Utah Valley University (UVU) President Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez spoke to the opening attendees at the 2025 Silicon Slopes Summit on Tuesday, January 14, at the UCCU Center. Tuminez’s address, entitled “From Slums to Silicon Slopes: Unleashing the Power of Dreams Through Education,” highlighted three key elements from her upbringing in the Philippines: grit, ownership, and generosity. “I learned many lessons (in my upbringing) that I have put to good use in my life, lessons that I think can apply to all of us here today as entrepreneurs, dreamers, and leaders,” she stated.

Tuminez spoke of a childhood friend who was raised by an abusive mother and has become a great man. She also shared her experience with having less-than-waterproof shoes and used the ingenuity of lollipop wrappers shoved in her shoes to solve the problem “for a time.”

The slums taught Tuminez to create ownership of the opportunities presented to all. During her formative elementary school years, she began as “the dumbest girl in the last seat” [the children were seated from smartest to not smartest in the class.] “In a few months, I displaced the girl in the first seat, first girl. I wore my uniform with pride even though my fabric was faded, and I couldn’t afford to buy new fabric,” she added. “I never owned a nail clipper. I used scissors [instead.] I would cut my fingernails so that I could fit in, like the rich girls. When I was asked to dance, I said yes. I took all the opportunities they gave me and took nothing for granted.”

Lastly, she highlighted generosity as a key lesson learned. “Whenever we had the money to celebrate a birthday, and it wasn't all the time, we went to the market to buy noodles or buy plantain bananas to make sweet rice we cooked in a big pot,” she continued.  “Wherever we were cooking, we took little bowls and shared them with our neighbors. My neighbors did the same thing when they had a birthday or when there was a funeral; we all shared the food.” She also mentioned that when she returns home to the Philippines, she brings cash to share with her childhood neighbors and friends. “They know that I haven't forgotten them. I respect how they have carved their own lives. I remember loving kindness, and they, too, continue to be kind to me.”

Tuminez concluded her remarks by mentioning the more than 47,000 UVU students we represent and how those students live these three principles of grit, ownership, and generosity. Specifically, she mentioned the newly named Chelsea and Casey Baugh Utah Valley University Entrepreneurship Institute as a place where students learn and practice these three vital traits of life.

“I am very grateful that I come from the slums,” Tuminez concluded. “I learned to own my opportunities, and I learned to be generous. I want to say to the leaders who are here today, to the entrepreneurs and the dreamers, these principles apply to you. Stay gritty and be generous. Be generous with yourself. Be generous with your teams. Be generous with the people you work with. The future truly is in our hands.”

Throughout the sessions, Silicon Slopes presented awards for their 2025 Hall of Fame. The award categories include Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Product Officer, Chief People Officer, Software 2024, Services 2024, Health & Wellness, Startup of the Year, and Marketing Company of the Year 2024. UVU’s marketing team was a finalist in the Marketing Company of the Year 2024 category. The winner of that category went to Frazil, the slushie company based out of Salt Lake City. Along with UVU were finalists Clearlink and Brainstorm, Inc.

To see the full list of winners, visit https://app.siliconslopes.com/events/hall-of-fame-2024.