2017 social media recap

For students of all shapes and sizes, senior year to first-year, 2017 was huge — the Class of 2017 was our largest graduating class, and the Class of 2021 was our biggest group of new students. And as always, the sunsets (and snowstorms) were epic.

Sunsets and snowstorms

Not only is Utah home to the “Greatest Snow on Earth,” the sunsets could use their own copyright lawyer as well.

Another beautiful day in #SaltLakeCity. ❄️?? ?: @randyosiel #UofU #universityofutah #UofUwinter #utahisrad #SLC #Wasatch

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 24, 2017 at 6:13pm PST

To the weekend. ?: @sskofoed • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUsummer #SLC #Utah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 13, 2017 at 7:39pm PDT

A fresh coat sure makes the gazebo pop. ❄️ ?: @sanfilipino #UofU #universityofutah #utwx #UofUwinter

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 22, 2017 at 2:34pm PST

A beautiful sunset captured by @jeez_luism. • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUsunset #Usunset

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 2, 2017 at 8:52pm PDT

❤️❄️ • #UofU #universityofutah #utwx

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 4, 2017 at 9:37am PST

#GoldenHour —————– Thanks to the @slcpl for rooftop access! ? #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #utahisrad #slclibrary #SLC #utah #SaltLakeCity

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Feb 24, 2017 at 6:54pm PST

#fridaynightlights

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 3, 2017 at 8:17pm PDT

Afternoon sunshine sneaking through. ☀️ #UofU #universityofutah #utwx

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Feb 19, 2017 at 8:34pm PST

Nice view from our new HR offices.? #UofU #universityofutah #SLC #Utah #utwx

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 25, 2017 at 1:45pm PDT

Campus happenings

From graduating the largest class in school history to welcoming the largest incoming class of freshmen the following fall, it’s been a big year at the U. Here’s just a snippet of the action:

Scenes from #UtahGrad17. See more photos from commencement, convocation and everything in between at the LINK in our bio. ??? #UofU #universityofutah #utahgrad #worththeclimb

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 6, 2017 at 2:49pm PDT

This time tomorrow, the Class of ’17 will be poised for the procession, ready to grace the stage and receive their degree. Congrats to you all—you’ve earned it! ?: #UtahGrad17 #UofU #universityofutah #WorthTheClimb #?

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 3, 2017 at 5:00pm PDT

#FlashbackFriday — #ClassOf2021 class photo day! ?? • #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #FlashTheU #FlashTheUFriday

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 1, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

That feeling when you win a #NationalChampionship. ⛷? ?: @flyingpoint —————— #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #ncaachamps #SkiUtah #tfw

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 14, 2017 at 7:45pm PDT

Thanks to everyone who represented the U in today’s #SLC #PrideParade! ???️‍? • #UofU #universityofutah #SLCpride #pride2017 #Utah #GoUtes #?️‍?

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jun 4, 2017 at 1:02pm PDT

Thank you to the Ute Indian Tribe for sharing a part of their culture during Saturday night’s beautiful halftime performance. See our Facebook page for more images from the evening. • #UofU #universityofutah #UteTribe #UteProud

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 20, 2017 at 12:25pm PDT

.@utahvolleyball is headed to the #SweetSixteen after a thrilling victory over Purdue at the @huntsman_center! #GoUtes! ?? ?: @utahvolleyball • #UtahVolleyball #ncaavolleyball #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 1, 2017 at 10:05pm PST

So, that was pretty cool. ??☀️ • #UofUeclipse #SolarEclipse17 #UofU #universityofutah #partialeclipseoftheheart

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Aug 21, 2017 at 12:05pm PDT

Morning! This is the @bennioncenter, and we’re taking over the U’s Instagram and Snapchat today for Legacy of Lowell. This event is the biggest service day of the year at the U and the best way to kick off home-coming week! #bctakeover #mybennionstory

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 30, 2017 at 6:15am PDT

By the numbers

They can sometimes be cold and calculating, but numbers can also tell a story. Even in an artful way.

In the last five years, our graduation rate has increased ? percent. Thanks to all the faculty, staff and, most importantly, our recent grads who helped make this happen! #GoUtes! • #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah #highereducation

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 28, 2017 at 7:33pm PST

Our students don’t slouch in the summer. Last year, they volunteered 9,280 hours of service through the @bennioncenter! 9️⃣2️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ • #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah #servicelearning

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jun 28, 2017 at 9:55am PDT

By the numbers: Our first-year student retention rate from fall 2015 to fall 2016 was 9️⃣0️⃣percent. #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 27, 2017 at 11:34am PDT

#ByTheNumbers: 2,251 students are enrolled in our @uofuhonorscollege. 2️⃣2️⃣5️⃣1️⃣ • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 11, 2017 at 2:18pm PDT

#ByTheNumbers: 651 students participated in #LearningAbroad programs last year. Learn more about our university global experiences at the LINK in our profile. ??? #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 28, 2017 at 10:30am PDT

#ByTheNumbers —-> We have 15 faculty members who are fellows with the #Guggenheim Foundation, which recognizes those who display exceptional creative ability in the arts. 1️⃣5️⃣??? • #UofUbtn #UofUarts #UofU #universityofutah @uofufinearts @uofuhumanities

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 23, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

#bythenumbers: More than 700 startups have been launched from our @lassondeinstitute since its inception in 2001. #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 5, 2017 at 10:59am PDT

