suu in view - spring 2013
DESCRIPTION
The Spring 2013 issue of Southern Utah University’s alumni magazine.TRANSCRIPT
THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY • SPRING 2013
A work of
HEARTBeverley Taylor Sorenson and the arts in Utah
Congratulations Cam & Coach Houle
“I only fathomed, a little bit, that I might be
able to win. To have it happen was just unreal,
I’m still in a bit of shock.”
CAMERON LEV INS
“This really just cements Southern Utah
University Track & Field in the history books.
I can’t think of a better student-athlete than
Cameron Levins to represent SUU and our
program, and I look forward to what is in store
for us going into the future.”
ER IC HOULE
For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.
SUU’s Cameron Levins was named the 2012 Bowerman Award winner, which is essentially the Heisman Trophy of the collegiate track & field world. It is given annually to the most outstanding male and female track & field athletes of the year.T H E B O W E R M A N A W A R D
Cameron Levins (’12)
Head Coach Eric Houle (’81)
It’s no secret we love the artsIt’s written across campus in bronze sculptures, grand turrets, packed theatres and
longstanding galleries. It is an enthusiasm evident in every nuance and masterpiece
among the College of Performing and Visual Arts’ more than 150 productions
each year. And it echoes yet again in the makeshift galleries that pepper campus
hallways, the late-night second-stage student productions and the campus and
community fundraisers that all continue to champion art’s cause.
And yet, these efforts all attest to one simple fact: there is still more we can and should do to support
the talent and passion that exists within our campus and across our Thunderbird community.
This issue of SUU In View contains exciting news of the future of the arts at SUU and, more broadly,
in arts production and education across the region. From administrators to students, we are all eager to
move forward in this collective work to create, teach and inspire. As you will soon see, the stage is set
for many masterworks yet to come.
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 3 1
2I N V I E W
R E G U L A R F E A T U R E S
Soaring Higher . . . . . . . . . 10-11T-Bird Tally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Honors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Old Main Society Inductees
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Alumni Photos and News
University Headlines . . . . . . . . 34We Will Remember . . . . . . . . . 35Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 A Local Legend’s 50th Birthday
Baking up Success PAGES 4-7Husband and wife alumni team up to open a wedding cake business, winning “Cupcake Wars” and national acclaim.
Experience More PAGES 8-9SUU’s new catch phrase is more than just a marketing tagline.
Everything You Already Knew PAGE 12The University continues to rack up awards for academic excellence, affordability and service learning.
High Flyers PAGE 17Five stellar T-Birds are inducted into the SUU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Thunderbard PAGE 29A new program introduces freshmen to Shakespeare.
BEST
VALUE COLLEGES
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2013EDITION
C O N T E N T S
O N T H E C O V E R
Beverley Taylor Sorenson’s contributions to the arts have enriched all of Utah. See pages 24-27 for a look at her legacy at SUU.
SUU in View is created twice a year, in the
fall and spring. Past editions can be found
online at 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
Production Assistant
Ron Cardon
Layout & Photography
SUU Publications
Contributing Writers
Larry Baker
Jennifer Burt
Amy McIff
Jessica McIntyre
The staff of the offices of Alumni Relations and University Advancement
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.
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
EditorJennifer Burt
Creative Director Rohn Solomon
Campaign for SUU PAGES 20-27The $100 million fundraising effort for the University enters the final stretch, celebrating remarkable success and aiming to reach the goal.
R E G U L A R F E A T U R E S
Soaring Higher . . . . . . . . . 10-11T-Bird Tally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Honors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Old Main Society Inductees
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Alumni Photos and News
University Headlines . . . . . . . . 34We Will Remember . . . . . . . . . 35Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 A Local Legend’s 50th Birthday
Founders Celebration PAGES 14-16Bloomers and basketballs, a human book-moving chain, and some war surplus student housing are all lesser-known parts of the story of SUU.
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 3 3
4I N V I E W
The first wedding cake Janell Brown
(’03) ever made was for a cousin whose
wedding was 330 miles away from the tiny
apartment kitchen in which Brown baked
and assembled all five buttercream tiers.
“I had just finished taking the Wilton cake
decorating classes and of course thought,
‘Oh, I can do anything.’”
The novice at-home baker and her sister
set out for a slower than normal drive from
Cedar City to Logan, Utah, on high hopes
and nerves. Fortunately, it went off without a
hitch, and Brown soon after officially entered
the wedding cake business when she signed
up her first non-family clients: five brides she
met as a first-time bridal show vendor.
“That’s where it all started, and it’s just
grown from there.”
The recently donned victor of Food
Network’s “Cupcake Wars” says this with
an ease that makes you believe the years
between baking a few simple wedding cakes
from home to winning national recognition
and a growing celebrity clientele as one
of Salt Lake City’s most promising new
businesses were, well, a piece of cake.
But as any baker will tell you, the devil
is in the details, and each ingredient is
as important as any other. Their pace may seem fast, considering
Brown and her husband, Trent (’06), just opened the family business
One Sweet Slice in 2011, but each step has been carefully measured,
combining into the perfect recipe for entrepreneurial success.
From baking a few cakes and teaching cake decorating classes nine
years ago while Trent finished his business marketing degree at SUU,
Janell slowly expanded her clientele by word of mouth alone. A new
mom at the time, she was happy with the creative outlet and extra
spending money, and “didn’t think much else would come of it.”
But she was more talented than her nonchalant retrospective would
let on, and even after relocating to northern Utah (which meant
establishing an entirely new base of clients and colleagues), word of
mouth served the young baker well.
“We got to the point with wedding cakes that my business either
needed to grow into its own space or I had to quit, because I couldn’t
accommodate all the requests in my kitchen at home.”
After a company layoff that left Trent unemployed, the couple
thought, “Well, let’s open a shop and see how it goes,” Janell reflects.
“Our plan was to open a cake shop, but cupcakes had become so
SUCCESSBaking upOne sweet hobby turned booming business when husband and wife alumni join forces to battle the nation’s best bakers…and win.
Trent and Janell Brown, in front of the original One Sweet Slice in South Jordan, Utah.
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 3 5
popular, we figured we may as well
sell them up front.”
She laughs, “I thought I could just
pour my cake batter into cupcake
liners. I quickly learned that they’re
two totally different things.”
She shrugs off the stress that must
have come after committing to a
business model based in part on
a product that was not yet
6I N V I E W
perfected. “It took a few months
of experimenting.”
Trent, however, is a bit more
honest about all that went into
their efforts. “She went through
each recipe at least 20 times.”
But wait, there’s more.
“We were committed, and we knew
we could only do it together—I’d run
the business and she would produce
the product—but that was two days
before our youngest daughter was
born.” He laughs, “Not exactly the
ideal time to open a business whose
primary workforce is the new mom.”
Knowing they had to open their
doors by the summer’s busy wedding
season, the Browns had just six
months to renovate a shop, expand
their marketing, hire and train
employees and, as Janell puts it,
“figure out what we were doing.”
They set up a futon in the stock
room, and Trent managed their three
older kids and the business side of
things while Janell took care of their
new daughter, the storefront, the
employees and the recipes.
Just two years later, one Sweet
Slice now has stores in South
Jordan and Sandy, Utah. The
company produces cupcakes
and specialty cakes for clients
across the country, including
many A-list celebrities. They
are the preferred vendor
at Utah’s most prestigious
event venues, winner
of “Cupcake Wars,”
and the creative force
behind the book One Sweet Cupcake:
Professional Decorating and Recipe
Secrets Made Easy, to be released
this fall.
As she describes her experience on
“Cupcake Wars,” Janell reveals the
optimism that has surely driven One
Sweet Slice’s success: “If you want
to win anything, you’ve got to go in
thinking you’re a competitor and that
you can do it.”
And the inspiration behind the
One Sweet Slice moniker says much
about the Brown’s perspective on
their recent success. “Ultimately,
everything people get from us is to
either celebrate an event or brighten
someone’s day. That time is a little
slice out of life that’s happy and
memorable and worth celebrating.”
From the taste testing parties
in their kitchen with friends to a
professional-grade kitchen on a
California soundstage, Janell and
Trent Brown have shaped one sweet
life simply by doing the things they
love alongside the people they love
the most.
FIVE Sweet TIPS Trent’s advice to entrepreneurs
1. Surround yourself with advisorsMost entrepreneurs want to help each other succeed, and there are networking groups (chamber of commerce, ConnectShare, BNI, etc.) to help you connect.
2. Utilize free small business resourcesMany non-profit organizations and banks offer free business development consulting from retired business owners who have experience building and running a business.
3. Understand your customerCustomers aren’t just buying a product, they’re buying an experience. What do your customers want, and what are you doing to stand out from all the rest?
4. Know your competitionKeep constant tabs on your competition. Follow them on Facebook, visit their website, see how they’re advertising, etc. Then do something better.
5. Learn from mistakesThe only way you can grow is by consistently acknowledging mistakes and shortcomings and correcting them.
ONE Sweet BATCH Janell’s tips for the perfect cupcake
1. Do not put multiple cupcake flavors in the same pan. Each recipe cooks differently; vanilla cupcakes, for example, bake faster than chocolate.2. Fill the paper liner 2/3 full so you get a cup-cake that crowns nicely but doesn’t overflow.3. Set your oven temperature five degrees lower than the recipe calls for.4. Always remove the cupcakes when you lightly press the top with your finger and it springs back.5. Don’t ice your cupcakes until they are completely cool, and use a pastry bag with a large tip—no Ziplocs!6. Put your sprinkles or garnish on the cupcake immediately after they are iced, otherwise the icing will crust over and the decorations will not stick.
