DSC Business Students Place in Global Simulation Competition
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 17, 2004) In its third semester of competition, Dixie State College entered the Capstone Challenge, an international business simulation competition, this fall semester and recorded its best showing so far.
Competing against 130 other colleges and universities, Dixie State's R.J. (Rory) Mathews and Neils Nisson earned eleventh place, the highest ranking of any Utah college or university. Another DSC team, composed solely of Kody Young, came in twenty-first place. Rankings were based according to highest cumulative profit. All three are senior students in DSC’s business administration program.
This fall’s competition featured colleges and university teams from all around the world, from Sung Kyun Kwan University in South Korea and Istanbul Bilgi University in Turkey to the University of British Columbia (first place team) and DePaul University.
Once each semester, Illinois-based Management Solutions, Inc., which owns the simulation invites students using their simulation to enter the intercollegiate global competition. Students are normally either upper division business students or graduate business students.
DSC business professor Dr. Bill Christensen said each team competing in the Capstone Challenge had to make decisions about research and development, advertising and promotion, production, and finance. Throughout the semester, each student team ran a company over the course of approximately six simulations, the equivalent of nearly 50 years of business decisions.
Teams made simulated sales and accumulated profit based on their performance against five computer-managed teams. DSC’s eleventh place team eared a cumulative profit of $297,495,971, with DSC’s twenty-first place team earning $225,695,771. Earnings ranged from $468,738,060 to $188,034,299 in the competition.
“The idea is to give students the opportunity to integrate what they have learned in their various business courses in a near-real business experience,” Christensen said. “The simulation is good enough that it is also used to train top business executives around the country.”
Christensen uses the simulation competition as part of the curriculum for the college’s strategic management course, the culminating course of the college’s four-year business administration degree. He believes the competition benefits his students, and he plans to continue entering the competition each semester.
“This was an outstanding showing from our students representing DSC's relatively new four-year business program,” Christensen continued. “I hope that future students will be able to build on this success and do even better.”

DSC's Jekyll and Hyde Cast Receives Honors
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 16, 2004) Dixie State College’s recent production of Jekyll and Hyde was performed locally in the new Eccles Fine Arts Center, but many outside St. George and even the state have begun taking note, and the honors are beginning to pile up.
The entire cast of the production has been selected to perform at the regional conference of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, to be held Feb. 7-13, 2005 in Phoenix, Ariz.
The Dixie State production was one of seven college and university productions selected to take part in the festival in the region, which includes California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, and was the only two-year theater program invited to perform.
“This is a tremendous honor for us,” said Varlo Davenport, director of theater at DSC. “To be selected one of seven from among the dozens and dozens of participating universities, including graduate programs, is a huge credit to our program at Dixie.”
In addition, three members of the cast – Skyler Scott (as Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde), Katelyn Johnson (as Emma Carew), and Allie Eddington (as Nellie/Esemble) – have been nominated to audition for the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship at the same festival.
“We’re so proud of the Jekyll and Hyde cast and of these young actors who have been nominated for the Irene Ryan Scholarship,” said Dr. Robert Huddleston, DSC president. “It speaks to the quality of our theater program.”
In Phoenix, all seven participating shows will be adjudicated, with the possibility of one or two of those productions being selected to perform at the national festival at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., all expenses paid. The regional festival productions will be judged by a panel of three judges selected by the Kennedy Center and the KCACTF national committee.
Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase thei r work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.
The St. George performance was the second theater production to be staged in the new Eccles Fine Arts Center and was greeted with several sell out performances. In addition to Scott, Johnson, and Eddington, cast and crew members include:
Characters Actors
Gabriel John Utterson Aaron Meadows
Sir Danvers Carew Bruce Bennett
Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde Skyler Scott
Ryan Norton
Simon Stride/Ensemble Nathan Copier
Lady Beaconsfield/Ensemble Shandra Blake
The Bishop of Basingstoke/Ensemble Ryan Christenson
Lord Savage/Ensemble Brent Palmer
General Lord Glossop/Ensemble Spencer Marshall
Sir Archibald Proops/Ensemble John Graff
Emma Carew Katelyn Johnson
Lucy Harris Holly Pease
Nellie/Ensemble Allie Eddington
Spider/Ensemble Skyler Jewell
Poole/The Inmate Ryan Norton
Skyler Scott
Bisset Chris Snyder
Guenevere Kiki Shakespeare
People of London:
Beggar/Ensemble Bryan Stephenson
Newsboy/Ensemble Taylor Williams
Red Rat Girl /Ensemble Sam Cummings
Red Rat Girl/Ensemble Chelsea Carnahan
Red Rat Girl/Ensemble Lindsay Williams
Laundress/Ensemble Jessica McKeehan
Flower Seller/Ensemble Quinn Drake
Porter/Ensemble Shawn Mattson
Crew:
Director Varlo Davenport
Vocal Direction Ken Peterson, Ph.D.
Orchestra Direction Scott M. Tanner
Choreographer Wendy Turner
Set Design Brent Hanson, Ph.D.
Light Design Joseph L. Eddy
Sound Design Josh Scott
Costume Design Andrea Davenport
Technical Direction Josh Scott
Stage Manager Isaac Spafford
Properties Mistress Tanya Roundy

Students of the Semester Named at Dixie State College
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 15, 2004) As fall semester draws to a close at Dixie State College, 18 students recently received Student of the Semester honors. Individual departments on campus made the selections based on academic and extracurricular achievement of the students. A faculty representative from each department was on hand to present the students the awards.
Ryan Hardison, a junior from St. George, received the honor in the area of art. Karen Stokes, a sophomore from St. George, was named business/office administrator Student of the Semester. In the area of communications, Tennille Olsen, a freshman student from North Ogden, received the award. Carla Neilson, a senior from St. George, received computer science honors. Kurt Marchant, a freshman from Beaver, received the award in the area of developmental studies.
Danyelle Evans was named dental hygiene Student of the Semester. Diane Winger, a senior from St. George, received the award in the area of elementary education. In English, Elizabeth Jensen, a freshman from Salt Lake, won the award.
Kellie Cove, a freshman student from Enterprise, received the award in the area of education and family sciences; Shannon Kay Stead, a sophomore from St. George, in humanities; Claucia Talbot, a sophomore from Hurricane, in humanities (Hurricane Center); Cynthia Heaton, a sophomore from St. George, in mathematics (Hurricane Center); Brant Nikolaus, a sophomore from St. George, in mathematics; Tammy Lewis, a senior from Kanab, in nursing; Kendalee Richardson, a sophomore from St. George, in science; John Smith, a sophomore from Burley, Idaho, in social sciences; Mason Petersen, a freshman from Ogden, in theatre arts; and Elizabeth Stucki, a junior from Cedar City, in visual technology.

