The latest issue of University of Utah Magazine is hot off the presses. Check out some of the highlights.
Allied against Tyranny
On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied soldiers crossed the sands of Normandy to fight Nazi Germany. D-Day was a turning point in World War II and marked a collective stand of democracy over dictatorship. As memories of the war begin to fade, the U is preserving the stories and legacy of D-Day.
100 Years Ago
The U campus is very different today than it was even 10 years ago. But what if you could turn back the clock 100 years? Follow along as we tour some of the U’s oldest buildings and meet some notable alums you may have bumped into on campus a century ago.
I Belong Here
American Indians face significant barriers to higher education, resulting in fewer degrees among this population than in any other racial or ethnic group. To help close the gap, U leaders are working to expand programs and resources that support Indigenous students on their path to college success.
Training Utah’s Rural Nurses
There’s not a typical day in rural nursing. “You never quite know what’s coming,” says Josie Moosman, a U College of Nursing student and nurse at the Wayne Community Health Center in Bicknell, Utah, population 330. To address the growing health care needs of Utah’s rural populations, the U’s College of Nursing obtained a new grant to offer online training modules, scholarships, and travel funding for student nurses to gain experience in rural clinics like those of the Wayne Community Health Center. In turn, the center’s RNs receive training and resources.
Silicon School
Utah’s reputation as a tech hub is thanks in no small part to the computer science innovations coming from the U—aka one of the four universities that helped birth the Internet. As the state’s tech industry booms, the nationally ranked Kahlert School of Computing is matching pace to provide more graduates for the workforce. The fast-growing school is about to hit lightning speed thanks to two major donations: $15 million from the Kahlert Foundation and a $15 million lead gift from John and Marcia Price for a new computer science building. Here’s a look at the School of Computing’s major impact on Utah’s tech industry.
Small Town Roots, Big Talent
Kennady “Lightning” McQueen has basketball in her blood. After all, her mother, Melanee Brooks McQueen BS’91, helped the U women’s basketball team win the WAC tournament in 1991. And although the younger McQueen had 25 D1 offers, the three-time all-state pick, Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, and Deseret News Ms. Basketball chose the U.
A Lifesaving Friendship
When Bob Bedont BS’79 met Danny Soulier BMU’03 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2000, he had no idea just how significantly Danny would impact his life. At age 40, Bob had become the “voice” of the University of Utah Marching Band and found himself striking up conversations with drum section leader Danny. Though a generation apart, “We just hit it off,” Bob notes. “We developed a friendship that’s lasted years.”
Ask Black Grad Girl
Barbara Kufiadan BS’19 knows what it’s like to be the only Black student in class; specifically, the only Black woman. “It felt isolating and like no one was listening to my ideas,” Kufiadan says. “I’m working to change that.” While still a student at the U, she helped launch the Black Cultural Center (BCC). And since graduating, she created the Black Grad Girl website and Instagram page to encourage more Black women to pursue graduate school by providing a community to rely on. She's also U Alumni's co-leader of the Black Alumni Chapter.
Larger than Life
Writer Anayat Fakhraie BA’08 always knew he loved people and stories. And the bigger the personality, the better. “That’s why TV/film was an alluring avenue for me. Because it’scentered around people,” says Fakhraie. Since graduating from the U, he’s been involved with several major projects, including Real Time with Bill Maher, a STARZ original called Gaslit starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, AMC’s Orphan Black: Echoes, and a new Marvel series.
He’s now working on a miniseries based on a New York Times article about how the death of Muslim Marine Raheel Siddiqui revealed a culture of brutality and latent racism in the ranks. “What sets this story apart from the familiar headlines is a real focus on the immigrant experience,” says Fakhraie. “And what it feels like to lust after the trappings of pride and respect readily given to servicemen, only to discover that not all Marines are treated equally.”