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December 11, 2003 - DSC awarded four-year nursing program
December 6, 2003 - Butler County wins Dixie Rotary Bowl, NJCAA championship
December 2, 2003 - Dixie hosts Larry King - Live
November 21, 2003 - ACM chapter established at DSC; CIT students compete at region
November 18, 2003 - No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Dixie Rotary Bowl
November 12, 2003 - Dixie State College to host Career Day
November 11, 2003 - DSC yard sale to benefit local military familiesduring holidays
November 7, 2003 - Dixie Forum to focus on Veterans
November 5, 2003 - DSC to go door to door for Leveled-LibraryReading Program
November 4, 2003 - DSC eyes world record, awaits word from Guinness
November 3, 2003 - DSC Symphonic Band presents Fall Concert
November 3, 2003 - Stephen Wade to speak at Dixie Forum
October 31, 2003 - DSC to attempt world record during Awareness Week
October 30, 2003 - DSC Chamber Orchestra to kick off its season
October 29, 2003 - "Scarlet Fever" to hit Dixie State College in mid-November
October 28, 2003 - DSC Symphonic Band presents Fall Concert
October 24, 2003 - New brain research topic of Dixie Forum
October 21, 2003 - Jon Schmidt to perform at DSC benefit concert
October 16, 2003 - "Violence of Verse" topic of Dixie Forum
October 10, 2003 - New DSC VP to speak at Dixie Forum
October 7, 2003 - DRMC makes donation to DSC nursing
October 7, 2003 - Jon Schmidt to perform at DSC benefit concert
October 6, 2003 - Larry EchoHawk to speak at Dixie Forum
October 1, 2003 - DSC theater set to raise curtain on 2003-04 season
October 1, 2003 - DSC Theatre presents comic thriller "Deathtrap"
September 22, 2003 - Dixie State College enrollment up again
September 22, 2003 - Forecast Snowy for DSC Homecoming
September 15, 2003 - Dixie State College to promote health
September 15, 2003 - Hinton assumes position as acting dean at DSC
September 11, 2003 - Marathon bus tour promoting service hits Utah college campuses
September 11, 2003 - Costa Rica topic of Dixie Forum
September 9, 2003 - Local businesses urged to "Spread the Red"
September 5, 2003 - Forum - "Beyond Tacos and Egg Rolls: Ethnic Dining in Utah
August 29, 2003 - Art, food, and life subject of Dixie Forum
August 19, 2003 - DSC holds auditions for "The Scarlet Pimpernel"
August 4, 2003 - DSC students place at Skills USA Championships
June 26, 2003 - DSC student receives honor at Miss Utah Pageant
June 5, 2003 - DSC / high school students receive New Century Scholarship
May 29, 2003-"Students, have a good summer but don’t forget to register."
May 29, 2003-DXATC students / Utah Housing Corporation complete home
May 21, 2003-Dixie State Col lege names VP of student services
May 20, 2003-DSC auto students take state for third time in four years
May 19, 2003-DXATC awarded accreditation candidate status
May 12, 2003-DSC receives donation from State Bank of Southern Utah
May 9, 2003-DSC names acting VP of academics
May 1, 2003-DSC to go to a four-day workweek during summer
April 30, 2003-DSC students place at international competition
April 29, 2003-DSC to confer 1,403 degrees and certificates Friday
April 29, 2003-DSC icon announces resignation
April 24, 2003-DSC students win state VICA honors
April 24, 2003-DXATC students win at state VICA competition
April 24, 2003-Five to be honored at DSC Graduation
April 23, 2003-Thursday Forum will focus on terrorism
April 23, 2003-VP of NFL FILMS at DSC graduation
April 18, 2003-Topaz the topic of next Dixie Forum
April 11, 2003-DSC Symphonic Band presents Concert
April 11, 2003-"Power of the Word " next week at DSC
April 10, 2003-DSC announces 2003 Valedictorian
April 10, 2003-Dixie State gives 2003 Rebel Awards
April 8, 2003-American illustrations exhibited at library
April 8, 2003-High School compete in auto competition
April 8, 2003-"Pippin" takes center stage at Dixie State
April 4, 2003-Italian film wraps up Bob Dalton Film Fest
April 4, 2003-Reverend France A. Davis speaks at Forum
March 31, 2003-Middle Eastern Women at next Dixie Forum
March 31, 2003-DSC Dance Company ready for spring concert
March 27, 2003-DSC Jazz Band receives Superior rating
March 27, 2003-Dixie State College to host Health Fair
March 25, 2003-"On the Waterfront" next at Bob Dalton Fest
March 24, 2003-Campus to Community planning spring project
March 24, 2003-Bob Dalton Film Fest "The House of Mirth"
March 20, 2003-The Vienna Altenberg Trio comes to town
March 11, 2003-Bob Dalton Film Festival continues at DSC
March 11, 2003-DSC student named 2003 New Century Scholar
March 7, 2003-Terre Burton gives encore at Dixie Forum
March 7, 2003-Michael Ballam to perform at benefit concert
March 3, 2003-Film Festival kicks off Thursday at DSC
February 28, 2003-Terre Burton as Alder Faculty Honor Lecturer
February 28, 2003-Utah’s minority groups at next Dixie Forum
February 25, 2003-Public Invited toTown Meeting on DSC Campus
February 21, 2003-Lyman Hafen to speak at Dixie Forum
February 21,2003-Employment Fair hits Dixie State this week
February 19, 2003-Federal government videoconference at DSC
February 18, 2003-DXATC instructor named Teacher of the Year
February 15, 2003-Winners of 2003 Sears Art Show announced
February 11, 2003- Wallace Lee to kick off Sears art symposium
February 10, 2003-Carol Lynn Pearson to speak twice at DSC
February 7, 2003-Womanhood in the Middle Ages topic of Forum
February 7, 2003-Utah Students to Celebrate National TRIO Day
Febuary 4, 2003-Sears Invitational Art Show hits southern Utah
February 3, 2003-DSC brings aboard new Director of Nursing
Febuary 3, 2003-Marilyn Arnold to speak at Dixie Forum
January 27, 2003-St. George poet next up at Dixie Forum
January 22, 2003-Dixie's Elementary Education Degree Pushes Forward
January 17, 2003-WWII P.O.W. next up at Dixie Forum
January 15, 2003-Dixie State accredited at four-year level
January 10, 2003-Rare fossil collection on display at DSC
January 10, 2003-Jokes the subject of Dixie Forum
January 3, 2003-Grand Opening set for Red Rock Café

Dixie State College awarded four-year nursing program
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 11, 2003) Dixie State College today received unanimous approval from the Utah State Board of Regents to go forward its proposed baccalaureate degree of nursing (BSN). Beginning fall semester 2004, approximately 24 nursing students, as mandated by the Regents, will begin coursework in the program.
The college received that word at the Utah State Board of Regents meeting held at the Gateway in Salt Lake City. The decision had been postponed at least twice for further review and an independent evaluation.
In May, the proposed degree was unanimously approved by the college’s Board of Trustees, which then recommended approval by the Utah State Board of Regents. The degree is the fourth four-year degree introduced at the college since 2000.
Currently, the college’s recently accredited nursing program offers an associate degree in nursing (ADN). The college also offers practical nurse (PN) certificates and graduates 120 certified nurse assistants (CNA) each semester. The baccalaureate degree will be an ADN career ladder program in a two plus two format, as opposed to students beginning in a baccalaureate program.
“We’re excited to be able to offer this program, not just for our sake and our students’ sake, but for the community’s sake,” said DSC president Dr. Robert Huddleston. “The local economy in particular has demanded that we offer this degree. With the enormous, new hospital in St. George and the tremendous nursing shortage, this decision by the Regents will go a long way to meet a significant need.”
In November, local IHC subsidiary Dixie Regional Medical Center (DRMC) completed construction on a se cond 400,000 square foot hospital in St. George, just a stone’s throw from the DSC campus.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to have this degree in our community,” said Vicki Reese Wilson, DRMC assistant administrator for human resources. “We think this level of education has been needed and will be valued by our nursing staff. They will now be able to pursue additional education right here in St. George. In the past, nurses who were interested in pursuing a bachelor’s level degree haven’t had many options.”
Overall, DRMC employs 400 registered nurses, many of which hold a two-year degree from Dixie, Weber or other schools, Wilson said. But in order to prepare for administrative opportunities or a specialized area it is desirable for these individuals to have a bachelor’s degree, she added.
DRMC hired 91 nurses this year alone, and Wilson doesn’t foresee that rate slowing any.
“Our growth continues to be phenomenal,” Wilson said. “We’ll continue to hire 80 to 100 nurses per year, and many of these will come out of Dixie’s nursing programs.”
The new program will also help aid nursing shortages felt elsewhere in the state, said Joe Peterson, acting vice president of academics at DSC. Currently, Utah as a whole is in need of 1,500 nurses a year to meet its demand, Peterson said, yet the state’s colleges and universities are only producing 700 nurses a year.
“Those are high paying jobs that are being filled by people who are being trained and recruited from out of state,” Peterson said. “We would like to train locally to better serve our state and community.”
The college, with the help of DRMC and other community donations, had already allocated the funding to begin establishing the degree and hiring new nursing faculty. The Utah State Legislature also allocated $75,000 in ongoing funds toward the degree in 2003, the only academic program funding to be approved in the state at the time.
Also planned for the rapidly growing health sciences division at DSC is a training facility dedicated entirely to the health sciences. As of 2003, all of the college’s nursing programs are accredited by the National League of Nursing.
Dixie State College also offers four-year degrees in business administration and computer and information technology (CIT), offered since fall 2000, and elementary education, offered since fall 2002.