Huddleston Calls It a Career
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 14, 2004) After nearly 12 years at the helm of Dixie State College, college president Dr. Robert Huddleston is moving on. That announcement was made today and will take effect June 30, 2005.
DSC’s fifteenth president, Huddleston came to Dixie in 1993 from Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Ariz., where he served as dean of instruction. After first landing at Dixie, it was reported that Huddleston wanted for Dixie what Gateway had gotten – growth. “Give me six months and I’ll tell you how much,” he told St. George’s Daily Spectrum at the time. Twelve years later, enrollment at Dixie State has grown from 3,000 to over 8,000. Full-time enrollment has also more than doubled.
“It’s time for new leadership at the college,” Huddleston stated. “I’ve had a different emphasis than Dr. Alder during my time here, and there’s no doubt my successor will take the college in a new direction. Periodic change in leadership is appropriate and healthy.”
Huddleston has become known for his vision and will perhaps be most remembered for his role in establishing Dixie College as a four-year state institution in 2000. Two bachelor’s degrees were introduced at the college at that time. Two years later, the college added an elementary education degree, a nursing degree in 2004, and is now eyeing a fifth degree in communications.
“President Huddleston has guided many significant changes, but I think his development of the health sciences and bachelor’s degrees will ha ve the most lasting impact on the College,” said vice president of college services Stan Plewe, who has now served with four different DSC presidents. “We are a very different institution in many ways than we were when he was first hired. It has been a very enjoyable experience to see the growth and improvements during the Huddleston years.”
During his tenure, the number of buildings on campus has also grown extensively. He led the charge to assume full ownership of the former Dixie Convention Center, which is now home to a computer center, fitness center, a fine and performing arts auditorium, and a basketball arena. He acquired the former LDS Institute Building and a former Harmon’s grocery store, which now headquarter the college’s art and math departments along with several other programs. And he played a key role in obtaining funding for the Udvar-Hazy Business Building and Eccles Fine Arts Center, and is currently leading the charge to build a facility dedicated entirely to the health sciences.
One of Huddleston’s mantras has been accountability. Under his leadership, Dixie State has gained a reputation in the eyes of many as one of the best-managed institutions of higher learning in the state. The college’s annual report each year and plan for institutional effectiveness have been praised by many and have been a testament to his commitment to accountability. Fundraising has been another. The college has raised an average of $3 million each year under his leadership and millions more in deferred gifts.
“Bob Huddleston has been incredibly far-sighted in his vision of Dixie’s potential,” said associate vice president of advancement Bill Fowler, who also has worked with four Dixie College presidents. “He has been a tremendous asset for Dixie in working with the Legislature, and is highly respected and admired by the Regents and the Utah System of Higher Education Council of Presidents. He loves Dixie State College and has been the point man on every critical issue that has brought success to Dixie.”
Economic development has been another focus of Huddleston’s. He established the first paid professional position for economic development in Washington County, which continues to be headquartered on the Dixie campus. He organized the Leadership Dixie Committee, the mission of which has been to develop a corps of informed, qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic leadership for Washington County, and chaired the first year of its operation.
A former baseball player drafted by two major league baseball teams, Huddleston has also been a supporter of intercollegiate athletics. Prior to his arrival, the college had won a single national championship. Since 2000, Dixie has won four additional national championships, one of which was captained by volunteer head soccer coach Linda Huddleston, his wife. Currently, the college is eyeing a jump to the NCAA Division II level in order to better align its athletic department with the academic mission of the college.
Huddleston will take a year’s leave of absence and then begin teaching in the business department at Dixie State College beginning fall semester of 2006. He has taught an accounting course at the college for the past two years.
“My family and I love Washington County and are grateful for the opportunity to stay,” Huddleston continued.
The search for a replacement for Huddleston will begin immediately and will ultimately be determined by the Utah State Board of Regents.

Fine Arts Center Receives Award
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 10, 2004) The new Dolores Dore’ Eccles Fine Arts Center at Dixie State College was the recipient of three awards at the annual Intermountain Contractor Best of 2004 awards ceremony held this month in Salt Lake City.
The facility received awards for “Best Architectural Design,” “Best Higher Education Design,” and also received the “Best Public Project Design Silver Award.”
Particularly impressive to the Intermountain Contractor judging panel was that the design of the building accommodates three different arts disciplines – theatre, music, and fine arts – but also that the design and materials used in the facility reflect the look and feel of the southwestern corner of the state.
The theatrical wing of the facility includes a 510-seat main stage theatre and an intimate black box theatre that seats up to 150 people. The building also includes a 250-seat concert hall, a 5,000 square foot art gallery, an outdoor amphitheatre, rehearsal areas, faculty offices, and classrooms. A section of the former fine arts building was also preserved and renovated into two dance halls.
Intermountain Contractor received nearly 50 entries this year for construction and design projects from both Utah and Idaho. Winners were selected based on design quality and innovation, craftsmanship, contribution to the industry, solutions to unique design challenges and construction challenge and overall excellence. Size or cost of a project was not considered.
Other notable projects receiving honors included the Huntsman Cancer Hospital (Project of the Year), the Cedar City Library, the Brigham Young University Athletic Complex, BYU’s Joseph F. Smith Building, KUTV’s new Main Street Studios, the Utah State Capitol East & West Annex Buildings, the renovated First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake, and Fossil Ridge Intermediate School in St. George.
Earlier this year, the Eccles Fine Arts Center also received the 2004 Honor Award presented by the Utah Society of the American Institute of Architects. The Eccles Fine Arts Center was designed by Gould Evans Architects. The general contractor was Layton Construction. College employees intimately involved in the project include vice president of college services Stan Plewe, executive director of campus services Ned Carnahan and his staff, and the fine arts faculty.

DSC to Present Faculty Christmas Concert
( St. George, UT — Dec. 10, 2004) Christmas lights are glittering, shopping sales are everywhere, and the Christmas spirit will be felt in abundance at the Dixie State College Faculty Christmas Concert to be held Friday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the new Concert Hall of the Eccles Fine Arts Center.
The Yuletide concert will feature beloved Christmas music, both sacred and fun, instrumental and vocal, all performed by DSC’s full-time faculty, as well as some part-time faculty and staff members. Sponsored by the Cultural Arts Department, the concert will benefit future fine art performances planned for the Center.
Among the performers will be vocalists Ken Peterson, Lena Judee, Mark Petersen, Jackie Jackson, and Sandie Stevenson, trumpeter Gary Caldwell, pianists Nancy Allred and Lynn Dean, guitarist Lisle Crowley, and violinist Scott Tanner.
“As was showcased during our dedication celebration of the Eccles building, our faculty and staff have diverse musical talents, and that will be one of the strong points of this concert,” said Chris Taylor, DSC spokesman.
Attendees will be able to enjoy the Gregory Abbott and Matt Clark Art Exhibit in the Sears Gallery at the same tim e.
Tickets for the Faculty Christmas Concert are on sale now at the Avenna Center Ticket Office, open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices are $8 for adults and $5 for faculty, students and children. Call 652-7800 to reach the box office or purchase tickets online at www.dixie.edu.