Chocolate Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes
Dark Chocolate Ganache• 1 c. milk chocolate chips • ½ c. heavy cream • 1 TB. unsalted butterHeat butter and cream just until boiling. Pour over room temperature chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cover and let sit until cool.
Red Velvet Cupcakes• 2 c. all-purpose flour • 4 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1 ½ c. granulated sugar • ½ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature • 2 large eggs • 3 tsp. red gel food coloring • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract • 1 c. buttermilk • 1 ½ tsp. baking soda• 1 tsp. vinegar
Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.In a small bowl sift flour, cocoa powder & salt. Set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light in color and well combined. Beat in egg, food coloring & vanilla.Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.In a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar. Stir into batter.Bake 15-17 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool completely.Core center of cupcakes and fill with ganache. Top with icing. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Classic Cream Cheese Icing• 8 oz. Cream Cheese• 2 c. Butter• 1 TB pure vanilla• 1-1 ½ lbs. powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and no lumps remain. Add vanilla and beat together. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until thick and creamy.
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 3 7
"Of course the perfect SUU cupcake would have to be red and white. And I think I’d pick something classic, like red velvet, but I’d add a twist. That's SUU to me. You go in knowing it will be a good experience, but you walk away surprised at just how great it really has been."
Janell Brown
For two months, sophomore
Brandy Holm paced a dark section
of a Costa Rican beach from 8:00 at
night until 4:00 the next morning,
hunting translucent waters and
combing sandy beaches for the
discreet signs of nesting sea turtles,
completing requirements for a class
at SUU in land-locked Cedar City.
Of this experience, the Hurricane
biology major said, “It was more
than a class, I experienced real love.”
She continued, “I came to love the
people I was with, love the sand on
my feet, love the sound of the waves,
love the cause behind my work, and
love all those small things I never
really thought about before.”
Holm hasn’t simply filled her time
as a college student with classes
and homework; she’s committed to
experiencing these years and the
learning that comes along with it by
getting involved in her field through
one of SUU’s four experiential
education centers. Just two years
in, it’s already as clear as the waves
she patroled that she’ll leave with
much more than she ever could have
imagined at the outset.
In its new experiential learning
model and countless other ways,
SUU is committed to making sure its
students experience more.
“Our goal is that our students
stop the pattern of just attending
class and doing homework. We
want them to experience and create
memories, that is how they will
learn,” explained VP of University
Relations Dean O’Driscoll (’83)
when asked of the inspiration behind
the new tagline.
What’s more, as tuition skyrockets
across the nation, SUU administrators
are committed to providing this
unmatched experiential learning
without pricing students out of their
education.
As the only university in Utah
and one of just 11 public schools
across the West, SUU was included
in The Princeton Review’s “Best
Value Colleges: 2013.” It was also
recognized for the second consecutive
year as one of “America’s 100 Best
College Buys” in a nationwide
evaluation that weighs each school’s
academic success against its price
tag to determine which of the best
colleges are the most affordable.
And while rankings are nice, SUU
Provost Bradley Cook says the best
validation comes simply from seeing
students succeed. Students from the
first group of experiential learning-
tracked students completed their
capstone projects last fall, and the
Provost says he and his faculty are
encouraged at how eagerly students
are jumping into the experience over
just check-listing their way from one
class to the next.
Such was the case for Misty
Fielding, a junior sociology major
from Richfield who saw the problems
A T S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y , S T U D E N T S
8I N V I E W
You may not have seen it yet, but SUU has adopted a new slogan, “Experience More,” and whether splashed across billboards or marking a postcard in a high school senior’s mailbox, the new marketing campaign is a great deal more than just a new tagline.
A home energy windmill, the creativity engagement project of integrated engineering student Tyler Richardson.
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 3 9
rural schools in Jamaica were facing
while vacationing there.
“I knew I could make a difference
but wasn’t sure how to get started.”
In this, she found the perfect
experiential learning capstone
project, and her research began.
“Seeing all that needs to be done
has really motivated me to continue
my education so I can go back and
help those children out of poverty.”
Senior Tyler Richardson proves
experiential learning is no less
impactful closer to home. The
integrated engineering major used
his knowledge of engineering
and renewable energy to create a
windmill out of a treadmill motor,
trampoline legs and bike tires that
now powers his family’s home.
“I have always been interested
in the idea, so I combined my
favorite hobbies in one project,” said
Richardson. He now hopes to use
this as a starting point to implement
in third world countries.
These experiences are all much
more than a diploma; they are
proof that with more opportunities,
attention, success, adventure and
support, ideas expand and lives take
shape—all proof that SUU’s students
really do experience more.
Want to “Experience More” cash in your pockets?
Do you have an experience from your time as a T-Bird that you’d like to share? Turn it into a video or billboard to promote SUU’s “Experience More” and win $500 cash. This contest is open to all SUU alumni as well as students to submit their own “Experience More” marketing ideas. The contest continues through May. Rules and past winning submissions can be viewed at suu.edu/ur/contest.
Brandy Holm in Costa Rica, researching sea turtles as part of her global engagement project.
I N V I E W
CHAMPIONSHIPS BY THE DOZENThe 2011-12 SUU Gymnastics squad earned yet another Academic
National Championship—its 12th—after leading the nation with
a team GPA of 3.843 during the 2011-12 season. Then a senior,
now a T-Bird alumna, Lauren Jeffrey (’12) led the team onto
victory with a 4.0 GPA. Fellow seniors Brooke Cersosimo (’12)
and Anna Schumacher (’12) were close behind, with a 3.92 and
3.93 GPA, respectively.
SOAR ING
Kent Myers (’51) (left) is the newest member of the Utah
Sports Hall of Fame’s Officials Hall of Honor, inducted
for superior achievement as a sports official at the high
school and collegiate levels. Kent was a basketball,
football and baseball official for more than 25 years, as
well as a coach and sports broadcaster. He also served
as the Southern Utah Officials Association president
and as a trainer and examiner.
HIGHER
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
Thunderbirds far and wide continue to make their mark. We applaud the heights they’ve reached and look forward to all that is yet to come.
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 3 11
IN STEP WITH SUCCESSAccomplished dancer, choreographer and SUU alumna Jessica Metcalf
(’08) received a Fulbright Scholarship for postgraduate students to
study at London’s University of Roehampton, with plans to explore the
historical, social and cultural impact of dance on society.
SUU alumni dominated the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2012 administrator of the year awards. Principal
Rick Robins (’96), of Juab High School, was named the Utah High School Principal of the year and Dana McConnell (’92 -
B.A., ’07 - M.Ed.), of Pine View Middle School, was selected as the Utah Assistant Principal of the Year. Additionally, Royd
Darrington (’99), of Enterprise High School, was most recently named Utah’s 2012-13 Secondary Principal of the Year.
CHIEF PRINCIPALS
A DREAM FULFILLEDUtah Shakespeare Festival founder
and former College of Southern
Utah theatre professor, Fred C.
Adams, directed the Festival’s 2011
production of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, which was filmed live by
BYU Broadcasting. The broadcast
recently eared a 2012 regional Emmy
for Best Special Event Coverage
Live or Edited. Both Adams and
the Festival’s executive director, R.
Scott Phillips (’76), joined BYU
Broadcasting to accept the award.
Vocal students Alex Byers,
Taliah Byers, Shaye Leavitt and
Christina Meikle earned a second
place title at the National Opera
Association’s annual collegiate
competition. SUU was one of just
five schools to qualify for the
final round of competition, and
2012 graduate Geneil Perkins
helped the quartet originally
qualify before graduating last
spring and passing the baton for
the 2013 final competition.
Communication grad Paul Ward (’87) was
selected by the Phoenix Business Journal as the
Phoenix, Ariz. Marketer of the Year. His company,
Matter Value LLC, supplies marketing expertise
to professional services firms nationally through
outsourced Chief Marketing Officers (CMO).
BRAVISSIMO!
MARKETING WHIZSUU senior Brad Sorenson was named the 2012 Elite Quarterback
for the FCS in the College Football Performance Awards, recognizing
his hard work and excellence over the T-Bird star’s three seasons
on the SUU squad. Sorenson is SUU’s second player to earn a career
Elite award from the CFPA, joining Tysson Poots (’11), who earned
the honor at wide receiver to conclude his college career.
HOLDING THE LINE
12I N V I E W
We all know the least expensive
option does not always come at
the highest quality and yet, now
more than ever, slashed price tags
drive sales. This is true, too, of
higher education, according to a
recent study by student loan giant
Sallie Mae. Its “How America Pays
for College 2012” profile reports
that more than any other time in
history, tuition is the primary factor
in college selection for students
and their parents. In fact, in 2012,
approximately 70 percent of families
eliminated top college choices based
on cost.
What’s more,
student loan debt
in the U.S. has
now surpassed
all other kinds of
debt, and of the 20
million Americans
who attend college
each year, close to
12 million borrow
annually to cover
education expenses—a number that
is expected to continue rising. But
all is not lost.
With a rising academic reputation,
SUU has once again made its mark
among the top tier of the West’s
very best universities—one of only
40 public schools to earn such high
marks from The Princeton Review.
And we’ve done it more efficiently
than most.
While a personalized, hands-on
education in a supportive campus
environment remains our hallmark,
excellence and value have also
become well-known traits of the
SUU experience, with solid strides
in student retention and graduation
rates as well as a noticeable rise
in the academic preparedness of
incoming students in recent years.
So when we say that SUU is a
“best buy,” we’re not talking bargain
basement find but, rather, a true
steal of a deal.
In fact, for the second consecutive
year, SUU is also included in the elite
“America’s 100 Best College Buys”
listing, which means
that of the nearly 7,000
accredited colleges
and universit ies
across the nation,
SUU is recognized
as one of the very
best at balancing
academic excellence
and affordability.
