Utah Valley University Rotaractors Host World Polio Day

On October 22nd and October 28th, 2026, Utah Valley University Rotaractors hosted the ninth World Polio Day observation.

Poster WPD

WORLD POLIO DAY OBSERVATION - OCTOBER 22, 2026

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On October 22nd, Utah Valley University (UVU) Rotaractors commemorated for the ninth time World Polio Day (WPD).

The event was moderated and led by the President of the UVU Rotaract Club Megan Ashcraft. Alongside her came other UVU Rotaractors to help host and present at the event such as Natalia Figueroa, Aemish Brock, Angie Macias, Ashley Low, Jackson Weech, Kayla Hatch, Cooper Marolf, Alan Calderon, and Cole Manwaring. As a tradition, the World Polio Day event was observed through Student Engaged Learning (SEL) where students work together as a group to solve real world problems with the mentorship of a faculty member.

The event hosted three keynote speakers: 1). Mr. Oliver Rosenbauer, Communications Officer for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, and fellow Rotarian from the Rotary Genève International club in Geneva; 2). Dr. Zubair Wadood, Senior Epidemiologist for Polio Eradication at the WHO in Geneva as well, and 3) Mr. Clark Merkley, past president of the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club spoke at the event in person. Two speakers from WHO have provided pre-recorded greetings.

Oliver Rosenbauer Photo

Mr. Oliver Rosenbauer, Speak at the World Polio Day Observation at UVU

Short Bio of Mr. Oliver Rosenbauer

Mr. Oliver Rosenbauer, the first among the keynote speakers, greeted audience members as old friends and partners, highlighting another joint World Polio Day observation at Utah Valley University. He has also highlighted a visit of Utah Valley University Rotaractors and Orem-Lindon Rotarians to Geneva last July and established ties between Rotarians and Rotaractors in Utah and Geneva. Being able to connect over a mutual interest in eradicating polio allowed the members of both clubs to get closer together. Afterward he brought up Rotary’s incredible impact with eliminating 99.9% polio cases through consistent effort and a joint belief in equity and access for all to have the polio vaccine. To further push the importance of eradication, Mr. Rosenbauer brought up an example of Smallpox and how it killed more people than in all wars in the history of humankind, including both World Wars. And without the joint effort of Rotary and other organizations there still lays a chance for this highly communicable disease to spread. Mr.Rosenbauer stressed the important role of Rotarians and Rotaractors in fighting this disease and urged everyone to continue to contribute to this effort.

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Dr. Zubair Wadood Photo

Dr. Zubair Wadood, Senior epidemiologist for polio eradication, World Health Organization, speaks during World Polio Day at UVU

Short Bio of Dr. Zubair Wadood

Dr. Wadood, the second keynote presenter, spoke about the current situation with Polio Eradication around the world and the importance of contributions of the influential members of communities, like Rotarians in particular to ensure the functioning vaccination process, as without them the children who could be afflicted can’t be immunized from polio. He explains how consistent vaccinations are a necessary step to prevent a habitable environment for polio. Healthcare providers help by tracking patients with signs of weakness and collecting stool samples to track cases of polio. Alongside these professionals there are also environmental methods of surveillance, like tracking sewage water and checking for Polio. Finally the volunteers also can make a difference, by tracking and administering the vaccines on a daily basis, with some even losing their lives trying to help as many people as possible.

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Clark Merkley Photo Merkley Speaking at WPD

Mr. Clark Merkley, Past-President, Orem-Lindon Rotary Club speaks at the World Polio Day Observation at UVU

Short Bio of Mr. Clark Merkley

We also had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Clark Merkley, past president of the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club, who shared his research on polio eradication and personal experiences growing up during a time when polio remained a serious public health threat, including memories of a classmate who required an iron lung to breathe. His remarks reinforced the challenges highlighted by our WHO speakers, particularly the difficulties of reaching children in remote and mountainous regions, while recognizing the efforts of Japanese Rotarians who have supported vaccination campaigns in India and Pakistan, including at railway stations and aboard trains. He also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Utah Rotary District 5420, the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club, and UVU Rotaract in raising awareness, supporting PolioPlus, and engaging students in international service. His presentation served as a powerful reminder of the importance of passing the mission of polio eradication from one generation to the next, especially as the world works to overcome the final barriers to eradication.

