suu in view - spring 2012
DESCRIPTION
The 2012 Spring issue of Southern Utah University's alumni magazine.TRANSCRIPT
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RISING
F O R A L U M N I & F R I E N D S O F S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y S P R I N G 2 0 1 2
THE FUTURE IS
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Heres Alumni Days at Shakespeare!
Photo: Leslie Brott (left) as Mistress Alice Ford and Victoria Adams-Zischke as Mistress Margaret Page in the Utah Shakespeare Festivals 2006 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. (Photo by Karl Hugh. Utah Shakespeare Festival 2006.)
S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIRELATIONS
S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIRELATIONS
IRON COUNTY CHAPTER
S A L T L A K E C H A P T E R
Join Us!FOR ALUMNI DAYS AT SHAKESPEARE
June 2527
Come back and enjoy the beauty of campus, renew friendships and create new memories
Visit suu.edu/alumni to learn more and to purchase your six-play ticket package, or call (435) 586-7777
View all six plays of the Utah Shakespeare Festival 2012 season:
Plus, attend exclusive events with Festival staff & cast!
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Mary Stuart
Titus Andronics
Les Misrables
To Kill a Mockingbird
Scapin
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 1
OUR F U T U R E I S R I S I NGAbove all else, Southern Utah University is defined by its students. Their individual successes and challenges direct our strides as an institution, and amid great progress in new buildings and a refined University mission, there remains no greater nor more satisfying reward than our students rising success. As we embark upon the Universitys most ambitious fundraising campaign, taking stock of our Thunderbird community, we are cheered to see the positive impact both current and former students are making across the globe as well as right here on campus. We thank you, our devoted alumni, for your allegiance and enthusiasm in this exciting time at Southern Utah University.
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2I N V I E W
Contents
EXCITEMENT IS IN THE AIR 47The future is rising! The campaign for SUU starts off with a bangand with five campaign priorities that focus on the future of SUU, there are many ways for everyone to get involved.
PRIORITY 1: Enriching Student Life 815The SUU Experience 812 Learning Gives Forever 1314Live & Learn 15
PRIORITY 2: Academic Excellence 1623Preserving the Arts 1617Furnished for Excellence 18Smith in Swaziland 19Commitment is Tradition 2021Opening the Windows of Enlightenment 22Tools of the Trade 23
PRIORITY 3: Campus Enhancement & Expansion 2425SUU On The Rise
PRIORITY 4: Community Engagement 2628Frehner Museum of Natural History 2627Beyond Campus 28
PRIORITY 5: Emerging Opportunities 3031The SUU Fund Helps Bridge the Gap 30Experience, Education & Excitement 31
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3
S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIRELATIONS
S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y
ALUMNIRELATIONS
IRON COUNTY CHAPTER
S A L T L A K E C H A P T E R
SUU in View is created twice a year, in the
fall and spring. Past editions can be found
online at www.suu.edu/alumni/magazine.
351 West University Blvd.
Cedar City, UT 84720
(435) 586-7777
email: [email protected]
web: www.suu.edu/alumni
Executive Director
Mindy Benson
Associate VP for Advancement
Staci Carson
Layout & Photography
SUU Publications
Contributing Writer
Larry Baker
Left:
University artifacts on display from across the
ages, dating back to SUUs founding as the
Branch Normal School. Items displayed during
the annual Homecoming Alumni Luncheon.
The staff of the offices of Alumni Relations and University Advancement at the east
entrance of Old Main.
The Southern Utah University Alumni Association supports and celebrates the University by fostering a lifelong spirit of loyalty, service and fellowship among alumni, faculty, students and friends of SUU.
EditorJennifer Burt
Creative Director Nate Christian
Production AssistantRon Cardon
T-Bird Tally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Alumni Focus . . . . . . . . . .3233Soaring Higher . . . . . . . . .3435Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . .3637 Alumni Photos and NewsPhotojournal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38We will Remember . . . . . . . . . 39Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Their Future is Rising
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T H E C A M P A I G N F O R
S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y
ISTHE
Excitementi s i n t H e a i R
In a kick-off celebration that included live music from Kurt
Bestor with the SUU Symphony Orchestra, Peter Breinholt, and
The Joe Muscolino Band, as well as an impressive fireworks
display and entertainment from masters of ceremonies Brian
Vaughn and David Ivers, of Utah Shakespeare Festival fame,
Thunderbirds from across the state joined together under the stars
during Homecoming Weekend in celebration of all that is to come
for the school and our students when President Michael T. Benson
publicly launched SUUs $100 million fundraising campaign, The
Future is Rising: The Campaign for Southern Utah University.
Our thanks to the many friends and alumni who were with us
to mark this exciting turning point in SUU history at the Sept. 16
celebration during Homecoming Week of the Fall 2011 semester.
With a $100 million fundraising goal, this comprehensive
campaign is unlike any other in University history, with bigger goals
and broader objectives that will, simply put, elevate everything.
At the heart of each gift from SUUs friends, alumni and
students is the will to make a difference, to provide the SUU
community with the means to change lives and to improve our
world, as this campaign will spur growth and enhancements
across campus.
4 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
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www.suu.edu/risingwww.suu.edu/risingS U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 5
Excitement
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6 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
In all that we do, we encourage students to become
productive citizens, responsible leaders, high achievers and
lifelong learners. One student at a time, we are elevating
SUUs influence. This fundraising campaign will provide the
means to do this better than ever before, propelling Southern
Utah University to new heights in the coming decades and
creating an opportunity for us all to reaffirm and magnify our
commitment to SUU. Please join us in this bold and rewarding
endeavor, which promises so much for our students, our
campus and our community at large.
ENRIC
HMENT
P R I O R I T Y 1
THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
Enriching Student Life
Enriching Student Life$30 MILLION
EXCELLENCE
P R I O R I T Y 2
Academic Excellence Academic Excellence
THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
$14 MILLION
www.suu.edu/rising
This includes important enhancements to the programming and resources that facilitate the experiential, hands-on education for which SUU has come to be known.
Key aims will focus on lowering the faculty-to-student ratio, providing more opportunities to augment classroom work and increasing student scholarships.
This includes important enhancements to the programming and resources that facilitate the experiential, hands-on education for which SUU has come to be known.
Key aims will focus on lowering the faculty-to-student ratio, providing more opportunities to augment classroom work and increasing student scholarships.
Despite enrollment increases and budget cuts, we remain committed to maintaining SUUs hallmark personalized learning environment with the very best faculty and educational tools to carry the University into the future.
To boost academic excellence, the University seeks additional funding for support of faculty positions, educational resources and scholarship.
Despite enrollment increases and budget cuts, we remain committed to maintaining SUUs hallmark personalized learning environment with the very best faculty and educational tools to carry the University into the future.
To boost academic excellence, the University seeks additional funding for support of faculty positions, educational resources and scholarship.
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ENHANCEMENT
P R I O R I T Y 3
THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
Campus Enhancement& Expansion
Campus Enhancement& Expansion$43 MILLION
C A M PA I G N G O A L $ 1 0 0 M i l l i o nRAISED TO DATE $66 Million
ENGAGEMENT
P R I O R I T Y 4
THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
Community EngagementCommunity Engagement$2 MILLION
OPPORTUNITIES
P R I O R I T Y 5
THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
Emerging OpportunitiesEmerging Opportunities$11 MILLION
www.suu.edu/rising
SUUs campus has developed with a keen eye to its uniquely beautiful surrounding environment and natural resources. Future campus enhancement and expansion will remain both strategic to the institutional mission and in harmony with the interests and resources of the greater community.
Portions of such expansion include the much-anticipated Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), a new Shakespeare Theatre, a business building, university housing and athletic facility enhancements.
SUUs campus has developed with a keen eye to its uniquely beautiful surrounding environment and natural resources. Future campus enhancement and expansion will remain both strategic to the institutional mission and in harmony with the interests and resources of the greater community.
Portions of such expansion include the much-anticipated Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), a new Shakespeare Theatre, a business building, university housing and athletic facility enhancements.