What’s more, we have
the second lowest
annual tuition among the nation’s
100 best buys, and we’re one of just
13 western schools to be included on
the list.
According to Associate Vice
President for Enrollment Stephen
Allen (’98), who visits with students
and parents across the West as
they investigate colleges, “SUU is
becoming recognized throughout
the region as the premier institution
for a high quality undergraduate
experience at an affordable price.”
In a recent tally of student
indebtedness among the West’s
universities by U.S. News, SUU was
ranked third among all schools for
the lowest student debt at graduation.
According to the report, just 50
percent of SUU graduates leave with
any student debt at all, with an
average indebtedness of just $12,632.
Conversely, the highest reported
average student debt among western
universities was $54,885; were an
SUU student to take out loans for the
full tuition amount every semester to
complete a four-year undergraduate
degree, their indebtedness could still
not reach such staggering heights.
So while a low price and top
quality may not always match up, in
our case, the two go hand in hand.
And that’s what it takes to be a truly
best buy.
Everything You Already KnewRankings attest to a Rising Hallmark
Seal Finished Look
Seal with the gold bleed
Seal die cut pattern
Gold color: Pantone 871 M
BEST
VALUE COLLEGES
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2013EDITION
“SUU is becoming recognized throughout
the region as the premier institution for a high quality undergraduate
experience at an affordable price.”
Recent changes to age
requirements for missionaries of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints have impacted colleges and
universities across Utah. And while
it may have changed plans for high
school students you may know, it
hasn’t changed ours.
Students who plan to serve an
LDS mission upon graduating from
high school should not delay the
college application process. Apply
now, enroll later with SUU’s available
enrollment deferment of up to two
and a half years. This streamlined
process will ensure all student records
and financing are in order upon
a missionary’s homecoming, rather
than worrying about the application
process during or after a mission.
The same is true of scholarships,
which can also easily be deferred.
For more information, please
visit suu.edu/prostu/defer.html or
contact the SUU
Welcome Center
at 435-586-7741
or
Apply Now, Serve Now, Study Later Accommodating the LDS Missionary Age Change
SUU professors and
students travel all over
the world in pursuit
of their studies and
advancing their
fields. The past year
alone has seen T-Birds
on showcase from
Costa Rica to China
and India to Swaziland,
discussing everything
from new trends in fossil
formations to the biological
cycles of beef. While scholars
and professionals across the
nation hear these outstanding
presentations, the people within a
few yards of the scholars rarely do.
That is soon going to change.
In its inaugural year this April, the Festival of Excellence brought the
exceptional academic presentations, plays, research, paintings and books created
by the SUU community and heralded around the globe back to Cedar City.
Regular classes were cancelled for the early April festival so every
student, faculty and staff member on campus could either present their
work or attend the festival to hear from their colleagues and mentors.
The day opened with a keynote address from Peter Sham, co-creator of
the internationally acclaimed Lend Me a Tenor: The Musical. Attendees then
took part in workshops and sessions across campus for the remainder of
the day.
Intentionally maintaining a broad theme, Provost Bradley Cook
emphasized that the festival is set up for any student or faculty or staff
member to share their work. “We didn’t want to narrow it down to one area
of focus,” he said. “We wanted to involve all within the community because
excellence lies within every area of study.”
The festival is designed with room to grow. In coming years, presenting at
the conference will likely become a requirement for student capstone projects.
Cook also hopes to include alumni presentations in future years and is
excited about the prospect of seeing the fruits of former students’ labors
now that they have made their way in their respective fields. He also sees
the opportunity for current students to see their future degrees in action as
both motivational and formative as they cement future aspirations.
Showcasing EXCELLENCEInaugural festival celebrates outstanding work at SUU
Lesser Known Moments in SUU History
Through five name changes and 116 years, SUU has
endured and thrived. While much of our legacy has
served to inspire and entertain in the form of well-
loved traditions and stories, much remains hidden
in seldom perused books and photo collections.
In that spirit, we present a quick glance at a few
lesser-known moments in University history.
SHIFTING STANDARDRed, white, navy blue, royal blue, coral, turquoise,
orange and scarlet—at one time or another, all have
been our hallmark colors, along with five different
names and three mascots. Originally the Aggies, the
Branch Agricultural College eventually departed from
their Utah State branch founding in 1947 and became
the Broncos. This began a 14-year tradition of Bronco
pride that included pulling a model horse around the
gym floor, skirting the Lady Broncettes while fans
did the “Bronc Stomp.” In 1961, however, an article
in the student newspaper, The Thunderbird, reported
that five other schools within a 1,000-mile radius
of the College of Southern Utah were also broncos,
spurring a campaign to change CSU’s official emblem.
Suggestions came in from across campus, including
the colts, rattlers, lions and even gophers, but the
frontrunners that made it to ballot were falcons, iron
men and thunderbirds. The rest is T-Bird history.
STORIED PASSAGEThe University’s library collection has traveled a
tale of fiery peril, homelessness and, on the lighter
side, a unifying fortitude. On a wintery morning
in 1948, Old Main caught fire, the library within in
grave danger of decimation. In an effort to save the
collection, students and faculty quickly formed a
chain ascending the fire escape to pass precious books
and artifacts to safety. Saving just 20 percent of
the collection, the small assemblage of books
found temporary home in the cafeteria. In the years
that followed, donations would build the collection
to include more than 8,000 volumes, but there was
no library in which to store them. Without a home,
books were scattered across campus until 1955 when
they were moved to the dual-purpose Auditorium
building. Years later, on a much brighter day in 1969,
a 350-person human conveyor belt again stretched
across the upper quad (photo above), in Old Main’s
reconstructed shadow, passing 45,000 books hand to
hand from the Auditorium to the newly-completed
Library (now the Electronic Learning Center) in
a single day, thanks to the help of faculty, staff,
community members and even local schoolchildren.
TRAILER TOWN & CHICKEN COOPSThe conclusion of World War II brought with it a
period of great expansion for the Branch Agricultural
College. The largest ever student body, exceeding 400,
would necessitate added faculty and new facilities,
including living quarters for both staff and students.
Like many others, the BAC set its sights on surplus
materials from military bases across Utah, and in 1946,
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Worth Noting:
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 3 15
Lesser Known Moments in SUU History
50 trailer houses from Tooele’s St. Johns Military became
BAC’s new student housing. Adjacent to the Centrum’s
current location, “Trailer Town” was a collection of trailers
positioned around two central buildings that housed
plumbing facilities for bathing and laundering. Residents
of Trailer Town were allegedly identifiable by the scent
of fuel oil that heated their accommodations, which were
modestly equipped with an icebox and hotplate stove.
Apartment buildings known as “The Chicken Coops”
were then taken from the Topaz Military Base to house
BAC staff, and a three-wing military barracks from Topaz
became Dorm B, home to 100 male BAC students.
BLOOMERS & BASKETBALLSAt the turn of the century, in SUU’s formative years, the
newly invented sport of basketball was the talk of college
campuses all across the East. Having studied at Harvard
before accepting an offer to join the three-member faculty
of the Branch Normal School in Cedar City, Utah, Annie
Elizabeth Spencer was eager to share the new sport with
students in the West. The institution’s first female faculty
member, Annie worked to build competitive sports into
the school’s “physical culture” program. She formed the
first basketball club at BNS (photo above), composed of
the school’s most athletic female students and coached
by her future husband, E.J. Milne. Long before the men’s
team was formed, women played basketball on campus,
on a makeshift court in Old Main complete with a crowd
of intrigued spectators—their first glimpse at the nation’s
new sport. A lack of nearby competitors limited the team’s
competitive success but the program continued, growing
year after year. The BNS eventually became the Branch
Agricultural College, and a newly established men’s
basketball team ushered in the institution’s first “golden
era” of sports, winning the state basketball championship
in 1916 and again in 1918.
WHAT A WONDERFUL DECADE With student enrollment exceeding 600, the 1960s
ushered in another boon of growth. With the construction
of three buildings under way, students at CSU anxiously
awaited completion of a new student center, men’s and
women’s residence halls, and a science building. A far sight
from Trailer Town, Manzanita Courts and, later, Juniper
Hall were modern in every respect with telephones, TV
lounges and an intercom system. In grand fashion, and
bringing great attention to the small-town school in 1962,
CSU welcomed “Satchmo” (yes, that Louis Armstrong) to
campus to commemorate the new school’s great season
of change. The famed trumpeter and his backup All-Stars
performed a sensational toe-tapping jazz concert for a
ticket price of just $2.50.
BAC repurposed abandoned structures from closed military bases following the war to form The Chicken Coops (top) and Trailer Town (bottom) as expanded housing for students and staff.
J. DOUGLAS KNELLDoug Knell, who passed
away on Oct. 9, 2012, at
the age of 79, was a true
son of southern Utah
who ever toiled to build
the community and the
University. His lifetime
of work in the travel and
hospitality fields, as well
as his constant amiability, made him a beloved figure
in the area, and as a gifted saxophonist and a lover
of outdoor recreation, he was ever a recognizable
figure in Cedar City. A 1953 graduate of the Branch
Agricultural College who later also attended the
College of Southern Utah, his loyalty to his alma
mater was supremely evident over five decades of
exemplary service to Southern Utah University.
PAMELA REDINGTONPam Redington retired
from the University in
2012 after 40 years of
dedicated and singular
service. She began her
SUU career in 1973 as
secretary to the dean of
students and directly
raised the quality of
student life for 15 years before becoming executive
assistant to the leadership of the Utah Shakespeare
Festival, where she made a daily difference in the
efficacy and the success of that organization. Known
as much for her always pleasant ways as for her
great breadth of knowledge and abilities, she never
hesitated to give of herself and her resources to
aid all areas of the campus over four decades.
