The end of spring semester is an exhilarating time at the University of Utah. Campus is buzzing with a lively energy as a new class of students graduates—and with 8,723 members this year, it is the largest group of graduates in the history of the U! 

More than one-thousand of these graduates are first-generation college students. In Undergraduate Studies, we are working to develop new ways to better serve these students. Accordingly, the Office of First-Generation Success, in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations, has  launched the 1850 Society, an organization wherein membership provides first-generation graduates from across the U with advice, support, mentorship, and opportunities for connections with first-generation faculty, peers, alumni, and friends of the U. Signature events will include: First Generation Celebration events annually in November and a Spring First-Gen Conference, keynote, and workshops. Over twenty-five percent of  students at the U are first-generation and the Office of First-Generation Success is a supportive community dedicated to their success; the 1850 Society aspires to extend the community beyond the U through our first-generation U alums, faculty, staff, and friends of the U!!

As a first-generation college graduate, I am keenly aware of the unique challenges faced by many first-generation students when navigating the complex systems of higher education—thus the need for an 1850 Society, where we celebrate, support, and promote the accomplishments and successes of first-generation students at the U.

Help US continue to put students first by supporting the 1850 Society at the University of Utah.

And as always, Go Utah!
Chase

Leaders from the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College gathered on March 31 as part of continuing joint efforts to foster a “transfer receptive culture” at the U and a “transfer sending culture” at SLCC.

Thanks to the support of the Love Your Block (LYB) mini-grant from the SLC Mayor’s Office, the Glendale-Mt. View CLC was able expand its community garden. In addition to the LYB grant, the CLC also received  $10,000 worth of tools, planting boxes, seating, mulch, and a shed from Home Depot Project Leaders. 

On April 27, members of the Glendale-Mt. View CLC, the SLC Mayor’s Office, Home Depot, and many community volunteers collaborated to improve the garden space. Mayor Erin Mendenhall was there working  alongside our volunteers as we completed the project. Most importantly, the pre-kindergarteners were invited to participate in this project, with the intention of giving them a sense of ownership of their school and community. 

The Glendale-Mt. View CLC is looking forward to utilizing this space for community events and celebrations.

LEAP students presented their research to the University of Utah community on April 24th, 2023. Displays included posters, zines, artwork, and digital presentations on a wide range of topics. 

Every summer, the Office of Undergraduate Research offers a nationally competitive opportunity that provides undergraduate students with an intensive 10-week summer research experience under the mentorship of a University of Utah faculty member: Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR). Students participating in SPUR gain research experience in a variety of disciplines; for 2023 30 disciplines are represented. SPUR scholars from 22 different universities will be on campus May 24-August 3, 2023.

Sarah Hinners
Architecture & Planning

Vandana Ramachandran
Business

Annie Isabel Fukushima
Cultural & Social Transformation

Melodie Weller
Dentistry

Mary D. Burbank
Education

Cynthia Furse
Engineering

Alexandra Harbold
Fine Arts

J. David Symons
Health

Michael Gills
Honors

Rachel Hayes-Harb
Humanities

Yan-Ting Shiu
Medicine

Gannet Hallar
Mines & Earth Sciences

Lauri Linder
Nursing

Amy M. Barrios
Pharmacy

Ofer Rog
Science

Sara Elizabeth Grineski
Social and Behavioral Sciences

In collaboration with college/school partners, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), recognizes the impactful work of faculty mentors with the 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Mentor Awards.

The criteria for the awards are:

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Mike Martineau will be joining the Office of Undergraduate Studies as the new senior director of analytics innovation. Dr. Martineau comes to us with a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of higher education data analytics.

Currently serving as the Director of Institutional Analysis at the University of Utah, Dr. Martineau leads the teams responsible for official reporting and analytics efforts for the Institution. He received his B.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in economics from the University of Utah, where he also serves as adjunct faculty in the Department of Economics.

Dr. Martineau's research interests include Economics of Education and Applied Econometrics, and his dissertation research focused on the competitive effects of charter schools on K-6 academic achievement in Utah. Since 2009, he has focused his research on higher education factors influencing student achievement and outcomes.

“We are excited to have Dr. Martineau bring his extensive knowledge and experience to our team,” said Jim Agutter, senior associate dean of Undergraduate Studies. “We look forward to the valuable insights he will bring to our efforts in improving undergraduate education at our institution. Please join us in welcoming him to our community."

The Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) at the University of Utah and Dr. Erin Castro, associate dean of Communities Engagement and Access and associate professor in the College of Education, have received an award of $750,000 from Ascendium Education Group. The funds from this grant will support planning for the launch of a research center focused on postsecondary education in prisons. 

