The Next Ring of Growth

Marcy Brooks was determined to succeed, and she refused to let even a stroke stop her.

Marcy was almost done with her first semester at UVU when she suffered a stroke. As she recovered, she had to relearn how to speak, write, use fine motor skills, and process information. But this setback didn’t deter Marcy from finishing what she had started at UVU. Less than one year later, she was enrolled in a full semester schedule. She said, “I started relearning how to read and write. It was so hard. But I was so determined to get back to where I was. I wanted to get back to UVU. I kept pushing every day, and I got better every day, because I wanted to continue with my degree.”

Following Marcy’s recovery, her faculty mentor, Eddy Cadet, recommended her for research with the National Science Foundation at Utah Lake. “Marcy didn’t feel like she could be successful doing research,” he recalled. “But she’s very dedicated, very persistent, and I like that in a student. She put everything else aside. Nobody was in the lab as much as Marcy.”

Looking back at her UVU journey, Marcy said, “My stroke brought out strength and resilience in me that I never thought was possible. UVU has helped me in ways that I can’t even express.” Marcy graduated in 2023 and is pursuing a career in environmental impact.

Heather Kahlert, executive vice president of the Kahlert Foundation, underscored access, relevance, and readiness. By anchoring AI education in application, simulation for nursing, decision support for business, model evaluation in engineering, and creative coproduction in the arts, the institute closes the gap between hype and hiring. The mission captures it plainly: enhance teaching and learning, prepare students for AI-driven industries, and serve as a central resource for campus and community.

The institute signals that UVU will lead on the practical integration of frontier tools, not as a luxury, but as a baseline for equitable opportunity. And it provides the scaffold, grants, labs, apprenticeships, and convenings, so faculty and students can adopt AI thoughtfully, ethically, and with measurable outcomes. In short, the Kahlert Foundation’s investment doesn’t just fund a center; it multiplies capacity across UVU to help thousands of learners gain fluency in the technologies reshaping their fields.

The choice of Vineyard as the location is strategic. On more than 225 acres, UVU is planning a green, accessible campus linked to transit and mixed-use development, an academic neighborhood designed for collaboration, wellness, and community connection. The Linder gift accelerates that build out and sends a strong message: the next chapter of UVU’s growth will be outwardfacing and future-proof, with facilities that invite partners, host simulations, and convene thought leaders across disciplines.

The Linders’ vision extends beyond health. By naming the Orrin G. Hatch Center for National Security Studies, they are also strengthening Utah’s capacity to protect critical systems and communities. The center will expand to advance programs in cybersecurity, intelligence, and emergency preparedness, empowering UVU students to lead in defense, diplomacy, and data protection. Paired with UVU’s applied learning focus, the center positions students for high-impact careers that serve both public and private sectors.

For EverGREEN, this is a flagship example of philanthropy meeting need. Utah’s demand for health and security professionals is surging; the Linders’ investment seeds the infrastructure to educate both, right here at home. The gift doesn’t just add buildings; it builds capacity, in people, in programs, and in UVU’s ability to serve a growing state.