Recounting some of the “active learning. active life.” opportunities that define the Utah Tech University experience, University President Shane B. Smeed delivered his inaugural State of the University Address on campus Wednesday morning.
“As a polytechnic institution, Utah Tech University gives students the opportunity to learn by doing, turn ideas into action and gain the experience and skills they need to make a difference,” Smeed said. “What makes this university truly special is our students. They are talented, driven and willing to chart their own paths. It is incredible to witness the impact they are making in our community and beyond. I could not be prouder of our students and the faculty, staff and community members who are helping prepare them to lead, serve and make a difference in the world.”
In his address, Smeed touted the university’s active learning approach to education, from
music students partnering with the Center for the Arts at Kayenta to perform an immersive experience in Snow Canyon State Park to an accounting class helping the City of Hildale with municipal records. Other examples include education majors studying in Thailand, exercise science students performing strength assessments on local athletes, students working with judges and attorneys through the Mock Trial program, and science, engineering and technology students engaging with the community through experiments, code-breaking challenges and research presentations at the annual UTXplore day.
In other academic achievements, Smeed shared that Utah Tech has added 28 academic programs since he became president on May 1, 2025. New programs include graduate offerings such as master’s degrees in artificial intelligence and science in genomics and graduate certificates in health care administration, nurse education, applied artificial intelligence for machine learning and machine learning in biomedical sciences. The university has also added a bachelor’s and master’s dual program in accounting; Bachelor’s of Applied Studies in applied practice and information technology and traditional bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice law enforcement; politics, policy, and law; biotechnology; and cybersecurity. Finally, Utah Tech has also recently added associate degrees in programming, dance and music; certificates in automation, cybersecurity, cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, design for VR/XR, digital marketing, interpersonal communication, music composition, public discourse, quality assurance and quality control, and small business marketing communication; as well as a minor and emphasis in nutrition.
Since 2020, Utah Tech increased both its graduation and retention rates by 4 percentage points, leading to this year’s 115th Commencement Ceremony awarding 4,953 credentials to 4,197 graduates — the most graduates and credentials ever conferred in a single year. Smeed also shared that 28% of the class of 2026 were the first in their family to earn a college degree and the class represented 43 states and 21 countries with students ranging in age from 15 to 71.
Shifting his focus to the impact active life has on student success and completion, Smeed shared that the university hosted 1,198 activities in the past year, resulting in 76,301 student interactions. Meeting students’ needs, the Blazer Food Pantry accommodated 3,875 visits from students making use of the more than $200,000 in donated products.
As Trailblazer Athletics prepared to transition into the Big Sky and Mountain West athletic conferences this year, Trailblazer teams collectively won more than 50% of all athletic competitions over the past year and student-athletes posted a school-record 3.42 cumulative GPA. Additionally, the Trailblazer Club Pickleball team became the first-ever Collegiate World Champions this past year and represented the United States at the 2026 China-U.S. Pickleball Friendship Event.
“I believe that Utah Tech University must be a community asset — not simply an institution that exists within this region,” Smeed said, thanking Washington County, the City of St. George, the Utah Legislature, the Utah Tech Board of Trustees, elected officials, local industry partners, Dixie Technical College and Washington County School District for their leadership, service and commitment to partnering with Utah Tech University.
Another example of community engagement and collaboration Smeed shared about is the university’s Atwood Innovation Plaza. This past year alone, Atwood provided almost 2,700 business consultations, supported 330 patent applications and 219 trademarks and helped launch 181 new businesses. Additionally, more than 8,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students participated in the plaza’s STEM programming this year.
Additionally, Utah Tech students begin their Trailblazer Nation experience every year by engaging with the community by participating in Service Saturday the first week of the fall semester. This year, more than 1,000 new Trailblazers participated in projects serving our local community.
Smeed also shared about Utah Tech’s collaboration with Utah Community Credit Union and the organizations’ $7 million partnership to enhance the student experience for years to come.
Offering a glimpse into the future of Utah Tech University, Smeed ended by highlighting the four pillars of “Uniting Trailblazers: Strategic Plan 2030,” which will guide the university for the next half-decade. Pillar A, Academic Excellence and Innovation, anchors how the university defines itself academically. Pillar B, Student Experience and Success, revolves around how students experience Utah Tech University. Meanwhile, Pillar C, People and Culture, is all about lifting the faculty and staff and Pillar D, Community Engagement and Philanthropy, is focused on connecting Utah Tech University with our community.
“I am more optimistic about the future of Utah Tech University than I have ever been,” Smeed said. “We have an incredible university community, a clear vision for where we are going and so much opportunity ahead of us. Together, we will continue building a university that transforms lives, strengthens our community and prepares Trailblazers to make a difference in the world.”