Butler County wins Dixie Rotary Bowl, NJCAA championship
(ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Dec. 6, 2003) For the fourth time in their history, the Butler County Community College (Kan.) Grizzlies are the champions of the junior college football world.
The Grizzles, who finished the 2003 season with a perfect 12-0 re cord, overcame several turnovers and came up big on defense in the second half to beat the Dixie State College Rebels 14-10 Saturday in the Dixie Rotary Bowl in St. George, Utah. The bowl was officially sanctioned by the NJCAA as the national championship game.
The Grizzlies got off to a slow start in the first half, turning the ball over twice on fumbles, which eventually led to all 10 of Dixie State’s first half points. The Grizzlies came out of hibernation in the second half, however, particularly on the defensive side of the ball and held the Rebels scoreless the rest of the way. A second half touchdown and safety were all Butler needed to seal its fourth national championship since 1981.
"Our kids hung in there and played a heck of a game," said Butler head coach Troy Morrell. "We’re fortunate to come out of here with a win. It was a tough game."
"I just have to give credit to our players," Morrell continued. "They’re the ones who hung in there through all the adversity that they’ve faced all year long. We faced it again today and they found a way to come out of that locker room (in the second half) and look like a different team."
The Rebels came out of the blocks strong defensively in the first quarter. After drawing first blood with a 22-yard field goal mid-way through the first quarter following a fumble recovery, Dixie State defensive back Brandon Sanchez stripped the ball in stride to run for a 32-yard touchdown to put his team up 10-0 with 7:21 to play in the half.
Butler County got on the board soon thereafter behind a 55-yard kickoff return and ensuing touchdown run by running back Terry Petrie to bring the Grizzles to within four points prior to the half.
Butler’s first drive of the second half was capped with a two-yard run by quarterback Chad Wilmott, giving Butler its first lead of the game at 12-10.
The Rebels again had a chance to capitalize on what could have been a costly second half Butler fumble on the goal line, the second of that variety for Butler in the game, but failed to convert that recovery into points.
A Butler safety on a DSC punt attempt put the Grizzles up for good late in the fourth quarter. The Butler defense then slammed the door on two Dixie State drives, coming up with interceptions on both occasions to end the game.
"I’m pleased with our players," said DSC head coach Greg Croshaw. "They absolutely hung in there and fought as hard as they could."
The kicking game was a problem for both teams. In addition to the safety, the Rebels squandered two field goal opportunities earlier in the game. Butler missed both of its extra point tries.
The MVP of the game for Butler was quarterback Chad Wilmott, who threw for 78 yards on 9 of 21 passing and ran for one touchdown. Overall, the Grizzlies rushed for 225 yards on the day, with 143 of them coming from running back Joseph Harris.
Dixie’s MVP was defensive back Brandon Sanchez, who scored the Rebels’ only touchdown. The Rebels mustered 140 yards of total offense, all of which came in the first half. DSC quarterback Adam Madsen was held to 8 of 29 completions on 89 yards passing. Running back David Anger led the Rebels on the ground with 67 yards rushing. Dixie State finished the season with a 10-2 record.
Saturday’s meeting marked the fourth overall between the two teams in the Dixie Rotary Bowl and the third in the past five years. Today’s game also marked the second meeting between the two teams with the national championship on the line. Butler captured its third national championship in 1999 in the Dixie Rotary Bowl with a 49-35 victory over the Rebels. The two teams met in the inaugural Dixie Rotary Bowl in 1986.
For more information about today’s bowl game, visit www.rotarybowl.com.

Dixie hosts Larry King - Live
(ST. GEORGE - Dec. 2, 2003) The Dixie Rotary Bowl Committee and Larry King, of CNN's Larry King Live, will hold a press conference Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. at the Dixie Center in St. George, Utah. Mr. King will be the keynote speaker at the Dixie Rotary Bowl banquet immediately following the press conference.
The Dixie Center is located at 1835 Convention Center Drive. The press conference will be held in Room Entrada C. All media are invited to attend.
The bowl game itself will determine this year's NJCAA champion -- No. 1 Butler County Community College vs. No. 2 Dixie State College -- and kicks off Saturday at noon in Hansen Stadium on the campus of Dixie State College.

ACM chapter established at DSC
CIT students compete at regional competition
(ST. GEORGE – Nov. 21, 2003) A chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) is officially up and running at Dixie State College. ACM is the professional organization for the computer science industry.
The chapter, created this semester at the college, recently competed in the annual Regional Programming Contest in Salt Lake City. Two DSC teams, made up primarily of sophomore students, competed among 70 other university and college teams from Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Canada.
The competition consisted of a five-hours worth of solving various practical computer programming problems and scenarios. DSC students Edie Thomas, Carla Neilson, Pete Kuhlmann, Jonathan Wight, Christopher Heaton, David Hilton, Marc Wilkinson, and Josh Mower represented the college in the competition. This is the first year DSC has competed in the competition.
"In many cases, our sophomore students went head to head with senior and even graduate students and held up well against them. As the new kid on the block, I expect next year we’ll do even better," said chapter advisor Dr. Bart Stander. "These competitions are an important part of the CIT experience because they’re another venue for students to put what they learn into practice and that’s key in our program."
Dixie State College’s four-year computer and information technology program was introduced at the college in 2000. The program consists of three emphases – computer information systems, computer science, and visual technology. The CIT program as a whole graduated 21 with baccalaureate degrees in 2003.

No. 1 vs. No. 2 in D ixie Rotary Bowl
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 18, 2003) It’s almost like déjà vu all over again. In 1999, No. 3 ranked Butler County CC (Kansas) defeated No. 1 ranked Dixie State College (Utah) for the NJCAA national championship in the Dixie Rotary Bowl.
The 2003 Dixie Rotary Bowl, bowl officials announced today, will feature the same two teams and will again likely determine the national champion. This time the Butler Grizzlies enter the game 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation, with Dixie State Rebels at No. 2 and a 10-1 record.
The game will be played Saturday, Dec. 6, in St. George, Utah, at noon on the campus of Dixie State College of Utah.
"We were going to try and play whoever ended up ranked No. 2 in the country and it just happened to be Dixie," said Butler head coach Troy Morrell Tuesday via phone during a press conference. "Some different things happened and (Dixie) moved up. We’ve had a great experience every time we’ve been out there. It’s a first-class bowl and it’s a reward for our kids."
The two teams vied for the top spot much of this season. Dixie State started the 2003 season ranked No. 1, but Butler overtook that spot in the polls early in the season. The Rebels were tripped up late in the season by New Mexico Military (31-28), pushing the Rebels to the No. 5 spot. Dixie reclaimed the No. 2 spot this week after previous No. 2 Tyler, Texas, No. 3 Hinds, Miss., and No. 4 Iowa Central all lost.
"It was a scenario that we certainly held high hopes for, but realistically you didn’t think that all those teams would have a problem," said DSC head coach Greg Croshaw.
"It’s a great opportunity, and we’re just thankful that we were able to hang in there and move up to No. 2 and have an opportunity like this to play."
Beyond the 1999 meeting, the two teams have a bit of a history in the Dixie Rotary Bowl. This year’s game will mark the fourth meeting between the two overall in the Dixie Rotary Bowl and the third meeting in five years.
The two met in the inaugural Dixie Rotary Bowl in 1986, with Dixie coming out on top 36-33. The 1999 meeting for the national championship featured two high profile running backs, Rudi Johnson (Butler) and Corey Dillon (Dixie), currently teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals. Butler won that game 49-35 for its second consecutive national championship. In 2002, the two met for a third time, with Dixie prevailing 31-18.
Butler’s undefeated season has included one and two-point margin victories over nationally ranked Coffeyville CC and Hutchinson CC in back-to-back mid-season games and another come from behind win over Coffeyville for the KJCCC Championship. Dixie’s resume includes wins over nationally ranked Snow College and Glendale CC. The Rebels are the champions of the WSFL.
"We’re very pleased to have the top two ranked teams in the country," said Dixie Rotary Bowl selection committee chair Robert Whatcott. "For all intents and purposes, this will be for the national championship."
Kickoff for the Dixie Rotary Bowl is slated for Saturday at noon in Hansen Stadium along 700 East in St. George, Utah. Tickets can be purchased by calling (435) 652-7800.
The Rebels currently have a record of 12-4 in the Dixie Rotary Bowl, having appeared in 16 of the 17 bowl games.
For more information on both teams, visit www.rotarybowl.com.

