On Oct. 29, the Office for Global Engagement celebrated World Clean-Up Day along with a Sustainable Fashion Show and the Really Really Free Market. The theme of this year's event was Textiles and Fashion Waste, All who attended had a great time finding items to take for themselves, enjoying the Fashion Show and learning about Fast Fashion. Models for the fashion show where comprised of students from across campus and members of the Environmental Science Student Association. During the event, we prevented over 100 lbs of clothing from ending up in landfills.
Zambian In-Country Director of Mothers Without Borders, Josephine Daka, gave a Global Spotlight presentation on the challenges and progress made through work with impoverished and orphaned children in the African nation of Zambia. In collaboration with Colleen Petersen from the UVU Family Science and UVU Master of Marriage & Family Therapy programs, students that visited the Children's Recourse Center in August 2025 also shared their transformative experiences.
On Oct. 22, we collaborated with Peace and Justice Studies to welcome Carl Stauffer, former senior expert on reconciliation at the US Institute of Peace, for our Global Spotlight event. Drawing on his personal experience in Vietnam, he used that as an example and shared his thoughts on the steps to follow for reconciliation and lasting peace after war and conflict. During his presentation he mentioned that the pathway towards reconcilliation and peace includes uncomfortable conversations about the past. Over 70 students, as well as 10 faculty and staff, across several disciplines joined in the discussion. He also held a student workshop and gave 2 other presentations during his visit to UVU.
On Tuesday October 21, 2025, our Global Student Leadership Council had the honor of learning about leadership fromTom MacDonald - Assiant Dean to the Woodbury School of Business. He spoke about his vast expierence in the private and public sector. He also has been serving on the Orem City Council for the past 12 years.
On Wedneday, October 15, global faculty and staff met for the monthly networking event. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new colleagues. We had 10 in attendance, and all enjoyed some refreshments as we got to know each other better, exchanged ideas, and explored potential collaborations across departments. It is truly valuable to share this space where we can meet and support one another.
On Wednesday, October 9, Moyosore Dasaolu, a member of our Global Student Leadership Council, spoke about mental health in Nigeria as a Global Spotlight on her country. Her presentation focused on the struggles people with mental health issues face and the challenges they encounter to find support. She noted that people in Nigeria with mental health problems are often stigmatized and shunned by society. Solutions begin with community efforts to decrease the stigma and increase acceptance.
On Monday October 6, the Office for Global Engagement hosted an event to celebrate World Teachers' Day. From 10am to Noon, staff members hosted a table in the Science Building Atrium and asked students to write a "thank you" note to a teacher that made a difference in their academic journey at UVU. We ended the day with over 200 "thank you" cards that we then distributed to the teachers, with a piece of of candy as a show of our appreciation. We would like to thank all the students that participated.
On September 30, Dr. Dale Gunn-Lawton shared his foreign service experiences and international expertise with students from National Security Studies and Political Science classes. With over 20 years of diplomatic service he focused his attention advising students interested in pursuing careers in the foreign service as well as relating specific encounters he had in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Mongolia.
On September 24-25, the UVU UNESCO Chair on AI and Environmental Stewardship for Sustainable Futures, held an Open House where faculty could learn more about how to get involved. UNESCO Chair directors Baldomero Lago and Maritza Sotomayor discussed the founding of the UNESCO Chair, current projects, and upcoming projects. Meaningful discussions and connections were made with several faculty members about potential collaborations in their fields' of study with Global South countries. We look forward to the coming work of the UNESCO Chair at UVU. To learn more about the program and to get involved, please visit uvu.edu/unesco
On Wednesday September 24, the Office for Global Engagement and the Reflection Center hosted International Day of Peace. We heard from organizers involved with myHometown Orem, a community non-profit dedicated to strengthening neighborhoods and making them places people want to stay. A local member of the Baha'i faith also spoke, sharing with us wisdom from the Baha'i faith about individual peace. Lizzy Jensen, Assistant Coordinator of Interfaith Engagement, prepared tips and taught small skills for how to have conversations with people who might disagree with you on matters of deep importance. She shared what she learned from Monica Guzman's book I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations During Dangerously Divided Times. The program ended with remarks by Carlos Alarco, instructor of GEOG 2000, whose class was in attendance. The event was attended by 50 people.
On Tuesday September 23, the Office for Global Engagement and the Department of Languages' American Sign language & Deaf Studies program celebrated International Day of Sign Languages. This event was held in the language lab and was attended by 100, mainly Deaf Studies, students. They watched No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie, played games, ate pizza and enjoyed each others company. A good time was had by all.