Since its inception, SUU has worked to provide outreach services for economic and regional development, partnering with various organizations to enhance the greater community.
Additional support for such endeavors will enhance and expand community services across the region and state, as well as prompt our students to commit to a wider sphere of service and good will.
Since its inception, SUU has worked to provide outreach services for economic and regional development, partnering with various organizations to enhance the greater community.
Additional support for such endeavors will enhance and expand community services across the region and state, as well as prompt our students to commit to a wider sphere of service and good will.
This final objective will facilitate the Universitys ability to meet a wide range of additional and shifting needs through a variety of gifting programs, including the SUU Fund, deferred gifts and bequests on which the University can appropriately plan for its future needs.
Additionally, the Emerging Opportunities arm of this campaign will designate increased annual funding for SUUs established partners, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games and the Thunderbird Athletic Club.
This final objective will facilitate the Universitys ability to meet a wide range of additional and shifting needs through a variety of gifting programs, including the SUU Fund, deferred gifts and bequests on which the University can appropriately plan for its future needs.
Additionally, the Emerging Opportunities arm of this campaign will designate increased annual funding for SUUs established partners, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games and the Thunderbird Athletic Club.
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PRIORITY 1 ENRICHING STUDENT LIFE
ExperienceTheFrom its very beginning, when the Branch Normal Schools founders gambled all they had to build a schoolhouse in the dead of winter in order to bring higher
education to Cedar City, SUU was destined to be different.
One-hundred-fifteen years later, the University firmly stands
apart from the rest of the states schools, thanks to a more
comprehensive academic experience built to accommodate
the individual interests of every student.
Above all else, the SUU Experience is just that: an
experienceto expand the classroom into real world settings
that allow for active learning and valuable professional
exposure. Recent initiatives speak to this resolve as
administrators, professors and even student leaders redouble
efforts to give our students a hands-on, personalized
education that better prepares them for professional success.
Fittingly named, experiential learning is now a core
component to SUUs undergraduate curriculum. Moving
forward, every student will gain real-world experience in
addition to classroom studies. Every student will leave SUU
not only with a diploma but also with a body of work as
testament to his or her knowledge and skills.
To ensure every student has access to such opportunities,
various centers have been created across campus to facilitate
experiential learning.
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| Enriching Student Life |
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe capacity and desire of our students is inspiring. At the heart of these efforts,
the Community Engagement Center aims to help students help others and make a
difference.
One such student, RaeLynn Perez, worked through SUUs Service and
Learning Center to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. Perez, who is
studying to become an occupational therapist, knew she would enjoy the work
of building a home for a family in need but was surprised at everything else that
came with the experience.
I learned about tiling, grouting and insulation, but I learned so much more
by watching our project leaders as they worked with groups of completely
inexperienced college students, teaching them something new. I learned that
even leaders need to be open to ideas from others, and I have been much more
successful working with others in study groups and class projects since. I really
value patience and communication a whole lot more.
As our students serve others, they learn valuable skills and life lessons that
hold true across disciplines. And they realize their own potential for good in
ways they may never have otherwise considered.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Global Engagement Center aims to provide learning
on an international scale by providing access to safe,
intellectually stimulating communities in a variety of
locations worldwide. This is something students seek out
more and more as they prepare for future, global professions.
Far beyond the obvious cultural learning curve, the
opportunity to live and study abroad teaches students
about their capacity to learn and adapt, according to Alex
Taylor, who spent 10 months studying in Austria.
Taylor explains, While on exchange, I was required to
take a class that was mainly in German. I wasnt fluent in
the language and the class was extremely difficult for me.
But I worked with the professor, sought out extra help and
stuck it out. With a little determination, I was able to pass
the class and now, when faced with a difficult challenge, I
know that there is always a way to succeedits just up to
me to put in the time and effort to make it happen.
LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Leadership Engagement Center provides learning
experiences aimed at refining critical thinking, clear
communication and a deep sense of personal integrity and
social responsibilitytraits valued in every field and the
marks of great potential for the good of all.
In this pursuit, students work through individual
leadership projects that are a great marker of our students
potential. In one example, a first-generation college
student wishes to help others like herself by setting up a
high school student support group. Her goal is to increase
access to the knowledge and tools that will help young
students persist to and through college. For another
student, a model rocket enthusiast, leadership expresses
itself in her work to coordinate travel, team activities
and competition logistics for the American team in an
international model rocketry competition to be held in
Slovakia later this year.
Of these projects and many others, director of the
Leadership Center, Dr. Katy Herbold, said, Though we
are still in process, as proposals were just accepted at the
beginning of the spring 2012 semester, we have already
seen so much growth as students begin to think on a larger
scale and of the impact of their actionsthey begin to give
their ideas much more weight as we show them all that
they can do with them. Its amazing.
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| Enriching Student Life |
HARRY REID OUTDOOR ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Outdoor Engagement Center takes the classroom
into the great outdoors by facilitating unique projects and
partnerships that help students build success doing the
very things they already love.
One such student is senior outdoor recreation, parks
and tourism major Megan Taylor, who took a semester off
from her traditional studies in 2011 to hike the Appalachian
Trail. Taylor spent January through August preparing for
the experience on campus with the help of her professors
and ultimately hiked half of the trail from September
through December.
Of the experience, Taylor, who aims to be a mountain
guide and outdoor recreation professor one day, said, I
am someone who learns best through hands-on work, so I
really had to get out there and do it myself.
Taylor used the experience to complete her practicum
hours and was responsible for all logistics and preparation,
breaking the project down into concrete goals with a
feasible time line. The result, according to Taylor: Learning
at its best.
She continues, This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience;
not a lot of people have hiked over 1,000 miles, and
the experience really tested and
solidified everything I have learned
over the past few years.
CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT CENTER
The Creative and Innovative
Engagement Center aims to prepare
SUUs students to implement
innovative ideas across every
discipline. Reaching far beyond
the obviousthe performing and
visual arts, poetry and fiction
by its shortened moniker, the
Creativity Center is just that: a
meeting place for the resources
and people devoted to finding new
ideas and solutions.
The newest of all the Universitys
experiential education pursuits, the
Center is in just its second semester, though you wouldnt
guess it based on the truly great ideas its students are
generating. And the Centers director, Dr. Todd Petersen,
is not at all surprised, explaining, Our students have
interests and skills and experience that go well beyond
what we get to see in the classroom.
Petersen is clearly excited at the idea that they have
found a meaningful, new way to help students connect
their work with the rest of their life.
One such example comes from senior integrated
engineering major Tyler Richardson, who plans to build an
entire wind power generating station out of spare parts. His
goal is to build the station at little to no cost, and plans to test
his creation next winter to see if it can power his Christmas
tree lights throughout the season. But it doesnt stop there.
Petersen has encouraged Richardson to think bigger,
explaining, If we open source the plans, and if its
buildable with parts that are broadly available, this one
students idea has a whole lot of potential for good in third
world countries.
Petersen adds, Hes starting as a tinkerer, but this is an
opportunity to teach him about the broader world and all
that tinkerers have been and could be able to do.
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| Enriching Student Life |
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Program (UGRASP) supports
hands-on research and exploration at the undergraduate level, helping students
develop new skills and experience the thrill of discovery; connect with peers
as well as professionals who have similar interests; and gain confidence, using
their research experience to help direct and support future academic and
career endeavors.
For Roger Leavitt, a geology major who will head to the University of
Oklahoma to study petroleum geology after graduating this spring, this high
level of undergraduate research made all the difference.
Said Leavitt, Not only did the time I spent in my field-based project give me
a better idea of what I can expect of my future, but it allowed me to spend a lot
more time in the field than most students at my levelthis was, in my opinion,
the reason I was accepted to multiple graduate schools.
For many students, research experience is the tipping point when it comes to
the bid for coveted graduate school positions. At larger schools, though research
abounds, student positions on such projects are often reserved for graduate
students. Because of this, SUU students often come into the graduate application
process with an edge over many of their peers. That edgein both the academic
and professional worldsis the whole point of experiential education.
