When the members of the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce presented University of Utah President Michael Young with an award of Excellence in Education on Friday evening, they didn’t expect to receive an award as well.
Young said it moved him to be the first recipient of the award, signifying the important role education plays in the Hispanic community within the U, but felt that he wasn’t the only one who deserved to be recognized.
“When they first called me and told me that I was receiving this award, I have to confess that I didn’t think I did anything to deserve it,” Young said. “So instead, I’ll like to dedicate to all the Hispanic students in our community who deserve more opportunities.”
Young then announced that the real-estate company Ivory Homes, which sponsors scholarships for outstanding Latino-American students, was offering 10 additional scholarship awards in adding to the 12 presented that evening.
Liz Leckie, assistant dean of the College of Humanities, said that a key part of creating opportunities for students is being able to work with the community that surrounds the U.
“I think it’s important for the university and the community to work together,” Leckie said. “I particularly think that the announcement from President Young and Ivory Homes about the extra scholarships is great because they are giving U students even more opportunities to succeed.”
The scholarships, which range from $2,000 to $5,000 in value and are awarded based on students’ academic record and leadership potential, will be distributed by the UHCC and the U.
The UHCC will award two of the 12 scholarships; the U will award the remaining 10 scholarships.
“Establishing these scholarships is our way of giving back to the Hispanic-American community-a group that has played a significant role in the development and success of our business,” said U alumnus and Ivory Homes CEO Clark Ivory in a written statement.
Young said that his recognition and surprise announcement, although a noteworthy occasion, was a rare event.
“I don’t want people to think that every time I receive an award we’re going to hand out 10 more scholarships,” Young said. “But we’re going to try.”