A word from Vice President Lori McDonald: Feb 2026

Dear Student Affairs Staff, 

Much like the rest of campus, Student Affairs is moving quickly, and great things are happening all around us! February is a month filled with momentum. Goals have been set, connections are forming, and new ideas are coming to life across our division. 

At the center of that momentum is something fundamental to our work: sharing knowledge. As we look ahead to our annual University’s Founders Day celebration on Thursday, Feb 26, 2026, at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House, I’m reminded just how deeply our work today is connected to the university’s original purpose. When founded as the University of Deseret in 1850, our mission centered on sharing knowledge broadly and meaningfully—a value that continues to guide us even to this day. 

That legacy is reflected in how students connect through their passions and their people. Already this semester, more than 2,376 students and 114 recognized student organizations gathered at the Spring Get Involved Fair led by the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement. That spirit of shared learning continued as we kicked off the 30th anniversary celebration of the Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement, an event which presented a great opportunity for our community to celebrate and learn more about the center’s rich history.  

As we move through the remainder of this month, we have other meaningful opportunities to create spaces where knowledge is shared, explored, and brought to life. Multiple events will center around Black History Month and Neurodiversity and Disability Week. There will also be standalone events like Casino Night, the Build-A-Friend Mixer, and the Banff Mountain Film Festival that students and our community won’t want to miss.  

Thank you for the work you do each day to create spaces where students can learn from one another and thrive. It goes such a long way!  

Sincerely, 

Lori McDonald