MICHAEL O. LEAVITT CENTER FOR POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICEThe non-partisan Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service prepares
students for careers in public service by helping them understand and navigate the
forces at work within their area of interest and discover opportunities to get involved
through leadership, experiential learning, citizenship education, humanitarian
service and public policy research.
Above all else, according to Jay Sorensen, this years student director, the
overall goal for us students within the Leavitt Center is, well, experience.
Sorensen was first given an internship to work at the state capitol during the 2011
legislative session. Once he returned to campus, he applied to be student director.
This position, says Sorensen, has given me more experience than I ever expected.
Ive learned delegation, planning, diplomacy and much more that will help me in a
professional setting.
Sorensen credits his experiences through the Leavitt Center for his success
securing an internship in Washington DC this summer where, according to the
graduating senior, Ill hopefully find a job and be able to stay.
When asked how he felt about his prospects, Sorensen said, I have been fortunate
to create a network and gain experience that I know will serve me throughout my
life. Im excited.
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 13www.suu.edu/rising
To listen to Southern
Utah University Director of
Development Lori Blackner talk
about those who give and those
who receive scholarship funds
is to share in a feeling of both
wonder and warmth.
Blackner, whos worked with
donors for nearly 15 years, often
shows a bit of emotion when
she meets people who, it would
appear, dont have a great deal of
personal resources themselves,
but nevertheless wish to give in
order to help students, also in need, reach their goals.
Many people who are negatively affected by todays
economy seem to want even more to help others, and its
clear that education is dear to them, she says. Truly the
most wonderful part of this job is meeting charitable people
and then, also, meeting the students who are so grateful
that theres someone who cares enough to help them.
Blackner says that this duality of her job inspires her:
the act of giving and the act of receiving are so uplifting.
Beyond the obvious financial
help, it truly helps students to know
that there is someone behind them,
someone who cares enough to help
and support them, she says. It
is a powerful emotional boost to a
student to receive a scholarship from
donated funds.
Truly, Southern Utah Universitys greatest asset is its
students, but more than 75 percent require financial
support. As a result, the Universitys top campaign priority
is raising general scholarship funds for students in need.
The goal is $15 million for scholarships.
The benefits are truly endless, as the student who
receives a scholarship today becomes the donor to
a scholarship tomorrow. Gifts can establish a chain
of philanthropy that extends
far beyond the lifetimes of
those who give. Moreover, the
positive difference made in
the world by those who have
earned a university degree truly
magnifies the scholarship gift,
perhaps by generations.
It is important to note that
Southern Utah University
continues to have more than
a quarter of its young adults
enrolled qualify as first-
generation students. Some come
from homes where education may not be the most
important focus or funding is difficult to obtain. Some
have had to overcome internal familial challenges along
with academic and financial obstacles that typically
prevent or postpone them from obtaining a college
degree. College graduates typically earn substantially
more than high school graduates and wage earning
capacity affects the overall quality of life for not only the
individual but also for their families and communities in
which they live.
Additionally, SUU actively seeks the
best and brightest students who are
also sought by other fine colleges and
universities. When SUU enrolls the
most talented and motivated students,
the undergraduate experience is
heightened for all. Gifted students serve as role models
and academic leaders; they raise the bar for other students
in terms of what they aspire to achieve, and improve the
overall intellectual climate of the SUU community. But,
there is keen competition among colleges and universities
to recruit and retain such students.
One such student is TJ Nelson of Layton, Utah, who,
approaching graduation from high school, knew that he
could make a difference in his collegiate career and in
| Enriching Student Life |
LEARNING GIVES FOREVERHOW SCHOLARSHIPS HELP T-BIRDS TAKE FLIGHT
the student who receives a scholarship today becomes the donor to a scholarship tomorrow.
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| Enriching Student Life |
the world beyond. He had a choice
of schools positioned to provide
scholarship aid. Thanks in part to
a competitive scholarship, he chose
SUU and immediately dove into a
myriad of activities in addition to
his business classes. Today, he is the
student body president and, beyond
his studies, gives a great deal of his
time in his fellow students aid. He
is quick to emphasize that without
a scholarship, this would not have
been possible.
While any amount can, when
applied to the gifts of others, aid
in scholarship funds, an endowed
scholarship is the most solid means
of support for students. With an
endowed scholarship, donors can
create a fund that is invested each
year, producing annual income used
for scholarship aid. The principal
remains intact, ensuring that the
fund continues in perpetuity. It
can be established by five years of
$5,000 gifts.
Non-endowed scholarships entail a
smaller annual gift, and contributions
can be added to the fund by the
initial donor or by others, including
family, friends or employers.
These scholarships may be
established in the name of an
individual, family, company,
organization or group. These
scholarships also may be a way to
honor or memorialize an alumnus,
faculty or staff member, student,
family member or others who may
have a special connection to SUU.
Whatever gifts are donated,
benefactors are assured that a
grateful student will be closer to the
dream of a university education. (ABOVE) TJ Nelson, SUU student body president & scholarship recipient
Glen Halterman of Parowan did not have the opportunity to attend a university, but that never stopped
him from making a marked difference in his community, and it doesnt stop him from supporting Southern
Utah University and its students.
After graduating from Cedar High School, Glen worked at the iron mines west of town and when the
mines closed, bought a farm. Along the way, he served his community, sitting on the Iron County School
Board, the Iron County Commission and in the mayors chair in Parowan.
But he always kept his eye on the local university and he and his wife Renee often talked about
endowing a scholarship for SUU students in need. Upon Renees death in 2003, Glen decided to follow through on that idea and established
the Glen L. and Renee Halterman Scholarship for students majoring in agriculture.
Ive always been a great believer in people, he says, and all of us need a chance to excel. Although Im retired from farming now, I was
fortunate in my productive years and this is an opportunity to help others.
Glen says that he often is visited by students hes helped and he tells them that his giving helps him as much as it helps them. It gives
me great joy, he says.
leadinG tHe WaY
CONTRIBUTE TOSUU SCHOLARSHIPS
CONTACT LORI BLACKNER
(435) [email protected]
14 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
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| Enriching Student Life |
T he college experience has as much to do with a students adventures outside of the classroom as it does with the learning gleaned from professors and textbooks. For most, the move to college is a young adults first step into the adventures and trials that come along with living on ones own, and the friends and experiences that surround a student do much to either
advance or impede success. To safeguard success, University Housing offers much more than a simple warm bed and sturdy
roof; it provides staff, programming and facilities that enhance academics and help residents connect with like-minded peers
and mentors. A growing trend across college campuses nationwide, Learning Communities place students with similar
academic or social interests within close proximity of one another in a supportive, safe environment with special access to
SUU professors and staff, exclusive programming and services, and invites to targeted social events, all at no additional cost.
Students who live in University-sponsored learning communities are best positioned for academic success.
Art & Design Hall Students stay in touch with the campus and local arts
communities as they draw inspiration and encouragement
from a community of artists and friends.
Global Village Students who are interested in exploring new cultures
will develop a broader global awareness surrounded by
students from all over the world in a friendly community
that values cultural diversity.
Honors Hall Honors Hall surrounds honors students with similarly
high achieving peers, setting the stage for academic
success with roommates and neighbors who understand
the highest academic demands.
Language & Culture Community This learning community immerses students in the
foreign languages and cultures they will be studying,
providing opportunities for daily conversational learning.
Outdoor Adventures Learning Community Students who seek outdoor adventure as part of the SUU
experience will build lasting memories with their peers as
they together develop leadership and adventure skills.
Rural Health Scholars Hall Ambitious pre-health students are placed together in
an engaging community that provides advising as well
as service, leadership and research opportunities in the
early years of a long academic venture.
Service Hall The Service Hall brings students together who are
interested in making a difference in the lives of others,
keeping these civic-minded scholars apprised of service
opportunities, extracurricular activities and other
programming to get involved and make an impact.
