The Founders Day Scholarship Recipient for 2009 is Allison Spehar, a University of Utah sophomore majoring in modern dance.

Allison was selected as this year’s recipient not only for her excellent academic record and community service work, but also for her tenacity in confronting a major life challenge during her teen years.

Four years ago, while still in high school, Allison underwent a personal trauma that threw her off track and threatened to keep her from achieving her immediate goals: graduating from high school and enrolling at the U. Though an honor student, the stress of the situation made Allison consider dropping out of high school. But she underwent therapy and, with the love and support of her family, slowly managed to recover. Allison resolved to take a negative life event and transform it into positive energy. “To be truly passionate about something,” says Allison, “you have to have a lot of strong emotion behind it.”

Allison graduated from Bountiful High School in 2005 with an excellent academic record. She was a member of the National Honor Society for four years and was listed on the school’s High Honor Roll. Allison was also on the cheerleading team that won the “Cheerleaders of America National Champion” and “Grand National Champion” titles in 2005 for its outstanding dance routine.

Allison became a modern dance major at the U as a result of her involvement with a campus dance club that raised funds for the Utah Food Bank. As assistant artistic director for a year, she notes, she “helped organize, choreograph, and perform two concerts that, together, raised over $1,500.” She adds, “Being a student in the dance program has created a multitude of opportunities to utilize my talents as a dance artist in helping others. Dancing is my life.”

Described by Associate Professor Kaye Richards as “intelligent, curious,” and “a leader in her class,” Allison has assisted the Department of Modern Dance in various ways, volunteering more than 20 hours per semester with incoming freshman auditions, high school workshops, and several dance concerts. She was also assistant coordinator for the 2008 Performing Arts Camp, which attracted more than 170 children from the Wasatch Front. “Allison positively encouraged, assisted, and mentored the campers,” says Richards. “She is passionate about making a difference in the life of a young person.”

In addition to her demanding studies, Allison works part time as a dance instructor at the Creative Arts Academy in Bountiful. She aspires to become a dance therapist using movement therapy to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder. “If a person’s body isn’t healthy, then the mind is not healthy either,” she says.

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