UVSC has most international consulates in the west -- UVSC may not be the largest school in Utah, but in terms of international relations, it is at the top of the list. UVSC has three international consulates, which are diplomatic missions from foreign governments, headquartered at the school.

The official representatives of those diplomatic missions, called consuls, are Honorary Consul Baldomero Lago, assistant professor in UVSC's language department who represents Spain; Honorary Consul General Danielle Butler, who represents Kyrgystan and Honorary Consul General Rusty Butler, who in addition to his work at UVSC is also the current president of Utah Consular Corps.

A consul works to assist and protect the citizens of the country that he or she represents, as well as help develop trade relations and friendship between the two countries. They differ from ambassadors in that while ambassadors represent heads of state, consulates work with citizens -- both citizens of the country they represent in the United States or citizens of the United States who will be traveling to that country. Consuls, depending on the country they represent, may issue visas and assist citizens of their countries in cases of new births, deaths and injuries. They also provide assistance in voting in foreign elections, among other things.

"UVSC has an outstanding reputation among diplomats in Washington, D.C. and the United Nations," said Rusty Butler. "Utah is a very international state, with many well-traveled citizens and UVSC in particular has a significant, even disproportionate representation of international groups, as well as a good reputation abroad and among U.S.-based diplomats."

Among many of his endeavors as Honorary Consul, Baldomero Lago has been a part of the developing relationship between UVSC and the Universidad de Extremadura, a university headquartered in Caraces, Extremadura, Spain. The University of Extremadura was chosen by the European Union Department of Education to be among the universities in the union to develop an International High Executive Business program (EBS) and has selected UVSC as a partner.

Because of this partnership, UVSC faculty have the opportunity to travel to the Universidad de Extremadura as guest lecturers, as well as for research and sabbaticals. Students from the High Executive Business Program will be able to travel to UVSC for training, and UVSC students, in turn, will have the opportunity to travel to the University for study.

In addition to the partnership with the Universidad de Extremadura, UVSC is currently hosting Mariluz Cacheiro, a professor of psycho-pedagogy from the National University of Distance Education in Madrid, Spain. Cacheiro was chosen for a grant by the Spanish Government to conduct research as a visiting scholar, and has conducted workshops, co-taught classes and participated in seminars and conferences at UVSC.

"My vision is to further relations between UVSC and universities in Spain for the purpose of allowing students and faculty to have a global learning and engagement experience," said Lago.

Danielle Butler was very active in organizing and co-hosting the Woman of the Mountains conference at UVSC last year, in which 110 women from 22 countries came to discuss issues critical to women and families from developing mountain nations.

The consulate has brought many performing groups, most recently the KUT folk music group from Kyrgyzstan to perform at UVSC, high schools and other community venues. The consulate has also arranged for numerous exchanges and has brought students to Utah to attend school at UVSC.

Rusty Butler recently arranged a 30-person Utah Valley group to perform at Moscow's 859th anniversary celebration, much of the group made up of UVSC students and staff. In 2007, the consulate arranged for a Utah Valley bluegrass performing group to give concerts in Moscow.

The Russian Consulate had a major part in organizing the Moscow-Utah Youth Games, where nearly 300 Utah high school students went to Moscow to participate in summer Olympic-style games and Russian high school youth came to Utah to compete in winter Olympic-style games. The consulate also arranged for a large performing group of Russian folk musicians and dancers to come to Utah.