Transfer & Graduate Community Students coming to SUU from another college or
university will enjoy meeting peers with similar academic
backgrounds and thrive with a support group of fellow
T-Birds who are just beginning their SUU adventure.
LIVE & LEARN Learning communities help position students for academic success
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PRESERVING the ARTS
PRIORITY 2 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Youd be hard-pressed to find someone more excited about her job than Elementary Arts Education Endowed Chair Carrie Trenholm (85). Perhaps this is because she sees, more than most, her ability to make a difference.
Her sincere enthusiasm is infectious, and one conversation
with Carrie leaves you feeling
hopeful that, despite the red
tape surrounding legislative
budgeting and the pull on
creative teachers operating
under rigid system-wide
assessments, everything will
be all right and kids will yet
paint and sing and dance in our
public schools.
Whats more, because they
paint and sing and dance,
they will excel in the reading,
writing and arithmetic that
drives education reforms.
Trenholm is tireless and hopeful because she truly
believes there is no better way. She has read the studies and
done the research and, in the end, she moves forward in
certainty with one simple aim: keep the arts in our schools.
And she is succeeding, largely thanks to a similar passion
from Beverley Taylor Sorenson who first imagined and
then funded an educational partnership unlike any other,
creating endowed chairs in arts
education at each of Utahs top
four universities.
At the state level, Sorensons
efforts have spurred a lasting
overhaul of elementary
arts curriculum, the likes of
which have garnered national
attention as both revolutionary
and ingenious.
Raised on the arts in a family
of musicians, Sorenson decried
the No Child Left Behind
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 17www.suu.edu/rising
| Academic Excellence |
legislation that shifted resources
away from the arts and physical
education for math and readings
sake. What Sorenson sensed and
what research has now proven, is
that the sciences without creative
applicability are often frustrating
and inaccessible to young learners,
resulting in declining academic
achievement, increased behavioral
problems and rising absenteeism.
So in 1997, Sorenson took matters
into her own hands.
I decided if I couldnt immediately
bring the arts back into the schools
in their own right, I could at least
train the teachers to use art as a
tool to help teach everything else,
explained Sorenson.
So she sought out the very best
arts education specialists she could
findTrenholm among themand
funded their positions at universities
best known for producing high
quality schoolteachers.
To date, Sorenson has invested
millions upon millions of her own
money to fund arts programs in Utah
elementary schools, and her family
foundation, the Sorenson Legacy
Foundation, has given millions more to
Southern Utah University (along with
the University of Utah, Brigham Young
University, Utah State University and
Westminster College) to create new
programs to train future art teachers.
More broadly, the Sorenson family has
given much in the name of genetic
research, youth services and the deaf.
Yet in all of this, it is in the arts
education endowed chairs that Beverley
Sorenson takes the most pride.
And for good reason. In the past
14 years, these endowed chairs
have done the legwork to create and
sustain the Beverley Taylor Sorenson
Arts Learning Program which,
under the direction of the Utah Arts
Council and the Utah State Office of
Education, utilizes teacher training
from the states leading universities
to provide quality arts learning
in Utahs elementary schools
through continuing education for
all interested educators as well as
oversight to the programs in-school
arts specialists. To date, Sorensons
program has been successfully
implemented in 59 schools and 20
districts across the state.
Leading SUUs charge in this
endeavor, Trenholms impact is
evident. In the past year alone, she
has provided direct professional
development to more than 275
teachers and principals through
workshops, conferences and
in-service training. She has taught
2,184 schoolchildren with integrative
arts activities of her own design. And
she has led more than 170 of her own
elementary education students from
SUU in designing and implementing
similar learning activities that pair
the arts and sciences. Such efforts
amass to more than 8,000 young
students across southern Utah who
have benefitted from Trenholms
enthusiasm and expertise as the
Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts
Education Endowed Chair.
An endowed chair is among
the most important gifts to higher
educationa vital tool to promote
academic excellence by providing
invaluable support for use in research,
teaching or service activities. Carrie
Trenholm is a shining example of all
that can come from such support.
Our professors have amazing skills, a
wealth of knowledge and boundless
creativity; with the proper backing,
their potential for good is limitless.
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18 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
Endowed chairs and professorships
are a hallmark of a great university
and are sought for a handful of
critical reasons. While an endowed
chair or professorship brings with it
a financial gain for the institution,
and one that eases strain on current
resources, the establishment of such
honorific and fruitful positions also
brings prestige to the University,
aids in recruiting the most talented
students, and most certainly raises
the overall quality of the primary
mission of the University: teaching.
The practice of endowing chairs
and professorships began in England
in 1502, when Lady Margaret Beaufort,
Countess of Richmond, mother of King
Henry the Seventh and grandmother
to the future King Henry the Eighth,
created the first endowed chairs in
divinity at Oxford and Cambridge.
Nearly 50 years later, Henry the Eighth
established the Regius Professorships
at both universities.
Thus far, there is only one endowed
chair at SUU (the Beverley Taylor
Sorenson Arts Education Endowed
Chair) but it is the goal of The Future
Is Rising campaign to establish an $8
million fund for endowed chairs and
endowed professorships, split equally.
Such endowments would allow
for the hiring and retention of the
best faculty and recognize, foster
and sustain academic excellence
among the faculty. The University
seeks to attract, reward and retain
distinguished faculty, leaders,
scholars and artists of national and
international reputation to occupy an
Endowed Chair or a Professorship as
one of the highest forms of recognition
provided by the University.
An endowed chair or professorship
impacts educational quality for a long
period of time and in multiple ways,
says Shauna Mendini, dean of the
College of Performing and Visual
Arts. From a faculty perspective,
there is prestige to those holding an
endowed position and it can be used
to reward or recruit the best and
brightest from the academic world to
strengthen student learning.
The income from the endowment
is used for salary supplements to
reward and retain distinguished
faculty members or to recruit top
professors from other institutions.
The intention is to provide the
holder of the endowed chair with the
resources necessary to continue the
scholars contribution to teaching,
research and public service.
Donors who generously endow
chairs know that they are not only
ensuring academic excellence in
teaching and research today, but
that theirs is truly a gift to the
future. Endowed chairs are living
memorials, signifying a permanent
commitment to quality education.
ExcellenceEndowed chairs & professorships raise quality of students and teachers alike
ExcellenceFURNISHED FOR
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 19www.suu.edu/rising
SUU Communication professor
Dr. Jon M. Smith is working as a
Fulbright Scholar at the University
of Swaziland-Kwaluseni (UNISWA)
in the Kingdom of Swaziland in
southern Africa, where he is lecturing,
conducting research and producing
video documentary during the
20112012 school year. Smith began
teaching in Swaziland in August
2011 and is on sabbatical leave from
SUU during this assignment. He will
return to SUU in August 2012.
Smith served as communication
department chair at SUU before
coming to Swaziland, where
he is teaching journalism and
broadcasting classes.
Smith introduced his students to
television news production and, for
the first time ever, provided video
coverage of the universitys annual
graduation, involving the countrys
ruling monarch, King
Mswati III. He arranged
for the first-ever student
media credentials and security
clearance for students to cover
the event.
While there is one independent
newspaper in the country, Swaziland
has a largely state-controlled media.
Part of Smiths Fulbright assignment
involves providing consultation to
the media industry, promoting open
access and understanding among
industry professionals, as well as his
UNISWA colleagues and students.
Because UNISWAs department of
journalism and mass communication
does not have the resources for a
student newspaper nor television or
radio stations, Smith is utilizing the
internet for program and content
distribution. UNISWA Today on
Facebook is this new media outlet
for campus news, photographs and
videos. Though the areas technology
is outdated by American standards,
Smith has pushed his students with
new media to better prepare them for
the field at large.
In addition to teaching, Smith is
working on several documentaries
while abroad. The first, tentatively
titled Park Neighbors,
compares the people
who live near and
work in national parks in
southern Africa with those in
southern Utah. Smiths wife, Anne
Smith, adjunct SUU professor in
Outdoor Recreation and Tourism,
is co-producing that documentary
because of her expertise in national
park issues.
