The Office of Undergraduate Studies is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 Community Engaged Learning Faculty Awards. We offer congratulations and gratitude for their incredible service to the University of Utah and Utah communities.
The Public Service Professor Award is designed to help a faculty member strengthen community engaged learning experiences and foster stronger partnerships with the local community. This year’s Public Service Professor is Udita Gupta, Associate Professor (Career Line), Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE), College of Education. Dr. Gupta’s public service project aims to establish Community Engaged Teaching and Learning Labs (CETLL) for both mentor teachers and their student teachers in public schools in Utah. Through monthly professional development meetings, participants will engage with faculty and community members to integrate cultural knowledge into lesson planning, fostering meaningful connections and inclusive learning environments.
The Distinguished Faculty Service Award honors faculty who demonstrate sustained commitment to fostering connection between the campus and wider community through a life of active, unpaid community service, and the integration of service with research and teaching. This year, two exceptional faculty members will be honored with the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Service Award: Sonia Salari, PhD FGSA, Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Studies, and Leslie P. Francis, Ph.D., J.D., Alfred C. Emery Professor of Law, and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy.
Dr. Sonia Salari has dedicated 30 years to impactful community engagement and campus service at the University of Utah, focusing on domestic violence prevention, public policy, and campus safety. She was instrumental in creating the Coordinated Community Response Team to address sexual assault and intimate partner violence on campus, served as Board Chair of the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, and advocated for policy change through legislative engagement and public awareness campaigns. As president of the Academic Senate, she advocated for faculty well-being. Through leadership in university governance and media advocacy, she has amplified critical issues and inspired students, colleagues, and policymakers alike.
Professor Leslie Francis has dedicated nearly five decades to exceptional community engagement and campus service at the University of Utah, using her expertise in law and ethics to advocate for vulnerable populations. Her deep commitment to both legal advocacy and academic integrity is exhibited through her pro bono work in guardianship cases for individuals with intellectual disabilities, contributions to judicial ethics, leadership in the American Philosophical Association, membership on the board of the Utah Disability Law Center, and extensive university service—including as president of the Academic Senate. Through this work, she is making a lasting impact on students, colleagues, and the broader community.