Committed to Transforming Lives

Dear Weber State Family:

As we begin year two of our strategic plan, Weber State Amplified, a 5-year plan for growth, we are committed to continuing WSU’s legacy of being a leader in transforming lives. 

No recognition from the past year sums this up more aptly than a study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, showing that a degree from WSU ranks in the top 10 percent of 4,500 U.S. higher education institutions for return on investment, whether that is 10 years or 40 years after graduation. 

Your continued support of Weber State ensures that the educational opportunities we provide remain incomparable in the region, state and nation.

This year’s annual report, Connections Strengthen Us, walks you through the lives of students and the faculty and staff who are challenging and guiding them to achieve their goals academically and in life. These inspiring stories and successes demonstrate the power and impact happening at our university.

Students such as senior María Rios Cabrera, who switched from a larger university to WSU and found a supportive environment, will continue to succeed and share their newfound success with peers. Rios Cabrera, a double major in mechanical engineering and economics and a minor in math, dreams of building a school in her home country of Honduras. She has a passion for working with students who have learning disabilities, and she channels her passion through mentoring these students. Because of her extraordinary service, Rios Cabrera earned WSU’s distinguished Ivory Prize for Excellence in Student Leadership and Community Engagement.

Along with sharing inspirational stories like Rios Cabrera’s, we hope this report demonstrates the commitment to our goals in Amplified. The plan outlines efforts to take the next step in providing even more personalized and academically excellent opportunities to more students in an equitable and inclusive way so they realize higher retention and completion rates and generate an even larger impact in our community.

We are excited to enter our first year dedicating partnersupported resources to becoming an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution to reflect the demographic changes in our state and achieve a federal designation that unlocks additional resources for all WSU students.

This report gives us the opportunity to tell our story more loudly and proudly, so even more people learn about Weber State’s success. At every opportunity, we seek to enhance the educational experience at Weber State and unleash the creative potential of every individual.

We invite you to read this annual report from cover to cover as each article and photo captures why Weber State continues to be the premier destination for access, learning and community.

Best,

Brad L. Mortensen