G E T T O K N O W T H E F O U N D E R S
Milton BennionMilton Bennion was offered the position as first
principal (president) of the Branch Normal School
(BNS) shortly after graduating from the University of
Utah.
Versatility was one of the most important qualities
that all of the founding faculty needed to succeed, and
in addition to his administrative duties, Milton taught
American history and civics courses plus physical
geography and physiology throughout his three years at
BNS. Among the many legacies that Milton Bennion left
SUU was a system of student self-government.
After leaving BNS, his lifelong service and leadership
on the national education scene as well as in the Salt
Lake valley and state of Utah were impressive.
A sense of humor remained one of Milton’s
trademarks throughout his life. When Milton came out
of the anesthesia after a leg amputation due to diabetes,
he noted the somber mood of his loved ones and said,
“Well, if I have to die, I’d rather die feet first than head
first.”
In addition to his quick wit, Milton’s university
associates admired his intellectual acumen, his
character and integrity. LeRoy Cowles, a colleague in
the College of Education, said: “He had the most logical
mind I have ever known.” Colleague George Thomas,
president of his alma mater, observed: “Milton Bennion
could sit as judge of his own case and adjudicate it as
fairly as any man.”
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
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F L Y E R S
Five Thunderbird alumni were inducted into Southern Utah University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in January, the first inductees since 1996. We take great pride in these standout alumni who have made their mark on SUU’s campus and in sport across the nation.
STUART ADAMS (’85) was a two-
time all-American in golf who led
the Thunderbirds at the 1985 NAIA
National Championships with a fifth-
place individual finish and seventh-
place team finish. Adams still holds
SUU’s single-round scoring record
with a 61 he shot at Boise State
during the 1984-85 season. Adams,
who is one of just six golfers in the
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Hall of Fame, currently practices
optometry in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
CHERRI FRANDSEN (’97) was a four-
year letter winner in women’s
basketball who helped lead SUU
to three straight American West
Conference championships, from
1994-1996. She is still the school’s
career scoring leader with 1,762
points, while ranking second all-
time in field goal percentage, third
in rebounding and blocks and fifth
in steals. She currently resides in
Panguitch, Utah, where she coaches
at the youth and high school levels.
MYNDEE KAY LARSEN (’98), also a
four-year letter winner in women’s
basketball, teamed with Frandsen on
all three AWC championship teams
and was a member of the school’s
inaugural Mid-Continent Conference
squad. As a senior, Larsen set two
NCAA records which still stand,
for converting the most consecutive
field goal attempts (28) and setting
a 72.4-percent shooting record.
She is also SUU’s career field goal
percentage and blocks leader, and
ranks second in rebounds and fourth
in free throw percentage. Larsen,
who went on to serve as an assistant
coach and administrator at SUU, is
currently assistant commissioner for
the Summit League.
DAVOR MARCELIC (’91) scored a men’s
basketball record 1,710 points in his
time at SUU from 1987 to 1992 and
is one of just two Thunderbird men’s
players to surpass 1,500 points. He
also holds the school’s single-season
scoring record of 659 points, which
he scored in 1991-92 when he led the
Thunderbirds to a 20-8 record, the
school’s second-best mark during
its NCAA era. In addition to his
scoring marks he is still among the
school’s top-10 in career free throw
shooting, 3-point shooting, assists
and rebounding. He currently works
in real estate in his native Croatia.
RICK ROBINS (’97) was a four-year
starter at quarterback for the
Thunderbirds who left as SUU’s
career total offense, total plays,
passing attempts, pass completions,
passing yards and passing
touchdowns leader. He still ranks
among the top three in all categories.
At graduation, he also held two of
the top four single-season marks
for pass attempts; two of the top-
three season completion marks; and
two of the top-four single-season
passing yards marks—all including
the category records. And he held
two of the top-three single-season
marks for total yards and plays.
Robins is currently the principal at
Utah’s Juab High School.
With many accomplished athletes
in our Thunderbird ranks, SUU
Athletics plans to conduct Hall of
Fame inductions on an annual basis
moving forward.
Left to right: Hall of Fame inductees Rick Robins, Stuart Adams, Cherri Frandsen, and Myndee Kay Larsen, with SUU Athletic Director Ken Beazer. Not shown: Davor Marcelic.
As the University’s student population continues to grow
and diversify, so too does our base of proud alumni who
know first-hand the value of the SUU experience. With high
hopes to pass that tradition on, many alumni unfortunately
find that out-of-state tuition rates are challenging to bear.
Fortunately, SUU’s Alumni Legacy Scholarships give
nonresident students who are the children of an SUU,
SUSC, CSU or BAC alumnus a scholarship to cover the
difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition, making
the Thunderbird tradition more affordable for the children
of proud alumni everywhere. After recently increasing
funding for these legacy scholarships, the University is
excited to offer more of its own this special perk.
To qualify, students must:
• Be admitted and enrolled as a first-time, nonresident
student,
• Have at least one parent who graduated with an
associate’s degree or higher from SUU (SUSC, CSU, etc.).
Alumni Legacy Scholarship awards are, however, limited
and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis,
with two levels of funding:
Tier 1: Four-year renewable scholarship of $10,500/year
Tier 2: Four-year renewable scholarship of $7,000/year.
Please note: Students who accept an Alumni Legacy
Scholarship will not be eligible to gain Utah Residency.
For more information as you plan for the future, please
contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 435-
586-7735. Scholarship information is also available online
at suu.edu/scholarships.
Keeping it in the Family
In 1970, Galen Rose
(’77) had little idea of
what his future would hold
as a freshman zoology
and biology major at Southern Utah State College. His
Thunderbird allegiance grew, however, and the 1976
student body president left school with a diploma and, soon
after, a wife in SUSC’s 1979 Homecoming Queen Regina
Peterson (’81).
Today, 33 years since they first met during the Homecoming
Queen competition, the couple has established a loyal brood
of Thunderbirds in The Dalles, Oregon. All three of their
children have now attended SUU, and the latest Rose on
campus, Lindsey, is currently studying exercise science as
a senior on an Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
“We, of course, had a great experience at SUU and knew
it would be a great fit for our children. But with all three
kids in school [their older two have moved on to graduate
school], our options were somewhat limited. The Alumni
Legacy Scholarship gave us a way to get Lindsey where she
really wanted to go.”
Galen and Regina come from a long line of SUU true.
Most of Galen’s 13 siblings went to SUU, as did all four
of Regina’s siblings. “SUU is our school, that’s where our
roots are, that’s where our love is. We’re just so happy we
have been able to pass that experience on.”
Galen and Regina Rose, when they first met (inset) and surrounded by their current all-Thunderbird family (above).
S C H O L A R S H I P S F O R T H E T - B I R D T R U EAlumni Legacy Scholarships for SUU Descendants
Grandchildren too!The 2013 Legislative Session included the passage of Senate
Bill 51, the “Higher Education Tuition Waivers” bill, which will
extend alumni legacy nonresident scholarships to grandchildren of
alumni. Spread the word to inspire the next generation of SUU true.
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countries are now playing host to Peter Sham and Brad Carroll’s “Lend Me A Tenor: The Musical.” The musical is now playing in Germany, Austria, Finland, Spain and England.
total items used within the Library in 2012 by students and faculty. This includes books, media, E-books and special collections.
job placement touted by the School of Business for its graduates, who also hold an outstanding 92-percent acceptance rate into graduate accountancy programs across the nation.
Guitar Hero playing computer created by SUU’s computer engineering students had just 15 losses to more than 200 wins at the GEEX Gaming and Electronics Expo.
countries that T-Birds have flocked to, with more than 400 students participating in the Study Abroad program each summer, studying on six continents. Programs range from sociology in Nepal, to theatre in London and anthropology in Botswana.
acres utilized by agricultural and animal science majors at the hands-on ranch and farm. These students work with 60 cows and 20 horses.
3,6003,600
94%94%elementary students have been served at the Cedar Mountain Science Camp since 1999. Local fourth, fifth and sixth graders participate at this two-day camp hosted by SUU students.
3,8443,844
TALLYT-BIRD
Southern Utah University’s
comprehensive campaign The
Future Is Rising has now surpassed
the 86-percent mark in its targeted
amount of $100 million. The
campaign, announced in the fall
of 2011, will powerfully propel the
University forward in its mission of
inspiring and educating those who
will use a strong and principled
character to help shape the future of
our world.
“Our many alumni and friends
have displayed foresight and
great generosity in supporting
this campaign and have proven,
time and again, their willingness
to back our endeavors,” said SUU
President Michael T. Benson. “We
are incredibly grateful for their
unwavering commitment and
encouragement.”
While diligently focusing on what
still must be accomplished in the
campaign, the University continues
to treasure those who have seen fit to
support the effort through gifts both
large and small. The list of those who
have given to the campaign is long
and varied, and each contributor can
be counted as among those who will
make a great difference in the future
of the University and its students. All
who give are investing in that future.
Scott Snow of Las Vegas, Nev.,
is one such supporter of the
advancement effort in the past year.
He believes strongly in the value
of education and in the tools it can
provide for the future of individuals.
He also believes in the need to
assist students who have the ability
and the drive to succeed but who
lack the financial resources. This
belief comes from experience, as
he worked in the business field in
St. George for several years before
determining to become a Certified
Public Accountant, which led him
to SUU, from which he graduated
in 1987. While in school, he worked
full-time and was married with
children, and was able to draw upon
the resources of his parents to help
finance his studies.
However, he said, “I had in
mind the struggles of many in this
recession-like period and now that I
am in a position to help, asked myself
‘If not now, when?’” This question
led him to donate to the University’s
scholarship fund in business and
accounting, so that others can begin
their own journey to success.