Embedded War Filmmaker to Speak
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 7, 2004) Filmmaker Dodge Billingsley, who was recently embedded with a Marines unit in Iraq, will present a special forum Thursday, Dec. 9 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College. The forum, entitled "Covering War: A Current Look at the Evolving Nature of Warfare and Media Coverage," is sponsored by the Utah Humanities Council.
For over 10 years, Billingsley has been covering war and conflict in such far-flung places as the Republic of Georgia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. His presentation will focus on the two ongoing U.S. conflicts abroad and discuss how the nature of war, and covering war, have evolved. Issues of objectivity, censorship, friction between the military and media, embedded journalism, and the nature and impact of war coverage will all be examined in this discussion.
Billingsley will also show excerpts from his most recent film, “Virgin Soldiers,” in which he followed a squad of Marines from their base in southern California to the end of combat operations in Baghdad. The film aired on Channel 4 UK and other markets worldwide and was recently named a finalist for the prestigious Rory Peck award for Best Feature.
“There is no political agenda associated with this forum,” said Dr. Tim Bywater, DSC English professor and UHC board member. “We anticipate an objective, but also a very powerful account of some of the recent events in Iraq and other areas of the world.”
Billingsley is the director of Combat Films & Research (CF&R), a small, conflict oriented, think-tank that uses film and video footage as its primary source for research. It sends small camera crews throughout the world to document military and political conflicts and use the footage and information about the area brought back by the crews to assess what is happening in that particular country. These analyses take the form of documentary films, academic papers, articles, and lectures.
Billingsley won the Royal Television Society award and Rory Peck award, both for Best Feature, in 2002, for his documentation of the battle for Qala Jangi fortress in Afghanistan. Months later he was also among the first to document the U.S. led Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan’s Shah i Kot Valley.
He also co-wrote, produced, and directed Immortal Fortress: A Look Inside Chechnya’s Warrior Culture, a film that took him deep into the dangerous war-torn breakaway region of Chechnya. Prior to that, he produced a three-part series entitled Firepower 2000 for the Discovery Channel that explored weapons and the changing nature of warfare. He also co-produced a three part series on the Gulf War 1991 for the History Channel.
Most recently, Billingsley has been in Kiev Ukraine to take a first hand look at the unfolding revolution in the wake of a controversial presidential election in which the former president Leonid Kuchma's hand picked successor, and pro Russian candidate, Viktor Yanukovich, beat out pro western rival Viktor Yushchenko by the slimmest of margins.
In October, Combat Films and Research completed the first of five programs for the series, “Beyond the Border.” The series, a cooperative effort with the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University, was over a year in the making and covers topics ranging to military theory to art and politics, to political geography. The programs are currently airing on PBS affiliate KBYU.
Billingsley obtained a BA in history from Columbia University and a MA in War Studies from King’s College Department of War Studies in London.

 

DSC to Host Annual Christmas Ceramic Sale
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 6, 2004) The lobby of the North Plaza Building on the campus of Dixie State College will transform into its own “pottery barn” of sorts this week. The Dixie State College art department will hold its annual ceramic sale Dec. 8-10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the North Plaza located at 55 South 900 East.
An annual tradition at the college, the sale is now in its twenty-eighth year. Many DSC art students use the sale to help pay for their college education. Hundreds of hand-made ceramic pieces will be on sale at reasonable prices.
“Many of our students have made tremendous progress this semester,” said DSC art professor Glen Blakley. &ldqu o;We have some students doing work that you would normally see at the graduate level or beyond. Their work reflects their love and dedication to a very demanding medium.”
The department holds a similar sale toward the end of spring semester as well. For more information about the ceramic sale, call DSC art professor Glen Blakley at 652-7795.

Paleontologist to Speak
(ST. GEORGE – Dec. 6, 2004) Dr. Jerry Harris, the new director of paleontology at Dixie State College, will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum Tuesday (Dec. 7) at noon in the Dunford Auditorim, marking the final forum of the semester. His presentation is entitled “Dinosaurs in Dixie.”
A native of Chicago, Harris became interested in dinosaurs after making frequent trips to the Field Museum of Natural History. That childhood love was rekindled after a visit to a small museum in Boulder, Colo., and was parlayed into a bachelor’s degree in geological sciences at Colorado University, then a job at the Denver Museum of Natural History working on that museum’s “Prehistoric Journey” exhibit.
Harris later earned a mater’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also worked at the Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque, N.M.
As director of paleontology, Harris will work hand in hand with the City of St. George and the Dinosaur Discovery Center at the Johnson Farm Dinosaur Tracks site. He will also be charged with helping secure grants and other financial means to enhance funding of area dinosaur programs, conduct research, and promote and conduct Community Education classes and programs relating to area field sites.
A two-time speaker at Dixie Forum, Reverend France Davis will make a return visit to Dixie Forum on Jan. 18

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Five Institutions Shake Hands
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 23, 2004) Santa Claus is coming to town…a month early. He’ll make appearances at the next three Street Fair events at Dixie State College, the first of which falls on the day after Thanksgiving.
Dixie State College opened up its campus to the large-scale, open-air market style Street Fair in October to help raise money for student scholarships. Typically, the Street Fair is open the first Saturday of every month. But to accommodate Christmas shoppers, the Street Fair will be open both Nov. 26 and 27 following the Thanksgiving holiday, in addition to the regularly scheduled first Saturday in December. Street Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Saint Nick making appearances at all three dates between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for area children.
“The day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the entire year. So we’re going to operate back-to-back days and back-to-back weeks to accommodate those who want to get a jumpstart on their Christmas shopping,” said Street Fair manager Chad Staheli.
Unlike a swap meet or flea market, only brand new items are available for purchase at the DSC Street Fair. Approximately 60 vendor booths will fill the area surrounding the college fountain in the heart of campus. The DSC Street Fair also includes a Farmer’s Market, food court, and live entertainment, including a climbing wall and activities for children.
The DSC Street Fair concept is designed such that all vendor space rental fees, which amounts to right around $35, go directly to DSC scholarships. All merchandise revenue brought in by vendors goes directly into their pockets.
Opportunities for vendors remain available, Staheli said. The rental fee for a vendor booth is $35 per week. There is also a $10 application fee for first-time vendors and a $5 per week special event license.
The concept is a spin off of a street fair hosted by the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif., which has been in operation for about 20 years. Currently, COD nets approximately $750,000 toward its scholarship fund each year through its street fair, charging an average of $80 for booth space per day and operating both Saturday and Sunday throughout the year.
Beginning in January, DSC’s Street Fair will be open the first Saturday of every month through May in its inaugural year.
Those interested in becoming a Street Fair vendor, including the Farmer’s Market and food court, can contact George Whitehead at 435-652-7536 or Chad Staheli at 435-652-7633 or via email at streetfair@dixie.edu.

