University of Utah and BYU presidents agree: Rivalry, kindness can coexist

SALT LAKE CITY — College football season is months away — but the high-energy leaders of Brigham Young University and rival University of Utah still found themselves sitting across from one another on Friday at Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium.

But on this day, not a kickoff, touchdown or even a controversial penalty call could be found.

Instead, BYU President Shane Reese and his counterpart, University of Utah President Taylor Randall, were talking kindness.

Kindness — that oft-cited but elusive quality of being friendly, generous and considerate to all — was the focus of Friday's Kindness Summit 2025.

Reese and Randall were presenters at the "One Kind Act a Day Kindness Summit" — a one-day gathering of hundreds of Utah business and civic leaders, educators and students. The summit's goal is simple: Provide attendees with actionable resources that they can take back to their spheres of influence for immediate application.

The Kindness Summit is a highlight of "One Kind Act a Day" — an initiative launched by the Semnani Family Foundation promoting the promise of monumental societal changes prompted by small, daily acts of kindness.

"Kindness is more than a simple gesture — it is a force for transformation," wrote industrialist and community leader Khosrow Semnani in his welcome to Kindness Summit participants.

"It has the power to change lives, to heal divisions and to uplift both individuals and communities in lasting ways. When practiced collectively, kindness can reshape our world in ways never imagined," Semnani said.

University presidents Reese and Randall were joined on the day's presenter roster by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox; author and religious scholar Eboo Patel; the Rev. Oscar A. Solis, bishop of Salt Lake City's Catholic diocese; 9/11 Day of Service co-founder David Paine; Latter-day Saint Charities Director Sharon Eubank and Catholic Relief Services President and CEO Sean Callahan.

Corporate communication and political consulting veteran Boyd Matheson served as the event's master of ceremonies.

Kindness abundant among rivals

While the history between BYU and the University of Utah is often defined by its storied rivalry — Cougars vs. Utes — on the athletic field, Reese and Randall focused their remarks Friday on the legacy of collaboration and cooperation shared between the two institutions.

"We genuinely like each other," said Reese, drawing laughter.

The BYU president added that his Utah counterpart sends him a congratulatory text after every big Ute-Cougar game, regardless of the outcome.

"That kind of a selfless service-oriented expression is exactly the kind of modeling that the young people today need more of in their lives," said Reese.

But the friendship between the leaders of the rival schools goes far beyond sporting events.

Randall said when the Pac-12 Conference disintegrated, he received assurances from his friend and colleague Shane Reese that BYU would support Utah's acceptance into the Big 12 Conference — and that he would encourage other Big 12 schools to do likewise.

"Shane was actually the biggest advocate for the University of Utah joining the Big 12," said Randall.

Meanwhile, Randall has been a valuable resource and support to Reese as BYU takes its maiden steps in opening a medical school on its Provo campus.

Prior to the BYU medical school announcement, Reese and his team reached out to Randall and his team. A series of meetings soon followed. "I was blown away by the sense of collaboration and cooperation that their team exhibited throughout that initial piece," said Reese.

The state of Utah, and regions beyond, will ultimately be the beneficiaries of two local universities producing much-needed physicians.

"So why would we get in each other's way," asked Randall. "Why wouldn't we collaborate to assist each other better?"

Shane Reese: Loneliness a vast, deadly epidemic

In his Friday remarks, Reese said that a recent surgeon general's report said the top public health issue in the country — particularly among the youth and young adults — is loneliness.

"The effects of loneliness are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day," he said. "It has that effect on your physical health, not just on your emotional health."

The loneliness epidemic began long before the COVID-19 pandemic. And it's essential that the illness be addressed.

But the remedy to loneliness, assured Reese, is proven and widely available: Kindness.

People need to feel like they belong. That's how to cure loneliness. "The solution," said Reese, "lies in service and sacrifice for others."

Solving the epidemic of loneliness requires big acts — and small acts.

"Those small acts can be as simple as just sitting in a crowded room and noticing someone who looks incredibly intimidated by being in that room and then just scooting over to make a room," he said. "It might mean something as simple as just offering a small hello or a greeting."

Reese recalled a recent, good-natured social experiment he conducted in his Mapleton neighborhood. Whenever he was driving and spotted a pedestrian he did not know, he waved

He waved over 13,000 times to strangers. Only 136 strangers returned the wave.

Reese's experiment was a reminder that kindness, for whatever reason, is not always returned. But that's a risk worth taking if it means making progress.

"It might be that 10 of those 136 people who responded to me actually waved to someone else ... it is those small drops in a bucket where this effort will really make a measurable change.

"We can't be deterred by what seems like futile efforts," he said.

Taylor Randall: Kindness is a choice

Randall spoke of the benefits that come back to those who share kindness.

History, he said, is replete with stories of societies of all sizes that thrived because people first looked out for others. Generosity, distributed leadership and inclusion for all proved to be a benefit for all.

Regardless of a person's circumstance or background, he or she will have to make choices about how they interact and treat others.

"It's about our agency ... we decide," said Randall.

Generosity and kindness, he added, is contagious. "And we, as individuals, have the ability to change the narrative, no matter what."

The University of Utah president received a text this week from a colleague who simply told him he was doing a great job. Uplifted, Randall texted three people and told them they were doing a remarkable job.

Randall added his appreciation for the Kindness Summit.

"Universities have to be places where we learn to get along," he said. "They have to be blueprints for a good society. We will naturally make mistakes. There will be protests. There will be arguments. There will be discussions.

"What matters most is what happens after those arguments and after those protests. How do we reconcile with each other, and how do we create a good and just society?" he asked.

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