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CAMPUS NEWS 2005 Spring semester classes at Dixie State College begin the following week on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Registration for classes without instructor permit will continue through Jan. 11. The last day to add a class for spring semester is Feb. 3, 2006.
Registration can be done on the Internet at www.dixie.edu/reg and in person at the registrar’s office in the Student Services Center. For questions about registration, call 652-7708. For help selecting courses, call 652-7690.
Petersen received the honor, in part, for his work in unveiling and promoting DSC’s new Eccles Fine Arts Center during its very successful inaugural year. He has served as executive director of cultural arts at Dixie State since July 2004 in which capacity he oversees, schedules, markets, and promotes all artistic events in the Eccles Center, the Cox Auditorium, and Burns Arena.
During the dedication month for the new center, more than 20 performances were featured in the center in all of the arts disciplines. Also that year, Petersen successfully conducted the college’s first
major theater season ticket drive in many years, resulting in over 500 season ticket holders. Cultural arts events at Dixie State College increased in attendance to nearly full houses and several productions and concerts were completely sold out, including the college’s banner production of “Jekyll and Hyde,” which was selected to compete in the prestigious American College Theater Festival this past year.
Petersen’s career in the public relations and marketing field has spanned 26 years. He worked for six years in the College of Fine Arts at Weber State University. He spent two years as marketing coordinator at Ogden-Weber Applied Technology Center. He most recently spent 18 years as director of public relations at Dixie State College. Petersen is an alumnus of Weber State
Students of the Semester Named at Dixie State College (ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 19, 2005) With fall semester having drawn to a close at Dixie State College last week, 16 students recently received Student of the Semester honors. Individual departments on campus made the selections based on academic and extracurricular achievement of the students.
Keith Huang, from Taiwan, received the honor in the area of art. Ragan Springer, from St. George, was named Student of the Semester in the department of business. In the area of communications, Wendi Epps, from San Francisco, Calif., received the award. Britni Maglish, from West Jordan, received the award in the area of developmental studies.
Jen Pehrson, Monticell, Utah, was named dental hygiene Student of the Semester. Aaron Reep, from St. George, received the award in the area of elementary education. In English, Chelsea VanDam, from Orem, won the award.
Jessica Torgerson, from Washington, Utah, received the award in the area of education and family sciences; Erika Staples, from Hawaii, in humanities; Patrick Shukait, from Wurzburg, Germany, in humanities (Hurricane Center); Yovonda Hall, from Hurricane, in mathematics (Hurricane Center); Reuben Evans and Braydon Nielsen, Spanish Fork, in nursing; Susanne Green, from St. George, in science; Cynthia Heaton, from Moccasin, Ariz., in social sciences; and Jennifer DeVilliers, from St. George, in visual technology.
DSC Christmas Project Now in Final Stages (ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 12, 2005) It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the campus of Dixie State College. The college’s annual “Gift of Dixie” Christmas tree is surrounded by gifts for children in need this holiday season and the annual project is now in its final stages. This year, over 250 stars representing 65 different area children adorned the Gift of Dixie tree. Each star on the tree had the name and age of a child on it, along with an indication of a gift requested for the holidays. For the past two weeks, people throughout campus and the community have had the opportunity to pluck one or more stars from the tree, thereby “adopting” a child for the holidays. “It's a big deal for us. This is our big campus wide push for Christmas. This is something we do every year to try and do our part,” DSC students gathered today for final gift wrapping and sorting in preparation for delivery later this week. The project is done every year on campus in conjunction with KONY Coins for Christmas and has been a tradition on campus since 1994. New VP Begins Work at DSC (ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 7, 2005) Dixie State College’s new vice president of advancement assumed her new role this month after being named to the position earlier this fall semester. Christina Schultz will oversee the college’s advancement division, which includes institutional fundraising, alumni relations, cultural arts, and public relations.
Schultz brings to the position vast experience in higher education and non-profit fundraising and 21 years of experience working in marketing, public relations, development, and management.
“Christina brings a broad background in all areas of institutional advancement,” said DSC president Dr. Lee Caldwell. “The search committee was especially impressed with her professionalism, her ability to start organizations from the ground up, and her graciousness in dealing with donors. We’re excited to have her on the Dixie State campus.”
Schultz worked for seven years at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. During that time, she served as director of development in USC’s School of Fine Arts & Theatre. She also served stints as associate director of marketing in the General Alumni Association as a liaison to the institution’s 250,000 alumni base and as assistant director of volunteer training and development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in communications management, both from USC.
She was later recruited to become the director of development for The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Cal State University on the Long Beach campus.
In addition, Schultz has also been the director of development for both the CLARE Foundation, Inc., a drug and alcohol treatment center in Santa Monica, Calif., and the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), a world-renowned architecture school in Los Angeles. She has been responsible for raising tens of millions of dollars, but is quick to deflect the credit.