 

Santa Claus to Make Appearance at Street Fair
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 23, 2004) Santa Claus is coming to town…a month early. He’ll make appearances at the next three Street Fair events at Dixie State College, the first of which falls on the day after Thanksgiving.
Dixie State College opened up its campus to the large-scale, open-air market style Street Fair in October to help raise money for student scholarships. Typically, the Street Fair is open the first Saturday of every month. But to accommodate Christmas shoppers, the Street Fair will be open both Nov. 26 and 27 following the Thanksgiving holiday, in addition to the regularly scheduled first Saturday in December. Street Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Saint Nick making appearances at all three dates between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for area children.
“The day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day of the entire year. So we’re going to operate back-to-back days and back-to-back weeks to accommodate those who want to get a jumpstart on their Christmas shopping,” said Street Fair manager Chad Staheli.
Unlike a swap meet or flea market, only brand new items are available for purchase at the DSC Street Fair. Approximately 60 vendor booths will fill the area surrounding the college fountain in the heart of campus. The DSC Street Fair also includes a Farmer’s Market, food court, and live entertainment, including a climbing wall and activities for children.
The DSC Street Fair concept is designed such that all vendor space rental fees, which amounts to right around $35, go directly to DSC scholarships. All merchandise revenue brought in by vendors goes directly into their pockets.
Opportunities for vendors remain available, Staheli said. The rental fee for a vendor booth is $35 per week. There is also a $10 application fee for first-time vendors and a $5 per week special event license.
The concept is a spin off of a street fair hosted by the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif., which has been in operation for about 20 years. Currently, COD nets approximately $750,000 toward its scholarship fund each year through its street fair, charging an average of $80 for booth space per day and operating both Saturday and Sunday throughout the year.
Beginning in January, DSC’s Street Fair will be open the first Saturday of every month through May in its inaugural year.
Those interested in becoming a Street Fair vendor, including the Farmer’s Market and food court, can contact George Whitehead at 435-652-7536 or Chad Staheli at 435-652-7633 or via email at streetfair@dixie.edu.

Students to Get Jumpstart on Careers
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 11, 2004) Although classes on Tuesday, Nov. 16 have been cancelled at Dixie State College, nearly 2,000 students will keep the campus buzzing during Dixie's annual Career Day.
Students from 24 Utah, Nevada, and Arizona high schools, as well as DSC students, will attend over 60 career workshops scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 12;30 p.m. on campus. The event – a DSC staple for 27 years now – helps provide students with valuable information related to their career choices.
“Career Day is all about students making an informed decision,” said Kathy Kinney, Career and Employment Services Director. “We present a wide variety of career options for high school and college students to choose from.”
Local professionals from throughout the St. George area will present information regarding job descriptions, education and training needed for a given career, salary information, and things the presenters like or dislike about the job. With 20 different presenters each hour, students will be able to choose three workshops to attend throughout the day. “Students can learn a lot from Career Day,” Kinney said, “but also important are the connections students make with professionals.”
Studies have indicated that students that set career goals, even if they change their goals at a later date, are more likely to stay in school, and their grades tend to be better.
In addition to the workshops, a general assembly has also been scheduled for 9 a.m. in DSC’s Cox Auditorium to welcome the students to campus and orient them.
Workshop schedules will be available on campus and in the college’s Career Cent er located across from the library. Morning and afternoon classes at the college 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 continue as scheduled.
Community members are invited to attend workshops as well. For more information, call the DSC Career Center at (435) 652-7736.

Dixie Forum to Present "Mattie"
(ST. GEORGE – Nov. 5, 2004) Dixie Forum will transform into a theater Tuesday, Nov. 9, at Dixie State College with a production of “Mattie,” which takes center stage at noon in the Dunford Auditorium. Created and directed by Nonie Sorensen, the musical depicts the life of Martha Hughes Cannon, who was both a doctor in Utah’s early days and the first female state senator in America.Cannon was married to Angus M. Cannon, one of the 300 heads of families called by Brigham Young to settle St. George in 1861. He was elected the first mayor of St. George.
Local performer Sandee Stevenson will play the role Cannon, and Mark Petersen, director of cultural arts at Dixie, will play the roles of all of the men in her life. Stevenson teaches voice at the college and performs in the Southwest Chorale and Lietto Choir as a soloist. Well-known performers in the area, the duo performs “Mattie” several times each year. Sorensen, the musical’s creator, will accompany the two actors. She has had a long interest in interpreting history though the medium of music and drama. In addition to many other musical works, she has created musicals about 15 historical figures at the request of their respective descendents. She has reproduced four of these with local St. George performers who regularly perform them in the area. Sorensen is also the founder of Nauvoo Musical Theater in Nauvoo, Ill. The performance will be approximately 60 minutes in duration. Community members are invited to attend free of charge, as is the case with all Dixie Forums, which take place each Tuesday at noon throughout fall and spring semester. For more information about Dixie Forum, call Terre Burton at 652-7812.

 

DSC Campus to Community Set to Strike Again

(ST. GEORGE – Nov. 2, 2004) The Campus to Community service program at Dixie State College will again spring into action Friday, Nov. 5, this time at the Canyons Softball Complex along Snow Canyon Parkway in St. George. DSC students and the rest of the campus community will chip in by planting and replacing 1,000 plants and shrubs at the complex. The project gets underway at 2 p.m. Any volunteers from the community are welcome to come and give a hand. The softball complex is located at 1890 West 2000 North. Campus to Community at Dixie State is part of the nationwide trend known as service learning, designed to get college students involved service and give them opportunities for practical application of textbook learning. “The City of St. George is doing a lot to beautify this area,” said Donna Stafford, director of student activities. “We can do our part by helping with this softball complex, especially since it brings in a lot of revenue to our community.  “We have a lot of paybacks to the City, particularly in light of them helping us relight the ‘D’ on the hill recently.”  The Campus to Community program got started at the college in 2001 with a large-scale yard sale to benefit a near drowning victim in the community. Last spring semester the group removed excess weeds and shrubbery at the Santa Clara Arboretum.  Other activities have included planting trees for the Southern Utah Water Conservation Garden, a book drive for literacy, renovating the confluence area on the Virgin River near Hurricane and LaVerkin, and hosting a benefit concert for the leveled libraries for Washington County School District. The program consists of one service project each semester.  “This program has become important to us. It’s become a tradition of sorts in the short time it’s been around,” said DSC student body president Jake Hunt. “The entire county is so giving to the college, and it’s important for us students to give something back.”  College shuttles will leave the Old Gymnasium parking lot at 1:30 p.m. on Friday to take volunteers to the softball complex. Once there, workers will divide into teams and work there from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. under the direction of the City of St. George. Refreshments will also be served. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a pair of gloves and shovels where possible.    “This is an imp ortant week for our students to become civically engaged,” said English professor Candace Mesa, whose students regularly participate in the service projects. “Many of our students voted for the first time on Tuesday. Our hope is that our students will learn to become responsible citizens who contribute to their community and nation, and this project is a good follow-up to Tuesday’s election.”
 