Dixie State College to host Career Day
(St. George, UT – Nov. 12, 2002) Daytime classes on Tuesday, Nov. 18, have been cancelled at Dixie State College, but the campus will be flooded with students nonetheless between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
High school seniors from Utah, Nevada, and Arizona will congregate on campus for the college’s annual Career Day. The event has been a fixture at the college for 26 years. Approximately 17 high schools will participate in Career Day this year, ranging in student bodies consisting of as few as seven students to as many as 350.
"Career Day is intended to help students make informed career choices," said DSC Career Planning and Placement Center Director Kathy Kinney. "It offers group career counseling in a way that cannot be duplicated. It’s an incredible vehicle for career information."
Over 90 local professionals representing nearly 85 different occupations will present career workshops. Students will be able to select four workshops of their choice to attend. Approximately 120 workshops filling nearly every classroom on campus will be available to choose from, with 30 workshops running each of the four hours.
Morning and afternoon classes have been cancelled, not only to make way for the high school students, but to allow DSC students to attend Career Day as well. Evening classes (after 5 p.m.) will go forward as scheduled.
The entire month of November has long been designated Career Month at Dixie State College. This year’s theme is "Have you made a MAJOR decision?" Choosing a major and selecting a career path are closely related, Kinney said.
"We encourage students to explore career options in a variety of ways so they can select an appropriate academic major and be certain they are heading in the right direction as far as education and training are concerned," Kinney said. "It is imperative to our success as a college to help our students find satisfying employment in career fields suited to their interests, talents and abilities."
Community members are invited to attend workshops as well.
Career Day begins at 9 a.m. in DSC’s Cox Auditorium with a general assembly and welcoming remarks by DSC president Dr. Robert Huddleston. Workshops will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run through 1 p.m. Workshop schedules will be available on campus and sent to the respective high schools prior to Career Day. For more information, call Kathy Kinney at (435) 652-7736.

DSC yard sale to benefit local military familiesduring holidays
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov.12, 2003) Students at Dixie State College will hold a yard sale on the DSC campus Saturday, Nov. 22, to raise money for families of local National Guardsmen currently serving in Iraq. The students, members of the service and traditions-based X-Club at the college, hope to raise $3,000 and are currently accepting donated items to be sold at the event.
Approximately 30 St. George area families have a loved one currently serving in Iraq as part of the St. George based 141st Military Intelligence Battalion, Bravo Company, Detachment 1, said DSC student Chris Palmer, whose brother is serving in Iraq. The battalion has been oversees since January of 2003 working as interrogators, counter intelligence agents, and interpreters right alongside the active duty component.
"We know there are some families who have fallen on difficult financial times, or are in need of a little extra cash to help with the bills, especially as the holidays approach," said X-Club president Connor Shakespeare. "We just want to make sure that their needs are taken care of while their loved one is out serving our country."
The yard sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 22, in the Old Gym parking lot along 700 East in St. George. A DATS trailer is currently parked in the lot where individuals can donate items for the sale. Donation pick-up is also available upon request. No donations will be turned away. All proceeds will go directly to the battalion’s Family Support Group charity and will be dispersed to the families in need prior to the holiday season.
"These families are proud of their soldiers and the job they are doing," said Palmer. "They rarely complain of the sacrifices they are enduring as their spouses are away living in a hostile environment."
"This is a chance to serve those who are serving our country by helping their families while they are away," Shakespeare continued. "Many have left high paying jobs to serve their country and left their families with less money to live on."
For more information or for yard sale donation pick-up, call Connor Shakespeare at (435) 229-4949.

Dixie Forum to focus on Veterans
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 7, 2003) Joseph C. Bebel, international relations instructor at Dixie State College, will be the featured speaker on Veterans Day at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World, Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium on the DSC campus.
The retired U.S. Air Force colonel, whose experience as a United Nations peacekeeper in the Middle East earned him a share of the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize, will address the topic, "Veterans of Peace."
Colonel Bebel’s presentation will provide a brief history of U.S. participation in UN peace operations from 1948 to the present. His underlying theme is that Veterans Day should not only honor American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have served in combat from World War I and beyond, but also those who have put their lives on the line in operations aimed at promoting the peace.
Colonel Bebel entered the United States Air Force in 1975 after completing the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program at Syracuse University. He attained all C-141A/B Starlifter navigator qualifications, including Special Operations Low Level, culminating in designation as Navigator, Commander-in-chief, Military Airlift Command Crew.
He served as a United Nations military observer first in Lebanon and Egypt, and later along the Iraq/Kuwait border immediately following the 1990-91 Gulf War. He also served in staff assignments at U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and at the Pentagon.
He was a distinguished graduate from Squadron Officer School and has published articles in Europaische Sicherheit ("European Security") and International Peacekeeping. As a National Defense Fellow at Georgetown University, he formulated and taught a course on international peacekeeping.
Colonel Bebel completed a tour as associate dean in the Scho ol of Intelligence Studies at the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C., before his last Air Force assignment as professor of aerospace studies at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. In the latter capacity, he held dual responsibilities as detachment commander and chairman of the department of aerospace studies with rank of full professor.
Currently a resident of St. George, Bebel began teaching at Dixie State in January of 2003.
Dixie Forum will not be held Nov. 18 (DSC Career Day) or Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving holiday). Dixie Forum will continue Tuesday, Dec. 2, at noon.

DSC to go door to door for Leveled-LibraryReading Program
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 5, 2003) Residents and businesses in St. George may hear a rap at their door between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday evening, Nov. 4, but it won’t be belated trick-or-treaters. Dixie State College students, faculty, and staff will be out in force collecting donations for the Washington County School District literacy program.
All the proceeds will go to the school district, specifically toward the goal of having a leveled reading library available for every child grades K-7 in the district.
The collection effort is a continuation of a theme the college will carry throughout the year. The college’s goal is to raise $30,000 this year in the leveled reading library program’s behalf, the equivalent of one leveled-library at one school. In October, the college hosted a benefit concert featuring pianist Jon Schmidt, which raised approximately $4,000 toward the cause.
Those interested in helping with the project, including community members, can meet at the DSC Gardner Student Center lobby at 4 p.m. Those participating in the project will be given a map, fliers, and a specially marked donation can. In addition, at noon near the Gardner Center there will be "Car Bash," the proceeds from which will go toward the leveled-libraries as well.
"Students serving students is our theme this year," said DSC student body president Jake Denning. "What better cause is there than helping children, especially local children, to become better readers? It’s been neat to see everyone jump on the leveled-library bandwagon."
The leveled-libraries will provide books that tailor to each specific reading level. The goal of the program is to see to it that every child leaves the third grade at or near grade level in reading and to intervene with those who have fallen behind.
On December, the college clubs will sponsor a Christmas concert in the Cox Auditorium to benefit the same cause.
The Campus to Community service program was organized at Dixie State College in 2001. The program consists of one large-scale community service project each semester. Other projects have included a yard sale to benefit a near drowning victim, planting trees for the new Southern Utah Water Conservation Garden in St. George, a book drive, and helping with the Confluence Project in Hurricane and LaVerkin.

DSC eyes world record, awaits word from Guinness
(ST. GEORGE – Nov. 4, 2003) Dixie State College has earmarked its place in the Guinness Book of World Records, but will have to wait a while before it’s made official. DSC’s Campus Dining Services and the D-SUN service club Monday
assembled and served up what is believed to be the world’s largest sandwich wrap. The official measurement of the sandwich wrap came in at 311 feet 7 inches long. The college will now submit pictures and statements from those participating and hopes to hear back from London-based Guinness within six weeks.
"The people at Guinness told us there was no current record, so to go for it," said Martin Peterson, director of Campus Dining Services at DSC. "We kind of came up with the category on our own." The record breaking sandwich wrap was made up of 720 tortilla shells, 80 pounds of chicken, 80 pounds of beef, 80 pounds of cheese, 50 pounds of tomatoes, 80 pounds of lettuce, four gallons of Caesar dressing, and 1,000 toothpicks. Punch, 30 gallons worth, and 500 bags of chips were also on hand. The attempted world record was done in conjunction with "Hunger Awareness Day" at the college, a segment of "Awareness Week." Each toothpick lining the sandwich contained a hunger awareness fact.
Approximately 900 students, faculty and staff members showed up to eat the sandwich. "This was a great event for campus," Peterson said. "We had a lot of help making the sandwich and a lot of help eating it. Nine feet of the
sandwich was leftover, and none of it went wasted."
The remaining sandwich was served to the homeless along with soup and bread bowls Monday night at Vernon Worthen Park in St. George. The neat thing for us is we didn't just do it for the sake of setting a world record or getting our names in a book," said Donna Stafford, director of student activities. "We did it to educate students, and
that’s just as important as the world record."

DSC Symphonic Band presents Fall Concert
The Symphonic Band at Dixie State College, under the baton of Gary Caldwell, will present their debut concert for the 2003-04 school year on November 4, 2003 at 7:30 P.M. in the Cox Auditorium.
The Symphonic Band of 55 members continues to build on great musical success and traditions. The ensemble has performed at a number college and community events including the Jubilee of Trees, the Southern Utah Performing Arts Festival, and the annual Christmas Concert with the 23rd Army Band.
The program will highlight the finest in wind literature, including "American Salute" by Morton Gould and Overture to "Candide" by Leonard Bernstein. Three compositions by Jan Vander Roost are also programmed, "Canterbury Chorale," "Ceremonial March" (in the style of Elgar) and "Puszta," four Gypsy dances. The program continues with the world premiere "2:30 Fanfare," an original composition by a student in the band, Aaron Waite. "October," a beautiful programmatic piece depicting the changes that autumn brings, by Eric Whitacre and Invictus" written by Philip Sparke for the U. S. Army Ground Forces Band will conclude the evening. The newly founded DSC Guitar Ensemble, directed by Lisle Crowley, will round out the program.
"This is one of the finest bands I have had the privilege of working with during my career at Dixie State College," said Caldwell. For those that enjoy fine wind band literature, this is the concert to attend. For more information, contact Gary Caldwell at (435) 652-7997 or caldwell@dixie.edu.

