Utah Valley University (UVU) honored six alumni and community leaders on Feb. 4 during its annual Alumni Awards celebration, recognizing individuals whose leadership, service, and philanthropy reflect the university’s mission and impact.
This year’s honorees include Jane F. Rhodes ’15, recipient of the UVU Alumni Impact Award; Robert A. Bastian ’12, recipient of the UVU Distinguished Alumni Award; Heather Kahlert ’04 and The Kahlert Foundation, recipients of the University Partner Award; Sheldon R. Smith, recipient of the Wilson W. Sorensen Lifetime Achievement Award; and Richard J. and Marla A. Linder, recipients of the UVU Honorary Alumni Award. Honorees were nominated by the UVU Alumni Association Board of Directors and the UVU community and selected by a committee of university staff and alumni board members.
“These awardees represent the heart of UVU,” said Rynell Lewis, senior director of Alumni Relations at UVU. “Their leadership and generosity continue to strengthen our university and the communities we serve.”
Jane Rhodes ’15, chief brand officer of Utah-based custom sportswear company PROLOOK, received the Alumni Impact Award for her early-career leadership and community involvement. A graduate in business and art, Rhodes credits UVU’s student-centered culture with shaping her leadership approach. She helped create the All In Tournament, now in its sixth year, which benefits autism-related programs in partnership with the UVU Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism.
Robert A. Bastian ’12 received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his contributions to the arts and the university. An Orem native and graduate in music and sound production, Bastian helped establish the UVU Museum of Art at Lakemount in his family’s former home and serves on the UVU Foundation Board.
Heather Kahlert ’04 and The Kahlert Foundation received the University Partner Award for their philanthropic partnership with UVU. Since 2015, Kahlert has helped guide more than $100 million in charitable investments statewide, including a recent $5.2 million gift to establish the Kahlert Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute at UVU.
Sheldon R. Smith received the Wilson W. Sorensen Lifetime Achievement Award following more than 24 years of teaching accounting at UVU. Smith retired at the end of 2025 after a career dedicated to student success and academic leadership.
Richard J. and Marla A. Linder received the Honorary Alumni Award for their exceptional support of UVU’s mission. The Linders recently committed $35 million to UVU — the largest gift in university history — to help establish the Xenter Building at the Health and Wellness Village in Vineyard and to name the Orrin G. Hatch Center for National Security Studies. Richard Linder is a medical technology entrepreneur and founder of Xenter, while Marla Linder chairs the Richard J. and Marla A. Linder Foundation for Family and Children. Three of the couple’s five children have graduated or are graduating from UVU.
For more information about The Office of Alumni Relations please visit uvu.edu/alumni.