Working with Valeen Tippets Avery, Newell wrote Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, a study described by one reviewer as a “sweeping and dramatic portrait of this remarkable woman.”  In addition to this biography, which is still in demand 20 years after its original publication, Newell has authored or coauthored three histories of Utah counties: Piute, Millard, and Garfield.

Though demanding, the local research was exciting and fascinating, Newell said.  Newell, who still paints with oils, found herself painting with a different sort of brush as she examined these three counties where either she lived or her ancestors lived.  She grew up in Millard County and worked three summers at Bryce Canyon.  One of her grandparents raised his first family in Escalante, and four of her great grandparents settled in Piute County, the second smallest county in the state.

Newell will present “Writing Community History:  Piute County as a Microcosm” to forum goers in light of the county’s fascinating, rich history from the very beginning of white intrusions into the area. The area has Spanish Trail roots, as well as ties to the Black Hawk War. The little county also experienced the effects of both a gold rush and a uranium boom, and there was even a murder over water rights, which launched the career of one of Utah’s former governors.

The forum will take place in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College at noon.

Classical Guitarist Jankovic to Perform in DSC Eccles Concert Hall (St. George, Oct. 26, 2004) — International award-winning classical guitarist Petar Jankovic will perform in the DSC Eccles Concert Hall, Nov. 5, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $6 for adults and $2 for DSC and high school students, and they are on sale at the Avenna Center Ticket Office, or by calling 652-7800.

Despite poverty, political turmoil, and the constant threat of military police seeking young recruits to fight in an ongoing, bloody war, he practiced.

He was finally able to come to America and earn bachelor and master degrees. He is currently a member of Indiana University School of Music’s esteemed faculty.

“We’re excited to have a musician of this quality perform on our new concert hall stage,” said Petersen. “It’s a concert that many, many people will enjoy.”

DSC Health Science Facility Tops State Building Board's Priority List
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 25, 2004) Fresh off the heels of dedicating its new fine arts center, Dixie State College received word late last week that its health science facility is ranked No. 1 on the State Building Board’s list of state capital development priorities.
The remaining $15.7 million in funding for the new building is contingent on approval by the Utah State Legislature, but DSC administrators are pleased to be atop the project list heading into the 2005 legislative session. “This is the first time in the history of Dixie State College that one of our proposed facilities has been ranked No. 1 liked this,” said DSC President Dr. Robert Huddleston. “This is like we’re rated preseason No. 1 – the real event is the legislative se ssion. But I really believe there’s a decent chance we’ll get this building this year.” The proposed 80,000 square foot facility would sit on the new River Road campus of IHC subsidiary Dixie Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in St. George, located approximately two miles from the Dixie State campus. The four-acre site at the base of Medical Drive has been donated to the college by IHC and the Foremaster family of St. George. Donations for the new facility total in excess of $2.5 million thus far. DSC’s administration believes this partnership with DRMC was key to receiving the No. 1 ranking. Being centrally located right on the hospital campus will benefit DSC students in terms of the technology that will be readily available to them, but it will also benefit the college’s pocketbook since those technological advances and costs would outpace the college’s ability to require and replace essential equipment. On the other side of the coin, DSC’s proposed facility would be available to DRMC for workshops and conferences. “The thing that made the difference was our cooperative partnership with IHC. That was very pivotal,” said DSC Vice President of College Services Stan Plewe. “This is a landmark day for Dixie I think.” The criteria used to rank the FY06 capital development requests included: existing deficiencies, growth, cost effectiveness, effectiveness and capacity, program criticality, and alternative funding. Ranked second is the University of Utah’s $48.5 million Marriott Library.
Dixie received a Building Board total score of 46.1, which was followed by the U’s score of 41.1. In terms of other higher education projects, Utah Valley State College’s Digital Learning Center rounded off the top five with a score of 39.8. SUU (39.8) and Snow College (36.5) are the other two institutions with projects ranked in the top ten. The Building Board will now turn over its recommendation to the Legislature’s capital facilities committee. State Representative David Clark sits on that committee.
The college’s health science programs, including its new four-year nursing program, are currently located in the remodeled Jennings Technology Building on campus. In 2004, 680 students graduated with health sciences related degrees or certificates. In 2005, that number is projected to jump to 836. The following programs would be housed in the new facility: nursing, respiratory therapy, surgical technology, medical radiology, dental hygiene, and emergency medical services. The plans also call for 6,000 square feet of shared lab space and nearly 13,000 square feet of shared academic spaces.

Dixie Forum Welcomes Tibetan Monk
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 25, 2004) A year ago the Dixie Forum featured a Tibetan monk who captivated the audience by speaking about his experiences in a Chinese prison. This year, students, faculty, and staff will have another chance to listen to a Tibetan monk speak at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the Dunford Auditorium. Geshe Jinpa Wangpo will present “The Psychology of Enlightenment,” identifying the Buddhist maps of the mind while addressing ways to consciously develop health and stability. Wangpo was born in Tibet and joined Drepung Loseling, the largest Tibetan monastery, at age 13. In 1959 the monastery was destroyed during the Communist Chinese invasion and the majority of monks were either killed or sent to prison camps. Out of the 10,000 monks at Drepung Loseling, 216 escaped the holocaust and were allowed to re-establish their monastery 10 years later in southern India. Traveling with The Mystical Arts of Tibet tour, Wangpo and other monks will construct a beautiful sand mandala painting at the Juniper Sky Fine Art Gallery in the Kayenta area of Ivins. Construction will take place each day beginning Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The closi ng ceremony and destruction of the mandala will be Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. Following the destruction, Wangpo and the monks will take the sand to the Virgin River where it will be deposited with prayers that the blessings and healing energies may be carried to all sentient beings on the earth. There is no charge and everyone is invited to attend and also to view the construction of the mandala as it takes place. The following Dixie Forum will feature historian Linda Newell in “Writing Community History: Paiute County as a Microcosm.”