Stephen Wade to speak at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Nov. 3, 2003) Stephen W. Wade, president of Stephen Wade Auto Center, will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World Tuesday, Nov. 4, at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College. Rather than automobiles, however, peer lending in Africa, will be the topic of discussion. "One or Two People Can Make a Difference: Capitalism at Work in Africa" is the title of the forum.
Wade will discuss the process he and friend Jay Ence went through to establish a micro-credit financial institution in Kenya several years ago and what has come of it since. Known as Yehu Bank, the bank finances small loans, between $50 and $200, to people in rural Kenya. Currently, the bank serves over 3,000 members in 65 villages.
Since 1973, Wade has owned more than 20 new car franchises throughout Utah. Current franchises include Chevrolet, Cadillac, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda, as well as a powersports store that includes Yamaha, Honda, Polaris, and Suzuki. He is founder of Sun Trust Bank in St. George and owner of southern Utah television station KCSG.
In addition to his business pursuits, Wade currently serves as chairman of the Dixie State College Board of Trustees, a position he has held since 1996. He has served as Salt Lake County and Utah chairman of the American Cancer Society. A Salt Lake native and graduate of the University of Utah, Wade has also served on the University’s alumni board. He and wife, Marcia Chalk Wade, have five children.

DSC to attempt world record during Awareness Week
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 31, 2003) In conjunction with "Awareness Week" next week (Nov. 3-8) at Dixie State College, the college will attempt to set a new world record by making the world’s longest sandwich wrap.
DSC’s shot at the Guinness Book of World Records will occur on Monday, Nov. 3, on "Hunger Awareness Day." Beginning at noon, the D-SUN Service Club and DSC Campus Dining Services, with the help of DSC students, will team up to create the sandwich, whi ch will wind its way through campus from the college radio station in the Whitehead Student Services Center to the college dorms on the east side of campus. Hunger awareness facts will be printed on the hundreds of toothpicks that will help hold the sandwich together.
Later Monday evening, the D-SUN and Campus Dining Services will provide soup and bread bowls at Vernon Worthen Park for the homeless from 6 to 8 p.m.
"The D-SUN Service Club is really excited about Awareness Week," said Katie Puusalu, vice-president of service for the ASDSC Executive Council. "We have put a lot of thought into providing activities for students that will help them make more informed decisions and have fun."
Other Awareness Week themes include "Safety and Prevention Awareness Day" on Tuesday. Safety and prevention activities will be featured from noon to 1 p.m. in the Gardner Center. On Wednesday, an Awareness Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Encampment Mall. Thursday is "Education Awareness Day," which will feature a Campus to Community leveled library service project from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Gardner Center. There will be a patriotic ceremony on "Freedom Friday" at noon at the Gardner Center. Saturday is Dixie Spirit Day. The Rebel football team will host Glendale at 7 p.m. in Hansen Stadium, which will be followed by a stomp in the Gardner Center, free to students who sport "Red Rebel" clothing.
For questions about Awareness Week contact Donna Stafford at 652-7513 or Katie Puusalu at 652-7517.

DSC Chamber Orchestra to kick off its season
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 30, 2003) The Dixie State College Chamber Orchestra will present its first concert of the semester Friday, Nov. 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Dunford Auditorium on campus.
"I'm really excited about the group we have playing this year," said Orchestra Director Scott Tanner. "For this concert I have chosen a wide selection of music representing four different time periods, music that will appeal to everyone's taste."
The program will consist of music by Bach, Corelli, Salieri, Grieg and a new composer, Soon Hee Newbold. Also on the program, Dixie State College student and soprano Kenisha Shakespaere will be featured as a guest soloist.
The concert is $2 a person, $5 per family, and free to DSC students with an activity card. The Dunford Auditorium is located in the Browning Building across from the library). Tickets will be sold at the door on a first-come, first-serve basis in which seating is limited.

"Scarlet Fever" to hit Dixie State College in mid-November
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 29, 2003) "They seek him here. They seek him there. Those Frenchies seek him everywhere." So begins the famous ditty from the classic adventure story "The Scarlet Pimpernel." Dixie State College Theater is presenting the smash hit musical adaptation of this delightful tale as the second production in this year’s season. The show will run Nov. 13, 14 and 15, at 7:30 p.m., in the Cox Performing Arts Center.
With music by Frank Wildhorn (of "Jekyll & Hyde" fame) and book and lyrics by Nan Knighton, "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a swashbuckling romantic musical comedy about the original superhero, Sir Percy Blakeney, an English aristocrat whose mission is to save innocent French aristocrats from the blade of Madame Guillotine during the French Revolution
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" will feature the direction and design work of DSC Theater faculty member Brent Hanson, vocal direction from Ken Peterson, and music direction from Gary Caldwell. The costumes are designed by Andrea Davenport. DSC alumnus Ryan Norton is featured as Sir Percy. Amory Pease is playing Percy’s wife and suspected spy, Marguerite St. Just. Ben Hale is playing the villain, and Marguerite& #146;s former love interest, Chauvelin.
"I fell in love with the Scarlet Pimpernel when I saw it on Broadway a few years ago," said director Brent Hanson. "It has all the ingredients of great theatre--adventure, a hero fighting for a good cause, and a love story all set to wonderful music. Dixie College Theatre is pleased to bring this exciting theatre experience to St. George audiences."
In 1905, a young Hungarian born writer named the Baroness Orczy created the audacious and reckless hero, a "daring plotter" who used "tricks and games" against the cruelties of the French Revolution. The musical version of The Scarlet Pimpernel opened on Broadway in 1997 and closed in January of 2000. It then went on to have a successful and lengthy national tour. The production received a number of award nominations including Tony Award nominations for "Best Musical," "Best Book," and "Best Actor" (Douglas Sills).
"This is one of the most exciting musicals we have done in years," said Varlo Davenport, DSC theatre director. "Besides the beautiful music, 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' is a well-loved classic. Audiences in America and Europe have flocked to see this wonderful story come to the stage."
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. DSC students get in free with current student ID. To order tickets, or for more information call 652-7800. You can also visit the DSC Ticket office in the lobby of the Cox Performing Arts Center.

DSC Symphonic Band presents Fall Concert
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 28, 2003) The Symphonic Band at Dixie State College, under the baton of Gary Caldwell, will present its debut concert for the 2003-04 school year on Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium.
The Symphonic Band of 55 members continues to build on great musical success and traditions. The ensemble has performed at a number of college and community events including the Jubilee of Trees, the Southern Utah Performing Arts Festival, and the annual Christmas Concert with the 23rd Army Band.
The program will highlight the finest in wind literature, including “American Salute” by Morton Gould and Overture to “Candide” by Leonard Bernstein. Three compositions by Jan Van der Roost are also programmed, “Canterbury Chorale,” “Ceremonial March” (in the style of Elgar) and “Puszta,” four Gypsy dances.
The program will continue with the world premiere “2:30 Fanfare,” an original composition by a student in the band, Aaron Waite. “October,” a beautiful programmatic piece depicting the changes that autumn brings, by Eric Whitacre and “Invictus” written by Philip Sparke for the U.S. Army Ground Forces Band will conclude the evening. The newly founded DSC Guitar Ensemble, directed by Lisle Crowley, will round out the program.
“This is one of the finest bands I have had the privilege of working with during my career at Dixie State College,” said Caldwell. “For those that enjoy fine wind band literature, this is the concert to attend.”
Tickets are $2 for adults, $5 per family, and free for DSC students with I.D. For more information, contact Gary Caldwell at (435) 652-7997 or caldwell@dixie.edu.

New brain research topic of Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 24, 2003) Dr. Curt Walker, biology professor at Dixie State College, will be the speaker at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World, Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium on the DSC campus. "Brain Research: New Findings on Teaching and Learning," will be the featured topic.
Walker will talk about how recent findings about the brain help explain the way learning occurs best and how teaching style can be modified to suit learners' brains. He will use a human brain to visually aid him in his presentation.
A Wisconsin native, Walker studied biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin, then earned a doctorate degree in zoology from the University of Idaho in 1993. His research on behavioral development in mice led him to a postdoctoral research position at the University of Florida, where he studied spinal cord injury in cats, and taught medical neuroscience.
Walker has taught at Dixie State since 1995, and has twice been voted "Teacher of the Year" by the students. He and his wife Janet, who also works at the college, are expecting their first child in November. He continues to research new findings on learning and apply the techniques in the classroom.

Jon Schmidt to perform at DSC benefit concert
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 21, 2003) New age classical pianist and composer Jon Schmidt will perform at a benefit concert at Dixie State College Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium in behalf of the Washington County School District Literacy Program.
The concert is being presented by Dixie State College and the college’s Campus to Community service program. All the proceeds will go to the school district, specifically toward the goal of having a Leveled Reading Library available for every child grades K-7 in the district.
The libraries will provide books that tailor to each specific reading level. The goal of the program is to see to it that every child leaves the third grade at or near grade level in reading and to intervene with those who have fallen behind.
"The school district is going to need a lot of books to make this program work – a lot more than we’ll be able to provide – but we hope this helps," said DSC Student Body President Jake Denning, "We’re both in the business of educating, and we think it’s important for students to serve other students."
Jon Schmidt has quickly become well known in the Salt Lake area, where he consistently performs to sold out audiences in major performance venues along the Wasatch front. His credits include five albums, five popular volumes of his original piano scores, performances and radio play all over the country, several top 40 songs and over one million plays at mp3.com, a Pearl Award, a televised concert on a local PBS station and "A Jon Schmidt Christmas," which has fast become a successful yearly Christmas tradition in Salt Lake.
As a teenager, Schmidt was inspired by the early albums of M annheim Steamroller. "Because of them, I took license to blatantly mix elements from my classical piano training with rock and roll," Schmidt said. Based on the diversity in the age and background of a typical Jon Schmidt audience, his show seems to appeal to a wide variety of people.
"A lot of credit needs to go to John Schmidt who was so willing to step in and help," said DSC Student Council member Phil Blaney. "In my opinion, he’s the best new age guy in the world."
Tickets are $10 General Admission, $6 for all Washington County School District and Dixie State College students (with ID) and are available in advance by calling the Cox Auditorium Box Office at (435) 652-7800 M-F 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or online at . The Cox Auditorium is located on the Dixie State College campus at 100 South 700 East in St. George, Utah.