“The key to fundraising is that it is a team effort,” Schultz said. “It’s not just one person, you have to have a lot of people working on this process that has a lot of different stages along the way.”
Throughout her career in the Los Angeles area, Schultz has worked on fundraising projects with various celebrities and luminaries, including actors John Ritter, Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue), Anthony Edwards (ER), film director Joel Schumacher (Batman), and author Ray Bradbury.
While her southern Californian roots run deep, she is enjoying the change in scenery. For starters, what was a two-hour commute to work every day in some cases has been reduced to five minutes. But she has also discovered some commonalities between Dixie State and her alma mater that make her feel right at home.
“The first thing that hit me right away is that the sense of school spirit is very strong here,” Schultz said. “It’s evident that people have a passion about Dixie. That is something that is very similar to the Trojan spirit at USC. It will serve our fundraising efforts very well because that kind of passion is necessary in order to be successful.”
Schultz and her husband, Tony, aren’t exactly new to southern Utah. They first became acquainted with the area eight years ago after visiting nearby Kanab during the holidays for some volunteer work. They purchased a home in Kanab the following April and have called southern Utah home, albeit part-time, ever since.
“We’ve basically spent the last eight years driving back and forth between Los Angeles and Kanab,” Schultz said. “I’ve considered southern Utah home because I would work in L.A. and wait several weeks on end to ‘get home’. I think it was time to come home permanently. We love it here, and have for many years, and we love the people here. We just love everything about southern Utah.”
DSC Art Students to Host 30th Annual Christmas Ceramic Sale (ST. GEORGE, UT – Dec. 6, 2005) 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 pottery and ceramic sale Dec. 7-9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the North Plaza (west entrance) located at 55 South 900 East.
An annual tradition at the college, the sale is now in its thirtieth year. Many DSC art students use the sale to help pay for their college education. Hundreds of hand-made pottery pieces will be on sale at reasonable prices. Twenty percent of all proceeds will go to support the DSC art department.
“We have some students doing work that you would normally see at the graduate level or beyond,” said DSC art professor Glen Blakley.
The department holds a similar sale toward the end of spring semester as well. For more information about the pottery sale, call DSC art professor Glen Blakley at 652-7795.
DSC Wins 20th Annual Dixie Rotary Bowl (ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Dec. 3, 2005) The last time Garden City Community College (Kan.) and Dixie State College (Utah) met up in the Dixie Rotary Bowl in 1994, a Garden City running back by the name of Corey Dillon won the MVP award (Dillon would go on to play in his second Dixie Rotary Bowl in 1995 after transferring to Dixie.)
While it remains to be seen whether or not Dixie State tailback J.T. Diederichs, also a Seattle native, will follow in Dillon’s footsteps and become a Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler, he looked every bit the part in Saturday’s 20th annual Dixie Rotary Bowl. The Rebels used Diederichs’ three touchdowns and 100 yards rushing and capitalized on several Garden City turnovers to defeat the Broncbusters 35-31.
Garden City led the entire game behind the running and passing of quarterback Rod Windsor – who likewise looked the part of a future NFL star – and was poised to put the Rebels away after leading 31-28 with less than six minutes left in the game. A Windsor fumble, however, with 5:12 remaining in the fourth quarter – one of four fumbles given up by the Broncbusters – was scooped up by Dixie State defensive back Keauntea Bankhead who ran it back for the Rebels’ first go-ahead score of the game and for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
The Broncbusters had two opportunities even later in the game to retake the lead during an eventful, but fruitless series of plays. A big gain by Garden City tailback Marcus Cross took the Broncbusters deep into Rebel territory, but Cross fumbled the ball on the tail end of the play. The ball was again scooped up by Dixie’s Bankhead and returned deep into Broncbuster territory, but was turned back over to Garden City after a failed lateral. Garden City was unable to capitalize, however, on the ensuing drive and Dixie State went on to capture its fourteenth Dixie Rotary Bowl championship in 19 tries.
Windsor finished the game with 114 yards rushing, 191 yards passing, two rushing touchdowns, and two passing touchdowns, garnering MVP honors for Garden City. Diederichs went on to become the only two-time MVP in Dixie Rotary Bowl history with his performance. In the 2004 bowl game, the Rebels used Diederichs’ 187 yards on the ground to defeat Grand Rapids Community College.
“(J.T.) has been the heart and soul of our offense for two years, so it’s appropriate (for him to win the MVP),” said Dixie head coach Greg Croshaw. “He had a tougher challenge this year than he had last year. We had five guys on our offensive line a year ago that all went on to play four-year football, and we had to break in a whole new group this year. But he’s been every bit as much our leader on offense as Misi (Tupe) has been on defense. (J.T.) is going to be a guy that I really will miss. If he had been a horse for the Pony Express, I’d have ridden him until he died because he’s a big horse, and we rode him.”
