While the headlines in higher education can be “discouraging” as the United States and the world continue to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez emphasized that “this is not the story of UVU.”

Her 2021 State of the University address, delivered on Jan. 21, highlighted the ways UVU continues to thrive and grow, including the progress of new campus facilities, the success of new programs and degree offerings, and increased efforts to support students from all walks of life.

The UVU leader pointed to statistics showing a decrease in higher education employment nationally and in nearby Colorado and Wyoming, but she said that hasn’t been the case in Utah generally and at UVU specifically. “We are in a community where families and individuals truly value education,” she said.

While UVU has been able to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic, President Tuminez mentioned the ways the university has adapted to continue providing exceptional care, accountability, and results under less-than-ideal conditions. More than 40,000 students are enrolled at UVU this semester. Nearly 8,000 students with financial needs received assistance, thanks to CARES Act funding. More than 4,000 class sections moved online in March 2020, and more than 300 classrooms are fully automated for online instruction.

The transformative power of education to uplift and create opportunity was a major theme of the remarks. UVU honored a record 6,410 graduates in 2020, with 2,893 of those being first-generation graduates, meaning they are the first in their immediate families to complete a college degree. The UVU president also recognized the launch of UVU’s first-generation student success center and its service to the 37% of UVU students who fit that category.

She also gave an update on the construction of new UVU facilities, including the Scott C. Keller Building, which will house UVU’s Woodbury School of Business. The building is scheduled to be completed in 2022. Other upcoming campus facility upgrades include a renovated Sorensen Student Center, a new Woodbury Art Museum at Lakemount Manor, and the recently completed pedestrian bridge across I-15. A new engineering and technology building is the next “biggest dream.”

“You may sometimes hear that universities don’t need to build any more buildings. That isn’t true.” She pointed out that due to UVU’s explosive growth from a community college to a full university, the institution has not had 100 years — just over a dozen — to build buildings.   

“As we improve our facilities, we improve the student experience,” she said.

President Tuminez also mentioned UVU’s new resort management program, a partnership with several Park City resort hotels where students can gain hands-on experience during the peak season while attending classes at the nearby UVU Wasatch Campus. In addition, the newly announced Breeze Airways, founded by JetBlue founder and UVU donor David Neeleman, will partner with UVU’s aviation program to provide pilots and flight attendants.

In closing, the Utah Valley University president returned to her theme of the power of education to uplift. She quoted Harvard professor Raj Chetty, whose research showed that education is the biggest factor in lifting children born in the bottom fifth of income distribution into the top fifth.

“The university is critical infrastructure for the economy and a healthy society,” President Tuminez said. “UVU is a path to the American Dream.”