The David Eccles School of Business and the Office of the President of the University of Utah will celebrate the university’s newest landmark building, the Impact & Prosperity Epicenter, with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 1755 East Student Life Way, on the University of Utah campus. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Spanning nearly 300,000 square feet in the heart of the university’s lower campus, the Impact & Prosperity Epicenter is the new home of both the Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity and the Sorenson Impact Institute. With innovative living-learning spaces and purpose-driven collaborative areas, students from across disciplines and majors can be immersed in the work of these centers and institutes, including impact investing apprenticeships, healthcare delivery projects in Africa, and more.
The Impact & Prosperity Epicenter was made possible by two founding gifts, from Jim and Krista Sorenson, and Bob and Lynette Gay. Several other key donors, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, helped bring the project from concept to reality.
“Building on a mission of unifying the resources of both business and public health, we believe the Epicenter will become a cutting-edge, student-led deliverer of growth, hope, and prosperity to today’s global community,” Bob and Lynette Gay said in a joint statement. “We are grateful to be part of this new venture.”
The six-story building includes a dedicated gathering space on the first floor, known as The Forum, which serves as the heart of the building. This space brings together users from different programs all over campus in an open, collaborative space. The Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity and the Sorenson Impact Institute occupy space directly above The Forum. The 284,808-square foot building also provides 775 resident beds for students. The Epicenter opened to residents in Fall 2024.
“Demand for on-campus housing is growing, and we want to ensure our students have more than just a place to live,” said University of Utah President Taylor Randall. “We wanted to create a living-learning community where students can engage with the transformational work of these centers and institutes, gain valuable experience, and use that experience to change the world around them. The Epicenter incorporates all elements of our vision to inspire, innovate, and impact.”
Several types of residential rooms and apartments are available, including:
- 8-bedroom apartments (12 units):
- Type A: 2,100 square feet
- Type B: 2,200 square feet
- 4-bedroom apartments (30 units): 1,050 square feet
- Doubles (140 units): 180 square feet
- Singles (69 units): 110 square feet
- Pod Studios (211 units): 80 square feet
- Includes 11 pod communities with approximately 2,100 square feet of shared community space
The space is the latest in campus-wide effort to create residential hubs that provide experiential opportunities for students to impact their world in meaningful ways.
“The Epicenter is a living-learning space that will provide an unparalleled opportunity to equip the next generation of leaders with social purpose,” said Jim and Krista Sorenson. “This is a place where we can work to sharpen the world’s understanding of impact investing and approaches to sustainable economic development.”