The University of Arizona has been home to public broadcasting in Arizona since 1959, when the FCC granted the call letters KUAT (University of Arizona Television) to the university’s “Radio and Television Bureau,” then operating out of the newly-remodeled Herring Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. The television broadcast facilities were eventually moved to Modern Languages when it was completed in 1969. Today, operating as a unit of Arizona Public Media, KUAT offers six streams of public television programming on two full-power digital transmitters, three streams of public radio from two stations (NPR and Classical KUAT), while maintaining a separate community access UA Channel and a solid online presence. Its service to the public stays strong through ongoing public support and active community involvement.

College of Engineering Assistant Dean Ray Umashankar and his daughter, UA alum, Nita Umashankar, have made it their mission to help child victims of India's sex trafficking. Not with silent auctions or charity dinners, but with spam. Ray Umashankar trolls business articles for Indian names he plugs into possible email addresses, sending blindly until they land requesting money and more business contacts. Together they support ASSET India Foundation, which teaches these children English and IT skills. While fear of AIDS and India's caste system legacy have traditionally blocked these refugees from school or work, ASSET trumps those social forces. The children bridge directly to good jobs, giving them a blank slate and keys to a brighter future. The Umashankar family’s solicitations are unconventional. But since 2006, that tenacity has netted $325,000, proving that sometimes breaking a cycle of poverty means breaking the mold.

Camping with UA Wildcats can be more eye-opening than scary ghost stories. Sitting around the fire, munching S’Mores and talking about the future can put disadvantaged youth on the path to college. Through Camp Wildcat, youngsters hang with UA students, have fun and learn that a university education is attainable, even for those with physical, mental or financial disadvantages. Camp Wildcat is a non-profit organization run entirely by UA students, who raise the money, organize about 10 free camping adventures or other outings a year and pal around with challenged middle-school students, helping them realize that college can be their path to a sweeter future.

Color the UA Cat Tran shuttles green. Parking & Transportation Services now fuel their diesel buses with environmentally friendly biodiesel. Last year, over 500,000 passengers rode the five routes on campus and the surrounding area, boarding at one of the nearly 50 stops (including five park-and-ride lots). The Cat Tran shuttle and Sun Tran U-pass program saved 4.9 million miles of automotive driving and these efficient alternatives cut the production of greenhouse gases in half – a reduction of 5 million pounds of pollutants. Because of Cat Tran and other UA alternative transportation programs, 44 percent of all trips to campus are environmentally friendly. That earned an "A" from the new national College Sustainability Report Card.

Dr. Paul Wilson's research and work in agribusiness, agriculture, environmental management and global hunger crosses public- and private-sector lines while spanning national borders, reaching into the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. But some of his most important impact occurs on a much smaller scale, working one-on-one with students in the UA College of Agriculture and Lifes Science since 1982, not only as a professor, but as an advisor, role model and friend. His passionate commitment to advancing both understanding and education in his field stands as a role model in a student-centered research university, earning him one of this year's prestigious University Distinguished Professor awards.

In the midst of a national economic downturn that hit Arizona with much voracity, University of Arizona President Robert N. Shelton said the time calls for creative ideas and new approaches. During this third State of the University address, Shelton spoke on Thursday about budget reductions the UA has and will continue to face while also speaking to ways in which the community is already acting in creative ways to counter economic concerns. "Over the past two years, America has been through the most profound economic upheaval since the Great Depression," Shelton said, noting that the UA's state appropriation was cut by nearly $100 million. Shelton spoke with marked determination, adding that the UA will "lead the nation in integrating access, quality and discovery. So the cuts be damned, we have the creativity to do it."

J. Jefferson Reid likes digging in dirt. He uncovered his passion for archaeology on a summer job and changed his major. More than 30 years later, his zeal for exploring past civilizations and reconstructing human behavior and culture still inspires students. His inquisitive nature, depth of experience and innovative spirit capture their imaginations – in the classroom, in the field and through his pioneering virtual reality modules. A preeminent pre-historian of the American Southwest, Reid directed the UA Archaeological Field School for 16 seasons, training a generation of influential archaeologists. This Distinguished Professor in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and his wife Stephanie Whittlesey are co-authors of three books on Arizona archaeology.

S. James Anaya is one of the world’s top human rights scholars, an advocate for indigenous peoples. The United Nations recently named the UA law professor Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples. This means Anaya will conduct human rights investigations and research around the world, expanding the work for which he is best known. Anaya successfully led a precedent-setting case for two Central American Maya villages against Belize, which violated their land rights by approving logging and oil exploration. Anaya came to the UA in 1999 and holds the James L. Lenoir Professorship in Human Rights and Policy.

UA Alums, Jeff A. and Sharon Stevens of El Paso, Texas, announced a personal gift of $10 million to Arizona Athletics -- the largest single donation to the UA athletic department. The gift will be used for phase one of the new master plan which includes a north end-zone football complex, stadium lighting, a scoreboard upgrade, scholarship suites and more. "Sharon and I are excited to be part of this plan. We feel it is the absolute right time to do this and we are excited about the future of Arizona Athletics. We feel this investment is necessary at this time to help keep the UA on par with other top programs. We feel the gift will benefit all Wildcat teams, as well as the University."

The University of Arizona has received a lifetime achievement award for its commitment to the Peace Corps. The University is one of the top 25 national producers of Peace Corps volunteers with UA grads serving from Mongolia to Madagascar. The UA also is home to the 2nd largest Peace Corps Fellows/USA program, which allows returning volunteers to "earn" their tuition for graduate school by working with under-served populations in Tucson. This win-win partnership has provided more than 80,000 hours of community service to local non-profit organizations.

Imagine having 20,000 dishes. That’s how many Southwestern Indian vessels are in the Arizona State Museum collection, making it the world’s largest collection of Southwest Indian pottery. The hand-crafted pots span 2000 years of life in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, reflecting almost every cultural group in the region. This collection is considered one of nation’s most significant cultural resources. Established in 1893, Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest and one of the UA's oldest research units. See the pots online at www.statemuseum.arizona.edu.