thumb|View of the UVU Campus, October 2004
Utah Valley University (UVU) is a public university in Orem, Utah, United States. UVU offers master's, bachelor's, associate degrees, and certificates. Previously called Utah Valley State College, the school attained university status in July 2008. With an enrollment of over 48,000 students as of fall 2025, UVU is the largest university by enrollment in Utah and one of the largest in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Growth brought numerous changes to the school over the following decades, and it was renamed several times to reflect its changing role. In 1963, the name was changed to Utah Trade Technical Institute.
In 1967, the school became Utah Technical College in Provo and was given the authority to confer associate degrees for the first time. In 1977, the institution began moving to its present location, at the junction of I-15 and University Parkway in Orem. In 1987, it became Utah Valley Community College. When it was a community college, the school had 8,000 students enrolled, and it was growing by approximately 3,000 students a year. In 1993, the school was named Utah Valley State College and began awarding four-year degrees. The Utah legislature approved elevating UVSC to a university in February 2007 (effective July 1, 2008), allowing it to begin offering master's degrees, although the school continues to emphasize its two- and four-year degree programs.
On July 1, 2008, UVSC changed to UVU, officially changing to a university. UVU is the largest employer in Orem, with over 1,900 full-time faculty and staff and over 3,300 part-time faculty and staff. As of fall 2018, the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) reported UVU as the largest university in the state for the fourth year in a row with 39,931 students, surpassing the University of Utah.
Astrid S. Tuminez is the institution's seventh president and the university's first female president. Tuminez was selected by the Utah State Board of Regents in 2018 and was preceded by Matthew S. Holland.
===Assassination of Charlie Kirk===<!--DO NOT INCLUDE NAME OF PURPORTED KILLER UNTIL CONVICTED BY A COURT OF LAW, SEE WP:BLPCRIME-->
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on campus during an event for the American Comeback Tour, a debate series he was hosting for his organization. According to the Associated Press, the shot came from the Losee Student Success Center, approximately from where Kirk was speaking; Kirk was struck in the neck. Kirk was immediately rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital and was pronounced dead later that afternoon. In the aftermath, Utah Valley University closed its campus, including their satellite locations, until September 15.
Campuses
thumb|Computer Science Building
thumb|Woodbury Building
UVU's main campus is in Orem with satellite campuses in Heber City (Wasatch), Vineyard, Right Orem (Canyon Park), Provo Municipal Airport, Lehi, and the Capital Reef Field Station. UVU's main campus encompasses and includes 48 buildings.
Each building has been built using the same style of exposed reinforced concrete with masonry infill walls (before 2005), with all of the major buildings on campus connected by concourses. UVU grounds include two reflecting ponds on the west side of campus, a stream running through the east part of campus, and a multi-dimensional fountain in the middle of campus.
UVU is home to the Utah Community Credit Union Center, formerly the David O. McKay Events Center which was built in 1996 with a capacity to seat 8,500 people. The events center is governed by a board of representatives from UVU, Utah County, and Orem City. It not only holds campus activities and sporting events but also community events such as major concerts, trade shows and expos, high school sports tournaments, family shows, graduations, and banquets. It is also home to UVU's culinary arts program, including Restaurant Forte. On average, the Events Center hosts 150–170 events per year. As many as 360,000 people patronize the Events Center on an annual basis.
Digital Learning Center
In September 2006, the school began construction of a new Digital Learning Center (DLC) to replace the Losee Resource Center (library). The DLC is and is northeast of the Liberal Arts building. It opened on July 1, 2008. The $48 million project includes networked computers, computer labs, a computer reference area (Information Commons), a media center, 31 study rooms, and wireless internet throughout the building. In 2016, money was donated to the library by Ira A. Fulton and Mary Lou Fulton and it was renamed Fulton Library. The library won two 2008 awards from Intermountain Construction magazine for its energy efficiency.
Science building
The UVU Science Building opened in the summer of 2012. The building features study rooms to the west side that have glass whiteboards as well as windows spanning the entire height of the towers. The new Anatomy Lab has vents to decrease the concentration of Phenol in the air.
Young Living Alumni Center
The Young Living Alumni Center opened in the fall of 2023. The construction was funded in part by Young Living, a multi-level marketing company based out of Utah, which donated $4.5 million toward its completion. The two-story building has a large event space on the main floor used for fundraising events, conferences, alumni reunions, and meetings. With 25 offices and multiple conference rooms, most of the building's non-event spaces are used by university fundraising and alumni relations staffers. The alumni building is situated on the north end of UVU's Orem Campus, along with the Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism and the McKay Education building.
Organization
thumb|Campus at night
UVU is part of the USHE, with the following primary colleges and schools:
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Science
- Smith College of Engineering and Technology
- College of Health and Public Service
- School of the Arts
- School of Education
- Woodbury School of Business
Other academic support programs include the Office of Engaged Learning, the Office of Teaching and Learning, Extended Studies, Summer, Concurrent Enrollment, Professional and Continuing Education, Academic Service-Learning, and Honors.