Another documentary which
Smith worked on in free time, titled
Saints in Swaziland, explores the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints humanitarian and
missionary efforts in Swaziland.
Smith collaborated with KSL-TV in
Salt Lake City on the documentary
which aired on KSL-TV between
sessions of the LDS Church General
Conference in April 2012.
For both documentaries Smith
captured the life and culture of
Swazi people as well as many
extraordinary animals.
SMITH INSWAZILAND
| Academic Excellence |
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20 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
| Academic Excellence |
In 1898, Branch Normal School founding faculty member George W. Decker
quietly paid the first of many tuition balances for students whose financial
circumstance jeopardized their education. This selfless act was the beginning
of a sincere concern for the success of our students that continues among the
Universitys faculty today.
Southern Utah Universitys history is rife with stories of teachers who have
gone the extra mile to help a struggling student or to challenge a successful
one. And though each student who tells the tale of a professor who invited
them into their home for a warm meal with family and additional help
studying for exams claims theirs is surely the ultimate example of a professors
extraordinary commitment, the situation repeats again and again, with
different students and various professors across generations and disciplines
testament to a learning community that, above all else, is wholly committed
to its students.
To them I was a person, not just another face in the crowd.
More than a century has passed
since Decker anonymously cleared
the debt of struggling students,
and while much has changed, the
SUU facultys level of commitment
to both students and field has
not once wavered, as evidence by
grateful commendations of alumni
across the ages.
In 2004, as a freshman nursing
student prepared to give up after an
impossibly challenging first semester,
Donna Lister, head of SUU Nursing,
redoubled her efforts with that one
student amidst pressing demands
and responsibilities surrounding
the fledgling program. Said Amber
(Bowler) Chapman (06), Donna
was certainly not obligated to invest
any more effort into my education,
as I was about to drop the program,
but she refused to let me give up
and supported me personally over
the next four years. Donna was my
cheerleader and I couldnt have done
it without her.
Similar sentiments were expressed
by alumni Cliff Yardley (59) and
Nancy Head (77). Said Yardley, By
his example, Dr. Phil Ogden taught
me about the importance of caring
about and helping other people.
And of Professor Gary McIntyre
(62), Head said, He had a way of
making me and all those students
he worked with feel like there wasnt
anything we couldnt do if we worked
hard enoughand we believed him.
T raditionCOMMITMENT IS
Among them: George Decker
BNS faculty photo taken in 1912 in front of Old Main
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 21www.suu.edu/rising
| Academic Excellence |
Bryce Christensen as well as Jessica
Tvordi in English all made my
time at SUU amazing. They each
demonstrated such a passion for their
work, that I couldnt help but be
inspired and want to learn more.
To be an SUU professor is to be a
mentor, not merely a teacher, and as
Malissa Zierow (95) so eloquently
stated when speaking about several of her professors, To them I was a person,
not just another face in the crowd. They advised, directed and influenced me
to become the person and the teacher I wanted to become. I owe a great debt of
gratitude to them.
Clearly, our professors are the core of the Universitythe driving force behind
much of our progress and the heart of our commitment to every students
success. No matter how great our facilities and course offerings, the delivery
of a true SUU education rests upon the talents and expertise of our professors.
Unfortunately, retaining and recruiting top faculty is a major challenge in
what has become the highly competitive field of higher education. Faculty
support through competitive wages, professional development and individual
scholastic endeavors is vital in keeping the best professors from going elsewhere
and in recruiting additional world-class faculty members.
As we move forward, boosting academics and enhancing the personalized
learning environment through an experiential, personalized education
that will set SUU apart from the vast majority of all other public schools,
we place great weight on our facultythe professors who work with our
students day in and day outto deliver all that is promised in a Southern
Utah University education.
Beyond their impact for good upon students, a great professor has the power
to positively influence their colleagues with energy, enthusiasm and creative
example. Great faculty members step forward as leaders, seeking to become
involved across campus and to strengthen the broader college experience each
of our students receive.
With a commitment to their students and a passion to advance their field,
every one of our 253 full-time faculty have in them the drive and potential
necessary to change lives; our job is to provide the resources and professional
support they need to hone their very best skills and ideas to the benefit of
their students.
Our professors concern for
their students is matched with
a commitment to their discipline
that inspires the students under
their tutelage.
Said Ron Proctor (74), Professor
Richard Dotson brought challenging
science topics to life. You couldnt
help but be drawn in by his
enthusiasm for the things we were
talking about.
Oftentimes, such enthusiasm was
evidence in many professors across a
single students course of studies, as
was the case for Kirstin Bone(11).
Christine Frezza in theatre, Matt
Nickerson in the Honors Program,
The individualized education SUU students enjoy is thanks to small class sizes and faculty who genuinely care about each students success.
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22 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
The library of the 21st Century
still contains stacks filled with
books and racks of magazines
and journals. But, to hold all of
the information available through
physical means, the Sherratt Library
would have to be vastly larger and
more costly. Thus, the library of
todays information age depends
largely upon digital resources as
well as on its paper collection.
While the Sherratt Librarys
resources are voluminous, such
materials fall short of facilities at
peer institutions. As a whole, the
University has long been measured
against its in-state peer institutions,
but the library, alone among the
entities of the University, is judged
by a national body against those of
other schools.
Again, the library of today is
built to a great extent by digital
resources. While Wikipedia
and other such sites around the
Internet may be helpful to the
curious web surfer, scholars and
researchers require access to
expensive peer reviewed databases
to support their studies. When such
digital resources are taken into
consideration, the Sherratt Library
is falling behind. According to
the dean of the library, John Eye,
subscriptions to some necessary
databases can run as high as
$30,000 per year, and the cost
of essential digital materials far
exceeds SUUs ability to pay with
state-provided funds alone.
To be sure, the Sherratt Library has
a strong following, and individuals
and groups such as the Friends of the
Library are invested in the librarys
success. But more aid is needed. As
part of The Future Is Rising campaign, a
goal of $2 million has been established
to bolster library acquisitions and
to expand the figurative walls of
the library even further, with more
information for all.
500
400
300
200
100
0expenditure dollars per
student
books andpaper collection
in thousands
Opening the Windows of Enlightenment
437.
32
403,
188
254.
77
288,
778
100
80
60
40
20
0
10 Schools MedianComparable to SUU
SUU
FTE Students
70.2
3
41.9
4
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 23www.suu.edu/rising
| Academic Excellence |
Experiential education is touted as the cornerstone of a Southern Utah University education. In this, our aim is simple: prepare students for professional success with hands-on experience. Yet, in most fields, such experience is impossible without the proper tools of the trade, and the University often upgrades technologies and equipment to facilitate hands-on
learning that will propel students into rapidly advancing fields. A small sampling of instructional wish list items from across
campus speaks to the pressing need for ongoing support in this area.
LES JONES TESTING & ANALYSIS LAB There are two closely connected variables when it comes to psychological diagnosis
and treatment: the mind and the body. Professor Les Jones has helped students
make these connections to better understand human behavior for the past 43 years.
In his honor, we will expand hands-on psychophysiological research at SUU by
providing broader access to clinical assessment technologies, enhancing the student
experience by facilitating active learning and critical undergraduate research.
FOOD FOR THOUGHTThe belly rules the mind, according to a Spanish Proverb which holds true for
SUUs Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management (HRHM) students whose future
livelihoods may very much be determined by the food that they plate. With food
production courses required of all HRHM students, there is a pressing need for
dedicated, on-campus space and commercial equipment to improve learning.
PAST MEETS FUTUREWith much yet to be learned from the past, the Sherratt Library seeks to digitize
its vast collection of artifacts to make them accessible to a much broader and far-
spread audience for everything from academic research to family history. Currently,
however, the Sherratt Library is lacking the technology to archive large format and
fragile materials, thus limiting access to many important historical holdings.
