UVSC students, along with dignitaries from across the state, were among the prestigious guests that attended the Utah state capitol rededication celebrations during the first week in January.
Student volunteers from UVSC were present to serve as escorts and to provide trivia facts about the capitol building. Approximately 40 UVSC students were in attendance on any given day during the week long celebration, accounting for the largest turnout from any school in the state.
Matt Harrison, a student at UVSC involved in various leadership positions on campus, spoke about the significance of UVSC’s student involvement. "The students of UVSC have really shown the caliber of the student body that we have. They were willing to give their time and I think it reflects the high caliber of students we have attending this school," said Harrison.
Harrison also places a lot of the event’s success on these student volunteers. "We had the largest student turnout out of all the schools that were invited. Interesting that out of all the colleges we had the longest commute."
Harrison, along with UVSC student Caleb Love, were the student coordinators from UVSC. Their duties included recruiting and organizing volunteers, publicizing the event, and involving as many different student groups as possible.
Harrison attributes networking skills to the success he and Love had in getting the biggest turnout.
Some schools reportedly declined attending this landmark event due to travel costs.
Dignitaries at the event included UVSC President Bill Sederburg and well-known government officials from around the state, as well as religious leaders, including Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who rededicated the building. Students were able to interact with these officials as part of their job at the capitol.
"It allowed me to network tremendously with a lot of high end officials at the capitol and establish friendships which will hopefully help me in the future," said Harrison.
The refurbishing of the capitol building took "over 100 months of planning and construction" said architect David Hart in his speech during the dedication and its cost totaled $227 million. The renovated building is now open and tours are available.
