Commencement is my favorite time of year. At our 157th, a record 9,506 graduates crossed the stage—our youngest just 18 and our oldest 79. Like all our graduates, they stand with the U behind them and a world of opportunity before them.
To our newest graduates: welcome. You are now part of a community more than 300,000 strong—and that community keeps growing around you long after you leave campus.
The stories in this issue of Utah Magazine speak to that connection.
You’ll meet Morgan Scalley, the U’s 24th head football coach. Morgan is an alum himself and the son of alumni. He’s spent his whole career investing in this place. His three C’s—character, competence, and connection—are at the heart of how he’s building the Utah Football program at one of the most consequential moments in college athletics.
You’ll also read about the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, the Gardner Institute has become the trusted source of data behind nearly every major decision Utah makes—on housing, growth, water, the Great Salt Lake, and other complex issues.
As our graduates enter the world, they leave with plenty of stories—of all-nighters and hard-earned A’s, hijinks with friends in the residence halls, and the campus tales passed down from one class to the next. This issue explores some of the U’s most enduring legends, from the campus tunnels to the ghosts at Fort Douglas to the mysterious “Fountain of Ute.” I hope you enjoy diving into this campus lore as much as I did.
The best stories at the U are about the experiences and accomplishments of our students and graduates. To the Class of 2026 and all our alumni: thank you for being part of the U and for sharing your unique talents with the rest of the world.
I Will ALWAYS be a UTE!!
Even now at the age of 57