When Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez was a young girl living in the slums of the Philippines, she would read and dream. Last Saturday, at the 32nd Annual President’s Scholarship Ball, she shared a page from the cheap notebook she used as a childhood journal. In it, she had written the words of George Bernard Shaw, which resonated with her then and now: “You see things (as they are), and you ask ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were, and I ask, ‘Why not?'”

It was through hope, work, and the generosity of others that young Astrid was able to receive a life-transforming education. Today, she is passionate about including everyone who seeks an engaging education experience and helping them achieve success.

President Tuminez said, “At UVU, we will continue dreaming and working hard to make dreams come true.” She has the audacity to continue asking, “Why not?”

While raising money for student scholarships, the university announced EverGREEN: The Campaign for UVU, with the goal of raising $350 million. The money will impact, academics, scholarships, capital facilities, athletics and all other facets of campus life. As part of the announcement, President Tuminez revealed the largest single gift in the university’s history: a multi-year pledge totaling $28.5 million from Utah Community Credit Union, with $20 million dedicated to a new soccer stadium.

“EverGREEN is a truly historical moment for Utah Valley University,” said Kyle Reyes, vice president of Institutional Advancement and CEO of the UVU Foundation. “UVU’s mission is to provide students with educational opportunities, an enriching learning environment for growth, and accelerated paths to achieve their goals. I invite all to join us in this effort to provide even more transformational educational experiences for UVU students as they prepare to meaningfully impact the world for generations to come.”

The Ball raised just over $500,000 for Presidential Scholarships. The students who benefit from them are as diverse as Utah Valley University’s student population, but their challenges are uniquely their own.

Megan Charchenko, a Presidential Scholar and a junior studying honors communications, was concerned about her college education’s impact on her young sisters.

“I was worried that moving away from home and having to attend college classes and balancing a job to pay for all of my expenses wouldn’t allow me to give them the support that I had been giving them,” Charchenko said. “That’s where the Presidential Scholarship comes in. I don’t have to work full-time while attending classes. The scholarship allows me to truly focus on my learning and my family, which are the things most important to me.”

Brendan Bakker, a UVU student majoring in mechanical engineering, said his Presidential Scholarship allowed him to stay in college when financial challenges came.

“Because I had the Presidential Scholarship, I could relax knowing that my tuition was already paid for,” Bakker said.

UVU’s Career Center helped Bakker get a job to pay for the rest of his bills.

“At UVU, I learned first-hand that the university isn’t just an organization dedicated to providing an education to students, but an organization dedicated to helping students be successful,” he said. “I stand on the shoulders of all of those who have supported me thus far. I’m forever grateful to the people who have helped me to this point.”

“You may have noticed that our color is green,” President Tuminez said. “Like the evergreens of the redwood forest, where each tree intertwines its roots with others, it is only through intertwining our root systems with this community and state that we have created a foundation and strength to grow and become what we are today.”

Reyes encouraged everyone to plant seeds of opportunity that will continue to grow for students in the future by getting involved with the EverGREEN campaign.

“I love a reference in Richard Powers’ book ‘The Overstory.’ ‘When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. When is the next best time? Now,'” Reyes said. “In the coming years, and throughout various seasons, UVU will remain standing for all who want to be included, who want an engaging and relevant education, and who ultimately want to achieve their potential to make a meaningful impact on this world.”

To find out more about the EverGREEN campaign, visit https://www.uvu.edu/evergreen/.

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