While student aid is a great
need at SUU, a key element of the
campaign is what is now known
as the Beverley Taylor Sorenson
Center for the Arts, encompassing
the new Shakespeare theatre and
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G O A L : $ 1 0 0 M I L L I O N
Campaign for SUU forges forward
the Southern Utah Museum of Art, as well as an artistic
production building. Along with a number of substantial
gifts—including a $3 million grant from the George S. and
Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and a $6 million dollar gift
from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation (see story beginning
on page 24)—is a $5 million gift from the Engelstad Family
Foundation of Las Vegas, toward the building of the new
Shakespeare theatre and its service to students of all ages.
The Festival’s Nevada connection has been strengthened
over the past 18 years through the Festival’s education
programs, which now annually serve more than 9,000
students from the Silver State. The Engelstad gift will help
the Festival significantly expand its educational programs
to serve even more students in Nevada and across the
Intermountain West.
The Engelstad Family Foundation is the realized dream
of Ralph Engelstad, former owner of Las Vegas’ Imperial
Palace casino and hotel, who created a foundation that
would draw upon his family’s assets to support the
communities they call home, with education being the
Foundation’s driving, founding goal.
The Emma Eccles Jones Foundation, long a dynamic
supporter of SUU, recently saw the value in helping to
establish an Early Childhood Education Enhancement
Project to meet the growing needs of parents, educators,
and most importantly young children in southern Utah.
The gift, to be utilized in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson
College of Education and Human Development, will meet
the educational needs of pre-kindergarten students and
their parents on many fronts.
“This gift for early childhood education will help ensure
that every child in southern Utah, no matter their family
income or circumstance, starts out with a fair shot to
succeed in school and in life,” said Dean of Education and
Human Development Deb Hill. “Southern Utah University
will develop new programs to improve opportunities and
outcomes, including engaging parents in their child’s early
learning and development. Early childhood education
makes good economic sense.”
Emma Eccles Jones was a noted philanthropist, educator
and pioneer in early childhood education. She also taught
generations of prospective teachers, providing them with a
solid foundation for their careers.
These programs and their benefactors will greatly assist
the University in its quest to improve and expand its service
to the public. Again, while funding for scholarships is
always at the top of University needs, a wide range of other
giving opportunities exists, and those interested in being
a part of The Future Is Rising campaign are encouraged
to contact the University
Advancement Office at
435-586-7775 or visit the
campaign website
suu.edu/rising
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 3 21www.suu.edu/risingwww.suu.edu/rising
“I had in mind the struggles of many in this recession- like period and now that I am in a position to help, I asked myself ‘If not now, when?’” S C O T T S N O W
Betty Engelstad (right) with Kris Engelstad McGarry
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THE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
Every winter for the past 14 years,
alumni and friends of the University
come back to campus to dine with
strangers, each one different from the
year before when these same visitors
came to campus for lunch. They pair
off with students and though they
have never before met, most will
likely close this short meeting with
heartfelt words of both gratitude and
encouragement that speak to a much
more lasting relationship than can
be established over a lunch hour.
What’s more, these visitors know
that when they can no longer make
this annual trip to campus, children
and, someday, grandchildren will
carry on in this tradition—a lunch
with a stranger that affirms a lasting
legacy.
But this story isn’t about the
pilgrimage back to campus for lunch;
it’s about the students these visitors
have dined with and the many
more who have yet to benefit from
endowed scholarships established
decades ago that continue to impact
students today.
These students anxiously await
this annual gathering—SUU’s
Scholarship Luncheon—looking
forward to finally thanking in
person that one individual, family or
even organization who has forever
impacted their success.
Such was the case this past
February for Grayson Moulton, a
senior at SUU who has funded all
four years of his education with
fingers crossed, on a mix of hard
work and scholarships.
“I was always raised to do the
very best you can, and others will
take notice,” said Moulton. “But it
gets to a point every semester where
you’re crunching numbers and you
don’t know how it’s ever going to
work out.”
According to the U.S. Department
of Education’s annual report on
higher education, public college
tuition has increased 15 percent on
average over the past three years.
Conversely, stable employment is
harder to come by, and public sector
job losses alone in recent years have
The Students behind the Scholarships
A Worthy
Investment
Senior Grayson Moulton
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been the most dramatic since Labor
Department records began in 1955,
according to a Reuters analysis.
Now more than ever, students
and their families must factor
affordability into not just the college
selection process but also into
determining whether or not college
is even a possibility.
“It’s always a huge sigh of relief
when you find out you’ve gotten
a little help,” Moulton said of all
that hinges on financial support in
college. “It’s a vote of confidence
that someone sees something in you
that’s worth the investment.”
More than that, for Moulton
and the nearly 3,000 students who
attend SUU on scholarships in a
given year, the financial support
allows students to be students,
putting everything they have into
learning and developing themselves
as individuals.
“There is so much to get involved
with beyond just homework and
classes, but there is only so much of
you to go around. With scholarships,
you really feel you have more energy
and freedom dedicated to the things
you are dedicating your life to.”
Moulton, who has funded a
majority of his schooling on his
own, said there have been times
when he has had up to three jobs
to pay for tuition and housing and
living expenses. He said those were
the semesters when he felt most
stretched and the least successful.
“You earn what you work for,” he
explained. “It’s really been important
to me that I’ve been able to work for
school and work for my future over
just working for a paycheck.”
“These side projects and other
opportunities that we really want to
participate in and that will enhance
our marketability and experience all
require as much as any class does.
With my scholarship, it’s been nice
to be able to pursue everything I
want to rather than just a few things
that I can fit in.”
Moulton has already seen
the benefits of getting involved.
After acting in every main stage
and second stage student and
departmental production he could
over the past four years, all while
earning top marks in his classes,
the musical theatre major has been
selected as a Greenshow performer
and cast member of Anything Goes
for the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s
2013 season.
“This is going to be amazing. I
can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to
gain this experience.”
The budding actor has big plans
after graduation to either jump into
acting as a profession by way of
graduate studies in theatre or attend
law school to ultimately become an
entertainment lawyer. He anticipates
his upcoming summer of 10 hours a
day, six days a week work with the
Festival will bode well for both his
talent and work ethic as he prepares
his post-graduate applications.
In addition to his studies and
extracurriculars, which will range
from acting to student government as
senator for the College of Performing
and Visual Arts in his final semesters
at SUU next year, Moulton plans to
dedicate a few hours of his time to
L-SAT prep daily. He and his wife
will also welcome their first child
this summer.
His demeanor doesn’t let on all
that must certainly be running
through his mind, and Moulton is
gracious and confident when he
talks of the work still ahead.
“It can be overwhelming at times,
but I know this is all working in
my favor,” he says of the long days
balancing school and family and
jobs and extracurriculars.
“I look at every semester, and I
am just amazed and grateful. I know
I couldn’t have stretched things
any further without having to give
something up, and I am so glad
I didn’t have to give up all these
things that have made me who I am.”
A Worthy
Investment
Senior Jeffrey Ure speaks at this year’s Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon.
The Beverley Taylor Sorenson
Center for the Arts is expected to
begin rising on the SUU campus early
next spring, in large measure thanks
to the generosity of the Sorenson
Legacy Foundation led by Beverley
Sorenson, a visionary and singular
friend of not only the University but
of education in general, and arts
education for children in particular.
The center will encompass visual
arts, live theater, and dynamic arts
education in one area of campus
and will dramatically magnify the
cultural life of Cedar City and its
surrounding region.
While the $30 million center
is being made possible thanks to
the generosity of many insightful
and invested benefactors, including
governmental entities, and to the
efforts of dedicated and visionary
arts educators as well as campus and
community leaders, Mrs. Sorenson’s
$6 million gift provided funds to
reach the goal to push the overall
project forward, as well as ongoing
support for arts education and
outreach.
The decision to name the center
for Mrs. Sorenson was an easy one,
as she has formidably supported
the arts throughout her life, and
particularly as a tool to enrich the
lives and futures of children.
“Indeed,” said Dean of Performing
and Visual Arts Shauna Mendini,
“we are privileged to name our
Center for the Arts in honor of
Beverley and her vision of the power
of art in improving quality of life,
particularly when it touches the
lives of children. It is essential that
her legacy of love for the arts be
echoed throughout the entire state
of Utah through the Beverley Taylor
Sorenson Center for the Arts.
Mrs. Sorenson grew up in a
family deeply involved in artistic
pursuits and she engaged in dance
and music training from a young
age. Later, she and her husband, the
late biotechnology pioneer James
LeVoy Sorenson, ardently supported
both the arts and education, and
it was Mrs. Sorenson’s greatest
desire to unite the two worlds in her
philanthropy.
The Sorenson Legacy Foundation
previously donated more than $3
million to Southern Utah University
to fund three components: the Emma
Eccles Jones Teacher Education
Building, an endowed chair position
for elementary arts education, and
scholarships and arts education
programs. In 2006 the College of
Education and Human Development
was named the Beverley Taylor
A work of
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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 3 25www.suu.edu/risingwww.suu.edu/rising
Sorenson College of Education in
honor of her generous support.
Unquestionably, Mrs. Sorenson’s
life work has been to provide
children with a solid foundation in
the arts and, importantly, to provide
teachers with the resources to more
effectively teach the arts.
She has said “all children are
at risk,” and it is that philosophy
that served as the driving force as
she began creating an integrated
arts teaching model in 1995. Mrs.
Sorenson collaborated with arts
education professionals, state
organizations, higher education
institutions to design an effective
model, and in 2008, the Utah State
Legislature recognized her efforts
by adopting the model her team
developed and naming the initiative
the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts
Learning Program.
