“Student success” in higher education is a core element driving great universities, particularly public-R1 institutions like the University of Utah. Achieving student success requires intentionality, resources, purposeful planning, and the direct engagement of every member of a university community. Together, as one U, we are investigating the paths of our former and current students and leveraging student data like never before to provide guidance, proactive support, and timely resources as they traverse the academic landscape of the U on their way to the world of work and a joy-filled life.  

The Navigate U project, developed through our partnership with EAB, exemplifies this approach. It’s not just a technology for scheduling meetings and analyzing insights; instead, it is a strategic initiative organized across eight core areas to direct our collaborative efforts in ensuring that every student can have an exceptional educational experience. Through a diverse array of interventions—from academic advisors, peer tutors, student success coaches, curriculum (re)designs, academic plans, First Experiences, wellness resources, and more, every person within the university community contributes to a student’s successful navigation of the U. 

As we wrap up the Spring 2024 semester, let’s celebrate the achievements of our students, faculty, and staff, and their contributions to an unsurpassed societal impact of the University of Utah. Like you, I am encouraged by the intensive work underway at the U and I am grateful for our shared commitment to working together to make certain every student at Utah finds their path, to, through, and beyond the U. 

As always, Go Utah! 

Chase 

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

David Epstein

Office Hours with EAB

"How to Tame Data Sprawl"

EAB

On March 28, the University of Utah’s Education Pathways program based at the Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center proudly supported the successful launch of Mountain View Elementary School's inaugural STEAM Fair night. The aim of this event was to introduce math, science, technology, arts and engineering concepts to students while igniting and reinforcing their curiosity and passion for learning.

Read more about the event.

The 2024 PreMed/PrePA Conference took place on Saturday, February 24 in the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building. This conference provides undergraduate students from across the intermountain west an opportunity to learn from professionals in the field, as well as medical and PA programs from across the region. Hosted by PreProfessional Advising, this student-run conference was led by five students representing premed and prePA students across the campus: Brad Smith (co-chair), Rob Lindemann (co-chair), Aubrey Muller, Mena Zavala, and Elijah Liu. The keynote speaker this year was Dr. Michael Good, Senior Vice President of Health Sciences and CEO of University of Utah Health. 

The 2024 Transfer Student Success Summit took place on March 15th in collaboration with Salt Lake Community College. Highlights of the event included a word from both institutions' presidents Taylor Randall and Dennece Huftalin, intriguing panels from senior leaders and students, and various breakout sessions filled with information on all things transfer student support. Attendees left with a better understanding of how to navigate the transfer journey.

Read more about the event.

Every year the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) recognizes undergraduate student researchers and research mentors across the University of Utah campus in partnership with the 18 colleges and campus leadership.  This year, on April 1, students were recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award, and faculty with the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. The event also included recognizing the Dee, Francis, and Parent Fund Scholars and the Monson Essay prize recipients. 

View the list of awardees.

March was a big month for Transfer Student Success! The 2024 Crimson Transfer Honor Society (CTHS) Induction Ceremony was held on the 18th at the Ken Garff Field Club at Rice Eccles Stadium. This has been a record-setting school year, with 95 new students inducted into CTHS. Each of the students inducted earned a 3.5 GPA, or higher, in their first 12 credits after transferring. Congratulations to all of the amazing students for their hard work!

We are so excited that the The Academic Innovation + Intelligence Lab is here! Using data and research, The A.I.I. works to create clear paths for students to succeed. The information found is shared nationwide. 

Learn more about the lab. 

You are invited to join the selection committee for Undergraduate Studies Scholarships! This is a great way to hear more from undergraduate students across campus. The review process will occur between May and July. Specific timelines are determined based on the number of applications and member availability but the standard review period is typically 2-6 weeks. Most committees will not require in-person meetings and schedules can be accommodated.

Sign up to volunteer.