"Violence of Verse" topic of Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 16, 2003) "The Violence of Verse" will be the topic of discussion at the next Dixie Forum: A Window on the World, Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College. Susan Ertel, assistant professor of composition at Dixie State College, will be the forum speaker.
She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Central Arkansas with an emphasis in Southern Literature. One of her passions, however, is war poetry, particularly the poetry of World War I and the Vietnam War. She has taught at DSC since January 1999. Previously, she taught at Westark College, currently the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, for nine years.
Ertel believes that society has begun to use violence as entertainment, and, as a result, has moved away from the visceral appalling qualities of violence, particularly violent images created with words. She will attempt throughout her presentation to discuss particular passages of war poetry in order to create a picture in the minds of the listeners as to the tragedies and vagaries of war.
The daughter, niece, and sister of war veterans, her interest in war poetry began as an attempt to better understand the exclusive conversations of her relatives about their battlefield experiences. One particularly moving experience for Susan came as she stood before the Vietnam Memorial in W ashington, D.C.
"I knew then that I would never be able to fathom what my dad, uncles, and brothers had been through, what they had seen, what they would, or could, never tell," Ertel said. "For me, those silent names on the wall were just as real to me as the silence of my family members who had seen too much."
The Oct. 28 installment of Dixie Forum will feature DSC biology professor Dr. Curt Walker who will speak on "Brain Research: New Findings on Teaching and Learning." Dixie Forum takes place each Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium.

New DSC VP to speak at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 10, 2003) Philip Alletto, Dixie State College’s new vice president of student services, will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World Tuesday at noon in the college’s Dunford Auditorium.
Alletto will speak on the topic "College Marketing: Building an Image." Alletto has 17 years of experience in higher education and college marketing, the previous seven of which in a similar vice president position at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.
"Some still consider "marketing" a dirty word when used to describe how colleges and universities represent themselves to the public," Alletto said. "But whether they call it recruitment, school relations, or informing prospective students, most institutions are more involved in this effort than ever before. Nationwide, resources are being committed at increasing levels."
Alletto will answer such questions as how do colleges market, can a college education be sold like any other service, are students customers, shareholders, or products, and who should decide the messages that are presented to prospective students? The forum will include a brief presentation, followed by a guided discussion.
During Alletto’s time at Westminster, student enrollment increased by nearly 30 percent despite five years of declining enrollments prior to his arrival. Previous to that, he led similar successes at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in Pennsylvania. In his position as vice president of enrollment planning he was also given charge over institutional marketing, retention, and institutional advancement. He has also led all recruiting, marketing, and publications at Utica College of Syracuse University in New York.
Dixie Forum takes place each Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium. The Alletto forum is the first of three consecutive forums by DSC faculty or staff. On Oct. 21, English professor will speak on "The Violence of Verse." On Oct. 28, Dr. Curt Walker will speak "Brain Research: New Findings on Teaching and Learning."
The community is invited to attend each forum. Dixie Forum can be taken for college credit (Hon 161R). For more information contact Terre Burton at 652-7812.

DRMC makes donation to DSC nursing
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 7, 2003) As part of its ongoing support of Dixie State College, Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George this week donated $25,000 to the college’s nursing program. The donation was made as part of a commitment by Intermountain Health Care (IHC) and DRMC to provide a $100,000 donation to the college over a four-year period of time, said DRMC official Vicki Reese Wilson.
The purpose of the financial assistance, Wilson said, is to help increase the number of RN graduates and provide support to continue to strengthen nursing education. The hospital made a $50,000 donation to the same cause last November.
"The nursing department is very fortunate to have the support of DRMC," said DSC Director of Nursing Dr. Sabrina Friedman. "The donations enable the department to acquire additional equipment to accommodate our growing enrollment, enhance student learning opportunities and accomplish the ultimate goal of producing very competent RN graduates."
The donation comes at a time in which the college is seeking to expand its offerings in the health sciences area. First and foremost, Dixie State is currently seeking approval from the Utah S tate Board of Regents to begin offering a four-year degree in nursing and should receive word later this month. The college is also seeking approval from state for a building dedicated entirely to the health sciences and expects to have more information after the upcoming legislative session.
The donations from DRMC will not only aid both endeavors, but will also offset the cost of current endeavors, including increasing enrollment in its registered nurse (RN) and practical nurse (PN) programs. DSC is seeking to admit entering nursing classes in both areas twice a year, which will in turn increase the college’s production of nurses and reduce student waiting time for entry into the program, said DSC Dean of Business, Technology, and Health Science Dr. David Borris.
"This is something we would like us to be able to offer our students," Borris said. "We are seeking donations to allow us to begin a spring entering class for our nursing students, and these donations from DRMC help tremendously."
An increase in enrollment in all areas of nursing will ultimately help meet the high demand for nurses, which, Borris said, is linked to increasing demand for medical services.
"Nowhere is this more critical than in rapidly growing communities," Borris said. "St. George is the most rapidly growing community in the state."
"St. George is proud of the commitment and contributions that Dixie Regional Medical Center has made to the healthcare of our community," Borris said. "Dixie State College has a strong partnership with DRMC and a strong commitment to our community to train our future healthcare providers."

Jon Schmidt to perform at DSC benefit concert
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 7, 2003) New age classical pianist and composer Jon Schmidt will perform at a benefit concert at Dixie State College Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium in behalf of the Washington County School District Literacy Program.
The concert is being presented by Dixie State College and the college’s Campus to Community service program. All the proceeds will go to the school district, specifically toward the go al of having a Leveled Reading Library available for every child grades K-7 in the district.
The libraries will provide books that tailor to each specific reading level. The goal of the program is to see to it that every child leaves the third grade at or near grade level in reading and to intervene with those who have fallen behind.
"The school district is going to need a lot of books to make this program work – a lot more than we’ll be able to provide – but we hope this helps," said DSC Student Body President Jake Denning, "We’re both in the business of educating, and we think it’s important for students to serve other students."
Jon Schmidt has quickly become well known in the Salt Lake area, where he consistently performs to sold out audiences in major performance venues along the Wasatch front. His credits include five albums, five popular volumes of his original piano scores, performances and radio play all over the country, several top 40 songs and over one million plays at mp3.com, a Pearl Award, a televised concert on a local PBS station and "A Jon Schmidt Christmas," which has fast become a successful yearly Christmas tradition in Salt Lake.
As a teenager, Schmidt was inspired by the early albums of Mannheim Steamroller. "Because of them, I took license to blatantly mix elements from my classical piano training with rock and roll," Schmidt said. Based on the diversity in the age and background of a typical Jon Schmidt audience, his show seems to appeal to a wide variety of people.
"A lot of credit needs to go to John Schmidt who was so willing to step in and help," said DSC Student Council member Phil Blaney. "In my opinion, he’s the best new age guy in the world."
Tickets are $10 General Admission, $6 for all Washington County School District and Dixie State College students (with ID) and are available in advance by calling the Cox Auditorium Box Office at (435) 652-7800 M-F 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or online at www.dixie.edu. The Cox Auditorium is located on the Dixie State College campus at 100 South 700 East in St. George, Utah.

Larry EchoHawk to speak at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 6, 2003) Larry EchoHawk will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College. "Coming Together for Future Generations" is the subject of the forum.
EchoHawk presently serves as a law professor at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Prior to joining BYU, he served as the attorney general for the State of Idaho after becoming the first American Indian in U.S. history elected as a state attorney general in 1991.
After earning a law degree from the University of Utah in 1973, EchoHawk began his legal career as a legal services attorney working for impoverished Indian people in California, then opened a private law office in Salt Lake City. He later served as tribal attorney for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho, as a member of the Idaho House of Representatives, and as Bannock County Prosecutor.
During his service as Idaho attorney general, EchoHawk was named one of 20 "people to watch" in the west by Newsweek magazine, and pictured on the cover of USA Weekend magazine as one of America’s 20 Most Promising People in Politics."
In 1991, EchoHawk was awarded George Washington University’s prestigious Martin Luther King medal for his contributions to human rights, and was honored as a speaker at the Democratic National Convention. As Idaho’s delegation chair, he became the first American Indian to lead a state delegation to a national political convention.
President Clinton appointed EchoHawk to serve on the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in January 1999. The President of the United States reappointed Professor EchoHawk to this council in July of 2000.
An alumnus of Brigham Young University as well, EchoHawk was honored in 1995 as the first BYU graduate to ever receive the NCAA’s prestigious Silver Anniversary Award. He played in every BYU football game f rom 1966-1969, was a two-year starter at defensive safety for the Cougars, and earned Academic All-WAC honors as a senior.
EchoHawk is a member of the Pawnee Indian Tribe and served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps. He and his wife, Terry, have six children.