To develop a strong and lasting
foundation, Mrs. Sorenson and the
Sorenson Legacy Foundation have
committed more than $50 million
to ensuring the long-term success
of arts education in Utah, including
endowing the University’s ArtsFusion
program, which brings arts to the
widest possible range of southern
Utah schoolchildren. ArtsFusion, a
concept fostered by Mrs. Sorenson
more than six years ago, has met
with extraordinary success and
has positively affected the lives of
thousands of young Utahns, many of
which would not have otherwise been
privileged to have any appreciable
measure of exposure to the arts. The
endowment, in addition, cements
the permanent legacy of the Beverley
Taylor Sorenson Endowed Chair in
Art Education.
ArtsFUSION provides teacher
workshops with professional guest
artists in dance, music, theatre and
visual arts, and makes possible
numerous arts outreach programs
as well. One of the most ambitious
aspects of the program is the
ArtsFUSION Kids Camp “Art, Music
and Me.” This two-week summer
program, for children ages 8-12,
focuses on a theme each year that
relates to “me, my family, my
community, and the world.” Sixty
children participate in music and
visual art on the SUU campus each
day for three hours.
This long-supported vision,
coupled with Mrs. Sorenson’s
generous support of the Center for
the Arts, has set her apart as a
tireless advocate for arts education.
In addition to numerous national
recognitions, including receiving
the Eli and Edythe Broad Award
for Philanthropy in the Arts from
Americans for the Arts in 2011, she
has been repeatedly lauded for her
commitment by several of Utah’s
institutions of higher learning. At
SUU alone, she has been recognized
with an honorary doctorate, a place
in the University’s Hall of Honor,
and this spring, with the Presidential
Medallion of Service at the Founders’
Celebration.
Beverley Taylor
Sorenson
I N V I E W
THE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU
“Beverley has long championed
creative relationships between
higher education and professional
organizations as a means of
supporting art and art education,”
said Dean Mendini. “Our activities
will be enhanced through a center
dedicated to sustaining the legacy of
Beverley Taylor Sorenson.”
The Beverley Taylor Sorenson
Center for the Arts will serve as the
home to the Southern Utah Museum
of Art and the New Shakespeare
Theatre as well as an artistic
production building for the Utah
Shakespeare Festival. Sculpture
gardens and other outdoor features
will also be included in the grounds.
In addition to Mrs. Sorenson’s
gift to fund the Center project,
a profoundly generous gift of $5
million toward the New Shakespeare
Theatre and for the Festival outreach
programs was received from the
Ralph and Betty Engelstad Family
Foundation of Las Vegas, Nev. This
vibrant project has also garnered
generous support from many of
Utah’s most prestigious philanthropic
organizations, individuals, and
public entities. They include the
George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles
Foundation, Karen and Alan Ashton,
the State of Utah, Iron County and
Cedar City Corporation.
The Festival had been engaged in
a fundraising campaign for several
years to replace the deteriorating and
less-than-suitable Adams Memorial
Shakespeare Theatre, while the
funding process for SUMA
kicked off in late 2009 when
the renowned painter Jim Jones
bequeathed his home and final
collection of paintings to ignite
the work. It was not until mid-
2012 that the wisdom of combining
the facilities on one site was
explored and later approved
by campus and state
officials.
“Although
both SUMA
and the New
Sha kespea re
T h e a t r e
p r o j e c t
had been
p r e v i o u s l y
proposed and
approved, we
felt there were
economies and
efficiencies that
could be realized
in combining some of
the functions of both the
museum and the theatre,” said
SUU President Michael T. Benson.
“Further, the opportunity to create
a cultural nexus in the heart of
our community, one that would
be a year-round draw for tens of
thousands of visitors, was another
enormous benefit in twining these
facilities.”
While the campus celebrates
the most recent donations and
pledges, as well as news of the state
authorization to begin the project,
fundraising efforts continue and
naming opportunities for important
facets of the Beverley Taylor
Sorenson Center for the Arts exist.
Gifts of all amounts are welcomed.
To explore becoming a partner with
the University in this momentous
undertaking, please contact Staci
Carson (’85) at (435) 865-8186 or
Donna Law at (435) 865-8182.
At this year’s Founders Celebration, Beverley Taylor Sorenson received the
first Presidential Medallion of Service award given at Southern Utah University.
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 3 27www.suu.edu/risingwww.suu.edu/rising
The Southern Utah Museum of ArtSUMA’s educational mission
is to instruct and inspire the
next generation of art museum
professionals as it will become
the first nationally-accredited art
museum staffed and operated by
mentored students in a shared applied
research and learning environment.
As a model laboratory for collection
and exhibition research, educational
programming, public school
outreach and empirical evaluation
of the visitor experience, SUMA
will present a new age of unique
educational opportunity as it also
enriches area students of all ages, as
well as their teachers. As a regional
art museum, SUMA will serve a
broad geographic community year-
round, including residents, tourists,
SUU students and thousands of area
K-12 students. More than 60,000
visitors per year are expected, as
SUMA will host art exhibitions
from around the world, house the
University’s permanent collection,
and design, curate and produce
touring exhibits. Additionally, the
museum will provide unrestricted
views of the conservation labs and
collection storage, showcasing a
behind-the-scenes look into the work
of artists, curators and educators,
thus furthering the educational
model.
The New Shakespeare Theatre To continue to present life-
affirming classic and contemporary
plays in repertory, with Shakespeare
as the cornerstone, and to increase
youth educational opportunities
to cultivate the next generation of
theatregoers, the Utah Shakespeare
Festival (USF) will replace the aging
Adams Memorial Shakespeare
Theatre. The 35-year-old structure
must be replaced for several reasons,
including its lack of patron services,
inferior amenities for actors, and the
need to move it from its current site
on the SUU campus to a location
where the performance season could
be extended beyond the summer
months. The new theatre will include
seating for 890 audience members
per performance, youth education
and rehearsal space, elevator and
ADA access, dressing rooms and
backstage space for artists.
The USF Artistic Production BuildingThe Festival does not currently
own rehearsal spaces to mount
its eight annual professional
productions and three Greenshows.
The new artistic production building
will provide a hub facility that keeps
administrative offices, education
spaces, rehearsal halls, and various
costume, hair and make-up shops
near the performance spaces,
allowing for greater efficiency.
Additionally, in order for USF to
reach its full potential (operating in
rotating repertory for nine months
out of the year), dedicated space
near the theatres will serve these
many production elements currently
located in old and inefficient homes
and buildings off campus.
The Beverley Taylor SorenSon CenTer for The arTS will provide much-needed facilities for the Utah Shakespeare Festival and for a unique art museum that will also serve as an educational center
28I N V I E W
Holiday Gala recognizes generous donorsMore than 250 of Southern Utah University’s close
friends and supporters enjoyed an evening of celebration
at the annual Holiday Gala in the Steve Gilbert Great Hall
on campus Dec. 7.
Old Main Society honorees for the event were Maud
Trismen Mason and Cedar City Corporation.
Maude Trismen Mason is a recent transplant to
southern Utah after living virtually all of her life east of
the Mississippi. Born in New York and reared largely in
central Florida, she was exposed at an early age to the
arts and developed a love for horticulture. She gained
renown in the 1960s as one of the pioneers of the American
assemblage art movement and saw her work rewarded by
a Gold Medal at the 1964 World’s Fair. Throughout her life,
Miss Maud—as she is known to many—studied a wide
range of subjects for personal enrichment following her
graduation from Rollins College in Osceola, Fla.
Maud directed a sizable gift toward the Southern
Utah Museum of Art, which continues to work toward
completion through donated funds. Today, Maud and her
husband Keith thrive in Kanarraville on the Rocki Alice
Ranch, enjoying a wide range of endeavors and interests.
Cedar City Corporation, the governmental and services
body of the city, has, for more than 115 years, been
more than a mere host to the University. The community
has maintained its enduring commitment to SUU over
many decades and in diverse and momentous instances.
City leaders have always provided support across a
broad range of needs on many mutually-beneficial fronts,
including such important University components as the
Utah Summer Games and the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
The Dec. 7 program also featured recognition of all
donors and celebrated the induction of new members Betty
McDonald and June Sewing into the Old Main Society.
Also inducted into the society, but unable to attend, were
Alice Gibson and her late husband, Walter Gibson(’51),
Jerry Grover, Scott Snow and Anthony Stocks.
Right: Michal Adams, Nina Barnes, Joe Burgess, Michael Benson Below left: Maud Trismen Mason, Keith Mason, Michael BensonBelow center: Betty McDonald, Michael BensonBelow right: June Sewing, Michael Benson
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 3 29
Freshmen poured out of packed
cars full of clothes and kitchen
supplies last fall, to settle into their
new homes on campus. In the midst
of buying books and making friends,
these freshmen were inducted into
a new program that would help
them connect with their peers and
prepare for the college classroom in
a fresh way relying, ironically, on an
ages-old text.
In the past year, students have
come to SUU from 45 states and 37
countries. In efforts to unite these
more than 1,800 students from various
backgrounds and cultures under
a common experience, University
administrators implemented the
ThunderBard program, utilizing
one of their greatest allies, the
Utah Shakespeare Festival, to its
advantage.
This common experience program,
which required all incoming students
to read the same book—Hamlet—
and then discuss their thoughts
in classes and workshops, helped
freshmen acclimate to the pace of a
college course while learning more
about the University, the community
and one another. They also came
to understand one of Shakespeare’s
greatest plays. All freshmen students
were then given a ticket to the
modernized version of Hamlet,
performed by the Utah Shakespeare
Festival.
Of her experience, McKenzie
Hildman, a freshman studying
nursing from Caldwell, Idaho,
said, “ThunderBard created a bond
between all of us freshmen and gave
us something to do together. We
were all in the same boat, and it gave
us that much more of a connection
with the community.”