DSC to Induct Three Into Rebel Hall of Fame
(ST. GEORGE, Utah – Oct. 21, 2004) Dixie State College will honor three individuals as inductees into the college’s Hall of Fame as part of homecoming activities this weekend. Each inductee will be presented a medallion at the seventh annual Hall of Fame ceremony held in conjunction with the Homecoming Founder’s Day Assembly on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 10:30 a.m. in the St. George Tabernacle. “Our Hall of Fame has provided a unique forum to honor individuals who have contributed so m uch to the great stature that Dixie has attained over the years,” said DSC President Dr. Robert Huddleston. “We are grateful to the many people who have dedicated their careers and given so much time toward the success of this institution.”
Honored in the area of Public and College Service is the late Marion H. Bowler, a man who served and promoted Dixie State College, as well as Washington County and the state of Utah, throughout his entire life. He served on the college’s first advisory council and was a charter member of the Dixie College Colonels Club. He performed for more than 25 years as a member of the Dixie College Program Bureau. He was the first recipient of the Dixie College Honorary Associate of Arts Degree in 1985. And he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1996 and 1992. Bowler was possibly best known in St. George and throughout the state, for his beautiful tenor voice. Labeled the “Singing Mayor” by a state newspaper, he sang at literally thousands of funerals, weddings, church, civic and college events throughout Utah. His appliance store would often be closed because he would be singing at a funeral, performing with the Dixie Program Bureau, responding to a fire alarm, chairing the Lion’s Club Roundup Committee or the committee raising money for an iron lung, or fulfilling a responsibility as the city’s Red Cross representative or as St. George mayor.
Honored in the area of Public and College Service is Montrue Larkin, whose lifetime of service has made her one of southern Utah’s greatest treasures. While she was the Dixie State College Bookstore manager, she became a career counselor and inter-chapter advisor for Lambda Delta Sigma, where she had a positive influence upon the lives of hundreds of students. She was involved in many student activities and began the Christmas lighting ceremony on campus. Larkin returned to Dixie as a non-traditional student and graduated with an associate of science degree and, at the age of 69, earned her bachelor’s degree. She has volunteered her time for many great causes and h as received numerous honors, including the “Dixie College Humanities Award,” Chamber of Commerce and Elks Club “Citizen of the Year” awards, and the “You Make Dixie Great” award. Honored in the area of Science and Technology is Dr. Edward H. Snow, ‘56, a graduate of Dixie State College, who also served as the student body president. Snow was named after his great grandfather who was a co-founder of Dixie College. Dr. Snow has made breakthrough contributions to the understanding of oxidized semiconductor surfaces, which revolutionized electronics and made possible today’s digital revolution. For this work, he was made a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the Franklin Institute. Snow later became co-founder of Reticon Corporation. Their technology was used in virtually all of the early OCR and FAX machines, price tag readers, mail sorting machines, as well as specialized devices for scientific instruments, astronomy, and military applications. Snow was then made Vice President of EG&G, responsible for world-wide optoelectronic operations, with products as diverse as flashlamps for disposable cameras and atomic clocks for GPS systems. Additional details on the accomplishments and contributions of the three Hall of Fame honorees will be given at the Founder’s Day Assembly. Admission to the Founder’s Day Assembly is free and open to the entire community. The Hall of Fame was introduced at Dixie State College in 1998 at which time 18 individuals were inducted as charter members. The photos and plaques of this year’s inductees will join the past 62 inductees on the Wall of Fame located in the Avenna Center, Cox Auditorium. In addition to paying tribute to the Hall of Fame Inductees, the college will also be honoring two Dixie State College Rebel Award winners: Brent Snow, Outstanding Teacher Award recipient, and Clark Hutchings, Outstanding Staff Award recipient.

Black & Decker CEO to Speak at DSC Home Banquet; Drs. Ence & Prince to be Honored
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 21, 2004) This year’s Homecoming Alumni Banquet speaker at Dixie State College will be Dixie alum Nolan D. Archibald, ‘66, who will address alumni and guests at the annual event on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in the College Gymnasium.
Archibald is chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of The Black & Decker Corporation, a $5 billion global corporation, marketing its products in over 100 countries. He joined Black & Decker as president and chief operating officer in 1985. When appointed president and CEO in March 1986 at the age of 42, Archibald was the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 Company. He has served in that capacity for 18 years.
Archibald graduated from Dixie State College, where he was an All-American basketball player. He led the Rebels to the national junior college finals in Hutchinson, Kan., and was recruited by over 100 major universities in the United States. He graduated from Weber State University cum laude, where he was Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1968. He was an All-Conference basketball player under Dick Motta and played on Weber State’s first team to participate in the 32-team NCAA basketball tournament. He was one of 15 Division I basketball players out of 4,000 named an Academic All-American. He went on to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1970.
Following graduation from Harvard, Archibald was invited to try out for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association. He was offered a contract to play for the Pittsburgh Pipers in the American Basketball Association. In 1993, the National Association of Basketball Coaches honored him, along with four other former All-American basketball players, (including Elvin Hayes), as its “Silver Anniversary NCAA All-America Basketball Team.” He is the only athlete in Weber State’s history to receive this honor.
Archibald and his wife, the former Margaret Hafen, are the parents of seven sons and one daughter. He is currently serving as stake president of the Washington, D.C. Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Receiving this year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award at the banquet will be Dr. Robert Prince, ’76. Prince currently serves on the alumni board membership committee and has been continually involved in the lives of Dixie State College students through his work, church, and community service.
Dixie 's dental hygiene students used Dr. Prince's office every evening and all day Friday and Saturday for four years to get the professional training necessary to help the dental hygiene program evolve into one of the top programs in the nation.
Born in Fairfield, California, and raised in St. George, Prince attended Dixie High School, where he served as student body president in 1972. While attending Dixie College, he served on the student senate before graduating with his associate degree in 1976.
Prince received his bachelor’s degree from SUU in 1977. Being admitted to the University of Southern California School of Dentistry fulfilled a lifetime goal. He received his DDS degree there in 1981 and completed his orthodontic residency at USC also. He practiced in Beverly Hills prior to returning t o St. George in 1983, where he maintains his practice today.
Prince is married to the former Diane Larson and they are the parents of three children: Kristen Prince Hill, Dental Hygienist, '96; Ashton Prince, '01, in his first year of dental school at UNLV; and Benjamin, serving a mission.
James N. Ence will be honored at Homecoming 2004 with the “Distinguished Service Award.” Dr. Ence has been involved with the Dixie State College dental hygiene program since its inception. He also donated his dental office for use by the dental hygiene program every weekend for four years.
Ence grew up in Santa Clara, the son of Kenneth and Anneliese Ence. He attended Washington County schools and graduated from Dixie High School in 1969. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from SUU in 1974. In 1977 he received his DDS degree from the University of the Pacific, graduating with high honors, and was inducted into the OKU honor fraternity.
Dr. Ence served as a delegate to the Nevada Dental Association from the Southern Nevada component society from 1984-1986. Because of a strong desire to be near his family and his love for farming, he moved back to southern Utah to practice.
From 1995-2001, Ence served on the Utah Dental Association Board of Trustees in such positions as treasurer, secretary, vice president, president elect, president and past president. He serves as president of the new Santa Clara Canal Co., and as a board member of SunFirst Bank, Pacific Dental Education Foundation, and the Utah State Dental/Dental Hygienist Licensing Board. He holds dental licenses in Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California. He maintains a general dentistry practice in St. George.
Ence is married to the former Deborah Jennings. They are the parents of five children and have two grandchildren.