Dixie State, ranked 16th coming into today’s game, finished the game with 399 yards of total offense: 143 yards rushing and 256 yards passing. Tight end Ryan Mattice finished the game with 99 yards receiving. Wide receiver Quinton Lopez had 84 yards receiving. Quarterback Derek McAllister led the Rebels with 133 yards through the air and one rushing touchdown after replacing an injured Corey Slater in the second half. Linebacker Misi Tupe led the Rebels all day on the defensive side of the ball.
Garden City, ranked 15th coming into today’s game, finished with 392 yards of total offense in the contest, with 191 yards passing and 201 yards on the ground. In addition to Windsor’s stellar performance, Garden City tailback Marcus cross rushed for 81 yards. Receiver Damian Atkins scored two touchdowns on 52 yards receiving.
The Rebels cap the season with a record of 9-3. Garden City finishes with a 7-4 record. For more information about today’s bowl game, visit www.rotarybowl.com.
DSC Trustees Approve New Baccalaureate Degree (ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 22, 2005) Dixie State College took its first big step toward fulfilling its new mission to begin offering baccalaureate degrees common at four-year institutions across the nation.
The college’s board of trustees last week approved baccalaureate degrees in criminal justice, dental hygiene, English/English education, and biology/biology education. The boa
rd also approved a secondary teacher licensure program, which would operate hand-in-hand with the English and biology degrees, and other programs eventually, to prepare students to teach those subjects at the junior and high school level. The programs now await approval by the Utah State Board of Regents.
In June 2005, the board of regents approved a new mission for Dixie State College, which, in essence, paves the way for more and more baccalaureate programs at Dixie. Since 2000, the college has offered a limited number of baccalaureate degrees in high demand areas. A clause in DSC’s new mission now allows Dixie to begin offering baccalaureate programs in core or foundational areas consistent with four-year colleges. The college currently offers degrees in business administration, computer & information technology, elementary education, nursing, and communication & new media.
“These degrees currently on the table are core to the county’s economic development foundation,” said DSC president Dr. Lee Caldwell. “This community is desperate for these degrees.”
The current emphasis on teaching degrees, Caldwell said, is due in part to Washington County School District, which needs 1,000 teachers over the next four years.
“This community can’t grow and thrive with
out teachers,” Caldwell said.
The population of St. George alone is currently 67,000 and is expected to reach 134,000 by 2020. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, St. George ranked number one among the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas (population over 50,000), with a growth rate of 86.1 percent between 1990 and 2000.
Washington County once again maintained its title as the fastest growing county in the state, with a growth rate of 8.4 percent in 2005, as reported by the governor’s office earlier this month. Approximately 125,000 residents currently live in Washington County, with 1,000 new residents arriving each month. Washington County’s population growth is projected to have the highest average annual rate of change through 2050 of any county in Utah, with a projected population of over 600,000, according to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget’s 2005 Baseline Projections. Furthermore, Washington County’s population is expected to surpass Weber County by 2030 and Davis County by 2040 (same source).
President Caldwell said the college, over time, will focus on offering the same 10 or so degrees that have accounted for over 80 percent of all degrees awarded nationwide over the past 30 years – degrees in areas such as English and languages, biological and life sciences, visual and performing arts, social sciences and history, psychology, education, health related sciences, and business. Caldwell expects a portfolio of approximately 15-20 degrees to be available to DSC students within the next five years.
“I am very committed that whatever we add must become of the highest quality possible,” Caldwell said. “Our focus is going to be more on the plain vanilla degrees that are most in demand, and we’re going to do an extraordinary job on those plain vanilla degrees. We’re not going to do all the fancy variance. But we will do the mainstream degrees, and we’ll do them extraordinarily well.”
DSC Students to Hold CANSTOCK for Dixie Care & Share (ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 21, 2005) Everybody has heard of Woodstock ‘69, but have you heard of CANSTOCK ‘05? Dixie State College students, faculty, and staff will hit the pavement Wednesday, Nov. 30 to collect canned food donations for St. George’s Dixie Care & Share between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for what has been dubbed CANSTOCK ‘05. The service event will be this semester’s Campus to Community project, a service campaign that was instituted by the DSC student government in 2001.
Following the service project, on the eve of Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) play, those in attendance will be formally introduced to this year’s men’s and women’s basketball squads, who will also compete in CANSTOCK ‘05.
“A little less than a month ago, Dixie Care & Share reported that its shelves were nearly empty,” said DSC student body president Tony Cronk. “We want to make sure their shelves are well-stocked for the upcoming holidays, and we thought we would make a little competition out of it.”
