Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Utah and ranks among the biggest open-admission universities in the nation. Situated right off Interstate 15 in the heart of Utah County, UVU is centered in a pristine location with the Wasatch Mountains towering to the east and the expansive Utah Lake stretching across miles of the valley floor to the West. UVU is Utah's newest university, making the jump from state college status in 2008.
UVU is an open-admission university, meaning no student who completes the necessary steps in the application process is denied admission. However, UVU students are expected to perform to university-level academic standards once enrolled. In spite of record growth, UVU has a mandate to remain open in its admissions policy to provide educational opportunity in its service region. UVU has focused on open access since its earliest days as a vocational school and throughout every subsequent evolutionary point in its seven decades in existence.
In addition to access, UVU's historical mission is rooted in student success through excellent teaching. The University offers a wide array of programs ranging from career training to high-demand graduate degrees, and most courses of study include UVU's signature �engaged learning' emphasis, which adds hands-on application and context to the traditional academic experience. UVU administers its academic offerings through seven colleges and schools:
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
College of Science & Health
College of Technology & Computing
School of the Arts
School of Education
University College
Woodbury School of Business
The UVU campus in Orem, Utah, features distinctive adaptations of World War II-era architecture and indoor hallways connecting the various buildings. The UVU Library, which opened in conjunction with the move to university status in 2008, is one of the most energy-efficient state funded buildings in Utah and offers an expansive trove of digital and traditional learning resources. The University continues to expand its physical footprint to accommodate record growth with recent additions including a 160,000-square-foot science building, track and field facility, and an elegant alumni house and reception center.
In 2009, UVU ended a seven-year provisional period and was granted permanent NCAA Division I athletics status. The move marked an unprecedented jump directly to NCAA Division I from junior college status – the first and likely only time in history for such a leap. UVU's 15 men's and women's sports include the only collegiate wrestling team in Utah and have produced All-American, Olympic and professional athletes.