Following the killing of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, Utah Valley University President Astrid S. Tuminez, Ph.D., has introduced a new presidential initiative called Our Better Selves for a Better America. The program was established in response to a tragedy that impacted both the UVU community and the nation, prompting questions regarding the state of civility, respect, and freedom of speech.
The initiative is designed to provide essential skills including principled negotiation, peacemaking, conflict navigation, and civil dialogue to ensure that political or personal disagreements do not lead to dehumanization.
The initiative focuses on three primary pillars: better listening, better dialogue, and better connections. To promote better listening, the university encourages deep understanding without assumption. Students at UVU can pursue academic credentials such as a minor in Peace and Justice or certificates in areas like mediation, conflict management, and negotiation.
Through better dialogue, the program utilizes collaborative learning via conferences, lectures, book clubs, and debates designed to model respectful disagreement. To foster better connections, the initiative encourages leading by example through empathy and respect. Faculty and staff are invited to participate in campus-wide development trainings, while students may attend sessions conducted by Utah State University's Heravi Peace Institute.
The program arrives amid national trends of increasing political polarization. According to research cited by the initiative, affective polarization has nearly doubled since the late 1970s, with 87% of Americans identifying political polarization as a serious threat to the nation. Additionally, more than 85% of Americans believe that politically motivated violence is on the rise.
UVU Student Body President Kyle Cullimore expressed concerns regarding whether communities will continue to isolate one another during times of tragedy. The initiative seeks to transform moments of tragedy into a movement of unity and collaborative problem-solving.
