Welcome to the Club!
All Graduates Now Members of the Alumni Association
All U alumni are now members of the Alumni Association! Membership is automatic and dues-free, thanks to a decision made by the Alumni Association Board of Governors. Alumni can connect with their alma mater and fellow alums as full-fledged association members—eligible for a number of benefits, such as discounts on many campus events and services, including Utah Red Zone gear and tickets to select cultural and athletics events. Alums can also access special U alumni discounts at more than 150,000 restaurants, service providers, and retailers across the country using the free Utah Alumni app.
Happy Trails
by Brooke Adams
S
urely there is a “Fredism” that fits this occasion. You know, one of those cowboyesque sayings that Fred Esplin MA’74 is known to have at the ready to sum up any situation. Maybe: “Well, there’s an embarrassment of riches here.” Or: “Looks like the cow finally got out of the barn.”
At the end of January, Esplin stepped down as vice president for institutional advancement, the capstone of his 40 years at the U. He joined the university in 1979 as director of marketing for KUED Channel 7; in 1981, he was named general manager of KUED, and he later also served as associate director of media services and the Utah Education Network (UEN). Esplin was appointed a vice president in 1999. He is now continuing to work on a handful of projects for the university on a part-time basis.
A native of Cedar City, Esplin has a barnful of accomplishments at the U. Among them: helping to conceptualize UEN; raising the profile and production quality of KUED; establishing a professional marketing operation and consistent branding for the U; helping convince the state legislature that Utah should adopt an educational pathway for undocumented students; and leading a $1.65 billion capital campaign for the U and launching a second.
Esplin leaves the U wistful, perhaps surprised at how quickly 40 years flashed by, and, most of all, grateful. “I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would have the opportunities I have had,” he says. “I feel very fortunate. I really do.”
