Our Stories. Your Impact.

A new documentary film produced by University of Utah Health tells the story of Jenna Murray, an Eastern Shoshone, and her journey to empowerment and reconnection with her roots.

One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease—and adults living in rural areas have a 19 percent higher risk of developing heart failure. Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the US since 1950 but thinking about two people dying nearly every minute because of it makes a statistic most Americans have heard at some point in their life feel quite startling. While these CDC statistics don’t appear to be going away any time soon, there is hope in science—particularly in the lab of Dr. Sarah Franklin. Dr. Franklin runs one of…

Gretchen Dietrich wants everyone to feel welcome at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts   The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) is working hard to meet people where they are and engage them in the wonder of art in a whole new way. Trained as an art historian and a lifelong art museum professional, Gretchen is committed to helping break down both the stigmas and barriers associated with the artworld. So it’s important to her that the U’s art museum serves the entire community—the campus, the city, and the state of Utah as a whole. “We’re working really hard…

The University of Utah community is saddened by the loss of alum John Warnock—a scientist, humanist and trailblazer in computer graphics.

Professor Brenda Bowen examines what the traces left by an ever-changing planet can tell us about what’s to come   As a professor of geology and geophysics, Brenda Bowen wants her students to understand how long the planet Earth has been around and that there’s nothing static about its surface or subsurface. “Our planet is 4.6 billion years old and, throughout that time, it’s been continually changing. The only constant is change,” Bowen says. “The current configuration of where continents, mountains, and oceans are is just this moment in time.” Bowen is the chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences…

World-renowned professor Marjorie Chan helps shape the future in Utah’s own backyard   When Marjorie Chan, distinguished professor of geology, describes 41 years of teaching and scholarship at the University of Utah, she talks about stories and books: “For a geologist, looking at a landscape is like reading a book. You follow the story as you uncover details and discover clues left behind,” she says. “It’s a lot like solving a detective mystery. You look for clues to experience the story it tells—and can learn what happened tens to hundreds of millions of years ago.”   Tales about the earth’s…

Perfectly preserved skin from a fossil of Zuul crurivastator, a dinosaur named after the dog from Ghostbusters, gives unprecedented insight into the social behavior of the dinosaurs.

Professor Abe Bakhsheshy takes a compassion-first approach to the world of business   Dr. Abe Bakhsheshy is dressed in his signature attire: a tailored suit and university red tie. All cameras are on him as he participates in an interview to discuss why he is passionate about the University of Utah. He is polished and charming. Poignant and generous. He pauses midsentence as a hint of remembrance flashes across his eyes. He takes a few breaths, clears his throat. Smiles. “That’s the difficulty when you talk from the heart,” he says. “Emotions take over.” Dr. Abe, as his students call…

The U’s Master of Legal Studies program helps strengthen communities through legal education   Carolynn Clark wants to make it possible for anyone to obtain a legal education.   Recognized with the prestigious 2022 Utah Council on Conflict Resolution’s peacekeeper award, Clark exemplifies the significance of ensuring legal accessibility for all. In addition to her role as a pro bono and reduced-fee mediator for divorce and family disputes at Utah Dispute Resolution, she imparts her expertise through teaching mediation and conflict resolution to both juris doctorate (JD) and MLS students at the S.J. Quinney College of Law. Carolynn’s experience in…

The expertise of my entire team, combined with the University of Utah hospital’s state-of-the-art resources is the reason I was able to make a full recovery.

When you exit the hospital, one story ends—and another begins. I wanted to share my experience with the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, which I am incredibly grateful for. When I experienced a medical emergency during my pregnancy, the hospital’s exceptional care team saved my life and my baby girl, Avery’s. She was born premature and weighed only 1 lb. 9 oz. The NICU staff took fantastic care of her, and after 101 days, she was finally discharged. I am writing to let you know about U of U Hospitals and Clinics’ Here For You Fund, which allows you…

Bryan Hubain makes it his mission to help U of U students achieve their dreams   When Bryan Hubain, Ph. D. looks back on his childhood, the events that transpired—and profound, meaningful experiences—have informed who he is today. One of these experiences inspires some of his work at the University of Utah. During moments of his childhood on the island of St. Lucia, Bryan Hubain did not always have access to food. There were times when stale or moldy bread was all that was available. His mother would get creative by scraping the mold off, adding butter and cheese, and…

Dean Kathryn Bond Stockton embraces the controversy—and reward—that welcoming challenges brings In 1987, Elton John had not yet publicly come out as gay. It would be another ten years before Ellen would come out. It was, as Kathryn Bond Stockton, dean of the School for Cultural and Social Transformation notes, a very different time. “Things were much more closeted,” she says. Dean Stockton, however, was unapologetically living authentically to her true self—even if doing so meant her dream of becoming an Episcopal priest would not be realized. Though she had completed a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, Dean…

Six-Time World Champion Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild discusses the importance of managing your mental wellbeing and how he lives “8 seconds at a time”. Love, Your Mind is a collaboration between the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and The Ad Council.

Connie Hanks remembers the feeling of being in love on the University of Utah campus in 1962: driving around in Gordon Hanks’s old convertible, meeting during study hours and between classes in the library. The way the fall foliage on campus lit up her heart on beautiful autumn mornings. It was a magical time that made a lasting impression. Connie and Gordon’s love story has evolved over the years, extending to four daughters, four sons-in-law, and six grandchildren. And they count many University of Utah alumni and students as part of their family. For nearly three decades, the Hanks have…

The College of Nursing is eager to announce its Caregiver Scholarship— designed for students like me, Julie Bauserman. A scholarship for nursing students caught between tending to a loved one’s medical needs while trying to complete a degree program. When my husband and I got word that I was one of the six recipients, we felt immediate relief and gratitude. The scholarship money has allowed me to keep my work hours to a minimum. I’m more present in my schoolwork while spending time with my daughter, Sophia, who was born with Trisomy 18 and whose birthdays are never guaranteed. I…

I fell in love with medicine at a young age.   I’ve always had the desire to help people. In high school, I started looking for ways to get involved, like volunteering at Primary Children’s Hospital. One summer, I emailed a bunch of professors at the U and asked, “Can I do research in your lab?” Someone got back to me and said yes. Then I found the PathMaker Scholars program at Huntsman Cancer Institute, where you get to live on campus, work in a research lab, and shadow doctors. I loved seeing how they made patients feel safe at…

This fall, the University of Utah welcomed new and returning students to campus. Including students like Nura and Ethan who rely on scholarships to achieve their dreams and make the most of their student journey at the U.