Empowered Professionals

Preparing Utah’s next generation of professionals through early access college-level learning.

UVU’s Empowered Professionals of Tomorrow program prepares high school students to step confidently into college and career pathways through an early access experience that connects them with university faculty, mentors, and peers. Through tuition-free, seven-week university courses, career exploration, and hands-on learning, Empowered helps students build confidence, achieve academic success, develop career readiness, and see themselves as future professionals and university students.

Apply to the Summer 2026 Cohort

Apply to be a Mentor

Applications for the Summer 2026 cohort is open! Please apply before December 31st for priority consideration.

APPLY NOW

Who It's For

Utah High school students in grades 9 - 11 who want an early college experience and are curious about STEAM fields, business, and/or education professions. Empowered is a strong fit for motivated high school students, especially first-generation college learners, and those who are seeking and ready for a university experience, committed to developing their skills, and eager to explore future college and career pathways.

 

What You'll Gain

  • College credit that applies toward UVU general education and degree pathways.

  • Career connection and exploration through workshops, guest speakers, and activities with UVU resources and local professionals.

  • Mentorship and support for navigating college processes and resources from current UVU students.

  • Academic and college readiness through real UVU coursework, skill-building, and guidance on succeeding in a university environment.

  • Career readiness and confidence built through hands-on experiences that connect to and build on your academic and future professional goals.

Program Courses & Tracks

Scientists of Tomorrow

  • BTEC 1010 Fundamentals of Biotechnology

  • GEO 1010 Intro to Geology

Engineers & Technologists of Tomorrow

  • EDGT 1071 3-Dimensional Modeling

  • ENGR 1000 Intro to Engineering

Educators of Tomorrow

  • EDEL 1010 Intro to Education

  • EDEL  2330 Children’s Literature 

Business Leaders of Tomorrow

  • MGMT 1010 Intro to Business

  • ENTR  2500 Creativity and Entrepreneurial Thinking

How It Works

The Application Process
  1. Apply to the program online, sharing your interests, academic goals, and reasons for joining Empowered.
  2. Be evaluated by the program team based on academic readiness, interests, and fit with available program tracks.

  3. Receive an offer of admission to one of the Empowered program tracks.

  4. Become a UVU student. If you are not already enrolled at UVU through concurrent enrollment, you’ll complete the UVU admission steps to activate your student account and gain registration access.

  5. Engage fully in your Empowered track through courses, mentor checks, and career exploration experiences.

Note: Track placement is based on student interest and program availability. Every effort is made to align students with their preferred track, though specific track placement cannot be guaranteed.

 FAQs
  • Is this really tuition-free?
    • Yes, tuition for the program courses is covered for admitted students. Plan for covering your own transportation, lunches, and personal costs.
  • What are the expectations for this program?
    • As an Empowered student, you are expected to fully participate in all scheduled classes, workshops, and program activities. You’ll complete college-level coursework that will appear on your official UVU transcript, arrive on time, demonstrate maturity, and contribute to a respectful, positive learning environment. 
  • What is the time commitment for this program?
    • Students will need to participate in the program from June 24th - August 7th. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 9:00 AM to 3:15 PM. Students must attend programming in person. The college classes will also require time outside of class to complete homework assignments.
  • How are students selected to participate?
    • Students are evaluated based on the information and answers they provide in the application, with strong emphasis placed on their short written responses. The review committee looks for applicants who show curiosity, motivation, and readiness to engage in a college-level learning experience. 

Becoming a Wolverine

To earn UVU college credit through the Empowered program, students must apply to become a UVU student through the Concurrent Enrollment admission process with the State of Utah. This short application confirms your UVU student status and allows your Empowered course to appear on your official UVU transcript, and allows you to take future classes with UVU.

Once you receive your Empowered acceptance offer, you’ll get step-by-step instructions to complete the concurrent enrollment application and activate your UVU student account. 

Graduating This Year?

If you’re a high school senior graduating this spring, you may be eligible to participate in Excelerate— UVU’s tuition-free project-based learning summer program for first-year college students.

Explore Excelerate to see how you can launch your UVU journey this summer.

EXPLORE EXCELERATE

 

 

If you have any questions about the program, please reach out to our team )

Participating Departments