Volunteers will mobilize at the Burns Arena at 6 p.m. and organize into teams. A geographic assignment will be given to each team. Teams will then disperse to the neighborhoods of St. George to collect as many canned goods as they can. Volunteers will return to the Burns Arena around 7:30 p.m., load all donations in a DATS truck trailer (for delivery the following day), and then enjoy a soup dinner and live entertainment as the basketball teams are introduced. The team that collects the most cans will receive “Jump for Judkins” T-shirts.
The Campus to Community service program was organized at Dixie State College in 2001. Campus to Community is Dixie State’s version of a nationwide trend known as service learning, designed to get college students involved service and give them opportunities for practical application of textbook learning.
Campus to Community 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 to benefit literacy in local schools, assisting with the Confluence Project in Hurricane and LaVerkin, removing weeds and debris at the Santa Clara Arboretum, collecting money for Washington County School District leveled libraries, and planting bushes and shrubs at the Canyons Softball Complex in St. George.
As always, community members are invited to take part in all Campus to Community projects. Those wishing to drop off canned items can do so in the student government room at DSC (Gardner Student Center, second floor).
Students to Get Jumpstart on Their Careers at DSC Career Day (ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 7, 2005) Daytime classes on Tuesday, Nov. 15, have been cancelled at Dixie State College, but the campus will be abuzz nonetheless between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Students from approximately 25 Utah, Nevada, and Arizona high schools, as w
ell as DSC students, will attend over 70 career workshops scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on campus. The event, a DSC staple for 28 years now, helps provide students with valuable information related to their career choices.
"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."
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 over 20 different presenters each hour, students will be able to choose three workshops to attend throughout the day.
“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.”
Studies have i
ndicated 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 Center located across from the library. The Career Day schedule is also posted on-line at the Career Services website at http://dsc.dixie.edu/career/index.php.
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.
Four DSC Students Honored As Governor's Scholars (ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 7, 2005) Four Dixie State College students were among 44 college and university students throughout Utah to be named Governor’s Scholars on Friday in conjunction with the newly launched Governor’s Scholar Award program. The program is aimed at encouraging higher standards and greater scholarship among some of Utah’s most promising higher education students.
Daniel N. Evans, a sophomore from St. George; Jared L. Fletcher, a freshman from Salt Lake City; Dolores Heaton, a sophomore from Hurricane; and Blair Jorgensen, a sophomore from St. George were the four Dixie State College students honored at a luncheon Friday hosted by Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. at the Governor’s mansion.
Specifically, the Governor’s Scholar Award is designed to encourage more Utah students, early in their college experience, to prepare and apply for prestigious post-graduate scholarships such as the Gates, Marshall, Truman, and Rhodes scholarships.
Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. honored four students from each of Utah's colleges and universities who have demonstrated academic excellence. Each scholar recognized is in his or her first or second year of higher education.
The Governor told the students that they should find their "genius inside" early and to develop it to the fullest. He encouraged a continued commitment to the academic excellence that brought them to the mansion for the luncheon.
“This is a tremendous honor for these students to be recognized in an arena such as this,” said acting vice president of academic services Dr. Donna Dillingham-Evans. “I speak for all of us at Dixie State College when I say we are very proud of these students and their commitment to academic excellence. They’re an inspiration to all of us.”
DSC X-Club to Wash Cars For a New Cannon (ST. GEORGE, UT – Nov. 3, 2005) The traditions and service-based X-Club at Dixie State College will host a car wash this Saturday, Nov. 5, to help raise funds toward the purchase of a new cannon for Hansen Stadium.
The free car wash will be located in the parking lot of the new Eccles Fine Arts Center (100 South 700 East) and will run between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. In exchange, the club is asking for donations of any amount.
Like many colleges and universities, Dixie State has a tradition of firing a cannon to celebrate touchdowns at football games. The cannon that was last used several seasons ago has fallen into disrepair. Since that time, several temporary solutions have been used.
As a follow-up fundraiser, the X-Club will be collecting donations at the final home football game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 1:30 p.m. to benefit the cannon. Those who donate will become eligible to win a variety of prizes, among which will include game balls signed by head coach Greg Croshaw and several DSC football players. Overall, the club hopes to earn $5,000 for the cannon.
The X-Club is a student service organization whose mission is to promote, preserve, and revive Dixie State traditions. Members of the club are held to a high academic standard (3.0 GPA) and are selected for their exemplary participation and activity in school activities, extra-curricular activities, and social service.
