As part of the University of Utah’s 175th anniversary celebration, President Taylor Randall led a multi-day road trip through northern Utah June 23 and 24 aimed at strengthening statewide collaborations.
Focused on partnerships in higher education, research and public service, U leaders visited key institutional and community partners, including Weber State University (WSU), Utah State University (USU), Hill Air Force Base and a variety of local businesses.
President Randall emphasized that while the anniversary commemorates a long legacy of excellence, it’s also an opportunity to look ahead. “For us, it’s very educational,” he said of the tour stops from Ogden to Logan, which helped lay out a vision for a more unified future for Utah’s higher education institutions.
University of Utah President Randall and Weber State University President Brad Mortensen.
“I believe there are ways for us to succeed, as well as have every other institution in the state succeed,” Randall said at a breakfast meeting with WSU President Brad Mortensen and university leadership. “How do we figure out how each institution can have the resources to accomplish its goals? What we need to do is think about what our roles and missions are, and how every one of us can be great in those roles and missions.”
The tour comes at a pivotal time for higher education in the state, with leadership transitions and growing recognition that institutional collaboration is essential to meet emerging challenges in research, workforce development and enhancing the well-being of the state.
“We have a real opportunity to make some strategic changes to how we design and operate as a system of institutions that are unified in their vision of providing the best higher education for students,” said Geoffrey Landward, commissioner of higher education, who joined day one of the tour. “I’m thrilled that we have presidents who are willing to engage in these conversations, who are willing to explore what true partnerships look like.”
Geoffrey Landward, Commissioner of Higher Education.
“What I see is the potential for greatness in a system that comes together and understands what a system can be if you play on the strengths of each individual part of that system and find a strong alliance of institutions that recognize what they all can contribute to the betterment of the state of Utah, to its students and understanding what each individual role of that institution can play in the larger part,” Landward said. “We have not tapped the potential of a smartly designed system of higher education that’s built on the trust and mutual success of institutions.”
Throughout the tour, Randall expressed appreciation for legislative allies, especially Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and other lawmakers working on higher education appropriations.
State Sen. John Johnson, R-North Ogden, a former USU faculty member, joined in welcoming the university’s delegation to Logan along with USU leadership, Sen. Chris Wilson, R-Logan, and local officials to explore expanded joint research opportunities and institutional alignment.
Randall emphasized that the responsibility to guide Utah into the future lies heavily on the state’s two flagship research institutions. “It’s up to us to figure out how we lead the state—policy-wise, technology-wise, economic development-wise into the next decades.”
The two institutions account for roughly 95% of federal research funding coming into Utah. “If we can figure out ways to speed up the translation of this research into our communities, we can have a massive impact,” he said. “We believe that our two institutions together can create a powerhouse for this state.”
One of the highlights of the northern trip was a visit to the Great Salt Lake, alongside USU’s Brian Steed, executive director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water & Air and Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner. Randall called it “a great example” of what collaboration can look like. “Our two universities are doing amazing things” when it comes to environmental research, especially in addressing the urgent threats to the lake’s ecosystem and Utah’s environmental challenges.
He praised ongoing efforts from both universities to gather data and model solutions that can inform long-term conservation strategies. “This is about putting science into action—and fast.”
At Hill Air Force Base, the U’s leadership team explored ways the U can support defense innovation and workforce development in meetings with Maj. General Kenyon Bell, Commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base and his leadership team. Emphasizing the state’s growing role in national security, the discussions centered on science, engineering and technology programs that directly support Air Force and defense industry needs and its civilian workforce.
Tours at Western Zirconium in Ogden and Campbell Scientific in Logan showcased Utah’s diverse economy and helped university leaders better understand the industries driving Utah’s growth. Discussions about the most pressing needs for these employers will help shape innovations and educational priorities in the coming years.
Randall said the northern Utah tour served a larger purpose: strengthening relationships and building infrastructure for sustained policy impact. “A lot of this for us is relationship building, so when problems arise and we need to talk about collaborations, we know who to call.”
