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UVU’s CARE Hub Food Access Program Receives Award

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By Mike Romero

In another win for Utah Valley University, the Orem-based school has received the 2023 NASPA Region V Innovative Program Award, which is “given to a college or university that has developed an outstanding program that has benefited students and enhanced campus life.”

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NASPA is an association of student affairs administrators in higher education. Region V consists of seven states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia are also included.

The name of the UVU program that won the award? The Utah Valley University CARE Hub’s student food access program.

The CARE Hub helps students who are struggling with mental health, safety, housing problems, and food insecurity. The CARE Hub pantry served more than 1,000 students and over 25,000 pounds of food in 2022. By focusing on students’ basic needs first, UVU helps students stay in school, complete their education, and graduate.

It’s located in UVU’s Student Life & Wellness Center on the Orem Campus. Food is distributed from both the office and from a mobile pantry vehicle that drops food off to UVU’s other satellite campuses. Students can receive fresh, packaged, and canned foods, as well as food vouchers for a hot meal at a campus restaurant.

Students can also order food online and have it delivered free of charge due to a partnership between UVU and DoorDash. This is one of many partnerships that make the CARE Hub work. Partnerships with the Community Action Services & Food Bank, the school’s GRIT Garden on the Orem Campus (run by UVU volunteers), and a fruit tree gleaning program (also run by UVU volunteers) keep the pantry stocked for those in need.

You can learn more about this sustainable ecosystem below.

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Categories
University News

Transferring to UVU from Snow College Just Got Easier

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By Charlie G. Patreus

A new agreement between Snow College and Utah Valley University (UVU) is set to benefit students in good academic standing who seek to further their education. Under this agreement, Snow College students who successfully complete an associate degree or earn 60 credits toward third-year status will be granted acceptance into UVU’s Integrated Studies Program.

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UVU, an open-enrollment institution, will automatically recognize Snow College’s general education foundations course as fulfilling its own knowledge integrated (IS 2000) requirement. This arrangement provides students with the opportunity to immediately embark on their third year of studies.

Heather Holland, assistant professor of English at Snow College, is the brain behind this collaborative effort. As a UVU integrated studies graduate herself, she views this agreement as a testament to the value of teamwork within Utah’s System of Higher Education (USHE). “Holland believes that the agreement will enable interested students to seamlessly transition to UVU and continue their educational journey. “This will allow students who are interested to make a seamless transfer to UVU and continue their education,” she says.

Heather Holland. Faculty headshot courtesy of Snow College.
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UVU has also forged agreements with other educational institutions. For instance, there is a fast-track program that expedites UVU students into the University of Utah’s Master of Healthcare Administration program, accompanied by access to scholarships. Additionally, UVU has partnered with Mountainland Technical College to facilitate the transfer of credits from MTECH licensed practical nurse graduates into UVU’s Nursing Program.

“All of the agreements are good news for students,” said Frederick H. White, director of UVU’s Integrated Studies Program. “The agreement with Snow College allows for direct access into the Integrated Studies Program at UVU, which offers students a unique opportunity to create their own degree for their specific career goals. Students select two minors out of more than 70 offered at the university and combine these minors in meaningful ways through a capstone paper or project at the end of their academic career. We are excited to admit Snow College students into our program and accelerate their education.”

These agreements represent a step forward for students, providing them with enhanced opportunities and streamlined pathways toward their desired educational and career outcomes. The collaborative efforts within Utah’s System of Higher Education serve as a promising example of how institutions can work together to benefit the broader student community.

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