SCHOOLING THE TEACHERS OF TOMORROWWith standard learning practices that increasingly incorporate technology into at all
levels of education, teachers must keep pace with the tech savvy of students who
have been raised on technology. To best prepare tomorrows educators, the college
of Education must lead the way in classroom technology, steadily incorporating the
latest and greatest in learnings sake.
THE NEW PAPER & INKTodays burgeoning artists must possess much more than raw talent to succeed
professionally, and a students confident command of common yet expensive
artistic technologies will best ensure their work is both accessible and marketable.
Wider access to t Digitizers, the industry standard, will ensure every illustration
and design student is not just creative and skilled, but well prepared for professional
success in the very competitive, demanding field that is the arts.
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PRIORITY 3 CAMPUS ENHANCEMENT & EXPANSION
24 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
sUU on tHe Rise: oUR GRoWinG CaMPUs
neW diXie leaVitt bUsiness bUildinGSUU teaches business using experiential education and student engagement and now needs a building that complements our efforts to blend theory and practice. That includes student breakout rooms for team projects, seminar rooms for case studies, advanced computer labs and an expanded service learning and investment lab so students can practice what we teach.
indooR RidinG aRenaA new, 22,990-square-foot covered riding arena to be located at the Valley Farm, will provide a safe, weather-proof venue for the teaching of a variety of equine courses. A covered arena will dramatically improve the safety and comfort of such classes, facilitating programmatic growth and lending notoriety to SUU equine studies.
football tURfSUU Athletics has upped its game in preparation for the fall 2012 move to the Big Sky Athletic Conference. With an increasingly impressive record and great potential to generate public support and revenue for the University, SUU Football will greatly benefi t from an improved fi eld of competition.
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www.suu.edu/rising
| Campus Enhancement & Expansion |
S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 25www.suu.edu/rising
sHaKesPeaRe tHeatRe
The new Shakespeare theatre will allow for the same intimacy
and overall experience of the current Adams Memorial
Theatre, yet allow the Utah Shakespeare Festival to expand
its season and performances.
sUMaThe Southern Utah Museum of Art will become a major year-round regional cultural attraction, with education central to its purpose of exhibiting, collecting and preserving historic and contemporary works of art signifi cant of the interior American West. The nationally-accredited museum will be staffed and operated by students in a shared research and learning environment mentored by faculty and staff in an applied learning program unique in the world.
sCienCe CenteRThe Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Science and
Engineering is partially housed in the now complete L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Center for Health and Molecular
Sciences, a 42,385-square-foot addition that provides state-of-the-art laboratories and similar spaces to prepare students for their futures in the sciences.
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26 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
FREHNER MUSEUM of natural history
PRIORITY 4 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History within the L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Center for Health and Molecular Sciences opened its doors to the
public on April 2 to an eager campus as well as the whole
of the regional community who will now benefit from the
museums growing collection of animals, fossils, plants,
minerals and archeological discoveries. By its mission, the
museum exists to increase public understanding of the
biology, geology and anthropology of southwestern Utah.
With a focus on early learning, the museums initial target
is for K-12 learning and will house, in addition to a wide
variety of specimens, many hands-on exhibits and activities
for youth. Steadfast believers in the value of education,
the Frehners have sought to use their knack for big game
hunting to bring new insight about the natural world. In
this pursuit, the museum will also serve as a central vehicle
of support for broader educational opportunities, special
events and local initiatives concerning the natural history
and present-day conditions of southern Utah.
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 27www.suu.edu/rising
The natural wonders that surround usbig and smallwarrant re ection
and protection. There is much to see and learn as we continue to build the museums programming and collection. Track our progress on Facebook: Garth & Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History.
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28 I N V I E W
| Community Engagement |
THE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
Southern Utah is widely regarded
as a special place, blessed with
wondrous scenery, open-hearted
people and a culture of dedication
to education and advancement.
As an important element in the
region, Southern Utah University
is an enthusiastic partner as well
as a committed leader in the
broader community in which it
resides. To that end, and with an
eye to the future, the University
takes seriously its charge to grow
promising community initiatives for
the benefit of all.
Engagement in the community
takes many forms, largely via the
Office of Regional Services, but
beyond that, the University prides
itself on investment in the Small
Business Resource Center, the Center
for Applied Research and Advanced
Technology, the Outdoor Institute and
the states only Hispanic Center for
Academic Excellence. Through these
initiatives, Southern Utah University
strives to make a difference in the
quality of life in the region it serves
as representatives of those programs
work together to ensure their success.
A chief need for support through
The Future Is Rising campaign is in
operating expenses for the Business
Resource Center, located on Main
Street in the historic downtown
of Cedar City. The Center assists
businesses with a wide variety of
aids to help them achieve success
and grow the economy of the region.
Representatives in the area of
community engagement include
not only faculty and staff, but
also students. SUUs students are
encouraged to become contributing
members of the communities in
which they work and live. Thus,
the University provides ample
opportunity for active participation
in projects and initiatives on and off
campus. Such partnerships provide
unique learning environments in
which SUUs students can thrive.
With $2 million in support through
The Future Is Rising campaign, SUU
and its partners will enhance and
expand community services across
the region and the state.
SUUs Hispanic Center for Academic Excellence is an important resource for a significant segment of the
Universitys students, but, more than that, it is a valuable addition to the community at large as its staff
and students work to improve the lives of Hispanics in the area.
Center students tutor Hispanic youth and enable families to gain better access to resources and
educational opportunities as they travel to schools throughout the region to address such needs.
Most important, says Center director Dr. Rosanita Cespedes, is that Hispanic youth and their parents
learn a new paradigm that includes the very real possibility of a higher education.
Many of these families face a very real barrier in that they have no idea how to navigate toward higher
education, or that it is even a possibility she says. This goes beyond an issue of language. It is a failure to
see or understand the opportunities for their children.
With support through The Future Is Rising campaign, the Center will expand its quest to address the
challenges families face in acclimating to life in southern Utah and integrating into educational systems.
sUU HisPaniC CenteR
Rosanita Cespedes, Director of Hispanic Center for Academic Excellence
beYondCaMPUs
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91,57991,579
4444A N U M E R I C A L S L I C E O F S O U T H E R N U TA H U N I V E R S I T Y S C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T
TALLYT-BIRD
162162162162162
1,5601,560
9,9679,967
120,000120,000
808023,40323,403
S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 29
hours of community service by SUU students were documented in the Universitys bid for the U.S. Presidents Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
non-profi t and community organizations have partnered with the Civic Engagement Center and Center for Rural Health to provide service opportunities for SUU students91 from Cedar City, 41 from across Utah and 30 on a national or international level.
students labored across Iron County in SUUs annual Service Saturday for incoming freshmen.
athletes participated in the 2011 Utah Summer Games, ranging in age from two to 85 years old.
tickets were sold during the Utah Shakespeare Festivals 2011 season.
sports comprise upcoming Utah Summer Games competition, which will run June 7July 1, 2012 in Cedar City.
gallons of soup are served on the fi rst Monday of every month in the traditional Bread & Soup Nite service activity, netting an average of 950 cans of food donations for the campus HOPE Pantry and the Iron County Care and Share.
pounds of food for the Iron County Care and Share was collected by SUUs student-athletes in the Summit Leagues annual Food Fight service competition.
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30 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
THE SUU FUND HELPS BRIDGE THE GAPEveryone, Every Year is both
the slogan and goal of the SUU Fund,
which supplements scholarships
and other needful programs of the
campus. The collected funds are
expended in full every year, so that
Brad Bishop (93), SUUs director of
annual giving, starts at zero each
July while students have benefited
over the previous year by the gifts
of alumni, friends, the community
and businesses.
While donors often channel their
gifts to programs that mean the
most to them, unrestricted gifts made
annually to the University provide the
steady support to weather economic
downturns and dwindling state
support. These funds can be spent
immediately and allow the University
to address needs as they arise.
Annual gifts enable the University
to provide scholarships that
will attract the best students and
support faculty/student research
projects. They improve the library
and computer labs as they enable
students and faculty to have access
to the most current information and
technology. Additionally, they support
the pursuit of excellence in athletics
and help provide culturally enriching
programs in arts, theater and vocal
and instrumental performance.
