Housing program is a first for UVSC

OREM — The scene was familiar, one that happens throughout the country each fall: a somber mother moving her daughter into her first college apartment.

"I was hoping she'd stay home, but this will be good for her," said Lehi's Karen Schumann about her daughter's decision to live away from home as she begins her freshman year at Utah Valley State College.

Her daughter, Shalyn Schumann, carried pillows and a box containing 18 microwavable packets of macaroni and cheese into her new college pad.

Wednesday's move-in was new for UVSC. The state college does not have dorms or a formal housing program. Students are responsible for finding their own housing, and most live with parents or in nearby apartments.

The 32 students who moved into the Ventana Apartments, across the street from campus at 1380 S. 400 West, are participating in a new Presidential Leadership Program at UVSC.

They receive a scholarship from the school — in the form of rent.

The school pays about $240 of their monthly rent, leaving students with about $110 of the bill.

It's the first time UVSC has coordinated student housing. It calls the living arrangement a "learning community" and says its success could lead to future housing arrangements.

"We'd like to do it for the Honors Program, for service learning," said UVSC President Bill Sederburg.

Sederburg said the program is important on two levels. In addition to the opportunity for the school to arrange housing, it expands the school's Center for the Advancement of Leadership, which has about 40 students earning certifications in addition to the scholarship students.

"Leadership is so critical in society," Sederburg said.

By Wednesday afternoon, students had already attended two lectures.

One, by United Way of Utah County chief Bill Hulterstrom, was on the nature of service. The other was about how to organize a leadership project, presented by Cary Boone Jones, UVSC's internship services director.

Students also were divided into teams of three. Each team will work on yearlong leadership projects for businesses, nonprofit organizations or the college.

Over the next two semesters, the students will additionally take three classes about the principles of leadership, principles of personal excellence and interpersonal communication.

Jordan Rushton, who was last year's student government president at Lehi High School, said the housing scholarship, combined with a tuition scholarship, made UVSC more appealing than Utah State University, Dixie State College and Snow College, which also offered him scholarships.

And the leadership program may help his professional aspirations. He's considering a career in business.

"I'm a people person," Rushton said. "I like to work with people. It's fun."

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com