Of learning more about one of
the world’s greatest playwrights,
Brittany Childs, a freshman from
Junction City, Kan., said, “This has
made us all a little more balanced.
Up until I saw the Festival’s version
of Hamlet I never liked Shakespeare’s
work. But now I have a better
appreciation for him.”
Don Weingust, director of
Shakespeare Studies at SUU and
a key player in the ThunderBard
movement, explains the association
between connecting students and
learning Shakespeare. “It makes
Shakespeare—one of the world’s
greatest dramatists—relatable in
modern times. We open their minds
to something outside many students’
ways of thinking, and that carries
over into the rest of their lives.”
JUNE 24 - AUG. 31 Shakespeare’s King John
Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost
Cole Porter’s Anything Goes
Reginald Rose’s Twelve Angry Men
JUNE 24 - OCT. 19Rick Elice’s Peter and the Starcatcher
SEPT. 18 - OCT. 19Shakespeare’s Richard II
Roger Bean’s The Marvelous Wonderettes
UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL 2013 SEASON
For tickets or information about the Festival, call 800-PLAYTIX, or visit www.bard.org.
ThunderBa rdSUU teams up with the Shakespeare Festival to give new students an introduction to the great playwright
30I N V I E W
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
What are some favorite SUU experiences?
Paige: There are many, but working
as an Upward Bound counselor and
selling tarts at the Greenshow stand
out. I had a group of dear ladies
from England ask where I was from
because they did not recognize my
accent. When I said, “Right here in
Cedarshire,” they were amazed!
Mark: The Debate Team.
Where did you meet? I was on the forensics team and he
was in debate. We would talk on the
bus ride home from events for hours.
What was a favorite dating activity while at SUU?
We would bet who would get the
lower test score (I thought he was
much smarter than I) and the loser
(person with the high score) had
to buy the winner a personal pan
pizza from Pizza Hut. We would also
go to the basketball games, theatre
productions and fishing.
Where is your favorite vacation?We went to Zion in February and
it was amazing! We also showed our
two daughters Red Cliffs State Park
and Harrisburg. Those were favorite
places for us during spring break
while at SUU.
What have you been doing since graduation?
I attended Wayne State to receive
an MFA, worked for the Flagstaff
(AZ) Symphony, Theatrikos and
Northern Arizona University. I taught
arts management at NAU and worked
in development. After producing
a play for a couple of filmmakers I
made my way to Los Angeles.
What is your most memorable professional accomplishment?
Producing an underwater magic
special for NBC in the Bahamas
where a requirement for the job was
to learn to scuba-dive.
How were you involved on campus?
I worked with the Utah Shakespeare
Festival Outreach Program, was the
first Sigma Nu girl (so proud of
those boys) and served as an SUUSA
senator.
How do you keep your Thunderbird pride alive?
I am so proud of my University and
recommend students attend SUU and
participate in the amazing theatre
program.
PATTI DUCE’90, theatre arts. Television producer. Los Angeles, CA.
Have you received professional recognitions?
I have been recognized locally,
state-wide and nationally for my
production and service. In 2006,
I was ranked #46 in the top 200
realtors in the nation for production
by the Wall Street Journal.
Who were your SUU mentors?Ken Benson mentored me the
most through leadership trainings,
personal character building activities
and Dutch oven cooking. Other great
mentors include Sterling Church,
Richard Dotson, Bessie Dover, Keith
Anderson and Fred Adams.
How are you involved in your community?
I have served and held various
positions in the Kiwanis Club, local
board of realtors and Relay for Life.
I would love to see an end to
all cancers, and am naïve enough
to believe it can happen in our
lifetime. My most enjoyable service
is in my church.
DAVE TAYLOR’75, sociology. Associate broker at ERA Realty Center. Cedar City, UT.
MARK & PAIGE ISHIIMark: ’88, business administration. Owner of Ishii Graphic Design.Paige: ’87, communication. Data security analyst coordinator for Inter-mountain Health Care. Orem UT
ALICIA BROOKS’04, theatre arts. Special events manager. Arlington, VA.
What are you doing now?I work at the historic Ford’s
Theatre, site of the assassination
of Abraham Lincoln. Besides VIP
opening night performances and
receptions, my team plans events
all over D.C. including the Library
of Congress, the National Portrait
Gallery, the U.S. Capitol and even the
White House.
What is a professional highlight?Ford’s underwent a major
renovation and transformation, and
I am fortunate to be part of the team
that raised more than $50 million
to create the new Ford’s Theatre
Campus where Lincoln’s legacy lives.
How does your SUU experience influence your work today?
Attending a smaller school like
SUU allowed me to try anything and
everything that interested me: SUU
News, SUUSA, Power 91 and Alpha
Phi. My SUU experiences planning
events shape what I do today. You’d
be surprised at what SunFest and a
presidential gala have in common!
Do you have a favorite SUU tradition?
Does Top Spot count?
Where did you go after SUU?I earned a bachelor’s degree from
Utah State, a master’s in English
from Washington, and enjoyed a
42-year career with Alaska Airlines,
including 20 years on the staff of
the Association of Flight Attendants
training new leaders in labor-
management relations.
Do you volunteer?Yes, I have been to northern
Uganda three times since 2010 with
NGO, THRVE-Gulu working with
former child soldiers. I am president
of the Puerto Vallarta Garden Club;
we are planting amapas, primavera
trees and bougainvillea throughout
the city for the first Bougainvillea
Festival in May.
What are some favorite college memories?
Taking physiology from my
grandfather, David L. Sargent;
changing my major to English after a
Shakespeare class from Fred Adams;
Adagio with LaVeve Whetten; and
music lessons by Blaine Johnson.
How did SUU shape you?As a student, I saw SUU as a perfect
little liberal arts college. I love the
humanities and have pursued social
justice and beauty, the manifestation
of the liberal arts.
SUZANNE KIRKPATRICK ’65, English. Retired, airline industry. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
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 3 31
Don’t forget
to connect
with Southern
Utah University
Alumni on
FacebookLike us and watch for:
• Trivia Tuesdays (win prizes)• Photo Fridays• News & Event Information
facebook.com/suualumni
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
32I N V I E W
Class Notes
ABOVE: Several young SUU Alumni at an impromptu reunion at a recent Utah Jazz Game. Top row (left to right): Emily Burt (’11), Justin Nelson (’11), Kelsey Nelson (’11), Alayna Ferrin (’10), Carl Webb (’10), Jeff Kinsel (’10), Cody Alderson (’09), Dallin Crane, Michael Hunter (’10). Front row: Heidi Eysser (’13), Amy Paget, Alex Jones, Loryn Killpack, Stefanie Higginson, Christina Longhurst (’11), Jenny Longhurst, Cambria Beebe (’09)
LEFT: Lorraine Warren (’53) and Lea Decker (’89) took care of kitchen duties and kept the batter coming for the 2012 Homecoming Pancake Breakfast. Thank you ladies!
ABOVE: Proud T-Birds supporting Cameron Levins at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Pictured left to right: Diane Houle (’84), Eric Houle (’81), Layne Richards (’98), Chandice Richards (’00), Brayden Richards and Javin Richards.
LEFT: Erin Hensel (’04) and Beth Hensel Clark (’04) give a “thumbs up” during the Homecoming parade.
ABOVE: Jeff Kinsel (’10) and Carl Webb (’10) showing their T-Bird colors at the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia.
We’d 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]
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 3 33
ABOVE: A fantastic group of alumni attended the 2012 Homecoming Banquet, including (pictured left to right): Staci Carson (’85), Stacee McIfff (’96), Brad Bishop (’93), Stuart Jones (’86), Mindy Benson (’94), Keri Mecham (’97), Darren Marshall (’96), Jamie Shaw (’96), Mechelle Mellor (’94), Nikki Nicholas (’99), David Blodgett (’93), Lisa Blodgett (’93), Gary Giles (’57), Vera Jean Giles (’57), Vicki Challis (’70), Art Challis (’72), Clyda Torres (’61), Ron Cardon (’96), Max Torres, and Mark Russell (’74).
ABOVE: Christian Ross (’13), McKenzie Romero (’09 & ’12) and Jennifer Hansen (’10) pose on the set of KSL TV in Salt Lake City after things slowed down on election night this past fall. All three work with the KSL and Deseret News multi-media news operation.
ABOVE: Elyce Schmutz (’85), Ann Cherrington (’55) and George Cherrington (’55) were among the large crowd of alumni who enjoyed Homecoming Saturday.
ABOVE: Stuart Jones (’86) and TJ Nelson (’12), both former student body presidents, enjoying last fall’s homecoming festivities. Stuart was SUUSA president in 1985 and TJ in 2012.
RIGHT: Natalie Miller Crockett (’06), Kiersty Lund Loughmiller (’04) and Ashley Goodrich Dixon (’05) have remained best friends since their days at SUU. In fact, all three live within
10 minutes of each other in Utah and had their babies within a month of each other. Congrats to Natalie for winning the race!
34I N V I E W
RE D
OCT. 13 – LIBRARY MARKS AMERICAN MILESTONESThe Friends of the Gerald R. Sherratt Library marked a unique convergence of national anniversaries — the 150th for the Union Pacific Railroad, the 90th for the Utah Parks Company and the 50th for the Library’s own Special Collections — in a combined celebration of the organizations most influential in developing and connecting southern Utah to the rest of the nation.
FEB. 1 – BELOVED PROFESSOR BECOMES DEAN OF EDUCATIONAfter teaching in the College of Education & Human Development for the past 12 years, Dr. Deborah Hill was selected as the dean following a nationwide search. As any of her former students can attest, Deb’s enthusiasm is infectious, and SUU leaders have high hopes for the college’s future under her leadership.
