This month, America250 Utah and its national partner, America250, the nonpartisan entity planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, announced the winners of its inaugural America’s Field Trip awards. Two Lehi students, Kate F. and Guard F., earned awards. America’s Field Trip is a nationwide scholastic contest encouraging students to reflect on what America means …
Martha Goes to Washington
By Reneé Leta Scores of Utahns turned out on June 5 to say farewell to Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon at the Utah State Capitol. The sculpture of the trailblazing female doctor and politician — commissioned to mark the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment — is now heading to Washington D.C. to be installed in U.S. Capitol’s …
New Program: One Utah Service Fellowship
By Reneé Leta The One Utah Service Fellowship is the first of its kind in the nation to combine state and federal funding into an AmeriCorps program. The program’s mission is to provide accessible opportunities for young adults to participate in high-impact service to address state needs and priorities. In August, Utah will swear in its inaugural group of One …
Cara Rothman Appointed to Lead the State Library Division
Cara Rothman has been appointed director of the Utah State Library Division, a program of the Department of Cultural & Community Engagement. She will begin her new position in June. Rothman brings a wealth of experience working in public, school and corporate libraries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, most recently as assistant director at the Wellesley Free Library. She holds …
Drawing upon the Power of Stories to Connect Utah
Magnify Utah is a website showcasing stories that aims to serve as a resource to invite Utahns to find unity and connection.
Play Women’s History Bingo This Month
By Reneé Leta For Women’s History Month, the Utah Women’s History Initiative, a program of the Utah Historical Society, has put together a slate of activities on a Bingo style-card to showcase women who make a difference in their communities. Utah has many unique connections to women’s history — from Paiute memory-keepers to Utah’s suffrage story and beyond. The commemoration …
Utah’s ‘Blackout’ License Plates
By Reneé Leta Utah’s new black-and-white specialty license plate has been in production for less than a year. With a six-to-eight week waitlist, the demand for the “blackout” plate has been remarkable. It’s a Utah phenomenon that’s part of a national trend, as more than 10 states are now offering similar plates. In 2018, state Sen. Lincoln Fillmore co-sponsored a bill …
Sarina V. Ehrgott: Seven Years of Beautifying and Branding CCE
Branding is more than colors and fonts. It’s about the underlying strategy of reaching the right audience at the right time. Building upon those ideas, designing the More Than A Flag campaign was about more than colors and symbols. Adopting a new flag was about the process of inviting public designs, and public feedback, working with teachers, students, voters, professional …
Utah’s Youth are Making Service Cool
By Ellen Fagg Weist Direct one-on-one service is meaningful, no matter what size or scope of project you participate in. But youth on UServeUtah’s high school and college councils also learn how to develop and execute a project that fills a need in their local community. They learn about project management and recruiting volunteers, and along the way, they’re also …
Up Close: Q&A with Donna Law
Appointed by Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox, Donna Law leads the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement as the interim executive director. “Donna brings a wealth of experience in the arts, administration, government relations and communications — a full package of skills that will serve the state’s cultural and community engagement needs well,” said Gov. Cox in an announcing …
Why Utahns Serve: It’s Who We Are
Utahns don’t just talk about service. We jump in to volunteer in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our communities. And we join our colleagues in service, thanks to businesses who make volunteerism part of their corporate culture. Utah’s commitment to service has been confirmed for the past 18 years as part of Volunteering and Civic Life in America research. Last …
So Long, But Not Farewell: Celebrating Jill Love’s ‘Transformative’ Leadership
To say farewell to Jill Remington Love, we’ve compiled a timeline of her most significant accomplishments in managing the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement. “Transformative” is a word longtime staffers use to describe her leadership. Beyond her service as a member of Gov. Spencer Cox’s cabinet, Jill has built department morale with her ambitious retreat planning, regular staff …