Holland: Utah Valley University is 75 years strong
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During his seventh State of the University address Jan. 26, President Matthew S. Holland celebrated the 75th anniversary of the institution.
“If the main purpose of our institution is student success. Then when it comes to the state of the university, I say that we are indeed 75 years strong,” said Holland.
While Holland said there are still many issues to face, he has three clear imperatives.
The first priority is to get state support for a funding increase of 3 percent in order to better compensate professors and give the university the ability to hire the best personnel.
The second priority is to get the state to fund a budget line called “Access and Affordability”. This will help the institution avoid dramatically raising the cost of tuition.
The third priority is the construction of a new performing and visual arts building.
Currently, UVU is the only institution in the state that does not have a physical home for the arts.
Holland predicts that by the year 2025, enrollment will increase to over 45,000 students making UVU one of the largest institutions in the nation.
“We strive to be serious, engaged, and inclusive because that is what we must do in order to help students from every walk of life in our service region find and to develop those competencies that best promote a life of financial stability, social connectedness, individual fulfillment and civic contribution,” said Holland.
Holland paid tribute to UVU’s past president, Wilson Sorenson, for building up the institution to become “a miracle in the valley”. Weeks before Sorenson’s death and weeks after Holland became appointed as president of UVU, Holland visited Sorenson at an assisted living facility and made a promise to preserve Sorenson’s accomplishments.
He also gave a standing ovation to Brian Patchett, a physics major at UVU who participated in a study in acoustic levitation with Professor Timothy Doyle. The research produced a device to improve cancer research and this research has been met with international acclaim. Patchett said that it is a rarity to see undergraduate’s names on patents at larger universities.
“Undergraduate students don’t get their names on patents, but there are four from this university that will have their name on that patent that he’s working on. There are a great number of opportunities here that are not available at other universities,” said Brian Patchett, physics major and research assistant at UVU.
Kimberly Bojórquez is a Los Angeles native currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in journalism, and a minor in Latin American Studies. From 2017-18 she served as the editor-in-chief of the UVU Review and worked at ABC4’s morning show “Good Things Utah”, Salt Lake City Weekly and the Daily Herald.
She has written stories that relate to national issues, local crime and social justice. In her spare time, she loves to take photos, hike Utah’s national parks and attend live rock concerts.