SALT LAKE CITY — Friday night's big win for the University of Utah Utes football team doesn't just improve the reputation of Utah Athletics, but brings other benefits to the university as a whole.
FOX 13 News spoke with the campus admissions office on how the exposure from big wins like this one translate to a big win for future students as well.
When students come to "the U," they have many opportunities to be involved on many different fronts.
Since its founding in 1850, the university has had crowning achievements such as being one of the very first places to house what we now think of as the internet, creating the first ever digital recordings, mapping the human genome, and performing the very first surgery to implant an artificial heart.
While the Utes football team was no slouch since their start in 1892, they're definitely on a roll with back-to-back Pac-12 championships and second-straight opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl.
So what does that mean for the university?
“In many ways, the U is a sleeping giant," said Steve Robinson, the senior associate vice president for enrollment management. "When students discover everything that's here, you know, the decision to attend becomes much easier.”
Like many others, Robinson has paid close attention to the football team's progress and growth.
“There's a lot of people who are huge college football fans who are in high school right now who are thinking about, 'Where do I want to go?'” Robinson said. “You know, when we have events like this going on, we see an uptick, typically in applications and inquiries from students who saw us on TV. But I wouldn't say it's limited to just athletic success. I mean, if you think back about just a couple of years ago, hosting the vice presidential debate.”
Beyond prospective students, it also reinforces decisions those have already made.
“It validates their college choice and to come to a place where there's an event like the vice presidential debate, the football team has lots of success,” Robinson said. “That means a lot to them in terms of, you know, 'This is what I came to college to feel outside of the classroom.'”
With appearances in four out of the last five Pac-12 championship games, the U is hoping enrollment will increase as the school's success does as well.
“In the next five years, we hope to reach about 40,000 students here at the U," Robinson said. “We're producing a more educated workforce, we're producing more students with degrees, and we're bringing more people to Salt Lake City.”
