10 Years of Learning and Growth for Humanities at Utah Asia Campus

by Emmy Darling, Department of Communication

We are excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Utah Asia Campus (UAC). The UAC started from humble beginnings and has shifted into a campus with a consistent global impact. In celebration of this momentous occasion, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the successes of the humanities at UAC and the growth it has experienced thus far. Upon its opening in 2014, the UAC offered three major programs and served thirteen students, as of today, the UAC is the proud home to ten major programs, including their first master’s degree in Strategic Communication, and nearly 900 students! Since the first graduating class in 2018, the UAC has celebrated the successes of nearly 600 graduates.

To celebrate this milestone, former Dean Hollis Robbins, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Michael Middleton, and Distinguished Professor of Communication Kent Ono visited South Korea for the UAC to meet with colleagues, students, and local dignitaries. Robbins remarks, “The College of Humanities has been invested in the success of the Utah Asia Campus from the beginning and it is wonderful to see the success of our programs and our people — faculty, staff, and students. It is thrilling to see how far we've come and exciting to see how far we’ll go!"

Humanities students are especially well-regarded at the UAC; Robbins related that President Taylor Randall had been so impressed by a journalism student that he had shared her work several times throughout the course of the week with various audiences. Wanda Pillow, Acting Dean of the College of Humanities, notes, “UAC offers students robust curriculum and enrichment opportunities that prepare them to successfully enter a global workforce or pursue graduate degrees.” There are many examples of student successes at the UAC including master’s student Heather Meyer. She got her start at the Utah Asia Campus when she was just 18 years old and is now part of the inaugural cohort of seven master's students studying strategic communication.

As one of the few students who has been at the UAC for both their bachelor's and master’s Degrees, she provides a unique voice to the growth and success of the UAC over the years. Meyer reflects, “The UAC was a super small community when I first entered. My entering class was around 60 students, which was the biggest at the time! The biggest change I have seen throughout the UAC from when I was an undergraduate to now being a graduate, is the growth of the campus. It's awesome to see how the original majors have evolved, and the growth of the new majors as well! UAC has become my second home because there are so many kind professors, advisors, and students that I know I can trust, and who supported me through all of my difficulties or stresses. For me, the UAC community feels like my family away from home.”

We are so proud to be partnered with such a robust and vibrant campus and to give students the opportunity to travel and learn abroad both in Utah and in Asia. Cheers to another 10 years of success!