RECOGNIZING UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FOR ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF WOMEN IN MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES AT THE 63RD SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 64
(Extensions of Remarks - April 12, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FOR ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF
WOMEN IN MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES AT THE 63RD SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON
THE STATUS OF WOMEN
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HON. BEN McADAMS
of utah
in the house of representatives
Friday, April 12, 2019
Mr. McADAMS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the members of
the Utah International Mountain Forum, a coalition of student clubs at
Utah Valley University (UVU) on efforts to advance sustainable mountain
development around the world. These accomplished 13 students help
highlight how UVU's Student Engaged Learning (SEL) model gives students
opportunities for both professional advancement and the chance to work
with local, state, national and international leaders to foster
sustainable development, particularly for women and girls.
Through SEL, students take the lead in learning how to solve problems
by collaborating with faculty mentors. Most of the students are
nontraditional students who work full- or part-time, are 25 years or
older and support a family while attending school.
Months of preparation preceded the New York event. They partnered
with two prominent NGS--the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and
Utah China Friendship Improvement Sharing Hands Development and
Cooperation--to submit goals for addressing food insecurity, education
access and climate change effects in mountain communities. They
participated in global events such as the 61st and 62nd Commission on
the Status of Women and organized celebrations on International
Mountain Day and International Women's Day that brought high-level
diplomats from around the world to see Utah's efforts firsthand.
During CSW63, the students hosted a parallel event to highlight the
successful implementation of UVU's engaged learning model to address
issues facing women and girls in Utah. It also showcased international
women studying in Utah. Individual students presented their own work,
including Hannah Bieker who spoke on her peers' service projects in
support of impoverished women in Mexico; Megan Davis spoke on Utah's
distinction as the first state to allow women to vote; William Gum-
Causey spoke on Utah and UVU's efforts to address aspects of the
state's rural/urban economic divide; and Aldon Trimble spoke on joint
UVU-Oxford University research about Utah's air quality and how Utah
addresses the problems of the children of incarcerated parents.
These combined efforts and events allowed the UVU delegation to
demonstrate the role that students--particularly nontraditional
students--play in contributing to sustainable development in both Utah
and mountain communities around the world. By empowering themselves,
the students help empower other communities and the women and girls
residing there.
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