Dear Colleagues,

Happy new year and welcome back to campus! I hope that your holiday break was restful and joyful.

As we begin the spring semester, I would like to say that I’m grateful for all the snow (and even rain!) that we have gotten over the past few weeks. Some of that rain has derailed the best skiing plans for some of us, but come summer we will all be grateful for the water that we get to enjoy.

You will notice new green banners on campus with our core values written on them: exceptional care, exceptional accountability, and exceptional results. To me, these are timeless values that remind us of the importance of a strong, caring community that celebrates and leverages its diversity; our commitment to use our time and resources effectively and give honest and clear feedback; and the Wolverine audacity always to dream big and expect excellence in all that we do.

I will be giving the State of the University address on Thursday, January 26, at 2 p.m., in Clarke Building (CB) room 101. Please attend. I value these interactions with you and look forward to reporting on UVU’s progress and opportunities.

I recently read a great little book called “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield, in which he discussed some differences between the amateur and the professional. He said, “The professional conducts his business in the real world. Adversity, injustice, bad hops and rotten calls, even good breaks and lucky bounces all comprise the ground over which the campaign must be waged. The field is level, the professional understands, only in heaven” (Page 81).

As we begin this new semester, I encourage us to embrace the terrain of UVU. We have so many strengths to build upon. We have achievements to celebrate. We have opportunities to embrace. When we feel down, let us remember that adversity, too, is such an important part of how we grow.

I believe in our mission, our community, and our students. Thank you for choosing to be at UVU! Happy 2023!

 

Best regards,

Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez
President, Utah Valley University