Happy Thanksgiving from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Reply to this email with any questions or suggestions regarding the newsletter. And thank you for subscribing!

So many reasons to be thankful

We’re so grateful for the people of this great state, the incredible landscape of this place, and most importantly, the relationships we have with family, friends and community partners. We hope you’ll take the time this holiday season to reflect on what you are grateful for and spend time with your loved ones. 

During this season of Thanksgiving, we also encourage you to volunteer, donate to a Utah charity or give back to your community in some way. We’re thankful to live in a state where people have a strong sense of community, respect each other and offer help when someone is in need.

You make Utah a better place, so thank you for your goodness and your willingness to come together to do hard things. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hosting a Presidential Debate

We’re thrilled that the University of Utah has been selected to host a 2024 Presidential Debate next October! It is a distinct honor to be selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates, so congratulations to the U. 

As governor and chair of the National Governors Association, we’ve championed an initiative to “disagree better” and strengthen communities by taking on challenging conversations with respect. Disagreement and healthy debate is a keystone of our democracy and for more than six decades, televised debates have given the public a chance to hear directly from presidential candidates live and on the record. This debate will be an opportunity for the future leader of the free world to represent the core values of our great republic. 

Utahns continue to set an example of respect and commitment to good policy that has influenced well beyond our state boundaries. We’re ready for the world's eyes to once again be on the University of Utah and Salt Lake City.

Election Day

Life Sciences in Utah

Utah’s life sciences industry is one of the fastest-growing in the nation, and this week we announced an exciting new initiative that will strategically build an even bigger and better life sciences workforce! 

From 2012 to 2022, Utah’s life sciences hub was the fastest growing in the nation, and in 2020 Utah’s life sciences job growth reached an exceptional 7.2%. Today, Utah is ranked third in the nation for life sciences growth. 

This $7 million initiative we’re asking for will help our life sciences industry continue to grow. It’ll be used to hire faculty and staff, procure equipment to create or expand programs and provide outreach for student recruitment. Most importantly, this funding will help Utah reduce the anticipated workforce gap by 40%. We appreciate our universities, legislators and industry partners for joining us for this exciting announcement. And thank you to bioMérieux for hosting us!

Thanksgiving Dinner with Refugees

This Thanksgiving, we had the privilege to host refugees from across Utah at the Governor’s Mansion for a Thanksgiving dinner. It was such an honor to be able to meet with them, hear their stories, and share a meal with them. 

We’re grateful that we could come together with so many people of different backgrounds and reflect with gratitude on the opportunities available to all in this great state of Utah. Utah’s doors will always be open to all those who need a place to call home.

Governor's Award for Excellence Highlight 

Each week, we’re highlighting a state employee who was recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence. This week we are recognizing Jennifer Blau with the Utah Department of Corrections. 

As part of Jen’s regular duties she supervises a team of 10 civilian pre-sentence investigation writers. These positions work directly with criminal defendants to conduct fact-finding background interviews and investigations, recording those facts in a pre-sentence report, and submitting those reports to the court for proper sentencing. Jen was instrumental in developing an in-service training program for all pre-sentence writers in the state. Her commitment to training Adult Probation and Parole staff on the processes and policies related to the intense responsibility of sentencing offenders, helps assure the safety of our Utah citizens. Jen is a standout employee with a strong desire to improve public safety and the lives of staff and those under UDC supervision. She effortlessly builds and maintains relationships with judges, clears, attorneys, jail staff and sentencing commission staff. She is a true partner to all in the criminal justice field. Jen is an exceptional example of a true Peer Leader and public servant.

Thank you, Jen, for your dedication to the state of Utah. Keep up the great work! To read about the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, click here.

ICYMI

• The #LightTheWorld Giving Machines are back and ready to help all of us get in the holiday spirit of giving back to others! We loved gathering this week with the Salt Lake Chamber, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, performer Madilyn Paige and others at City Creek Center this week to officially open the Giving Machines. To learn more about the Giving Machines, click here. Thank you for serving this holiday season!

• Americans’ trust in major institutions is lower than ever before and the partisan divide keeps getting deeper. We must do better. Read more about our DisagreeBetter initiative in our Dallas Morning News op-ed here.

   

Coming up

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!