Tuminez’s State of the University address

Utah Valley University President Astrid Tuminez shared a message of growth and success with students, faculty and supporters during her 2023 State of the University address.

Delivered Jan. 26, Tuminez’s speech shared insights on the accomplishments of the university as a whole, as well as the achievements of faculty and students. “We had an awesome 2022,” stated Tuminez.

Highlighting different departments and people at UVU, Tuminez spent some time recognizing UVU’s Honors Program, The Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism, the Women’s Success Center, UVU’s Innovation Academy and more for their hard work and the guidance they provide to students. 

Tuminez revealed that the graduation rate has increased since 2020 from 6,410 grads to 11,743 grads in 2022. UVU’s retention rate for the 2021-2022 school year was 68%, an increase from 66% for the 2020-2021 school year. “We did this during COVID, this is the university that never stopped,” Tuminez said. 

Tuminez went on to praise student-athletes who competed in national competitions and students who traveled overseas to speak at conferences. She praised faculty members and spoke of UVU having 38 new tenured professors and 17 new full professors. 

She spoke of fundraising successes like the $501,000 raised during the 32nd annual President’s Scholarship Ball. 

Tuminez shared some new rankings from a political think tank titled Think Way, located in Washington, D.C. It stated that UVU ranks in the top 20% of US colleges for economic mobility. “I [call this] the American Dream,” Tuminez said.

She talked of new innovations at UVU, like the new $28.5M soccer stadium being built on campus and the Scott M. Smith College of Engineering and Technology Building. There are also many newly renovated areas on campus as well, like the Student Center, the Keller Building and the Campus Store. “I am told we have the best Student Center because we have 11 junk food places,” Tuminez joked.

“UVU [is really] a dream place – of how life ought to be, of how things ought to be and we do it through education, which is as exciting as anything in the world,” Tuminez began to conclude. “I personally believe this is the work of angels, it’s the work of angels to take someone and say ‘What do you want to become?’ [We will help you] and we will do it together.”

To watch President Tuminez’s speech, please visit the link here. 

Gentry White

Gentry has been with The Review since January 2021. Gentry is currently in the senior year of her BA in English and is an avid reader, writer and cinephile. Stop by the newsroom anytime and say hi to Pepper, Gentry’s best pal and sweet service dog.