In an address delivered on campus Wednesday morning, Utah Tech University President Shane B. Smeed highlighted the success of the institution's hands-on learning opportunities. Smeed described the university as a polytechnic institution where students learn by doing to gain the skills necessary to make a difference.
Smeed reported that Utah Tech has added 28 academic programs since he became president on May 1, 2025. New offerings include master's degrees in artificial intelligence and science in genomics, along with graduate certificates in health care administration, nurse education, applied artificial intelligence for machine learning, and machine learning in biomedical sciences. The university also added a bachelor's and master's dual program in accounting, as well as bachelor's degrees in applied practice and information technology, criminal justice law enforcement, politics, policy, and law, biotechnology, and cybersecurity. Additional associate degrees and certificates were added in fields including programming, dance, music, automation, cybersecurity, design for VR/XR, digital marketing, and small business marketing communication.
The university has seen significant growth in student success, with graduation and retention rates increasing by 4 percentage points since 2020. At this year's 115th Commencement Ceremony, the school awarded 4,953 credentials to 4,197 graduates, marking the highest number of graduates and credentials conferred in a single year. Smeed noted that 28% of the class of 2026 were the first in their families to earn a college degree, and the class represented 43 states and 21 countries.
Community engagement remains a central focus through the Atwood Innovation Plaza, which provided nearly 2,700 business consultations and supported 330 patent applications and 219 trademarks this past year. The plaza also helped launch 181 new businesses and hosted STEM programming for more than 8,000 K-12 students. Additionally, Smeed highlighted a $7 million partnership with Utah Community Credit Union intended to enhance the student experience.
Looking toward the future, Smeed outlined the four pillars of Strategic Plan 2030: Academic Excellence and Innovation, Student Experience and Success, People and Culture, and Community Engagement and Philanthropy. He expressed optimism regarding the university's direction and its ability to serve as a community asset for the region.
Smeed concluded by stating that the university community is prepared to continue building an institution that transforms lives and strengthens the community.
