This month, the University of Utah welcomes new students from throughout the state, thenation, and nearly 100 foreign countries. The U is committed to attracting a diverse group of the best and brightest students, and to reinforce that effort we have launched a $25 million endowed scholarship campaign. The University is among a select group of U.S. universities to initiate a student-centered campaign designed to attract top students with merit- and need-based awards.

A diverse, high-caliber student body enriches the educational experience for all students, helps us recruit talented faculty, and allows us to provide a 21st-century education. By excelling in the classroom, volunteering in the community, and coming to understand the larger world, U of U students become better citizens and more successful contributors to their communities upon graduation, no matter where they may choose to live.

One of the important programs to be supported through the endowment campaign is the Utah Opportunity Scholarship in Memory of William Boyden and Louise Paddock Oddie. These scholarships are intended to provide access to first-generation college students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise be unable to pursue a college education.

Fall semester 2001 marks the beginning of the University experience for the first group of 20 Utah Opportunity scholars. Thanks to generous donors, each of these Utah students will receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship and will also be connected one-on-one with faculty mentors who will guide them through their college careers. The number of faculty members who have volunteered to serve as mentors has already exceeded our goal, demonstrating the support and enthusiasm for students who would be unable to experience the University without
financial assistance.

Some of the Utah Opportunity scholars are refugees; others have had to work 30 hours a week to help their families make ends meet; and many come from broken homes. But all of them have excelled as students and were peer leaders in high school. Their career aspirations range from pediatric surgery to teaching, business management to photojournalism. They see college as a way to gain the tools they need to succeed in our global community.

The importance of increasing access to higher education for all prospective college students is receiving national attention, and the University is pleased to help make it happen. With the active support of the U, Representative Chris Cannon (R-Utah) has introduced a bill that would amend federal law, permitting states to set their own residency requirements for the children of undocumented immigrants who aspire to attend college. Utah legislative leaders are also looking at the issue. If such laws are passed, they will offer young, college-minded immigrants who have lived in Utah for at least five years equal access to a higher education. This would open the door to the primary means of self-improvement that generations of American immigrants have sought: education.

The scholarship campaign is intended not only to assist students who would not otherwise be able to attend college, but also to create an environment enriched by a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, where innovative thinking is encouraged. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected through new technologies and a global economy, we need to foster opportunities for students from all backgrounds to understand one another and to learn to live as neighbors.