media campaign, and hosting a table at the Heber Valley Community Expo.
In Nov. 2024, UVU College of Science students Tessa Black and Eugene Leung were recognized by the American Chemical Society’s Utah Chapter for outstanding undergraduate research. Leung’s chemistry-driven research focused on early cancer detection methods and was monitored by professors Ming Yu, Ph.D., and Elena Laricheva, Ph.D., from UVU’s chemistry department. Mentored by professors Craig Thulin, Ph.D., Stephen Chamberland, Ph.D., and Jessica Cusick, Ph.D., Black researched protein isolation that introduced a new technique called the “midwestern blot.”
To prepare students and community members for the evolving job market, UVU announced its new Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute in Nov. 2024 — the first institute of its kind in Utah. The hands-on hub will keep UVU at the cutting edge of AI trends in higher education and Utah’s workforce.
Along with UVU’s Master of Science in applied AI, graduate certificate in AI, and applied AI apprenticeship program, the university integrates AI education in meaningful ways, ensuring students receive industry-relevant education that prepares them for careers after graduation.
In March 2025, President Tuminez, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and executives from NVIDIA, a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, signed a three-year agreement to provide extensive resources to train UVU students, faculty, and staff in applied AI. Through the agreement, UVU faculty can earn certification from the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute University Ambassador Program, which offers training materials, workshops, and access to AI tools and cloud computing platforms.
In June 2025, UVU students competed at the national SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta, earning four silver and four bronze medals across eight categories. UVU ranked second in the nation for post-secondary technical institutions, continuing its 24-year streak as a top-five school. Students excelled in areas including cabinetmaking, robotics, and automation technology.
UVU students James Coca, Ruby Tafolla, and Nathan Dobbin exemplified the university’s knack for fostering up-and-coming film talent by taking home awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s Student Production Awards. Dobbin received an editing award for the film “A to Z,” while Coca won a nonfiction short form award for his film “Pushing Limitations,” which he made with Tafolla.
“By integrating hands-on learning experiences into our curriculum, we are empowering our students to thrive in the rapidly evolving world of work."
— President Tuminez
In the summer of 2024, 21 students from UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies had an unforgettable study abroad experience at the University of Oxford’s prestigious Pembroke College. While living in Oxford’s dorms, students took courses focused on constitutionalism and civic thought, helping them gain new understandings of constitutional government and civic responsibility.
“I will carry these things with me in my education and in my personal life. It’s been my favorite course I’ve taken at UVU, being here with people who care about being here."
— Gabrielle Erickson, UVU Political Science Student
UVU musical theatre major Isabella Henao took her talents from the classroom to national stages, appearing on HBO’s “The Rehearsal” and performing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” A passionate performer since childhood, Isabella credits UVU’s hands-on training, supportive faculty, and strong performance opportunities for preparing her to thrive. Mentors like UVU professors Marilee Wilson and Steven Rimke played key roles in helping Henao refine her voice for the performances and navigate the industry.
Henao’s performance earned praise from Evanescence’s Amy Lee and captured the attention of thousands, marking a significant milestone in her artistic journey and spotlighting the strength of UVU’s performing arts program.
During spring break 2025, UVU architecture students used 3D digital modeling to recreate century-old homes lost to the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, which destroyed nearly 10,000 structures. Created by UVU professors, the California Bungalow Recovery Project gave UVU students a chance to apply their studies in a real-world context. The students used photos, interviews with families, and measurements of burn sites to recreate the homes of 33 families, providing them with floor plans, exterior elevations, and 3D digital models of the homes they lost, allowing them the chance to rebuild.
“The experience made me even more passionate about architecture. It made me excited and gave me a glimpse into what I can do to help people."
— Jared Poulter, UVU Architecture Student
33 Homes Recreated
In 2024, three professors and six students from UVU’s Smith College of Engineering and Technologytraveled to Tiwanaku, Bolivia, in partnership with the American Embassy in Bolivia and the U.S. National Park Service to preserve a historical pre-Columbian site predating the Inca civilization. The group created architectural drawings and recorded audio of people and surroundings — a once-in-a-lifetime hands-on learning opportunity.
In early 2025, UVU faculty fostered international collaboration with the Utah-Peru “Bridges of Water” project, represented by Associate Professor Sally Rocks, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Lauren Brooks, Ph.D., and Professor Eddy Cadet, Ph.D. The UVU cohort collected over 100 water samples for analysis, held strategy meetings with the Peruvian government, and presented on microbiology and trace metals at several institutions, including the Congress of the Republic of Peru.
15K grant received from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation
In July 2024, 10 mechanical engineering students and three computer science students took first place in the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs. Judged by a panel of FAA and academic experts, the team’s winning submission was an autonomous electric aircraft tug, a project launched by Assistant Professor Brett Stone, Ph.D., Associate Professor Matt Jensen, Ph.D., and Professor George Rudolph, Ph.D. Recently unveiled at the Provo Airport, the electric tug can remotely steer aircraft on the tarmac while saving fuel costs, increasing worker safety, and reducing the equivalent of 2,400 cars' worth of emissions, thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.
“[The students] balanced this project with their other academic commitments, full- and part-time jobs, and family responsibilities. I am so very proud of their accomplishment."