DSC Homecoming Next Week
ST. GEORGE, UT – October 15, 2004) This year’s Homecoming at Dixie State College will feature the traditional queen pageant, parade, and football game among other things, but it also marks the debut of a new building on campus. The new Dolores Dore’ Eccles Fine Arts Center will be dedicated Friday, Oct. 22, coinciding with the college’s annual Homecoming week and making for a busy week on campus for students, alumni of the college, and the community. This year’s homecoming theme is “It’s a Pride Thing.” “This is always an exciting time of year,” said DSC alumni relations director Kalynn Larson. “The dedication of the new building will bring even more people and electricity than usual. This facility means a great deal to many of our alumni, and it’s fitting that we celebrate it during Homecoming.” Homecoming activities get underway in earnest Tuesday, with the Homecoming Queen Pageant at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Mainstage Theatre. The eventual homecoming queen automatically qualifies for the Miss Utah Pageant. Cost is $3 a person. Activities on Friday, Oct. 22, include the Alumni Assembly at 10:00 a.m. in Eccles Mainstage Theatre (no charge) and Golden Generation Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in the Gardner Center Ballroom ($10). The Eccles Fine Arts Center will be formally dedicated at 1 p.m. on Friday in the Mainstage (no charge, but seating will be limited), following which will be a ribbon cutting. Tours of the buildingwill be conducted between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. At 3 p.m. in the Eccles Plaza will be a special Program Bureau rededication of the Roene DiFiore Bench. Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. will be a dedication gala in the Mainstage, which will include a concert and dessert reception. Cost is $20. Tickets can be purchased… Saturday’s homecoming parade begins at 9:30 a.m. and will travel down Tabernacle Street in St. George beginning at 400 East and ending at 100 West. Immediately following the parade on Saturday will be the annual 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 1:30 p.m. kickoff. The game matches Eastern Arizona against the Rebels. Tickets to the game are$6. The week wraps up Saturday night with the Alumni Homecoming Banquet at 7 p.m. in the Old Gym. Speaking at this year’s banquet will be alumnus Nolan Archibald, currently serving as CEO of Black & Decker Corporation. 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 a Special Olympics Carnival – a service project for Special Olympics Kids – Wednesday in the Gardner Center Ballroom from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Powder Puff Football game Thursday at 7 p.m. at Hansen Stadium (free admission), Rock the Mall at noon on Friday on the Gardner Center Plaza, and a 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.” 

 Clark is Back for Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 15, 2004) When the Dixie Forum began three years ago, sculptor Matt Clark was first speaker at the podium.  On Tuesday, Oct. 19, Clark is returning to the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College for his presentation “Found, Forged, and Welded: Sculpture and Character.” The forum begins at noon. Clark, a self-taught welder, creates sculptures from various materials that he finds and welds together.  He has also created his own specialized tools to help accommodate his wheelchair and the loss of mobility in his hands. Following an ac cident to his vertebrae in his teenage years, Clark was declared a quadriplegic and was limited to a wheelchair, shattering his plans to become a professional rodeo contestant.  Given a short life expectancy, Clark defied the doctors' predictions and has been creating art ever since. In Clark's last visit to the Dixie Forum, he told students that attitude is more important than facts, because you can't control what happens to you, but you can control your reaction. “Clark left a powerful influence on all who heard him because of his attitudes as well as his creativity,” said Terre Burton, Dixie forum coordinator.  “Students will be impressed with Matt's attitude, his art, and the way he talks about pursuing creativity.” Some of Clark’s recent awards include “Best of Sculpture” presented at Art in the Park in St. George in 2002, a first place in sculpture at the 2000-01 St. George Art Museum Show, and Best of Show at Art in the Park in 1997. St. George Clark is a lifelong resident of southern Utah. A week later, Dixie Forum will feature Geshe Jinpa Wanpod, a Buddhist monk from Tibet on Oct. 26.

DSC to Dedicate New Eccles Fine Arts Center
(St. George, Oct. 18, 2004) — The month of October has been planned to celebrate the grand opening of the new Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center at Dixie State College.  Numerous concerts , plays, an art exhibit and other cultural offerings are being presented throughout the month. 
Official dedication events for the new fine arts center will be held throughout the day on Friday, Oct. 22.  The formal dedication will take place at 1 pm in the Main Stage Theatre.  A ribbon cutting will follow at  2 pm in the Grand Lobby with a reception and official tours of the building through 5 pm.  The community is invited to attend.
A Dedication Gala Concert and Dessert Reception will be held at 7:30 pm in the Main Stage Theatre.  Tickets to the Gala Concert will be available Oct. 18-22 only at the Avenna Center Ticket Office for $20, 652-7800
The Gala Concert will feature talented guest artists, faculty and students who will be accompanied by the Southwest Orchestra.  Vocal solos, instrumental groups, musical theater and dance will highlight the evening performances.
“We’re so excited to host these grand opening events,” said Mark Petersen, executive director of cultural arts.  “A dedication is a time of celebration.  In this case, the college has a beautiful, new fine arts center that will provide wonderful educational and performing experiences for students and faculty.  It will also be a facility that will provide cultural entertainment to the community for decades to come.”
The 78,000 square foot facility boasts a 500-seat main stage theater, a 300-seat concert hall, a 100-seat black box theater, two beautiful dance studios and the Robert and Peggy Sears Art Gallery.  The new center also includes rehearsal rooms, practice rooms, costume and scene shops, art storage spaces and a few classrooms.
“It has everything included in one facility,” said Petersen.  “Arts patrons will be able to attend a concert or a play and visit the beautiful art gallery at the same time.”
Funding for the new building has come through a $3 million gift from the Eccles Foundation, $500,000 through proceeds fr om the Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show over the past 17 years and contributions from the Sears family, and $14 million was appropriated for the facility by the state legislature. 
In addition, the Emil Graff family established an endowment for the arts many years ago, and the old fine arts center was named after that family.  “A segment of the old building, which included the historical mosaic mural, was left standing and completely gutted on the inside,” said Petersen.  “It was remodeled to include two large dance studios, offices, restrooms, and a lobby that matches beautifully with the new Eccles Center.”
The new dance building has maintained the name of Graff Performing Arts.
 “We’re grateful to our many benefactors who have helped make this wonderful arts center a reality,” said Petersen.  “The fine arts are such an important part of our lives.  Where would our society be without culture, without an opportunity to develop and express our God-given talents. 
“The cultural arts—music, theater, dance, and visual art to name a few — bring creativity, understanding, and personal expression into all that we do and helps us communicate heart to heart,” added Petersen.  “Our new facility will be the place where faculty members encourage that creativity and expression in our students.”