DSC to Induct Three Into Rebel Hall of Fame (ST. GEORGE, Utah – Oct. 7, 2005) Dixie State College will honor three individuals as inductees into the college’s Hall of Fame as part of homecoming activities next weekend. Each inductee will be presented a medallion at the eighth annual Hall of Fame ceremony held in conjunction with the Homecoming Founder’s Day Assembly on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10:30 a.m. in the St. George Tabernacle. Honored in the area of Education will be Dr. Douglas Alder, who served as Dixie’s 14th president from 1986 to 1993. “An Academic Climate” was the slogan for the campus during Dr. Alder&rsqu o;s tenure, and he became known for his emphasis on the importance of academic rigor. During his presidency, the Val A. Browning Learning Resources Center was completed, as were additions to the Browning Library and the Science Building. The Udvar-Hazy Business Building was begun, as was the Gardner Student Center. The College Inn was developed for the college’s Elderhostel program. The college’s National Advisory Council (NAC) was also established during his tenure. Dr. Alder received the 1991 Governor’s Award in the Humanities for his work in organizing conferences, lectures, and book groups dealing with history, literature and public issues throughout the state. An accomplished author and noted local historian, he has written histories of both southern Utah and the college. Following his presidency, he returned to full-time teaching in history and continues to teach history classes for Elderhostel and the Institute for Continued Learning (ICL). Dr. Alder has continued to support Dixie State both in service and monetary investment, having taken a special interest and role in the Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show. His service to both his community and state is unparalleled, and he continues to serve on numerous boards and committees at both levels. Dr. Ron Garner, who has served on the faculty at Dixie State College for the past 50 years, will also be honored in the area of Education. Honored in the area of Public and College Services will be the late Rulon (Rudy) Iverson, a man who is known as one of the all-time great promoters of the “Dixie Spirit.” He graduated from the college in 1947, following his devoted service in World War II. He returned to the college in 1962 to serve as its director of housing and food services and is credited with opening the college’s first on-campus housing unit, Shiloh Hall. In 1970, he was appointed dean of students and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1984. It was Iverson’s belief that every student should have the privilege of attending college, and he did whatever possible to see that everyone had that opportunity. Upon retirement, he began doing volunteer work for the college’s Alumni Association, in which capacity he continued to raise scholarship funding by establishing the Golden Generation Organization and Scholarship Fund, the dean’s endowment scholarship fund, and many other scholarship endowments, as well as securing the Alumni House on 100 South. Iverson was known for his great personality and enormous capacity to love and serve the students of the college. The Iverson Lounge on the second floor of the Gardner Center was dedicated in his honor in 1999. Additional details of the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of the these three Hall of Fame honorees will be given at the Founder’s Day Assembly. 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 65 inductees on the Wall of Fame located in the Avenna Center, Cox Auditorium. DSC Football Coach Hospitalized With Blood Clot (ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 4, 2005) Dixie State College head football coach Greg Croshaw is in good condition today after being hospitalized Sunday with a blood clot in his right leg and undergoing a procedure late Monday to remove it.
Following Dixie State’s 38-23 victory over Arizona Western Saturday night, Croshaw began noticing swelling in his leg on the return trip home from Yuma, Ariz. He checked himself into Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, Sunday at approximately noon.
Croshaw underwent a procedure late Monday evening to flush out the clot and will remain under observation through Saturday. He will not coach this Saturday in the Rebels’ contest versus Pima CC at Hansen Stadium, said DSC athletic director Dexter Irvin. Assistant coach Gordon Jolley will assume head coaching duties during Croshaw’s recovery.
“We’ll take it week by week and monitor his progress and follow doctor’s orders,” Irvin said. “Our first priority, obviously, is Greg’s health. That certainly takes precedence over what happens on the football field.”
Croshaw is in his 24th season coaching the Dixie State football team. Since he took over the coaching helm, the Rebels have finished the season ranked No. 2 or No. 3 in the nation 13 separate times. The Rebels currently have a record of 4-1.
Second Season of DSC Street Fair Opens This Weekend (ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 3, 2005) After a successful inaugural year in 2004-05, the Dixie State College Street Fair will reopen for business in 2005-06, beginning this weekend. The Street Fair will be open Friday, Oct. 7, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and again on Saturday, Oct. 8, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the college campus around the Administration Building just off of 700 East in St. George.
Patterned after an open-air style market, the DSC Street Fair was established in September 2004 to help raise money for student scholarships. In addition to retail merchandise, the DSC Street Fair also includes a food court and live entertainment.
Philosophically, revenue generated through Street Fair vendor space rental fees, which amount to $50 a week per vendor, directly benefits the Dixie State College scholarship fund. All revenue brought in by vendors, in turn, goes directly into individual vendors’ pockets. Over 150 different vendors rented booth space at 10 different Street Fair events over the course of last year.