Several 6th through 8th graders from Salt Lake Community College's 104 Youth program visited the University of Utah campus on May 2. The field trip was a collaborative effort between Salt Lake Community College and the U, and multiple departments played critical roles in the event. TRIO provided a quick tour of campus, taking the group to the Union and through the Marriott Library. Students then had a chance to enjoy recreation activities in the Union, which culminated with bowling and pizza from the Pie.

If your unit/department is interested in hosting elementary or middle school students on campus, please reach out to Arturo Canela at  arturo.canela@utah.edu

The Bennion Center’s 2023 Distinguished Faculty Service Award honors two exceptional CEL faculty members who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to the campus-community connection through a life of active, unpaid community service and the integration of service with research and teaching. This year's awardees are Amos N. Guiora, from the S. J. Quinney College of Law and Shannon Jones from the Department of Nutrition & Integrated Physiology in the College of Health.

The Learning Center is hiring tutors and SI Leaders for Fall 2023. Learning Center peer educators are currently-enrolled University of Utah students who have excelled in their academics and participate in weekly training that follows the College Reading and Learning Association guidelines.

To learn more and view the application, visit the Learning Center's website.

A team of 10 represented the U at the UIA’s Spring Convening last month in Atlanta, Georgia where conversation, learning, and work focused on the Academic Recovery Project and the Black Student Success Initiative with other member institution teams.

At the UIA Spring Convening, Dr. Karen Paisley represented the U by speaking on the U’s support of students as parents during a lightening round talk.

UIA Fellow Lindsay Coco is trained in process mapping and has been facilitating/consulting with the Student Success Coaching team to process map how students find out about coaching services. If you are interested in process mapping a question you have in your department, contact Lindsay at lindsay.coco@utah.edu.

Congratulations to LEAP Professor CoCo James on being selected as recipient of the Teach the Rainbow Award. The award recognizes educators— staff or faculty—who center LGBTQ+ history and issues in their work.  Dr. James goes above and beyond to center LGBTQIA+ issues in her teaching. This award was presented by The Women's Resource Center and the LGTBQ Resource Center in celebration of Pride Week. Dr. James was honored at the Unstoppably Unique: Faculty and Staff Talent Showcase event on March 28.

On March 16 Bryce Williams, director of First-Year Utah, was selected to chair the Utah First-Year Experience Consortium for 2023-2024.

The Utah First-Year Experience Consortium is a non-profit educational consortium of colleges and universities in and around the state of Utah dedicated to promoting the success of first-year students, advancing first-year research, and facilitating partnerships to enhance the first year of college. In addition to chairing the consortium, Bryce will chair the 2024 First-Year Experience conference to be hosted at the University of Utah in March of 2024. Keep an eye out for more information about the conference in the coming months.

LEAP Professor Joshua Rivkin has been recognized by the General Education Curriculum Committee with the Teaching Award for Innovation in General Education. This award celebrates faculty with innovative approaches to general education through leading-edge pedagogy. Congratulations on this prestigious award, Dr. Rivkin!

The new Campus Accessibility website, University Connected Learning, and the Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence have all provided resources on how to make course materials and communications accessible for all students:

Still have questions on how to implement these changes? Schedule a consultation with a CTE staff member.

After several years with the University of Utah, Debbie Matticks is retiring from her role as executive assistant to the dean of Undergraduate Studies. Debbie has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth operation of day-to-day activities at the Sill Center, and her commitment to student success has been unwavering. Debbie has brought much joy and laughter to all those who work with her, and she will be greatly missed! We wish her the best in all her future adventures. 

Check out the fall lineup for MUSE 1850. MUSE Seminars are one-credit courses and are intended for students in the first 60 credit hours of their undergraduate experience. Each section will explore a different and timely topic chosen by the professor.

The calendar is intended to provide prospective and current students with opportunities to connect with majors before enrolling in classes. These can be Information Sessions, visit days, guest speakers, performances,  Senior Project days or anything else you think would be helpful in giving students a taste of your college/department/ major.

Send submissions to April Vrtis- Curran- AVrtis-Curran@advising.utah.edu

Glendale-Mt. View CLC Year-End Celebration

5:00-7:00 PM

Glendale-Mt. View CLC
1388 Navajo St.

SLCC + U of U Herriman Campus Community Open House

3:30-8:30 PM

14551 S Sentinel Ridge Blvd.
Herriman, UT 84096

State of Undergraduate Studies

10:30 AM

Location TBD

Coordinator for Advising Excellence, Academic Advising Center

Emily joins AAC as the Coordinator for Advising Excellence. She most recently worked in the Dean’s Office in the College of Engineering. AAC is excited to have her joining the team!

Have something you'd like US to highlight in the newsletter? Email marketing@us.utah.edu