DSC theater set to raise curtain on 2003-04 season, discount season tickets available
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 1, 2003) Fresh off its vagabond season last year, which included performances in various locales throughout campus, Dixie State College’s theater program is close to moving into a brand new home in which to stage its performances.
Two of this year’s four performances will take place in the new Eccles Fine Arts Center, which will be completed in March. But first, the theater department will pick up where it left off last season – on tour, so to speak.
"Deathtrap" will lead off the season in the college’s Gardner Center Ballroom Oct. 6-11. In this comic thriller Sydney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a dry spell that has resulted in a shortage of funds. His luck changes when he has the chance to take advantage of a student from a seminar he teaches at a nearby college. Suspense mounts steadily as the plot begins to twist and turn with devilish cleverness.
"We learned a lot last year working in our various temporary spaces and we knew that if we went back into the Gardner Ballroom we needed to do a show that was physically small," said DSC Theater Director Varlo Davenport. "I like to do scary shows near Halloween and so "Deathtrap" seemed like a natural fit."
On Nov. 13-15 in the Cox Auditorium DSC’s choral and music programs will team up with the theater department to present the musical "The Scarlet Pimpernel," a swashbuckling romantic musical comedy by composer Frank Wildhorn (also of Jekyll & Hyde fame) about the original superhero, Sir Percy Blakeney, an English aristocrat whose mission is to save innocent French aristocrats from the blade of Madame Guillotine during the French Revolution.
"The Boys Next Door" will kick off a ne w era of DSC theater in the Eccles Fine Arts Center. The show is slated for March 5, 6, 10-13 in the Eccles Fine Arts Center Black Box Theater. The setting for the warm and touching comedy is a communal residence in a New England city, where four mentally handicapped men live under the supervision of an earnest, but tired social worker named Jack Palmer. Mingled with scenes from the daily lives of the group, where little things sometimes become momentous, are instants of great poignancy. Filled with humor, the play is also marked by compassion and understanding with which it peers into the half-lit world of its handicapped protagonists.
The 2003-04 season will conclude with another musical "Quilters," a story about the frontier experience from a woman's perspective. This musical celebrates the life-affirming spirit of pioneer women through music, dance, song, words...and quilting. It is a story about the importance of quilting in women's lives, a story about the strength of pioneer women in settling this country, and a story about faith and the human spirit in facing adversity and life's challenges.
The production, which runs April 16, 17, 21-24, will be the first in the new facility’s Main Stage Theater.
"I am so looking forward to the new facility," Davenport said. "DSC theater audiences will have
the opportunity to see productions supported by a state-of-the-art facility. Our students will have the opportunity to both perform in that space, but also develop skills that will make them well trained and employable as theater designers and technicians."
Season tickets for all four productions are currently on sale and can be purchased by contacting
the Cox Auditorium Box Office at (435) 652-7900 or Sharon Rawlings at rawlings@dixie.edu. A discounted season ticket rate is currently available for the price of $35 for adults and $28 for seniors for all four shows, a 20 percent savings off the normal season ticket rate. If two season tickets are purchased, prices drop to $60 for adults and $50 for seniors per pair.
Individual tickets for "Deathtrap" are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for children, and free for DSC students with student ID.

DSC Theatre presents comic thriller "Deathtrap"
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 1, 2003) The Dixie State College theater department is celebrating Halloween early with its opening production, "Deathtrap" in the Gardner Ballroom on the DSC campus. Ira Levin's classic thriller will run Monday, Oct. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 11. The production starts at 7:30 p.m.
"Deathtrap" is directed by DSC Director of Theatre Varlo Davenport, with set and costumes designs by Josh Scott and Jimmie Bryant. The cast for this suspense classic includes Mike Gardner (Sidney), Slate Holmgren (Clifford), Hilary Frasier (Myra), Katie Johnson (Helga) and J. Bryan Dial (Porter). Keeping everything running smoothly is Laura Jacobsen (Stage Mgr.), Katie Puusalu (Props) and Dustin Beale (Sound).
"Deathtrap" was a huge Broadway hit in the late 1970s and was written by Ira Levin, who also brought us the classics "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives". The plot for this thriller involves an aspiring, young playwright (Clifford) who has garnered the interest of veteran thriller
author/playwright, Sidney Bruhl. Sidney and his wife, Myra, live in a Connecticut home that is decorated with classic murder weaponry. Sidney is desperate for a hit and contemplates killing Clifford for his play idea.
There are many plot twists and shocking moments that will keep the audience on the edge of their seat and guessing right up until the last moment. Add in a "psychic" next-door neighbor (Helga) and a suspicious attorney (Porter) and you have the makings for classic suspense theatre.
"Seating is limited, unfortunately," said Davenport. "Last season almost every production sold out and so we encourage you to get your tickets early."
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. DSC students get in free with current student ID. To order tickets, or more information please call 652-7800. Patrons can also visit the DSC ticket office in the lobby of the Cox Auditorium. Season tic kets are also on sale. A discounted season ticket rate is currently available for the price of $35 for adults and $28 for seniors for all four shows, a 20 percent savings off the normal season ticket rate. If two season tickets are purchased, prices drop to $60 for adult couples and $50 for senior couples.

Dixie State College enrollment up again
(ST. GEORGE – Sept. 22, 2003) Third week enrollment figures for fall 2003 were announced today at Dixie State College. The college experienced increases in both total headcount and full-time equivalency (FTE) over the previous year.
Three weeks into the semester (the official benchmark statewide), total enrollment, or headcount, has topped off at 7,682, a three percent increase over 2002. In FTE, Dixie State experienced a four percent increase over the previous fall, totaling 4,425. Both enrollment totals are the highest in the college’s history.
"The continued and consistent growth at Dixie is a reflection of a growing reputation throughout not only Utah, but the western United States," said Vice President of Student Services Phil Alletto. "In fact, this year our new students come from 60 percent of the USA. We've always known that Dixie is a great place to receive an education, but the word is starting to spread."
To compare to a decade ago, total enrollment for fall semester 1993 was 3,041; FTE was 2,550.
Some of the college’s growth this year is due to increased enrollments in its four-year programs, Alletto said. For example, Dixie State College’s elementary education major doubled in size this year after its second cohort started the program this fall.

Forecast Snowy for DSC Homecoming
(ST. GEORGE – Sept. 22, 2003) Despite it being September in St. George, the forecast is "Snowy" for this week’s homecoming at Dixie State College. Rival Snow College will be in town Saturday, Sept. 27. Prior to the Rebels and Badgers meeting up on the gridiron, however, is a week filled with activities for students, alumni of the college, and the community.
Homecoming Week officially gets under way today, with the majority of the week’s activities taking place Friday and Saturday. All community members are invited to attend, regardless of their tie to the college.
This year’s homecoming theme is "Get in the Red Zone."
"We really want the community and the entire college family to get into the Dixie spirit. Homecoming is always a fun time of year and a fun thing to be involved in," said DSC alumni director Kalynn Larson. "It’s about getting into the red zone, not just on the field, but off it as well in support of Dixie."
Homecoming activities get underway in earnest Tuesday, with the Homecoming Queen Pageant at 7 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium. The eventual homecoming queen will qualify for the Miss Utah Pageant. Cost is $3 a person, $1 for students.
Activities on Friday, Sept. 26 include the Alumni Assembly at 10:30 a.m. in the Cox Auditorium (no charge) and Golden Generation Luncheon at noon in the Gardner Ballroom ($10).
Saturday’s homecoming parade begins at 9:30 a.m. and will travel down Tabernacle Street beginning at 400 East and ending at 100 West. All entries must line up at the parade’s starting point (between 700 East and 400 East on Tabernacle) at 9 a.m. Parade entries must contact Donna Stafford at 652-7513 by Thursday at noon.
Immediately following the parade on Saturday will be the Founder’s Day Assembly and Hall of Fame at 10:30 a.m. in the St. George Tabernacle. Admission to both is free.
The Alumni Association tailgate party will then precede the football game at noon, with a 1 p.m. kickoff. Tickets to the game are $5 and can be purchased at the box office.
The week wraps up Saturday night with the Alumni Banquet at 7 p.m. in the Old Gym. Speaking at this year’s banquet will be alumnus R.J. Snow. Cost is $11 to attend. The Homecoming Dance will follow at 9 p.m. in the Gardner Ballroom.
Tickets for the luncheon and banquet can be purchased from Kalynn Larson in the North Administration Building. She can also be contacted at 652-7535 or via email at larson@dixie.edu.
Other student events include the Powder Puff Football game Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Hansen Stadium (free admission), Rock the Mall at noon on Friday on the Gardner Center Plaza, and a Rebel Spirit Day Bonfire Friday at 9 p.m. near the Hazy Building.
"It’s an exciting time of year for both the students and community," said director of student activities Donna Stafford. "We urge everyone to come out and have some fun with us. We like to see everyone get involved, whether they’re a Dixie State alum or not."

Dixie State College to promote health
(ST. GEORGE – Sept. 15, 2003) Dixie State College will host its annual Health Fair for students and the community alike Wednesday, Sept. 17. The 14th annual fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. just west of the college’s McDonald Building.
"We have moved the Health Fair to the first of the year in hopes of giving the students, faculty, and community a chance to see what is here in the area to make for a healthy school year," said DSC Wellness Center director Barbara Johnson.
Nearly 30 businesses will be in attendance to give fitness and health demonstrations in the areas of self-defense, massage therapy, and gardening. The Community Nursing Service will be on hand doing blood pressure and glucose readings. Other activities will include a climbing wall,
compliments of the Utah National Guard.
Students are encouraged to attend the fair to receive information on the medical help that’s available to them while attending Dixie State College.
For entertainment seekers, a Karaoke machine will also be on the premises. The Wellness Center will provide free water and popcorn, and several other free items will also be distributed.
The Health Fair is sponsored by the college’s Wellness Center. The entire community is invited to attend. For more information about the Health Fair call Kari Iverson at 652-7756.