“We felt like it was successful enough, particularly during the warmer months, to bring it back again this year,” said DSC Street Fair director George Whitehead. “We’re thankful to our vendors,
sponsors, and customers last year who supported us. If we can build off what we accomplished last year, this event has the potential to be a significant fundraiser for college scholarships.”
Other Street Fair dates for 2005-06 will include Nov. 12, 2005, and every Saturday during February, March, and April 2006.
In addition to art, crafts, jewelry, and other items, this weekend’s Street Fair will feature new crop pine nuts. Parking at all Street Fair events is free.
Those interested in becoming a Street Fair vendor this year can email streetfair@dixie.edu or call George Whitehead at 435-652-7536 or Erin Thatcher at 435-652-7633.
Forecast Snowy for DSC Homecoming ST. GEORGE, UT – Oct. 3, 2005) Even though it’s early fall in St. George, the forecast is “Snowy” for Dixie State College’s Homecoming Week next week. Rival Snow College will be in town Saturday, Oct. 15. Prior to the Rebels and Badgers meeting up on the gridiron, however, will be a week filled with activities for students, alumni of the college, and the community. Most notably, Homecoming 2005 will help commemorate the 20-year anniversary of Dixie’s first-ever national championship run in 1985 (men’s basketball).
Homecoming Week officially gets under wa
y Monday, Oct. 10, with the majority of the week’s activities taking place the following Friday and Saturday. All community members are invited to attend, regardless of their tie to the college. This year’s homecoming theme is “It’s All About the Pride.”
Homecoming activities get underway in earnest Tuesday, Oct. 11, with the Homecoming Queen Pageant at 7 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium. Cost is $6 a person, $3 for students.
Thursday, Oct. 13 will feature the annual Homecoming Powder Puff Football game at Hansen Stadium at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Activities on Friday, Oct. 14 include the Alumni Assembly at 10:30 a.m. in the Eccles Mainstage Theater (no charge) and Golden Generation Luncheon and Program at noon in the Gardner Ballroom ($10). The ASDSC student council will host its annual “Rock the Mall” school song competition at noon on the Encampment Mall and an activity later that evening featuring hypnotist Bruce McDonald in the Gardner Center Ballroom at 8 p.m.
Saturday’s homecoming parade begins at 9:30 a.m. and will travel down Tabernacle Street beginning at 300 East and ending at 100 West. All entries must line up at the parade’s starting point (300 East on Tabernacle) at 8:30 a.m.
Immediately following the parade on Saturday will be the Founder’s Day Assembly and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 10:30 a.m. in the St. George Tabernacle. Admission to both is free.
The Alumni Association tailgate party will precede the football game at noon, with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets to the game are $6 and can be purchased at the box office.
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 three members from Dixie’s 1985 men’s basketball national championship team, including Brent Wade, Dan Bell, and Brent Stephenson. Cost is $11. The Homecoming Dance will follow at 9 p.m. in the Gardner Ballroom.
Tickets for the Golden Generation Luncheon and Alumni 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
Local Businesses Urged to Join DSC Homecoming Parade (ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 30, 2005) Dixie State College is extending an invitation to all local businesses and organizations to participate in the 2005 DSC Homecoming Parade, which will snake its way through the streets of St. George Saturday, Oct. 15. The theme for this year’s parade is “It’s All About the Pride.”
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.
In addition to those in the business community, local schools are invited to participate, particularly by entering their bands in the parade. Parade entry forms must be submitted to Stafford’s office by Tuesday, Oct. 11. On the average, the parade features between 60 and 65 entries.
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. For a full list of Homecoming Week activities, visit www.dixie.edu.