DSC’s New VP Next up at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 11, 2004) Dixie State's Academic Vice President, Dr. Lee Caldwell, will be the next speaker at the Dixie forum Tuesday, Oct. 12, at noon.  The title of his presentation is "What it Means to be a Professional: Skills, Integrity, Contributions to Society-the Foundation of a Sustainable Economy and Community." 
Caldwell has worked at four different universities as a professor and administrator and has held executive level positions at three Fortune 500 high tech companies, including Unisys, IBM, and Hewlett Packard over an eight-year span. He also spent six years with Novell, Inc.
“A challenge to a growing community like St. George and a growing institution like Dixie State College is being able to maintain a high quality of service,” Caldwell said.  “We can do more than what's in our job description, we simply need to understand how.”
Recognized internationally as an expert in networking technology, Caldwell has 21 years of experience working with the Internet, has been a major driver behind Internet2 and next generation networks, and has authored a book on the subject with Prentice Hall that was released in 2002.
“Many people just see the lighter side of the Internet,” Caldwell said.  “Most are not aware that 20 years of hard work went into the creating the Internet.  I'll be using [the Internet] as a model of how we can plan for remarkable growth in the St. George community and on the Dixie campus.”
In addition to his 13 years in the high tech industry, he's had regular senior management interactions with global corporations such as Daimler Chrysler, British Telecom, Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank in Canada, General Motors, AOL Time Warner, and many others. He also has extensive government relations experience, including five years working with the Ministries of Education in France, Israel, Korea, The United Arab Emirates (UAR) and the Netherlands.
Most recently, Caldwell served as the associate dean for undergraduate business programs at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Ga. He holds a doctorate degree in business dministration (strategic management) with a minor in economics from Texas A&M University. He also holds a law degree from Brigham Young University. In addition, he has done master’s work at USC, earned a bachelor’s degree at Utah State University and attended then Weber State College.

Eric Young Selected as Alder Faculty Honor Lecturer
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 7, 2004) St. Georgians will get another sneak peek at the state’s newest fine arts center when the Alder F aculty Honor Lecture takes center stage Tuesday, Oct. 12.  Telly-winning Dixie State College professor Eric Young will be the speaker at the 10th annual Alder Faculty Honor Lecture, which will be held in the Concert Hall in the brand new Eccles Fine Arts Center at Dixie State College at 7:30 p.m.
Young’s lecture is titled “Shooting Ancients, Ancest ors and Actors: The Evolution of the Preditor.” (Preditor is an industry buzzword meaning producer/editor.) The lecture will be a first-hand account of what technology has done to the inundation and acquisition of motion pictures.
“The impact of this technology is both underrated and overlooked, especially in consideration of how visual media is used on the set, on the satellite and on the net,” said Young. “Dixie State College is in a unique position to propose a baccalaureate degree to develop the competent “preditor,” a graduate adept at producing and editing content in a variety of applications and distribution.”
The college is currently exploring the possibility of offering a bachelor’s degree in communications, which would be technology centered.
A Dixie College graduate, Young teaches communications courses at the college and is currently serving as the chair of the college’s fine arts and communications department.
Young has been a part of two Telly Award winning productions. The first came in 2001 for his and his motion picture students’ work on the docum entary “Mountain Meadows Massacre,” which garnered two Telly Awards. In 2003, Young produced the documentary “Absolutes to Change a Boy’s Life,” distributed by Eclipse Media & Design. It won a Silver Telly Award. 
Young is the former director of photography in film production for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has over 15 years experience producing and directing in the commercial film and video production industry. Other projects that Young has had a direct hand in include “Ancestors,” a nationally aired documentary series on PBS and “Splitting Atoms: Splitting Cells,” a documentary detailing the history of above-ground nuclear testing in southern Nevada and its impacts on southern Utahns. 
The Alder Faculty Honor Lecture was instituted by former DSC president Doug Alder and his wife Elaine. Its purpose is to promote faculty scholarship about teaching and research, faculty communication and camaraderie, and improvement in teaching and learning.
“The college is primarily a teaching college and, as a result, the faculty doesn’t often have the opportunity to spend a lot of time on research,” said Demaree Johnson, chair of the Honor Lecture committee. “The lecture not only gives our professors an opportunity to study, research and write on a topic of their own interest, but to share it with the community at the same time.”
Nominees for the Honors Lecture are presented by the college staff and faculty and voted on by the college’s Faculty Senate board. Any full-time faculty member is available for nomination and the presenter is chosen to recognize excellence in teaching and scholarship. The papers associated with the Honors Lecture are published each year in a booklet that is available at the lecture or by contacting Demaree Johnson at (435) 652-7867.
Community members are invited to attend the lecture. Admission is free. The Eccles Fine Arts Center will be formally dedicated Frid ay, Oct. 22.

DSC Student Crowned Miss Navajo
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 6, 2004) Jannalee Atcitty, a sophomore student at Dixie State College, is taking a break from school this year to represent over 200,000 Navajos as Miss Navajo 2004-2005. 
Atcitty will travel the world, visiting places like Holland, Switzerland, and Australia to teach the Navajo culture. The competition was held during the Navajo Nation Fair in Window Rock, Ariz., the Navajo capital, in September.
Ten women ranging from 18 to 25 years of age competed for the Miss Navajo crown. Judges based their decisions on personal interviews, cultural demonstrations, and questions concerning current events relating to the Navajo Nation.
Atcitty is the second Dixie State student to earn this title.  The other was Diane Taylor who held the title in the late 80s. Atcitty was also previously crowned Miss Indian Dixie. 
Atcitty hails from Cedar Ridge, Ariz., and is studying elementary education and plans to graduate from Dixie when she returns. 

Local Businesses Urged to Participate in DSC Homecoming
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 4, 2004) Dixie State College is extending an invitation to all local businesses and organizations to participate in the 2004 DSC Homecoming Parade, which will snake its way through the streets of St. George Saturday, Oct. 23. The theme for this year’s parade is “Life is Better in 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. All entries must begin to line up at the parade’s starting point – 300 East Tabernacle – at 8:30 a.m. The parade route will follow Tabernacle to 200 West. Entry forms are available by contacting Donna Stafford via fax: 656-4011, phone: 652-7513, or email: stafford@dixie.edu.   

Author to Speak on Polygamy at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE – Oct. 4, 2004) Utah author Dorothy Allred Solomon will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum Tuesday, Oct. 5, at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College.
The daughter of her father’s fourth plural wife and the twenty-eighth of 48 children, Solomon has written several books on the subject of polygamy and will share her experiences as part of her forum presentation.
“Born to parents with no marriage license, and never having been issued a birth certificate, I started writing to discover my identity and to establish citizenship," writes Solomon in one of her books. 
Solomon has been the recipient of several awards, including the Utah Arts Council and a Governor’s Media Award for Excellence.
“Last fall I heard Dorothy speak at the Great Salt Lake Book Festival,” said Dixie Forum coordinator Terre Burton. “I was enthralled from her very first words and determined to have her speak at Dixie Forum. She is an attractive, quiet woman with a pleasing, well-modulated voice, yet her words were compelling and astonishing.”
Dixie Forum is a noontime lecture series that takes place each Tuesday in the Dunford Auditorium during fall and spring semesters. All community members are invited to attend Dixie Forum free of charge. The forum series can also be taken for college credit. For more information about Dixie Forum, contact Terre Burton at 652-7812.

Utah's Poet Laureate Next Up at Dixie Forum
(ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 24, 2004) Dixie Forum’s next speaker is Kenneth Brewer, Utah's poet laureate. He’ll be speaking