Recap: President’s Dinner 2025

“A Special Power and Feeling”: Gathering for BYU’s 2025 President’s Dinner

The 2025 edition of BYU’s President’s Dinner brought nearly 800 donors together, along with university and Church leadership, for an evening of fine dining, celebration, reacquaintance, and most of all, appreciation.

“We’re on the cusp of our sesquicentennial celebration,” said Vice President of Advancement Keith Vorkink, who conducted the meeting. “There are many ways, many implications that you can think about for the special things that the university must do. One of those special things is the relationship between donors and the university, one that is based on consecration. . . . And that brings a special power and feeling to our campus and students.”

Donors saw and heard from commencement speaker Amy Ortiz-Sanchez, student-athlete and NCAA national champion distance runner Casey Clinger, and the BYU Honors String Quartet.

“Each of these opportunities and interactions have expanded my world and perspective, along with my ability to love and connect with God’s children,” Ortiz-Sanchez said. “I am grateful for the experience provided by this university and you, its generous donors.”

Following the students, attendees heard from BYU President C. Shane Reese, who shared how the university is steadily “becoming BYU.”

“There’s tremendous momentum on this campus,” said President Reese before listing off recent university rankings and accomplishments. “None of those things matter—none of the rankings, none of the recognitions, none of the accolades matter if we’re not true to our mission and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. None of that matters if we backslide in our efforts to become BYU, that is to become the Christ-centered, prophetically directed university of prophecy. We must remain unique in all of academia.”

The evening concluded with remarks from Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the university’s sponsoring entity), and a member of the Executive Committee of the Church Educational System Board of Trustees.

“I feel the significance of your devotion and the contributions you make in so many ways, financial and otherwise, to this wonderful university,” Elder Christofferson said. “[President Reese’s] direction and vision when he speaks about becoming BYU is something we wholeheartedly support. . . . You who support BYU so generously with such greatness of heart can continue to do so with the assurance that BYU is on the right track and will continue on that track.”