Hinton assumes position as acting dean at DSC
(ST. GEROGE – Sept. 15, 2003) Upon returning home from a three-year church mission in Hong Kong in early July, Dr. Don Hinto n was eager to be back at Dixie State College to resume his role as a professor of communications. Those plans changed, however, when he was recently selected to fill the role of acting dean of arts, letters, and science while former dean Joe Peterson sustains the vacancy left by Dr. Max Rose as acting vice president of academic affairs.
Hinton has been employed by the college since 1977 and has taught communications and speech and forensics courses and has served as fine arts department chair during that time.
"I’ll miss seeing the students and working with them on a day-to-day basis," Hinton said of his new appointment. "However, this assignment will give me the opportunity to look at the academic needs of the campus and promote learning."
A native of Hurricane, Utah, Hinton also attended Dixie State College and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech and drama from Brigham Young University.
After several years serving as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the peak of the Vietnam War, Hinton again returned to southern Utah to teach communications. He stayed at Dixie College for 10 years before taking a sabbatical to go to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., where he completed his doctorate.
Hinton and his wife, Ada, have six children, two of which are students at the college and one of which teaches part-time in the college’s English department.
Current DSC fine arts chair Eric Young was a student of Hinton’s in 1980.
"There is no person better for the job," Young said. "Either temporarily or permanently, it is a great opportunity to work with him. He has a magnificent knowledge of the academic needs of the students on both a state and local level. His ultimate concern is the students."
A permanent replacement for Rose is expected to be in place by January 2004. If Peterson is selected to remain as vice president of academic affairs, Hinton is undecided as to whether o r not he will apply for the dean’s position permanently. And should Peterson return to his previous position as dean, Hinton said he would be very pleased to return to teaching.
"I have a great respect for Joe Peterson. He has done very well in this position," said Hinton. "It’s just good to be back to Dixie College. This a tremendous institution."
The position of dean of arts, letters, and science is one of four dean positions at Dixie State College and reports directly to the vice president of academic affairs. Former DSC vice president of academic affairs Dr. Max Rose retired from the college July 1 to become Washington County School District superintendent

Marathon bus tour promoting service hits Utah college campuses
(St. George, UT – Sept. 11, 2003) In conjunction with the United Way’s "Day of Caring," a marathon bus tour promoting service and service learning will make stops at every college and university in the state within a 24-hour period beginning Friday, Sept. 12.
One Student Serving Utah Network (SSUN) representative from each college and university will ride in vans to every campus in the state beginning Friday morning at Utah State University and arriving at Dixie State College Saturday at 9 a.m., where a rally will take place in DSC’s outdoor amphitheater.
The "Get a Life" campaign is, together with SSUN, is under the direction of Utah Campus Compact (UCC). Following Winston Churchill’s adage, "You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give," their goal is to increase awareness of students giving, serving, and making a life for themselves as well as those they serve.
The purpose of the "Get a Life" campaign is not only to promote service learning, but also to promote civic engagement such as voting, lobbying, and volunteering.
UCC was founded in 1996 at the Utah State Capitol with the purpose of promoting service learning at Utah’s universities and colleges. The student service organization SSUN was established at the same time.

Costa Rica topic of Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 11, 2003) "Costa Rica, a tropical paradise" is the subject of this week’s Dixie Forum: A Window on the World, which will take place Tuesday, Sept. 16 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College.
The forum will focus on the Dixie State College course, Natural History of Costa Rica, and will highlight last spring’s trip abroad. The course is offered each spring semester and is conducted by DSC professor Kelly Bringhurst.
"We had a great experience last March. Costa Rica is the jewel of Central America," Bringhurst said. "Its stabile government, friendly people and variety of national parks makes it the perfect place to study the tropics. We have the opportunity to see and learn things that a typical tourist misses, all while earning college credit."
Those enrolled in the course this spring will depart Mar. 12 and return Mar. 22. Because it is an educational trip, costs are held to a minimum. The $1,895 travel fee includes all transportation, meals, lodging and guides for the 10-day trip.
"This year we will be going to a different area of Costa Rica, traveling south down the mountain range that bisects Costa Rica," Bringhurst said. "We will be staying in the Cloud Forest, traveling down to a world class botanical garden, and ending at the Pacific Coast at a remote lodge. Several people who went last year are returning to see a different part of Costa Rica."
The course title is Geography 2990: Natural History of Costa Rica. It is 2 credits, which may be used as elective credits toward graduation. The class is open to anyone. It will meet a couple of times for planning purposes, but the course consists primarily of the 10-day trip.For more information about the course contact Kelly Bringhurst at (435) 652-7768 or bringhur@dixie.edu.
The following week, Dixie Forum will transition from tropical island to the desert of Washington County. Lori Rose will speak on "Legends, Love & Leisure in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve" Tuesday, Sept. 23 at noon in the Dunford. For more information about Dixie Forum contact Terre Burton at (435) 652-7812.

Local businesses urged to "Spread the Red"
(ST. GEORGE, UT & #150; Sept 9, 2003) Dixie State College has extended an invitation to all local businesses and organizations to participate in the 2003 DSC homecoming parade, which will snake its way through the streets of St. George Saturday, Sept. 27. The theme for this year’s parade is "Spread the Red."
There is no charge for parade entries, and, free advertising aside, it’s a good way for businesses to get involved in the community, said DSC director of student activities Donna Stafford.
"This parade is every bit as much a community event as it is a Dixie State College event," Stafford said.
In addition to those in the business community, local high schools are invited to participate, particularly by entering their bands in the parade. Those interested in participating in the parade must contact Donna Stafford as soon as possible to fill out a parade entry form. On the average, the parade features between 60 and 65 entries.
"Many of the people in the community are either alumni of the college or people who have grown up in St. George and lived here all of their life," Stafford said. "These are the people homecoming is intended for, and it’s nice to see them get involved, not only as a spectator, but as part of the parade itself."
The DSC homecoming parade will begin at 9:30 a.m., and all entries must begin to line up at the parade’s starting point – 300 East Tabernacle – at 8:30 a.m. Entry forms are available by contacting Donna Stafford via fax: 656-4011, phone: 652-7513, or email: stafford@dixie.edu.

"Beyond Tacos and Egg Rolls: Ethnic Dining in Utah" subject of next Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Sept. 5, 2003) In conjunction with the theme of art, food, and life throughout the month at Dixie State College, food expert Bob King will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum: A Window on the World Tu esday, Sept. 9 at noon in the college’s Dunford Auditorium.
The title of King’s presentation is "Beyond Tacos and Egg Rolls: Ethnic Dining in Utah."
King is currently the food editor for Utah Homes and Garden magazine. He is also president of the Utah Convivium of Slow Food USA, an international organization dedicated to flavor, food traditions, and local growers.
Previously, King was a restaurant columnist with Salt Lake Magazine and the Salt Lake Observer. He first learned to enjoy the flavors and variety of ethnic food and restaurants growing up in New York City, with Italian, Greek, and Asian cuisines.
"Students, faculty and staff--as well as some folks from the community--seemed to really enjoy our first Dixie Forum focusing on food and art," said Dixie Forum coordinator Terre Burton, "and Bob King will pick up where we left off last week, giving us a perspective on local dining. If you love food, Dixie State College is the place to be this month."
In addition to his work in the food industry, King is employed by Utah State University as extension faculty/lecturer in English and American Studies at the Tooele Campus. He is currently completing a doctorate degree in American Studies at the University of Utah. His dissertation is titled "Tales of Enchantment: The Cultural Work of the American Southwest."
Several films carrying a culinary theme will also be featured at the college throughout the month of September each Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in the Dunford Auditorium. The second film of the month, "Babette's Feast," will be shown Thursday, Sept. 11. Other films will include "Chocolat," "Garlic is as Good as 10 Mothers," and "Big Night." A discussion will follow each film. Admission to all films and forums is free and open to the community. For more information call Terre Burton at (435) 652-7812.

Art, food, and life subject of Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Aug. 29, 2003) Art, food, and life will kick off year three of Dixie Forum: A Window on the World Tuesday Sept. 2 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College and will be an ongoing theme at the college throughout the month.
Maremi Hoof and Kim Konikow will talk about the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition "Key Ingredients: America by Food," currently on display in Springdale, Utah, through Oct. 4.
The exhibition investigates how culture, ethnicity, landscape and tradition influence the foods and flavors we enjoy across the nation. It also explores the gathering, celebration, and preservation of food in America and demonstrates how food on the American table is rooted in centuries of continuous borrowing and sharing between people across generations, cultures, and the land.
The subject of the Sept. 9 forum will be "Beyond Tacos and Egg Rolls: Ethnic Dining in Utah." Bob King, a humanities instructor from the Utah State University Tooele Center and food critic, will be the forum speaker.
The month of September will also feature several films about food, which will be shown each Thursday evening throughout the month at 7 p.m. in the Dunford Auditorium. The Japanese noodle western "Tampopo," about a truck driver on a quest to help a poor widow develop the perfect ramen recipe will be shown Sept. 4. Other films in the series include "Babette's Feast," "Chocolat," "Garlic is as Good as 10 Mothers," and "Big Night."
Established at the college in 2001, Dixie Forum is an academic forum series designed to expose students and the community to different cultures and points of view. The series can be taken for credit and takes place each Tuesday at noon in the Dunford Auditorium throughout fall and spring semesters. For more information call Terre Burton at (435) 652-7812.