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is excited to welcome the first Early Exploration Scholars cohort. Fifty-nine scholars represent majors from a diversity of colleges: Business, Cultural & Social Transformation, Fine Arts, Education, Engineering, Health, Humanities, Medicine, Nursing, Science, and Social & Behavioral Sciences. Early Exploration Scholars learn about research opportunities at the University of Utah and receive a $500 scholarship to explore research and connect with potential faculty mentors. The program provides opportunities to grow research interests early on in an academic journey.

Are you looking for a summer job? Well, look no further! TRIO has five positions opening up for Summer 2024. The positions include teachers, mentors, tutors, residential supervisors, and team leaders. 

Apply now!

The U is part of a new UIA Learning Innovations grant funded by Axim Collaborative. The grant is focused on improving course outcomes for students on first attempts with a specific focus on STEM gateway courses. The goal of the project is to identify and document existing learning interventions and facilitate adoption of the best-fit intervention across additional campuses.

The U will support Dr. Kaci Kuntz, Assistant Professor (Lecturer)of Chemistry, as our campus’ Faculty Fellow. The Faculty Fellows group will meet twice a month this summer to share challenges and opportunities in key courses, discuss learnings, and take steps to redesign a course. 

There is now a new Teams App called “US-Support.” You can find it in your left navigation bar within Teams on your computer or the bottom bar in Teams on your phone. This app allows you to submit support requests to US Support—including IT, Learning Analytics, Marketing, and the Chief of Staff. Additionally, you can track and comment on your support tickets directly from the US-Support Teams app. When using the app for the first time, you’ll need to answer two questions to get onboarded. For detailed instructions, click here.

Visit the Self-Service Knowledge Base for a wealth of  valuable information. You can browse the knowledge base from the left navigation pane or use the search box. Additional support can be found at support.us.utah.edu. 

The STEM Community Alliance Program (STEMCAP) has received a generous grant from the NBA Foundation to continue its work of forging multidirectional educational and learning exchanges between Youth-In-Custody, STEM professionals, and art communities. The partnership between STEMCAP and the NBA strengthens the University of Utah’s capacity to deliver on our mission of achieving unsurpassed societal impact. The significance of the grant lies in the transformative opportunities it provides to empower Youth-In-Custody through lasting positive change.

The Distinguished Faculty Service Award honors faculty members who have demonstrated 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 two exceptional faculty members will be honored with the 2024 Distinguished Faculty Service Award: Randy L. Dryer, Presidential Honors Professor (Lecturer) in the S.J. Quinney College of Law and Honors College, and Teresa Molina Avella, Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in the College of Social Work and Associate Director at University Neighborhood Partners.

Read more in @theU.

Undergraduate Studies' own Rob White was highlighted by University Information Technology (UIT) in their monthly newsletter, Node 4. Check out the post to learn fun and interesting facts about Rob.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

A hallmark aspect of research is dissemination, and what better way to do this than by presenting research? Join the Office of Undergraduate Research and the hundreds of students who will be presenting at the Undergraduate Research Symposia on April 9th from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm in the Union Ballroom. This exciting event allows University of Utah students to present their work in a scholarly setting to students, faculty, and other members of the U community. 

2nd Annual Graduate Teaching Institute Through MBE-CTE

Mark your calendars on May 6th-9th, 2024 for the 2nd Annual Graduate Teaching Institute through MBE-CTE. The Graduate Teaching Institute is hosted and facilitated by the Center for Teaching Excellence for graduate instructors ready to learn the best teaching and learning practices.

Undergraduate Studies Retreat

Mark your calendar! The US retreat will be held from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm on May 15 in the Orangerie at Red Butte Garden. More details will be forthcoming.

Director, U Herriman Campus

Devon Darland joins the Undergraduate Studies team as the new  director of the U's Herriman Campus from her previous position as the associate director of Career Services at Salt Lake Community College. She has worked in higher education for the past 15 years at five different institutions across the West, including previously working at the University of Utah in Housing and in the Career & Professional Development Center. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of offices including Gender & Sexuality Resource Centers, Sexual Violence Advocacy Services, and Orientation. Devon earned her master's degree in Higher Education & Student Affairs Leadership at the University of Northern Colorado. She is excited to bring her energy and skills to the Herriman Campus to support the success of both SLCC and UofU students.

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