DSC Theatre to Present Moliere Comedy Tartuffe St. George, Sept. 27) — It's funny! It's farce! It's French! It is Tartuffe, Dixie State Theatre’s first offering in the 2005-2006 season, playing at 7:30 pm Oct. 13-15 and 18-22, in the Main Stage Theatre of DSC’s Eccles Fine Arts Center. Under the direction of Doug Bishop, Tartuffe is by France’s most famous playwright Moliere, and is a satire of religious hypocrisy disguised as a comedy. Tickets are on sale now in the central campus ticket office at the DSC Avenna Center, or call 652-7800. Senior and student discounts are available. Theater subscriptions for the entire season of upcoming plays are available through Oct. 16. Tartuffe pretends to be a religious, aristocratic hermit while trying to separate a family from its fortune and its women of their virtue. The title role will by played by Varlo Davenport, DSC director of theatre. Tartuffe is an odious hypocrite whose apparent piety has tricked the honest Orgon (played by Galen Chatterton) into taking him into his home. Orgon believes that Tartuffe's pious example will be good for the other members of the family. Meanwhile, Tartuffe is in the process of seducing Orgon’s wife, Elmire (Kate Semmens). But everyone else in the family, including even the outspoken servant Dorine (Kimberly Purcell), is perceptive enough to see through the impostor. With everyone else’s opinions against him, Orgon decides to show his family how serious he is and forces a marriage between Tartuffe and his daughter Marianne (Danalee Dial). However, Marriane is in love with Valere (Mason Petersen), so in order to have the ending they desire they must reveal Tartuffe for the hypocrite that he is. The a ntics that follow are some of the best live theatre has to offer. Bishop, who directs Tartuffe, is guest director for the production. A former director of theatre at Olympus High School in Salt Lake City for many years, he has directed numerous community productions in addition to his high school directing career. The design and technical team include: set designers Varlo Davenport and Josh Scott, master electrician Tera Peavler, sound engineer Jeremie Butler, stage manager Bekki Rasmussen, assistant stage manager Britta Hanson, property designer Megan Ward, costume designer Heather Lopez, and hair and make-up artists Laura Jacobson and April Davis. The talented cast also includes Jessica McKeehan as Mme. Pernelle, Travis Warner as Damis, Jarom Brown as Cleante, Isaac Spafford as M. Loyal, Heath King-Thompson and Josh Nay as police officers, and Rebekah Samuelson as Flipote. “Jean-Baptiste de Poquelin (Moliere) is a French 17 th centuray playwright,” said Bishop. He is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest dramatists the world has ever known. Moliere’s genius took the form of comedic plays that present serious social commentary.” Bishop pointed out that while Moliere was commenting on his own era, human nature has not changed over the interceding centuries. “His work still has a great deal to say about the human condition to modern audiences,” he said. The life of Moliere is a story of struggle, hard work, domestic unhappiness, death and burial in obscurity and almost shame. After years of failure, Moliere brought his company of actors to Paris and played for the first time in the presence of King Louis XIV, in the g uard room of the old Louvre. Moliere’s sense of humor was tickled by the absurdities of the salons and the literary ladies, whose chief aim was to promote culture. “Moliere seized upon the affected speech, the elegant gallantries and the learned sentimentality and caricatured them with infinite skill,” said Bishop. “In his own plays he created a new genre, attacking not only the sentimental blue stockings and the vapid swains of the salons, but nobles, actors, priests, doctors, and high flown writers of his time. He was definitely not popular in some of these circles. “We’re excited to use our talented cast to demonstrate how well Moliere made social commentary centuries ago that still applies to us today,” Bishop said.
Fall Enrollment Up 6% at Dixie State College ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 23, 2005) Dixie State College today announced third week enrollment totals for fall semester 2005. Overall enrollment is up six percent over last fall, with a total of 9,114 students, as compared to 8,564 last year.
“This is our largest fall third week enrollment total in our history,” said Vice President of Student Services Dr. Phil Alletto. “It certainly is an indication of our growing reputation for quality throughout Utah and the western U.S.”
In terms of FTE* (full-time equivalency), the equivalent of 4,495 student are enrolled, down slightly from last year’s 4,518.
“We have more students enrolled this semester, but they’re taking slightly fewer credit hours is what it amounts to,” Alletto said. “In a booming economy, such as we’re experiencing currently, schooling oftentimes takes a bit of a back seat to work. People just don’t have as much time to take as many classes.”
In terms of new transfer students, the college welcomed 391 students from other institutions, a one percent increase over last year. Alletto attributes the overall enrollment increase to increased marketing efforts and a new scholarship program that allots scholarships to a greater number of students.
Earning College Credit Abroad, in Costa Rica (ST. GEORGE – Sept. 16, 2005) When students at Dixie State College register for Geography 2990, they won’t find it scheduled in a specific classroom, or even in a specific building for that matter. In fact, it’s scheduled in a whole other country.
Instead of sitting in the classroom learning about the geography of Costa Rica, as many as 16 students will spend 12 days exploring Costa Rica’s tropical rain forests, beaches, volcanoes and culture first-hand and earn college credit while doing it. The two-credit Costa Rica trip will run Mar. 8-19, 2006, during the college’s spring break, and has been an annual occurrence since 2003. The deadline to sign up for the course is Friday, Sept. 23, 2005.
“Costa Rica is the jewel of Central America,” said professor Kelly Bringhurst who oversees the course. “Its stabile government, friendly people and variety of national parks make it the perfect place to study the tropics. Students will have the opportunity to see and learn things that the typical tourist misses.”
In addition to visiting various geographical wonders, students can expect to see a variety of wildlife, hike, snorkel, and take part in a service project as part of the course. One year, Bringhurst and his students lugged 40 pounds worth of fiction and non-fiction books from the DSC library to a Costa Rican elementary school. Bringhurst anticipates again spending time with one of the country’s elementary schools this year.