— Brett Stone, Ph.D., UVU Engineering Professor
Community Support and Donations
$1.9M
The UVU College of Science received a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program to support underrepresented STEM students. Read more about the grant
$100K
The Redrock Roadrunners Charity Cup donated $100,000 to the UVU College of Science and the DDx Foundation to support biotech and pharmaceutical research. Read more about the Redrock Roadunners
$220.5K
UVU received a $220,582 grant from the U.S. Russia Foundation (USRF) for Russian language and diplomacy scholarships and a public lecture series. More on empowering future Russia experts
The 2025 International Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge in Washington, D.C., was seeing green after the UVU “W0LV3R1NES” cybersecurity team took first place, beating out 45 other top institutions, including Columbia University, Stanford University, and Duke University. Utilizing months of UVU professor-led FBI stress training, research, and analysis, the W0LV3R1NES claimed their victory after presenting a brief to a large group of officials from powerful organizations like the White House, the CIA, and cybersecurity giant Cisco.
In Aug. 2024, UVU announced that Bradford Wilson, Ph.D., executive director of Princeton University’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, would have a one-year tenure at UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies. As the first James Wilson Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Civic Thought and a foremost authority on American constitutional law and political thought, Wilson brings a wealth of knowledge and prestige to UVU.
School of the Arts students brought their talents to the Sundance Mountain Resort stage with their summer 2024 performance of Disney’s “Newsies.” With almost 20 years of collaboration, UVU’s yearly Sundance Summer Theatre run is one looked forward to by students, faculty, staff, and community members. UVU faculty and staff took on behind-the-scenes roles to provide mentorship opportunities for students, demonstrating UVU’s continuous dedication to helping students gain real-world, resume-worthy experience before graduation.
In fall 2024, a team of six UVU Wasatch Resort Management (WARM) program students took first in two separate competitions. In the back-to-back 2024 STR & ICHRIE Global and National Market Study Competitions, students analyzed hotel market trends and presented their analyses to industry experts. The UVU WARM program prepares students for hospitality, luxury events, and resort management careers and provides resume-building experiences like these competitions.
For the second year in a row, UVU College of Science students brought home a silver medal from the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Grand Jamboree competition in Paris, France. The 15-person team, called the “Bloom Busters,” centered their project on Utah Lake’s persistent toxic algal bloom problem and beat nearly 400 teams comprised of 4,500 students from around the world.
In Jan. 2025, US Foods selected UVU students Morgan Willis and Reagan Wirrick to receive $20,000 scholarships. Awarded to students from 10 schools in the nation, the scholarships recognize exceptional academic achievement in culinary arts and beyond — a significant honor for Willis, a culinary arts student, and Wirrick, a hospitality management student.
Lexi Shipley, UVU personal financial planning student and Personal Financial Planning Student Association President, was named one of 13 students nationally to receive the RIA Talent Advantage Student Scholarship from the Schwab Advisor Services and Charles Schwab Foundation. The foundation noted she was chosen for her strong academic record, passion for the registered investment advisor (RIA) industry, and commitment to making a positive impact in the profession.
As UVU eagerly awaits the completion of the new Scott M. Smith Building, three engineering students — Jordan Hunter, Reese Nelson, and Kael Harrison — made it come to life using virtual reality (VR). The students used skills learned from their shared major in extended reality development to figure out what lighting, furniture, and more would look like based on the building’s actual architectural blueprints.
Community Support and Donations
In Oct. 2024, the university held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new dental hygiene lab and community clinic on UVU’s Lehi Campus. The 24-seat lab, made possible by a $2 million donation from the Utah County Commission in 2022, will allow more students to be trained, while 3,000 low-income community members will have access to free and low-cost dental care. According to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, dental hygiene is a five-star job in a rapidly growing field. As UVU focuses on preparing students for the workforce, the new lab provides invaluable hands-on experience for dental hygiene students.
3,000
low-income community members will have access to free and low-cost dental care
In Dec. 2024, Utah entrepreneurs and proud Wolverines Chelsea and Casey Baugh donated $5 million to support UVU’s entrepreneurial students. Chelsea played on the UVU women’s volleyball team and earned a healthcare education degree, while Casey used the skills he gained at UVU to transform startups into enterprises. The newly named Chelsea and Casey Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute supports student businesses and strengthens university partnerships with local businesses like Sandbox, which foster talent from UVU.
“Chelsea and I have always believed in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives, and UVU played a key role in our journey. We’re proud to contribute to a university that continues to push boundaries and foster innovation."
— Casey Baugh, Donor and Entrepreneur
Philanthropists Alan C. and Karen Ashton partnered with UVU in a joint purchase of the 4.6-acre Sundance Mountain Resort property, creating a space for students, faculty, staff, and supporters to learn, train, and celebrate. The Alan C. and Karen Ashton Center for Leadership and Inspiration will host visiting Wolverines and community partners, including those involved with the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and Sundance Summer Theatre.
“This new property will help create a unique hands-on learning experience for students. How exciting is it to be a part of a university that is continuing to grow?"
— Mimi Barney, UVU Student Body President, 2024-2025
The 2025 Utah Legislative Session brought new opportunities to the university. As the state’s workforce evolves, UVU and local government leaders are united in a shared vision to strengthen educational opportunities and make strategic investments that support student success.
Engineering Initiative:
$4 million ongoing with match from institutions
Utah Debates:
$300K one-time funding for the Herbert Institute for Public Policy
Utah Fire and Rescue Academy Firefighter Cancer Screening:
$3.7 million ongoing
Federalism Amendments:
$568K ongoing and $350K one-time funding
Health professions and mental health building:
$8.7 million one-time funding from UVU's dedicated fund
Student-Athlete Success Center:
$14.2 million one-time funding from UVU's dedicated fund and $329k ongoing
2.5%
Compensation increase
5% and 6.9%
Health and dental insurance plan premium increases in FY26
$984K
ongoing
