Message from the President

Welcome to the University of Utah, one of the nation’s premier public institutions of higher education.

The U has long attracted students looking for a beautiful backdrop to their educational experience—and certainly Utah offers a unique blend of freshly powdered slopes, clear lakes and endless recreation possibilities to recharge the body and spirit. But the U is much more than a great place for recreation; it is also a powerhouse of academics, research, and service.

As a university increasingly focused on internationalization, we strive to prepare all of our students to assume roles of leadership and responsibility throughout the world. Our international emphasis will help students to immerse themselves in different cultures, languages and systems of governance; to become socially and politically literate and economically aware—all in an effort to further expand their view of the world.

For example, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. recently announced a new U scholarship in partnership with Zions Bank that creates a student exchange program with Shanghai Normal University in the People’s Republic of China. Thanks to a generous gift from Hong Kong philanthropist Li Ka-Shing, the Hinckley Institute of Politics is expanding its internship programs in Mexico, India, Scotland, and other countries. The College of Architecture + Planning is strengthening its exchange program with Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina. And then there is the cooperation between U Health Sciences educators and those in Ghana’s medical schools and colleges of social work.

By making it our goal to share knowledge openly and give students the freedom to learn without geographic constraint, the University of Utah stands as a leader in gathering critical resources, engaging in global issues, and developing vital projects that are both meaningful and compelling. In acquiring multiple skills and further increasing their rich diversity of experience, students will be even more engaged and equipped to make the world a better place.

That’s not to say every great activity at the U is happening somewhere else! I invite you to browse our web site to uncover the numerous ideas and innovations budding on campus every day. From athletics and art to health care and law, the U cultivates creativity, ingenuity, and research opportunities, both in the classroom and laboratory. These discoveries benefit every Utahn and, indeed, all citizens of the world.

Consider, for example, the breakthroughs fostered by our astonishing Brain Institute (www.brain.utah.edu), where scientists and scholars from multiple disciplines explore the mysteries of this final frontier, unlocking secrets that may halt Alzheimer’s Disease or conquer stroke and spinal cord injuries. Other healthcare programs are equally amazing. Through the website, you can also open a window on our world-class work in genetics, ophthalmology, and cancer research.

Or learn about the many ways the University of Utah enhances Utah’s—and the world’s—business environment (www.business.utah.edu). The Financial Times of London consistently ranks the EMBA program at the U’s David Eccles School of Business among the top 75 programs in the world. Little wonder that hundreds of successful companies—and thousands of successful alumni—credit the U with helping them reach their dreams.

As you might expect, the U offers outstanding undergraduate academic and research opportunities (www.lib.utah.edu/epubs/undergrad), with majors in more than 70 disciplines. Graduate programs are equally rigorous and renowned, including new programs in environmental humanities (www.hum.utah.edu/eh) and science and technology (www.utah.edu/pmst).

Reach for more information about the U by visiting www.reach.utah.edu. Then drop by the University’s A-Z index and explore even more of this great institution. Or schedule a campus visit at www.utah.edu/newstudents/campus_visits.htm and discover for yourself why I believe the University of Utah is a place where extraordinary people are daily achieving extraordinary things.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young
President