News: Founders Day honors top Alumni, The Daily Utah Chronicle

To commemorate the founding of the University of Utah in 1850, the Alumni Association each year honors four alumni and one non-alumnus/a—or as happened this year, an Honorary Alumni couple—who have distinguished themselves professionally, served the local and national communities, and supported the University in its mission. “The University of Utah Alumni Association congratulates the 2009 Founders Day recipients. We thank our friends and the community at large for joining us as we honored and celebrated their accomplishments. These awards are the highest given by the Alumni Association.” M. John Ashton Executive Director, Alumni Association

Campus Events held Feb. 16 - 27, 2009

Distinguished Alumnus Andrew A. Valdez, Judge, Third District Juvenile Court, Salt Lake City
No One Makes it Alone: We Stand on the Shoulders of Man

Distinguished Alumnus Richard E. Kendell, former Utah Commissioner of Higher Education
Education Policy Initiatives for Utah: Unfinished Business

Distinguished Alumnus William J. Rutter, a leader in biotechnology research
Biomedical Opportunities in the 21st Century

Honorary Alumnus Chase N. Peterson, former president of the University (1983-1991)
The Patient-Centered Medical Home: A Foundation for Health Care Delivery Reform

The Founders Day Scholarship

The Founders Day Scholarship was established by the Alumni Association to honor a student who is not only an outstanding scholar but who has also successfully confronted significant challenges in his or her personal life. This year’s recipient, Allison Spehar, meets all of those criteria, and more.

View more information on Allison

Founders Day: A Brief History

Founders Day traditions date back as far as 1899, when the Utah State Legislature voted to move the University of Utah to its permanent campus on Salt Lake City’s east bench. The event coincided with the University’s February 28 founding date and inspired a major celebration that continued with the school’s 50th anniversary in 1900.

In the years that followed, Founders Day was often observed earnestly, with a moment of silence and a memorial address. In 1925, the University marked its 75th anniversary with an elaborate gala, setting a more celebratory tone. By the 1950s, Founders Day had become a weeklong extravaganza, complete with a student queen, speakers, dances, oratory and writing contests, and a formal banquet.

Over time, the student body has grown immensely, and campus-wide assemblies are a thing of the past, but the essence of Founders Day remains: It is a time to celebrate the University’s place in the community and to honor its outstanding alumni and supporters.