Donors to the SUU Fund respond
to direct mail requests or through
the annual phonathon from SUU
students. Additionally, and to
underscore its importance, faculty
and staff are strong supporters of
the SUU Fund, and 78 to 86 percent
of employees contribute to the Fund
each yeara figure among the
highest in the nation.
The Future Is Rising campaign
goal for the SUU Fund is $1 million.
An additional goal is $3 million
in deferred gifts to the University,
including life insurance gifts,
bequests by will or life estate gifts,
so that the future of the University is
made stronger.
PRIORITY 5 EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MORE INFO ON THE SUU FUND
CONTACT BRAD BISHOP
(435) [email protected]
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S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 31www.suu.edu/rising
&There are myriad Southern Utah
University programs that advance
the institution in the realms of
achievement and renown. However,
two enduring SUU staples, in
particular, fulfill a number of
institutional goals while serving
as magnets for many thousands of
visitors each year and, importantly,
establishing new friendships.
The great numbers of students
and alumni who had first contact
with SUU through the Utah
Shakespeare Festival and the Utah
Summer Games is a tribute to the
vision behind these great events but
also to their efficacy and success.
While both are vibrant ingredients
of the institution, they transcend
the boundaries of SUU and Cedar
City and are truly important and
beloved dimensions of the state
of Utah as well. The University
has always treasured its role and
close association with both of these
inspired and inspiring offerings
that celebrate the human spirit and
enliven a vast community.
An added benefit to the
University through these two
programs is the opportunity for
students to gain valuable real-world
experience with well-respected and
nationally-recognized professional
organizations. This association
strengthens the primary mission of
the University to educate its students
through engagement.
In efforts to keep these programs
flourishing for participants and
constituents alike, the cost of tickets
and entry fees are maintained at a
reasonable level and staffs of each
are augmented by healthy numbers
of volunteers. However, both events
are costly to produce, and in order
to bridge the gap between costs and
revenues, each require the help of
generous partners and donors.
The Tony Award-winning Utah
Shakespeare Festival, now beginning
its sixth decade of excellence, seeks
continued financial support with
its annual fund to augment ticket
revenues as costs keep rising, while
the Utah Summer Games, now more
than a quarter-century old, relies
on gifts in addition to the generous
sponsorship of many.
Those who give to these programs
see their gifts as investments in the
future. Neither the Utah Summer
Games nor the Utah Shakespeare
Festival can remain static. Both
must continue to advance and to
serve expanding numbers of people
with ever-evolving programming
and activities.
&Experience, Education
Excitement THE USF & USG FULFILL A MYRIAD OF ROLES AT SUU
www.suu.edu/rising
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Alumni FocusStay in touch with your former classmates and share in the celebration of your accomplishments through our online Class Notes webpage: suu.edu/alumni/classnotes
Galen West63, chemistry. Retired dentist. Sitka, AK & Halfway, OR
Where are you now?Enjoying retirement following
33 years as a dentist in Sitka and
13 years with a childrens practice
on the Yukon River. I have fished
commercially for salmon and halibut
in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering
Sea ever since I moved to Alaska.
What are your most valued accomplishments?
My family. I am married to a
wonderful lady from Kansas and
have four children: two commercial
fishermen in Alaska, a dentist in
Colorado and a wholesale marketer
in Southern California.
Which sUU employee impacted you?
Bessie Dover. While in the Navy
and hitchhiking home to Oregon, I
stopped in Cedar, found the campus
and met Bessie. She was so positive
about what CSU stood for and
strongly encouraged me to attend
when I got discharged. I did attend
and am forever grateful to her.
What are your most memorable accomplishments?
Being the first female justice of the
peace in Lincoln County, receiving
the Distinguished Jurist Award and
serving as president of the Nevada
Judges Association.
What did you gain from your sUU professors?
From Carol Johnson and A.W.
Stephenson, I learned about the
secretarial world; Mary Basto taught
me how to dress my home; V.R.
Magleby taught me in the biology of
the planet; Blaine Johnson inspired
me musically; and Vern Kupfer
opened the door to understand
human behavior. I am grateful for
all of these lessons.
What are your fondest sUU memories?
Assemblies, Phi Pho Omega &
Lamba Delta Sigma sororit ies,
operettas, kissing a special guy
under the auditoriums big pine
tree and making life long friends.
Pete GetKeR58, secretarial science. Senior justice of the peace for Nevada. Panaca, NV.
What are you doing now?Learning French for my new
position this summer with the U.S.
State Department in Paris, France. I
was previously with the political and
economic office in Dili, Timor-Leste.
How did you discover your career?
Professor Walser was very
influential. His stories about being
a legal attach at the embassy in
Mexico first peaked my interest
and prompted me to research
international career opportunities
with our government.
What professional memories stand out?
Serving my country as a soldier
in Operation Iraqi Freedom was a
life shaping experience. And my
most exciting days recently have
been passing the Virginia bar, being
accepted to the U.S. Foreign Service
and welcoming our third child.
What was a favorite college experience?
Helping organize scholarship
weekends with my fellow presidential
ambassadors. It was a fantastic
opportunity to brag about SUU.
CHRis CRaWfoRd04, criminal justice. State depart-ment vice-consul. Washington, D.C.
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JoHn & natalie WateRsJohn: 87, accounting & theater arts. COO of Covington & Burling, LLP. Natalie: 87, music. Institute teacher and homemaker. Fairfax, VA
What are your most memorable professional accomplishments?
John established offices for his
firm in California, New York and
China. Three more are planned in
Asia and the Middle East. Natalie
helped establish The Youth Orchestra
of Fairfax and maintains her Chinese
fluency.
do you volunteer in your community?
We take a very active role in
supporting events associated either
with our church or with our children.
What is your favorite sUU memory?
Meeting each other. A mutual
friend introduced us. We were then
cast opposite each other in a theatre
production and the rest was history.
Our romance began in the auditorium
breezeway.
How do you share sUU? We encourage anyone exploring
universities in the West to consider
SUU. We quickly promote the high
qualities and unique learning
environment that SUU embraces.
RiCK & Heidi RobinsRick: 96, physical education. High school principal. Heidi: 95, elementary education. High school counselor. Nephi, UT.
What are your most recent pro-fessional accomplishments?
Rick was named Utah High School
Principal of the Year (2011-2012) from
the Utah Association of Secondary
School Principals.
Where was a favorite dating spot of yours during college?
We loved to watch movies at
Fiddlers movie theatre.
How do you keep your thunderbird pride alive?
We follow SUU Athletics, of course,
and our basement is full of SUU
memorabilia from our playing days
jerseys, paintings, pictures, blankets
and banners. We bleed T-Bird red!
What were your sUU highlights? Rick: Winning the football
conference championship in 1993,
becoming the all-time leading QB
passer in school history and having
44 consecutive starts.
Heidi: winning the basketball
conference championship and
defeating the University of Utah at
the Huntsman Center.
What have you been doing since graduation?
I received my MFA from Wayne
State and danced worldwide with the
Joffrey Ballet. I now work in higher
ed. as an educator and administrator.
Who at sUU most impacted your success?
Gerald Sherratt, hands down.
He cared about my growth
and development and gave me
opportunities. Pat Paystrup and
Gwen Grimes were knowledgeable,
tough, direct, and made me search
for things inside of me that I didnt
know I had.
What are your favorite sUU traditions?
The Utah Shakespeare Festival has
been my most constant connection
with SUU. But Homecoming is
becoming a regular tradition for me.
How do you keep your sUU pride alive?
Besides wearing Thunderbird red,
I give back to my alma mater and
support students in their education,
just like so many alumni did for me
when I was in school. Now more
than ever, scholarship support is
vitally important to students.
MiCHael andeRson89, communication. Associate V.P. for institutional advancement at Columbia College Chicago. Chicago, IL.
