Utah Valley University – Year in Review

Team Elevate wins student elections
Student body officers for the 2010-2011 school year were announced March 3 after three days of hard campaigning. Team Elevate, consisting of Richard Portwood, Clint Pulver, Chris Loumeau and Sarah Standing won by nearly double the votes of team UVUnited.

Approved!
The tentative schedule of operations for the new Science Building began March 29 with bids already being accepted. Meetings with bidders will continue through May 12. Construction companies will be interviewed on May 19 and the final announcement made on May 20. The groundbreaking will be early to mid-June and the predicted completion date is December 31, 2011.

Losee Center opened
On Sept. 23 the ribbon was finally cut and the doors officially opened for the Losee Center for student success.

UVU bookstore remodel
With over a year of preparation and construction students finally saw the results of what seemed like a constant stream of chaos mid February. With its own certified Apple store, UV apparel and accessories, changing rooms, art supplies, gifts and a larger selection of books, the bookstore is is now a social hub on campus. Textbook space and general store space has greatly expanded with UCCU’s move across the hall.

Events center without a name
At the request of the original donor, David O. McKay’s name was moved from the events center to the Education building in late January. The hope was to generate new revenue for the school. For now, it still remains nameless.

Inauguration
Given the ceremonial key to the university on June 17, Holland began his tenure as President June 1 and was inaugurated as such on Oct. 9 culminating a week of inauguration festivities.

Wilson Sorenson dies
Wilson Sorenson, one of the most influential people in the rise of Utah Valley University died of natural causes just days before his 93rd birthday.

Feminist author bell hooks spoke out against domination
March 29. Feminist activist and author Gloria Jean Watkins, better known by her pen name, “bell hooks,” spoke in the Ragan Theater to a large audience about the true value of feminism.

Quick and easy fruits and veggies
In October a privately owned franchise of Jamba Juice with healthy blended beverages, juices and snacks was added to the hallway between the PE and LA buildings.

The International Photography Contest brought amazing submissions from around the world to UVU. These photos represented the manifold experiences had by students and faculty throughout their summer travels. The contest allowed those moments to be captured and shared with everyone on campus.

Where do we go from here?
“4 Only 1 Gallery” Throughout the spring semester an alcove of the former 401 Gallery became known as the “4 Only 1 Gallery” because the installment of music practice rooms downgraded the available exhibition space. The decision was made by the vice presidents, who saw in blank walls the potential to fill a spatial request made by the Music department. The AVC department, determined to make the best of a bad situation, and continued to exhibit one piece of artwork each week.

New theatre an enormous gift to both UVU and the community
In September, the new Noorda Theatre was opened. Funded by a generous donation from Tye Noorda, it opens up a world of possibility for both the Theatre department and the community. An exciting feature of the state-of-the-art theatre is high quality audio and video recording systems. “It’s like a validation for all the work we do. It’s such a blessing,” Jake Porter, a theatre arts major, said.

Unprecedented Halloween performance is unforgettable
When the theatre department decided to perform Ray Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, they did not have much of a precedent to work from. This production was only the second in North America.   Because the audience had no preconceived notions of how the play was supposed to be performed, the actors were allowed to create hauntingly portrayed characters.

Urinetown
The Theater department brilliantly recreated the production “Urinetown.” The singing was passionate, the dancing hysterical, and the acting impressive. The plot followed a 20-year drought that had devastated the city, and private toilet usage became prohibited. For those who did not get the opportunity to see this excellent performance, make sure to catch their next show. They wont disappoint.

Miss UVU 2010 The 2010 Miss UVU Pageant
On Feb. 5 in the Ragan Theater in front of an enthusiastic audience, but more importantly before five judges.  After a night of serious talent and interrogation, a scholarship was awarded to Miss UVU 2010 Valerie Moon. Other winners include: Katie Danner with the Spirit of the Pageant award, Kami Winterton with the Children’s Miracle Network award, and Missy Kune, Danika Olsen and Mandy Tapia as the first, second and third attendants.

Dean of Arts appointed Backed by extensive credentials and practical experience
Dr. Patrick M. Jones will become the Dean of the School of the Arts, effective July 1. Currently the chair of the music education department at Boston University, Jones is set to leave this role behind and take the reigns of our expanding arts program.