#ByTheNumbers: More than 225 students received interviews after attending fall career fairs on campus.?#️⃣ Check out @uofucareerservices for more as they host Career Development Month! ——————- #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 22, 2017 at 1:32pm PDT

Humans of the U

Our social media always strives to be personal, but not all posts can achieve the objective of showing the true faces of the U as sincerely as Humans of the U. Every week (for nearly two years), we’ve featured the stories of students, faculty, staff, alumni and flat-out fans of the U. Here is a look at a few favorites:

“The first time I gave CPR I had to carry the patient through three feet of water to a boat. That was how my first 24 hours of volunteering for the American Red Cross in Texas after Hurricane Harvey went.” -Emalee Egelund, freshman honors student, pre-med major Read the rest of Emalee’s story at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 4, 2017 at 7:33pm PST

“I’ve worked night shifts for Facilities for 40 years. I’ve always been a night person. As a kid, I would wake up in the middle of the night and try to make oatmeal cookies.” –Ray Stout, facilities nightshift custodian Read more about Ray at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 25, 2017 at 8:58pm PST

“I lost my wallet after riding TRAX one day. I didn’t want to accept that it was gone for good and get everything replaced. I had gift cards in there that I didn’t want to give up on. Almost four weeks later, I was riding the train when a woman sitting near me asked if my name was Brent Packer.” ???? Read more about Brent’s good fortune, and his good Samaritan, at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 17, 2017 at 6:46pm PST

“My grandmother completed her nursing training nearly a hundred years ago long before nurses could earn a college degree. Rules were rigid in the hospital dorm where nursing trainees lived. Dating was forbidden, and secret marriages, if discovered, resulted in immediate expulsion.” • Read the rest of @uofunursing professor Lauren Clark’s story at the LINK in our bio. #HumansOfTheU • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUnursing

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 25, 2017 at 2:26pm PDT

“I recently returned from leading a team of seven individuals to the North Pole. The most challenging part of of the trip was day six, the day we thought we were going to reach the pole. The team was excited about the possibility of being so close to the pole that we decided to push for 16 miles that day.” -Andrew McLeary, Class of ’15 • Read more about Andrew’s adventure at bit.ly/HumansOfTheU_AndrewLeary. • #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah @u_explore @uofuprt #GoUtes #NorthPole #Uexplore

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 22, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

“In May 2007, I was assaulted and nearly died from a traumatic brain injury. I was placed in a medically induced coma for a month. They didn’t know if I was going to make it. At the same time my mother was in Somalia, caring for my grandfather — the first president of Somalia — as he died at age 98.” Read more of Ibrahim’s story at the LINK in our bio. • #HumansOfTheU #worththeclimb #UofU #universityofutah #meetthegrads #UtahAlumni #UtahGrad17

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 30, 2017 at 11:44am PDT

In the weeks leading up to commencement, we’ll be featuring soon-to-be members of the Class of ’17. Chelsea Winslow, who’s about to receive her master’s in International Affairs and Global Enterprise, is also an officer for the #UnifiedPoliceDepartment. ???‍♀️ Read more about Chelsea at the LINK in our profile. • #WorthTheClimb #UtahGrad17 #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 25, 2017 at 3:06pm PDT

“I was born in Utah, adopted as an infant and raised in Novi, Mich., outside of Detroit. Not knowing much about my biological family, I did what curious people do — I went online, found a random post by my biological dad’s parents who were looking for me and we got linked up. When we met, I found out my biological father, Herb Jones, played basketball for the University of Montana alongside then-teammate and now University of Utah head basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak. My father died in a car accident while attending college, heading back to school after visiting Utah. I was curious, so I sent an email to Krystkowiak, who was coaching the New Jersey Nets. He emailed right back and filled me in about my father. He said, ‘Herb Jones was an amazing athlete. I once saw a sign at a Grizzlies game that said, “Larry is our bread and butter, but Herb is our jam.” Great dude and still missed.'” -Clarke Headlee, UIT account executive/facilities coordinator Read the rest of Clarke’s story at the link in our bio. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Aug 7, 2017 at 8:26pm PDT

“I was having an existential crisis with where I was going, what I wanted to do. I told myself that I had to find a way to re-inspire myself. At the time, I was volunteering at Shriners Hospital for Children, making braces and prosthetics. Kids quickly outgrew and returned them in amazing condition, but we just had to throw them away. Something felt wrong.” Read the rest of Mohan Sudabattula’s story at bit.ly/HumansOfTheU_MohanSudabattula • #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 5, 2017 at 8:16pm PST

“I was very close to leaving law school my first semester, but our second semester we were able to start volunteering at clinics like the Pro Bono Initiative – an initiative that offers free legal advice targeting low income families who don’t qualify for any legal aid. It saved my law school career.” • Meet Mel Moeinvaziri, a soon-to-be Quinney College of Law graduate, at the LINK in our bio. #UofU #universityofutah #HumansOfTheU #worththeclimb #UtahGrad17

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 24, 2017 at 12:23pm PDT

Meet soon-to-be #UofU alum Kangho Lee, who is part of the first graduating class from our @utahasiacampus. See Kangho’s story at the LINK in our bio. ? #UtahGrad17 #WorthTheClimb #HumansOfTheU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 2, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

@theU

2017 social media recap

Sunsets and snowstorms

Campus happenings

By the numbers

Humans of the U

Twitter Top Five

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