Combined Photo

UVU Rotaractors Presentations of Study Results About Polio Eradication in Selected Mountain Countries Worldwide

After the keynote presentations the UVU Rotaractors reported about the impact that polio has had on the mountain countries they are studying within their class assignments. These included Honduras, studied by Angie Macias; Bhutan by Ashley Low; Switzerland by Cooper Marolf; India by Jackson Weech; Kyrgyzstan by Kayla Hatch; Greece by Alan Calderon; Austria by Aemish Brock; Chile by Natalia Figueroa; and Cameroon by Megan Ashcraft. All those studied countries became polio free, starting in the 1980s with the introduction of the polio vaccine to the masses. Angie Macias, Jackson Weech, Natalia Figueroa,Megan Ashcraft, and Alan Calderon. emphasized the importance of good infrastructure, which allows for vaccines spread to the populace effectively.Natalia Figueroa talked about challenges in 2021 to administer COVID-19 vaccines to the isolated rural Mapuche communities, illustrating that even in Chile as a Polio free country, isolated rural communities are still in danger of unprecedented polio outbreaks. Ashley Low talked about Bhutan’s program “catch-up” which helps monitor any sighting of detections of polio electronically, and keeps solar powered storage equipment in facilities affected by power outages to help store Polio vaccines in case of emergencies. Kayla Hatch and Megan Ashcraft stressed that while polio has been eliminated, not eradicated, people can get infected, just like in countries like Cameroon or Kyrgyzstan which border countries with poor vaccine coverage. For example, Kyrgyzstan faced such a problem, when its neighbor Tajikistan, had a sudden outbreak in 2021 over 30 children were left with Polio paralysis. This shows the importance of not just state security, but rather a global kind of security.

Group Photo of Hosts and Participants of the World Polio Day at UVU

Finally to finish the event, the audience would engage with a Q&A with Mr. Clark Merkley. As the students went on to clean up after the event, the UVU Rotaractors through the SEL Model were able to organize and act as a single focused group working on a single goal. Being able to split the responsibilities of leading, organizing, and researching, the students engaged wholly, and developed key skills that they would later on be able to use in their future careers. UVU Rotaractors showed that students around the globe need to connect and work towards eradicating the final cases of Polio, and providing a safer place for people across the globe, especially Mountain Communities. Through continuous student activism, global involvement will increase, which can lead to improvements in infrastructure and general healthcare allowing for better prevention and responses towards any kinds of disease outbreaks.

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POLIO ERADICATION IN SELECTED MOUNTAIN STATES - STUDENT REPORTS

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Ashley Low - Bhutan

Angie Macias - Honduras

Cooper Marolf - Switzerland

Jackson Weech - India

Kayla Hatch - Kyrgyzstan

Alan Calderon - Greece

Aemish Brock - Austria

Natalia Figueroa - Chile

Megan Ashcraft - Cameroon

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WORLD POLIO DAY OBSERVATION - OCTOBER 28, 2026

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Dr. Scott Leckman Speaks at the World Polio Day at Utah Valley University on October 28, 2026

Dr. Scott A. Leckman, Past Governor of Utah District Rotary

Continuing their World Polio Day activities, on October 28, 2026, UVU Rotaractors welcomed Dr. Scott Leckman, renowned general surgeon and former Rotary District Governor, during a class taught by fellow Rotarian Dr. Cholpon Akmatlieva. Building upon their October 22 World Polio Day event, students learned about Dr. Leckman’s eight humanitarian trips to India to immunize children against polio, as well as his international humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh and Indonesia following the devastating 2004 tsunami. Recognized with The Rotary Foundation's Certificate of Excellence in 2015 and Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World in 2020, Dr. Leckman emphasized the importance of NGOs, international advocacy, and perseverance in serving vulnerable communities. Through his experiences, including work alongside Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, he encouraged Rotaractors to embrace challenges, develop resilience, and take initiative in advocating for underserved rural and mountain communities worldwide.

Lynn Hillstead, Orem-Lindon Rotary Club member

The event also provided an opportunity for UVU Rotaractors to express their gratitude to Orem-Lindon Rotarian Lynn Hillstead, who has served Rotary for 35 years, including three terms as club president. His generous $25,000 contribution established the Orem-Lindon Endowed Fund, supporting future generations of Rotarians and humanitarian initiatives benefiting communities locally and internationally, including projects involving UVU Rotaractors. Together, these examples of dedicated service reinforced the importance of mentorship, leadership, and sustained commitment to improving communities worldwide.

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Dr.Leckmans PowerPoint

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Utah District Newsletter About WPD at UVU

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STUDENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

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26-10-29-Angie Macias World Polio Day Part 2 Reflection

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26-10-29-Natalia-Figeroua-From Being Mentored to Mentoring Others_ My Reflections on World Polio Day 2026

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26-10-31-Ashley Low - What are You Able to Give Dr. Scott Leckmans’ Lessons About “Serving Above Self”