SEPT. 25 – SUU TO OPEN CULTURAL CENTER IN CHINAThe U.S. Department of State selected SUU as one of 10 U.S. universities to establish an American Cultural Center in China, charged with fostering an understanding of American culture, history, values, policies and institutions, as well as conveying the good will and generosity of the American people.
U N I V E R S I T Y H E A D L I N E S W O R T H R E A D I N G
DEC. 9 – PANCAKES PROMPT NEW CAMPUS TRADITIONStudents took a tasty study break before finals week in a new SUU tradition. More than 70 faculty and staff volunteers served as chefs, wait staff and dishwashers in the inaugural Pancake Study Break. In all, students consumed 135 pounds of bacon; 100 pounds of pancake mix; and 110 gallons of milk and juice at the late-night celebration to mark the end of the fall semester.
SEPT. 14 – SCIENCE GETS A GOLD FOR GOING GREENThe Center for Health and Molecular Sciences at Southern Utah University recently received LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, affirming its excellence in energy efficiency, sustainability and environmental quality. The Center is the only building in Utah’s southwest region to receive LEED Gold Certification.
MAR. 4 – OBAMA: SUU SERVES ‘WITH DISTINCTION’In just one year, the SUU community touted a 64-percent increase in service completed, logging in 141,307 hours of community service in the past school year, a feat which earned the University its fourth Presidential Service nod and first-time appointment as one of the nation’s universities “with distinction” for service and service-learning.
rememberWE WILL July 1, 2012 - December 30, 2012
S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E F A L L 2 0 1 2 35
ALUMNI
Victor Dean Allred (’42), age 89,passed away April 27, 2012
Elaine B. Jensen (’45), age 87,passed away July 13, 2012
Ray T. Johnson (’53), age 82,passed away July 21, 2012
Jesse V. King (’11), age 24,passed away July 21, 2012
Loleen N. Grimshaw (’41), age 88,passed away July 26, 2012
Mitchell Tyler Nehrenz (’03), age 38,passed away July 29, 2012
Jorilong Edwin (’87), age 56,passed away August 12, 2012
John Michael Doland (’71), age 64,passed away August 18, 2012
Ida Eleen Robinson (’93), age 75,passed away September 9, 2012
Angel Randall (’06), age 29,passed away September 14, 2012
Cathy A. Lindell (’01), age 57,passed away September 15, 2012
Steven Chatterley (’75), age 62,passed away September 19, 2012
Rhonda M. Fisher (’12), age 59,passed away September 27, 2012
J Douglas Knell (’53), age 79,passed away October 9, 2012
W. Nicholas Lunt (’53), age, 79,passed away October 15, 2012
Dr. Paul R. Lunt (’41), age, 91,passed away October 15, 2012
Dee G. Cowan (’35), age 94,passed away October 9, 2012
Fayila Williams (’75), age 93,passed away October 11, 2012
Marcia C Clark (’94), age 61,passed away October 24, 2012
Clark G. Segler (’78), age 58,passed away November 2, 2012
JoAnn Grimshaw (’52), age 80,passed away November 12, 2012
Dr. Raymond H. Brown (’79), age 80,passed away October 28, 2012
Lael M. Dotson (’47), age 85,passed away November 20, 2012
Nina L. Hoyt (’70), age 79,passed away November 24, 2012
Roger A. Ludwig (’76), age 62,passed away November 29, 2012
Dahl L. Brown (’69), age 72,passed away November 30, 2012
Roy “Pug” Parry Urie (’40), age 92,passed away December 24, 2012
Karma B. Jolley (’53), age 79,passed away December 24, 2012
Blaine A. Tebbs (’69), age 68,passed away on December 28, 2012
FRIENDS&SUPPORTERS
Larry Andrew Olsen, age 78,passed away July 1, 2012
Mark A. Benson, age 83,passed away July 29, 2012
Tom Reynolds, age 73,passed away August 5, 2012
Harold Norton, age 99,passed away August 16, 2012
Jason C. Prisbrey, age 45,passed away August 19, 2012
Max W. Getz, age 90,passed away August 21, 2012
Gordon J. Myler, age 62,passed away September 6, 2012
Valorie Topham, age 64,passed away September 9, 2012
Rhett Kelsey Newby, age 24,passed away September 10, 2012
Jesse Ray Robb, age 73,passed away September 12, 2012
Max Palfreyman, age 78,passed away September 11, 2012
Carol H. Dodds, age 79,passed away September 17, 2012
William Munoz, age 25,passed away September 22, 2012
Jacqueline Mertin, age 30,passed away September 22, 2012
Robert Evans, age 37,passed away September 22, 2012
Vern K. Kupfer, age 91,passed away September 29, 2012
Max D. Weaver, age 95,passed away October 15, 2012
Roger J. Vandenberghe, age 76,passed away October 9, 2012
Robert J. Horlacher, age 81,passed away October 19, 2012
James R. Craig, age 73,passed away October 20, 2012
Margery M. Twitchell, age 96,passed away November 11, 2012
Helen G. Sargent, age 93,passed away November 15, 2012
Scott F. Andersen, age 51,passed away November 23, 2012
LaRue Morris, age 91,passed away November 21, 2012
When you learn of the passing of an SUU alumnus or friend, please contact Ron Cardon by phone (435-586-7776) or by email ([email protected]).
36I N V I E W
Last Word
It’s best known for its traveling
cow. And, according to SUU
Alumni Facebook users, its fry
sauce, English chips and vanilla
coke, in that order.
But mostly for the black-and-
white plastered Holstein, which,
until 1999 when vandalism
necessitated its permanent
attachment to Top Spot’s roof,
traveled across the county and
as far as St. George in late night
pranks by Cedar City’s high school
and college students.
In its decades of travel, the cow
has turned up in some interesting
spots: cemeteries, actual hitching
posts, front yards, and swapped
out for the horse atop a different
restaurant’s roof in St. George. In
one of the most daring relocations,
it even turned up on the doorstep
of the Highway Patrol building.
And in the most sentimental,
a handful of couples who first
met at “The Cow” (a moniker as
well-known as its given name)
have actually included Top Spot’s
mascot in their wedding line —
SUU students included.
For the record, the fry sauce
is an original Top Spot
family recipe, as are a
majority of their menu
items. And the cow? Its midnight
adventures are just the beginning
of a reputation that, coupled with
down-home fast food, has kept Top
Spot on the map as Cedar City’s
oldest restaurant still in business.
Family-owned and operated
since it first opened, the Top Spot
is proud to be old school and takes
pride in the little things that make
them different, like carhops in an
age of drive-throughs, second-and
third-generation employees who
are encouraged to get to know
their customers, and homemade,
hand-selected and prepared food.
“Unfortunately, it’s just a dying
part of our culinary culture,” said
Craig Barton, who has owned the
restaurant since he purchased it
from his father in 1981. “We’re
like the old mercantile stores and,
eventually, this will probably all
give way to the national chains.
But for now, we’re sitting tight and
sticking to the things that made us
successful to begin with.”
With as many traditions as
years under its belt and hundreds
more memories and friendships
surrounding the longstanding
drive-in, many a T-Bird counts Top
Spot as an integral part of their
college experience — including
five of the Barton’s children who
carhopped while attending SUU.
Happy 50th birthday to an old-
school stalwart that, like SUU, is
happy to maintain its personal
touch and the one-of-a-kind
experience that makes our Cedar
City home something special.
Fifty Years at the TopSecret sauce, an iconic bovine and old-fashioned ideals uphold Cedar City’s longest standing restaurant
KEEPING IT OLD SCHOOLEven if they cut a menu item,
Top Spot is still happy to make
their long-time customers’
favorites. Worth trying again:
the Curly Dog and the Top
Dog. Ask for them by name.
Annual support from alumni and friends is critical to SUU’s
future. A Southern Utah University education should be
affordable and accessible for all students and the support our
students receive from the Annual Fund is used all over
campus.
Your commitment and annual participation, at any level, are
vital to SUU’s continued success. Our unique environment for
learning depends on the support of
everyone, every year.
suu.edu/giving
Here’s to Alumni Days at Shakespeare!
Photo: Leslie Brott (left) as Mistress Alice Ford and Victoria Adams-Zischke as Mistress Margaret Page in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2006 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. (Photo by Karl Hugh. © Utah Shakespeare Festival 2006.)
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
• 12 Angry Men• Love’s Labor’s Lost• Peter and the Starcatcher• The Tempest• Anything Goes• King John
View all six plays of the Utah Shakespeare Festival 2013 season, plus attend exclusive events with Festival staff & cast!
A L U M N I D AY S A T S H A K E S P E A R ES 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
June 24-26, 2013
Alumni Association
351 West University Blvd.
Cedar City, UT 84720
Electronic Service Requested
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PAIDCEDAR CITY, UT. 84720
PERMIT NO. 53
If the addressee no longer lives
at this address or for name and
address corrections including
duplicate magazines, please call
435-586-7777
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
ALUMNIEVENTS
We invite you to join your Thunderbird Family at the following events:
MAY 3-4: SUU COMMENCEMENT
JUNE 24-26: ALUMNI DAYS AT SHAKESPEARE
AUGUST 3: SUU DAY AT LAGOON
SEPTEMBER 30: THOR’S THUNDER CLASSIC
OCTOBER 10-12: HOMECOMING, TRUE TO SUU!
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE AND
FUTURE EVENTS, VISIT WWW.SUU.EDU/ALUMNI
OR CALL (435) 586-7777
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Connect with an Alumni Chapter or Network Representative in your area.Go to suu.edu/alumni
ALUMNICHAPTERS
Old yearbooks on display in the library during Founders Celebration