A Letter from the Editor

Dear Amazing Family, Friends, & Readers,

I wanted to take a moment to explain what I've been up to and to thank you for your support.

Thank you so much for supporting me and reading my articles. I love reporting and discovering the truth of what is happening and bringing it back to you my readers. And, to my family and friends, thanks for listening to me rant and rave about the stories that I work on. 

The title of this website is, News In Your Backyard. I want this webpage to be relevant to your needs and the stories that you would like to hear or read about. I encourage you to give me story ideas and let me know what stories you feel is important for you, your friends, and your family to know about. 

I am so excited to wake up everyday and live my life. I am privileged to be in the position of News Editor for the UVU Review this year. 

I cannot wait to become a better editor! I have a good number of things to improve on, and I am excited to help serve the community of UVU by bringing relevant news to their attention. 

I am looking forward to the rest of my journalism career and to learn and get my hands on whatever I can do to become a better journalist. I have had the privilege to be involved in: radio for Clear Channel Communications and KGSO Sport Radio, TV for KAKE News, and print media for the UVU Review and Deseret News.

My ultimate goal is be a general manager of a TV station or a program director of a radio station. I would love to manage a state-wide news organization, that presents information in an entertaining talk-show format, covering local positive news. It would be amazing to give credit where credit is due, to feature those in our communities making a difference. 

I am excited for this summer and cannot wait to marry my best friend, Matt Skaggs.  If it weren't for my career in journalism, who knows if I would have ever met him. I met Matt last fall when I was covering one of my first stories on Occupy Wall Street. I was a journalist.., he was a protester.  Matt and I instantly clicked. We became friends and started hanging out with each other, we then jokingly decided we would be best friends. After I went home to Kansas for a few weeks and came back, Matt and I were inseparable. After dating for four months, he proposed to me on my birthday. Pretty awesome.

Once again, I thank all of you so much for supporting me and giving me the fuel I need to keep going. I work for my readers. Whenever I work on a story, or interview someone I have your interest in mind.

Thanks for everything,

Emily Stephenson

Future of Entrepreneurs Club Revealed

Dr. Peter Robinson and Tyler Babbs, photo courtesy of Jeff Larsen

Tuesday evening, UVU’s Entrepreneurs Club revealed their future plans and gave special recognitions to students at the UVU Lemonade Stand Entrepreneur Banquet.

KISSTIXX lip balm, 360 Watches, Power Practical, Utah Valley Lawn Care, and My Legacy Memorial, were some of the local businesses created by students that were featured in the event. Students had the opportunity to share their ideas and network with local leaders in the community.

The Lemonade Stand theme was used to remind students of their first steps of creating their own businesses. “Build your own lemonade stand,” said Devereaux Smith, director of the UVU Entrepreneurs Club. Devereaux explained to the audience of the UVU Entrepreneurs four major plans for the upcoming year.

According to Devereaux, the UVU Entrepreneurs will have a summer camp and will also form an Entrepreneurship Alumni Society to help students network. The group also will be organizing the UVU corn maize in the city of Payson to help raise scholarship money.

Lastly, the club plans to change their name this fall from the UVU Entrepreneurs to the Creative Society. They are hoping this change will help draw students from various backgrounds. Devereaux explained that the Creative Society is every students club.

“Whether you think you’ll own a business, or you just want to design t-shirts and logos, or you want to open a dance studio, or you want to do hair, or you want to write a book and sell a book,” said Devereaux. “Creative society is where you need to come.”

Dr. Peter Robinson, UVU Morris Professor of Entrepreneurship gave two steps of advice. He said that students need to have a mentor, to advise them, give them information, and credibility. His second piece of advice was for students to complete their education.

Tyler Babbs, owner of Utah Valley Lawn Care, |Shipzi.com|, and Green Armadillo Gear was awarded student entrepreneur of the year. Babbs mentioned that the Entrepreneurship Club is one of the hottest programs at UVU.

“The big problem with most entrepreneurs is that everyone has an idea and most people are too afraid or are too scared to actually do something about that passion,” said Babbs. “My suggestion is to just do it and make it happen.”