Cedar City Holiday Lighting Ceremony, 2025.

Happy Holidays! From all of us, we hope you’ll make time to connect in your community this holiday season.  Whether it’s attending the high school band and orchestra concert, serving or donating with a local shelter or food pantry, enjoying a theatre or dance performance with a local performing arts organization, or just catching the lights in your historic downtown, connecting with family, friends, and neighbors may bring you extra seasonal joy. 

Serving In All Seasons: How Cultural Site Stewards Save History

Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson recently honored Utah Cultural Site Stewards for their volunteer work during the federal shutdown. “Thank you for the countless hours you volunteer, the miles you travel, and the personal resources you invest as you watch over sites and participate in service projects,” Henderson said in a video message. “As growth and recreation continue to expand across our state, your efforts ensure that the cultural and natural treasures that draw so many people to Utah will be preserved for future generations.”

From Oct. 1 through Nov. 13, 165 volunteers logged 1,882 hours and 28,799 miles, to safeguard Utah’s cultural heritage. These volunteers play a critical role in identifying damage and educating the public to stop vandalism of Utah's historic treasures like this pictograph in American Fork Canyon.

Engineering, Coding, and a Cool STEM Gift Guide

The Utah Association of Career and Technical Education has selected the Utah STEM Action Center as the 2026 Champion for CTE, recognizing the center’s outstanding leadership, advocacy, and impact on Career and Technical Education across the state.

The STEM Action Center was lauded for leadership in integrating STEM into real-world, career-focused learning, expanding access to technology, supporting rural schools, and fostering partnerships that empower educators and students across Utah.

If you need ideas for incorporating STEM in your  holiday gift giving, check out the center’s STEM Gift Guide.

The Utah State Library’s new  Read250 initiative promotes literacy, civic engagement, and community exploration and invites all Utahns to celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial. This year-long initiative leading up to July 4, 2026 provides a list of digital books for adults, young adults, and children. Holiday time off may provide a little extra time for reading and exploring. Through the Beehive Library Consortium, readers can access American history and historical fiction titles via the Libby app free with a local library card. Audio books are a great way to read while you roam. Participating in Walk250, encourages  Utahns to explore local trails, neighborhoods, and communities.

Look for Walk250 stickers at  Zions Bank branches, Utah state Parks, and your local library.

This month, Angela Gunderson, CCE’s deputy finance director, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Public Service. Since joining CCE in January 2024, she has leveraged more than 25 years of state finance experience to strengthen a small, high-impact team.  Gunderson is known for her reliability, sound judgment, and steady leadership on complex fiscal matters. Congratulations to Angela for a job exceptionally well done.

Leaders from 24 states gathered in Salt Lake City for the National Governors Association Summit exploring how service can create pathways into careers. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and UServeUtah Executive Director Loggins Merrill highlighted Utah’s innovative programs, including the One Utah Service Fellowship and Volunteer for Good. 

Since July 2024, 1,063 One Utah Service fellows have contributed 305,207 hours of service and recruited or managed 11,775 volunteers. In its second year, the Volunteer for Good pilot program has engaged 10,638 Utah high school students, who have completed 182,265 hours of service, generating an estimated $6,285,776 in economic impact.

Nicole Handy, director of America250 Utah, recently spoke at the National League of Cities City Summit in Salt Lake City. She shared the vision behind America’s Potluck, a nationwide initiative that brings communities together over a shared meal on July 5, 2026. Handy encouraged city leaders from across the United States to use this milestone to foster belonging, strengthen civic engagement, and celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary in ways that reflect the character of their local communities. The session was titled “Planning for America250.”

America's Potluck is an initiative that began in Utah, the vision of the America250 Utah Commission. To date, 43 states have committed to participating in America’s Potluck, with more joining each week. 

Our nine divisions work to achieve the overarching goal of building communities in all corners of the state. The Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement’s annual report explains the priorities of each division and the impact of their programs.

Administration

Donna Law

Executive Director

Katherine Potter

Deputy Director

Contact Us

Donna Law

Donnalaw@utah.gov

Find Us Online

https://community.utah.gov/

The Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement connects people, resources, and ideas to strengthen communities — in communities. By supporting local programs, educational initiatives, and collaborative projects, CCE helps foster meaningful impact, build capacity, and create opportunities for residents to engage and thrive.