Today’s networking event with our global faculty and staff was a great opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new colleagues. We had 10 in attendance, and all enjoyed some refreshments as we got to know each other better, exchanged ideas, and explored potential collaborations across departments. It is truly valuable to share this space where we can support one another in different ways.
On Monday September 9, the Office for Global Engagement along with the School of Education,
celebrated UN International Literacy Day. The event was held in the McKay Education
building from 9am to 3pm. Students were presented with 3 activies that they could
choose from. One was to color in a bookmark and another was adding a book review to
a wall display. The third activity was to complete a form that gave the participant
a treat if it was completed correctly. Overall, everyone had a great time.
During our first Global Student Leadership Council meeting of Fall 2025, Alison Griffith, Director of Community Engagement at the ACLU Utah chapter shared personal insight with our students. Prior to moving to Utah, Alison acquired vast international work experience abroad. She was uniquely qualified to address a variety of issues about facilitating civil dialogue, human rights, and economic empowerment initiatives. Her advice to students on becoming effective global leaders was the following: Be curious; Be informed; Be flexible; Be clear with goals and purpose; and Lead with humanity.
Our first event of the 2025 school year was on August 28th. We gathered in the LA Concourse to commemorate the UN International Day for People of African Descent (August 31). David Ssejinja, founder of the Ssejinja Children's Foundation in Uganda, provided handmade crafts and shared personal experiences with students. We took the opportunity to highlight our office's past interactions with guests from many African countries.
We hosted our first Global Faculty and Staff Networking dinner of the semester, providing a chance to reconnect and start the academic year. Attendees engaged in meaningful conversations, icebreaker activities, and shared insights about their departments and country of origin. The event was a wonderful reminder of UVU’s rich diversity, with nearly 40 faculty and staff representing cultures from around the world.
The Global Student Leadership Council Retreat took place on August 12. It was the first gathering of all our new members, a chance to learn more about their varied backgrounds and interests, and to see what leadership opportunities are instore for them in the upcoming school year. New members include: Sergio Ardila, Moyo Dasaolu, Ana Caballero, Nam Ho, Nyasha Paradzai, and Minines Sabala.
On Monday, Aug 4th, the UVU UNESCO Chair held its first annual retreat at the Fulton Library. Members of the Executive Board and representatives of the AI, Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Futures Committees participated in an open discussion on its mission and objectives as we set up goals for the upcoming school year. Dr. David Pietz, UNESCO Chair on Environmental History at the University of Arizona was the special guest who guided us through this new process for UVU. During this event, we reviewed protocols for new projects, outlined the Global Fieldwork experiences for our students, and reflected on the relevance and benefits to the State of Utah by having a UNESCO Chair at UVU. If you want to know more about our program, see: uvu.edu/unesco
On June 28, our office had a booth at the African Heritage Festival to highlight UVU and our engagement with Africa. Over the past several years, we have promoted Africa-focused UN Days, held Global Spotlight events and hosted UN Permanent Representatives, Ambassadors, Consuls General and Honorary Consuls to the United States, Government Ministers and Members of Parliament, Humanitarian Leaders and University Representatives and Scholars from many African Countries.
As part of UVU’s UNESCO Chair on AI and Environmental Stewardship for Sustainable Futures, researchers from Utah Valley University and partner universities in Peru have made significant strides in the “Bridging Waters” project—an international effort to assess and address critical water quality challenges. On June 25th, UVU researchers Dr. Sally Rocks, Dr. Lauren Brooks, and Dr. Eddy Cadet presented their most recent findings. The research team collected over 120 water samples from rivers, springs, schools, and kitchens to test for heavy metals, microplastics, and bacterial contamination. Preliminary results revealed widespread arsenic levels exceeding World Health Organization limits—even in tap water—raising red flags for long-term health risks. In addition, some samples showed signs of fecal contamination, and researchers confirmed the presence of microplastics in both urban and rural water sources, signaling a growing and often overlooked pollutant. We are grateful for the dedicated faculty and UVU students who have been testing these results. These findings have sparked critical conversations with local leaders and opened new pathways for technology transfer and community-led solutions, bringing Peru closer to safe and sustainable water access for all.
At our April 18th, Global Engagement event we recognized 21 Global Fellows. Awardees were primarly faculty and adjunct faculty that provided global experienes for thier students. The Global Spotlight Program makes funding available to to faculty to bring renowned speakers to UVU or to host an international educational or cultural event.
In connection with UVU's recognition as the UNESCO Chair on AI and Environmental Stewardship for Sustainable Futures, the Office for Global Engagement has recognized 15 Global Scholars from across UVU that have contributed to the meaningful research and scholarly advancements in the 2024-25 academic year.
