Utah Tech University earns national award for compliance innovation

Composite photo with Utah Tech University in the back. Inset photo shows Utah Tech University’s Mark Adkins, left, and Tyson Smith receive the 2022 SANsational Award presented to them by Cheryl Dowd | Photo courtesy of Pam Cantrell/Utah Tech University, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Utah Tech University recently received the State Authorization Network’s 2022 SANsational Award for Compliance Innovations in recognition of the university’s work to prepare students for their careers.

Utah Tech University’s Mark Adkins, left, and Tyson Smith receive the 2022 SANsational Award presented to them by Cheryl Dowd | Photo courtesy of Pam Cantrell/Utah Tech University, St. George News

According to a press release issued by the university, Utah Tech caught the attention of the award committee for the automated system the university built and implemented to notify students when they are in a field of study that leads to professional licensure.

The system, created by Utah Tech’s Mark Adkins, state authorization and licensure coordinator, and Tyson Smith, computer programmer and analyst, alerts students of licensure criteria and their determination status.

“The SANsational Awards recognize outstanding efforts and innovative solutions created by members of the State Authorization Network,” Cheryl Dowd, senior director at State Authorization Network and WCET Policy Innovations, said in the news release. “The winners of this annual award display diligence and commitment to improving their institutional compliance functions to better serve their students.”

Adkins and Smith’s efforts will be shared across the network and used to inspire other institutions to consider, review and adapt solutions to other institutional challenges.

“Each winner has approached their respective challenge in a methodical and practical manner, which lends their system and results to be easily adapted by other institutions,” Dowd said. “We’re thrilled to acknowledge the great work of these winners and to help elevate collaborative and creative approaches to what can often be a complex, yet critically important institutional responsibility.”

Find more information about Utah Tech University on its website or learn about the State Authorization Network on this website.

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