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34I N V I E W
Thunderbirds far and wide continue to make their mark. We applaud the heights theyve reached and look forward to all that is yet to come.
S O A R I N G
GOLDEN VOICES
THE SAND MAN
HIGHER
HONORABLE SERVICE
3434I NI N VV I E W
HIGHER
Dr. Danielle Dubraskys collection of poetry, The Sand
Man won first place in the Utah Arts Council Original
Writing Competition. Dubrasky is a creative writing professor
and associate department chair within the Department of
English and has taught at SUU for the past 20 years.
Two SUU students as well as several staff members
and alumni returned to our campus community this
spring semester after a six-month deployment in Iraq
as part of the 222nd battalion. Our thanks to all of our
Thunderbird alumni and friends who sacrifice so much
to serve our nation.
SUU vocal students Taliah Lee Johnson and Geneil
Perkins were nominated for a 2012 Grammy as
contenders in the Best Choral Performance division for
their work on Seraphic Fires recording of Brahms: Ein
Deutsches Requiem.
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GAINING SPEED
IN SUPPORT OF SPORT
THE QUETZALTENANGO PROJECT
AWARD-WINNING ROLE
UPHOLDING EDUCATION
STUDENT S F IRST
SUUs Cameron Levins ran to a first-place finish at the 2011 Canadian Cross Country Championships, finishing
the 10k course in 32:04. Just six days before, Levins recorded a fourth-place, All-American finish at the NCAA
Cross Country National Championships. The title is Levins second consecutive title after first capturing gold at
the 2010 Canadian National Championships. Levins is an Olympic contender in the 5,000 meters for Canada.
College of Education alumnus and Richfield High Schools current
athletic director and assistant principal Richard Barton (93) received the
Distinguished Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic
Administrators Association for his contributions at the local, state and
national levels.
SUU Gymnastics finished the 2011 season second in the nation in
academics with a team GPA of 3.8050. In addition to the second place
nod in the NCAA Academic National Championship, 12 of the teams 14
gymnasts also earned academic all-American citations.
SUU alumnus Paul Bottema (82) recently spent nine
months completing the stone and tile work inside the
LDS Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple. Inspired by
Mayan architecture, the Quetzaltenango Temple project
included the most extensive use of tile and stone that
Bottema has ever seen in the, now, 21 LDS temples that
include his craftsmanship.
The National Theatre Education Association (EdTA) recognized SUU
theatre alumna Jan Shelton (90) with its Lifetime Achievement Award
for her dedication to and promotions of educational theatre for more
than 20 years. Shelton was inducted into the EdTA Hall of Fame along
with just four other teachers from across the nation.
Education alumnus Jim Johnson (76) has
been named the Utah Superintendent of the
Year by the Utah School Superintendents
Association. Johnson has worked in
education for 36 years, as a coach, teacher,
principal and now superintendent for Iron
County School District.
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Class NotesWed love to feature Thunderbird adventures far and wide in the next Class Notes. As you reconnect with your college pals, snap a pic and send it our way: [email protected]
(ABOVE) SUUSA Reunion this past fall. Front row, left to right: Dani Apo (02), Caytee Cox Wankier (08), Ryan Richey (03), Jennifer Davey Richey (03). Middle row, left to right: Heath Apo, Marilyn Hodson Boucher (02), Jessica Burr (07), Anna Davis (05), Andrea Dover (02), Heather Lattier (02). Back row, left to right: Natalie Richardson Leavitt (02), Jeric Leavitt (03), Jesse Holt (10), Kiersten Gray Holt (09), Thor, Zach Ludlow (03), Mindy Benson (94) Steve Kiisel (07), Tarrence Warenski (02), Wendy Warenski.
(ABOVE) Sisters from the Phi Rho Omega Sorority were on campus last summer for their annual reunion. Top row (left to right): Judy Cloward Christensen (73), Kathy Peterson Hadlock (72), Wendy Dubois Wilson (72 ), Linda Erickson Kay (72) and Susan Terry Maxfield. Front row (left to right): Sue Rickenbach Barney (69), JoAnn Martin Mikelson (72), Kathy Conder Fry ( 71), Kaye Eckersley Mitchell and Sandy Thalman Barney (72).
(ABOVE) Several Thunderbird Football Alumni attended the UNLV tailgate and football game football game Sept. 24. Among them were, left to right: Larry Wandel (02), Roosevelt Miller (98), Ben Fermon (80), Kit Janes (80) and Sean Holifield (96). SUU won 41-16.
(ABOVE) The tenth anniversary celebration of the Corn Dog Party was held during Septembers homecoming tailgate. The annual party (attended by hundreds) was started by college friends and has continued ever since. Friends of the Corn Dog organizers left to right are: Nicole Bingham Funderburk (00), Amy Swalberg Hughes (02), Dana Dzwoniarek Marchant (02) and Kimmy Soper (01).
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(ABOVE) Alumni support was everywhere at Septembers tailgate and football game at Weber State. Among those who attended were: back row, left to right: Stephen Allen (98), Nikki Nicholas (99), Cheryl Whitelaw (95), Chandler Whitelaw (62); middle row, left to right: Jenifer Zundel Ramsdell (07), Lisa Brown Allen (97), Amy Shupe Paget (10), April Hulet (05), Terri Hart Linford (89), Byron Linford (91) and Scott Jolley; front row, left to right: Chris Ramsdell, DJ Archibald, Josie Beth Baxter Archibald (03), Kourtney Limbaugh Jolley (05). The Thunderbirds won 35-28.
(ABOVE) Thunderbird Football fans Emily Burt (11), Stewart Wilkey (09), Emily Holmgren (09), Jayme Clifford and Cody Alderson (09) at Northern Arizona where SUU won 27-24.
(ABOVE) Celebrating 20 years since serving together in the 91-92 SUUSA administration are, left to right: Gary Taylor, Sue Taylor (93), Andy Hyer (92), Ellene Bunker Hyer (90), Mindy Benson (94), Dave Heaton (95), Will Drury (91), Joyce Jackson Drury (92), Kimber Heaton (92), LaRae Heaton, Michole Boyter Church (92) Corey Church, David Blodgett (93) and Lisa Pearce Blodgett (93).
(BELOW) The Class of 1961 was inducted as the newest member of the 50-Year Club during the 2011 Homecoming festivities. Among those were classmates: Rod Decker, Kent Bishop, Fred Whicker and Mont Crosland.
(ABOVE) Five year reunion for the 06-07 SUUSA administration. Pictured left to right: Jesse Holt (10), Kiersten Gray Holt (09), Thor, Jessica Burr (07), Steve Kiisel (07) and Caytee Cox Wankier (08).
(ABOVE) Kimberly Scriber, Ken Scriber (00), Wyett Ihler (01), Marlo Madsen Ihler (99), Nicole Bingham Funderburk (00), Aaron Jenne, Juliann Smith Jenne (04), Jennifer Allen Wilkey (99) and Nate Wilkey (00) enjoying The Future Is Rising celebration that was held on the Upper Quad September 16.
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P H O T O J O U R N A La look at news headlines and highlights from the past six months on the campus of southern Utah University
JANUARY 3becky Hogan has been named head coach of the womens soccer team. a native of West Jordan, Utah, Hogan will return to her home state after serving as assistant coach at idaho state.
JANUARY 13sUU debuted on the americas 100 best College buys 2011-12 list, which weighs the academic success against the price tag of each college and university across the nation to determine which of the best colleges are the most a ordable. SUU records the lowest annual tuition of the 100 schools listed and is one of just 12 schools recognized across the western U.s.
OCTOBER 29The Thunderbird Mens Cross Country team nished rst, ahead of north dakota state and south dakota state, at the 2011 summit league Cross Country Championship in tulsa, okla. the womens team was not far behind with a second-place nish in the championship race.
SEPTEMBER 1U.s. senate Majority leader and sUU alumnus Harry Reid (59) was announced as namesake to the Harry Reid Center for outdoor engagement, which aims to promote learning, service and leadership that activ