DSC holds auditions for "The Scarlet Pimpernel"
(ST. GEORGE – Aug. 19, 2003) The Dixie State College Theater Department will hold open auditions Sept. 2 and 3 for its production of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" this fall. All community members are invited to audition.
Vocal auditions will be held on the Sept. 2 at 5 p.m. in room 125 of the North Instructional Building (the former LDS Institute Building). Auditionees will be taught selections from the show appropriate for their vocal range and will not be required to prepare audition pieces. Call-backs to read from the script will be held the following night at 5 p.m. at the same location.
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a swashbuckling romantic musical comedy by composer Frank Wildhorn (of "Jekyll & Hyde" fame) about the original superhero, Sir Percy Blakeney, an English aristocrat whose mission is to save innocent French aristocrats from the blade of Madame Guillotine during the French Revolution.
The production will be staged by DSC theater professor Brent Hanson. Music will be under the direction of Ken Peterson and orchestral direction from Gary Caldwell, both faculty members of the DSC Music Department. If you have questions about the auditions please call Mr. Hanson at 652-7792, or Mr. Peterson at 652-7802.
Rehearsals will be held Monday through Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. The production will run Nov. 13-15 in the Cox Auditorium.
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" is part of the DSC theater season that also includes the thriller "Deathtrap," the gentle comedy "The Boys Next Door," and a second musical "Quilters." Individual production tickets and discount season tickets are now available by calling the DSC Ticket Office at 652-7800.

DSC students place at Skills USA Championships
(ST. GEORGE – Aug. 4, 2003) Two Dixie State College students received medals at the Skills USA VICA National Championships earlier this summer in Kansas City, Mo. Medals are awarded only to the top three participants.
Jeremy Cox, from Santa Clara, won first place and the gold medal in the Technical Computer Applications Post Secondary category. And Rick Ballard won second place and the silver medal in the Power Equipment Technology (Automotive) Secondary category. Ballard, from Hurricane, is a concurrent enrollment high school student enrolled in classes at both DSC and Dixie Applied Technology Center (DXATC).
Both students placed first in their respective categories at the Skills USA State Championships this year.
Cox qualified for the national event last year as well after placing first in the same category at the state level a year ago as well. Ballard’s success came just days after he and his teammate Travis Christy placed seventh in the nation at the AAA/Ford National Automotive Contest in Washington, D.C., which they qualified for by winning the state title in May.
"We have great programs that can help students achieve their goals if they are diligent in their efforts, which these two students clearly have been," said Dean of Business, Technology, and Health Sciences. "What a great testament to our faculty as well to have students achieve top awards at the national level."
Collectively, schools from Utah earned 58 medals. Dixie State College has participated in Skills USA VICA, formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA), for over 20 years. Skills USA is a national organization for high school and college students enrolled in technical, skilled, service, and health occupations.

DSC student receives honor at Miss Utah Pageant
(ST. GEORGE – June 26, 2003) Reigning Miss Dixie State College Silulu A’etonu recently represented the college and Washington County at the Miss Utah Pageant held this month in Salt Lake City, winning the Miss Spirit of Utah Award. The award carries $1,000 in scholarship money to the institution of her choice.
A’etonu is currently serving as Miss Dixie State College as a result of her winning the college’s 2002 Homecoming Queen Pageant, an official qualifier for the Miss Utah Pageant.
Fifty-eight women from across the state participated in this year’s Miss Utah Pageant. The Miss Spirit of Utah Award is one of several awards handed out at the pageant, but is the only one voted on by fellow contestants. A’etonu is the first from DSC to win the award.
"There was not a single person who by the end of the pageant didn’t know who she was," said DSC Homecoming Queen Pageant Coordinator Sheila Bastian. "She’s that kind of person – she’s warm and loving and her personality draws people to her."
"Lulu’s really a darling girl," said DSC Director of Student Activities Donna Stafford. "She always walks through the door with a smile from ear to ear. She’s got a great attitude. It’s no wonder everybody (at the Miss Utah Pageant) loved her because everybody here loves her."
A’etonu’s platform for the Miss Utah Pageant, "The Power of Words," focused on the effects of verbal abuse. A native of Samoa, A’etonu performed a Samoan dance for the talent competition.
She is the daughter of Vila and Fuamoli A’etonu of Tamuning Guam, Samoa, where she lived before moving to the United States in 1999 to live with her grandmother and finish high school. She graduated from Bonneville High School and was a freshman student at Dixie State College in 2002-03. She attended the college on an academic and leadership scholarship and was a DSC Ambassador. As reigning Homecoming Queen, she also has been offered a one-year full tuition waiver.
Also representing southern Utah in the Miss Utah Pageant was JaKelle Poulson. Currently serving as Miss Washington County Fair, the St. George native graduated from DSC in 2000 and is currently attending SUU. Her service platform centered on the Make a Wish Foundation.
The Miss Utah Organization is a non-profit organization duly whose purpose is to provide educational scholarships, awards, and recognition to talented, intelligent, and worthy girls throughout the state of Utah and to provide representatives to the Miss America Pageant, and to foster, promote, and encourage community service, education, and personal excellence among the young women of Utah. The Miss Utah Pageant is an affiliate of the Miss America Pageant, and Miss Utah is the official hostess of the state of Utah, so named by the Utah Legislature.

DSC / high school students receive New Century Scholarship
(ST. GEORGE – June 5, 2003) When six area high school students graduated recently, it may have been the first time they had walked across the stage to receive their high school diploma, but not their college diploma.
Melissa Mower, Kirsten Nielsen, Cassidy Pentico, Jessica Ricks, Calah Seese, and Cameron Willie all earned their associate degree from Dixie State College last month as well.
That combined effort has earned each of them the New Century Scholarship, a statewide scholarship program that rewards students who earn an associate degree and high school diploma concurrently. In order to qualify, a high school student must graduate with an associate degree by Sept. 1 immediately following his or her graduation from high school.
In return, the state of Utah pays 75 percent of the student’s tuition in fees towards a bachelor’s degree at any university or college in the state for up to two years. The program was implemented by the Utah State Board of Regents in 1999.
"I think this is a wonderful accomplishment for these kids and they deserve some recognition because of the long hours they have spent in concurrent enrollment, night classes, summer sessions, and distance learning in order to earn two diplomas at one time," said DSC Upward Bound Director Nelda Kissinger. "It is also a great example of how the school district and the college work together for the benefit of these bright students."
Melissa Mower, Dixie High School, received her associate of science degree from Dixie State College. In addition to the New Century Scholarship, she was awarded $1,000 to any college or university from Nationwide Insurance in behalf of Utah Public Employees Association, as well as a $1,000 scholarship from WalMart. She will continue her education this summer at Brigham Young University. Mower competed on the swim team for three years, competing at state each year, and participated in the drama program and Future Farmers of America (FFA) while at Dixie High.
Kirsten Nielsen, Snow Canyon High School, received her associate of science degree this year at Dixie State College. Utah State Universit y has awarded her a full tuition scholarship in addition to her New Century Scholarship, and she will begin classes there this fall. Nielsen’s extracurricular activities included tech theater and working on the school newspaper.
Cassidy Pentico, Hurricane High School, graduated from the college summa cum laude and graduated as valedictorian at HHS. For the past three years, Pentico has participated in the college’s Upward Bound program. She has also accepted a four-year full tuition scholarship from Utah State University, which also carries a $1,500 stipend per year.
Pentico also recently received the Elks National Foundation Scholarship, worth $10,000 for four years, placing second nationally in that program. She also is the recipient of the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship for which she will receive $1,500 per year for four years, and has also been awarded a full Pell Grant. She was a Sterling Scholar in Visual Arts at HHS, a regional runner-up Sterling Scholar, a four-year letterman in varsity track, and a three-year letterman in varsity cross-country.
Jessica Ricks, Snow Canyon High School, earned her associate of science degree and will now attend BYU in the fall to study business. A Regional Sterling Scholar in Business and Marketing, she was also awarded a full scholarship for one year at BYU. While at Snow Canyon, she was a member of National Honor Society and cross-country team and participated in RASK (Random Acts of Selfless Kindness), the yearbook staff, and DECA club.
Calah Seese, Hurricane High School, graduated from Dixie State College with an associate of science degree. She plans to study biology at Utah State University in the fall and has received a one-half tuition scholarship for two years in addition to the New Century Scholarship. Seese was a member of National Honor Society, played tennis and softball, and was on the yearbook staff during her time at Hurricane High.
Cameron Willie, Pine View High School, received his associate of science degree and will now pursue a degree in engineering at Utah State University. After passing the Advanced Placement English and biology tests early in his academic career he decided to pursue the New Century Scholarship.
While in high school he wrestled, placing third at region. Earlier in his academic career he placed first at the National History Fair at the state level and received superior ratings at the national level. In addition, Willie recently earned his Eagle Scout award.

DSC to students: Have a good summer but don’t forget to register
(ST. GEORGE – May 29, 2003) Though school is now in the rearview mirror for many students, at least for the time being, Dixie State College is urging its students to register for fall semester early in order to get the classes they need.
"Typically, students regret putting off registration," said DSC executive director of advisement and counseling Debra Bryant. "General education courses are already filling up quickly, and often, students who register late can feel frustrated, rushed,