OREM, UTAH
Utah Valley University announced the creation of a newly endowed science scholarship in the name of Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve.
The Richard G. Scott Scholarship Endowment will be awarded beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year to a UVU student in his or her junior or senior year pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemistry, mathematics, physics or a related field in the College of Science & Health.
On April 3, a dinner in Elder Scott's honor was held in the atrium of UVU's new Science Building. Elder Scott and several members of his family were present, as were several General Authorities. Other guests attending were prominent CEOs of scientific companies in Utah, UVU science students and Sam Rushforth, dean of the College of Science & Health.
UVU President Matthew S. Holland and Rebecca Marriott Champion, a UVU trustee and the scholarship's donor, welcomed guests and spoke about Elder Scott's exceptional contributions to science. Scott Miller, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Radiobiology at the University of Utah, and Laura Bridgewater, Ph.D., chair of the BYU Department of Microbiology & Molecular Biology, were guest speakers at the dinner.
"It is such an honor to receive a scholarship in the name of Elder Richard G. Scott, a gifted scientist and compassionate leader in our community who has rendered innumerable acts of service throughout his life in Utah and around the world," President Holland said.
Elder Scott earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from George Washington University and completed graduate work in nuclear engineering at Oak Ridge, Tenn. He spent much of his professional career helping to develop nuclear fuel for a variety of naval and land-based power plants. Elder Scott became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in October of 1988.
"UVU is an exceptional academic institution that is about to debut a new state-of-the-art science facility," said Mrs. Marriott Champion. "I wanted to contribute something meaningful that will continue to build upon the University's legacy of higher education achievement. That contribution is a science scholarship to honor Elder Scott. He has always been fascinated by scientific discovery, and is very well read in many of the scientific disciplines, especially mathematics and physics."
Dean Rushforth said the scholarship and the new science building will help usher in a new era in science at UVU.
"We intend to celebrate the institution's storied past, current successes and promising future in preparing students to excel in the sciences," he said.
Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and has an enrollment of more than 33,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah's largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master's degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education.