The course is open to students, faculty and staff, and community members and can be applied as elective credit toward a degree. Cost of the trip is $1,995, which includes travel, lodging, meals, and guides. A $200 deposit is due at the time of sign-up. An orientation meeting will be scheduled for sometime in February 2006.
For additional information and to fill out an application for the course visit www.dixie.edu/travelstudy/index.html. Contact Kelly Bringhurst at 652-7768 or email bringhur@dixie.edu with questions.
DSC Readies to Strike Up the Band (ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 15, 2005) Now that Dixie State College has a new Rebel mascot patrolling the sidelines at athletic events, DSC’s student government is on a crusade to again have a pep band fill the air with music at all home football and basketball games. In the short-term, the student council is currently gauging interest in a wholly volunteer pep band that would be made up of students, alumni, and community members.
“This push to restore the pep band is a part of our bigger campaign to put the ‘D’ back in pride,” said Mitch Symes, ASDSC academic chair. “One of our main purposes this year is to revive the old spirit of Dixie and bring more excitement to sporting events. We feel like a pep
band is a big step in that direction.”
Anyone 16-years of age and older is eligible to audition for the all-volunteer band. Those wishing to participate in the pep band can call 435-652-7517 or email pepband@dixie.edu to express interest, indicating what instrument they play and whether or not they have an instrument at their disposal. The college will also provide several instruments. Specifically needed are people who can play the trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba, sousaphone, and percussion. Ideally, the band would be made up of 40 to 50 people, Symes said.
“At this point, we’re looking for people who want to play simply for the love of it. We suspect that there are people out there looking for an opportunity to play their instrument again in a setting such as this. The more that come, the merrier,” Symes said. “We’re hopeful that funding will eventually be restored for the pep band in coming years.”
DSC president Dr. Lee Caldwell has already offered his services to play the euphonium on occasion, Symes said. Caldwell has also agreed to fund a part-time director for the band.
The first audition for the DSC pep band will be held Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m., in the band room of the Cox Auditorium. Everyone is invited to audition.
Those interested in making donations in the pep band’s behalf, including instruments, can call the college’s advancement office at 435-652-7536.
New DSC Mascot Makes Debut (ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 13, 2005) Perched appropriately atop a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Dixie State College’s new Rebel mascot made its debut this past weekend during the Rebels’ 61-13 romp over Air Force Prep. The mascot, whose costume has taken the form of a red hawk, has officially been named ‘Reb’, after the college’s Rebels moniker, which will remain in tact. The new mascot will roam the sidelines at all DSC home football and basketball games. "It's important to note that the Rebels will remain the Rebels despite the new mascot. The Utah Jazz have a bear and the Phoenix Suns have a gorilla and the Rebels now have a red hawk," said booster club president Timo Saarelainen. Incidentally, the red hawk costume was designed by the same company that designed both the bear and gorilla – Alinco Costumes in Salt Lake City. The debut ended a nine-month long selection process, which included soliciting nominations and comments from the college’s constituencies, collecting votes via a specially designed mascot web site, gaining final approval from the Dixie State college council and board of trustees, holding tryouts, and designing a costume. All mascot nominations were whittled down to 25 by a mascot steering committee made up primarily of DSC students, but which also included alumni, booster club, and faculty/staff representatives. The 25 mascot semi-finalists were voted on in March, during which time voters were able to rank their top three choices. Six top concepts emerged, and final voting got underway in April during which nearly 1,300 people either voted online or in person. The red hawk mascot concept emerged as the top vote getter with each of the college’s constituencies (students, alumni, faculty and staff, and community members). The mascot was recommended to and approved by the college’s board of trustees in July. A public tryout was held in August. 'Better Things to Do' This Year at DSC Health Fair (ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 7, 2005) Dixie State College’s Wellness Center will host its 16th annual Health Fair Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the college’s Encampment Mall where Mormon Pioneers first settled in 1861. The theme of this year’s Health Fair is “Better Things to Do.”
“Wellness is the quality of good health, especially as an actively sought goal,” said Health Fair coordinator Jerry Norton. “We know a lot more about health today than the pioneers did, but we almost have too many choices; some repetitive, non-productive and frequently addictive. At the Health Fair we will give people a laundry list of better things to do.”
Nearly 40 businesses and community clubs will be in attendance to offer fitness and health education, ranging from self-defense and hypnotherapy to art, midwifery and bicycling. Also, Utah State University and University of Phoenix will be fielding questions about their local master’s programs.
The Dixie State College dental hygiene program will be giving free dental quick checks and the nursing program will be on hand to do blood pressure checks and calculate body mass index for students and other patrons. A rock climbing wall will be on the premises as part of the Army National Guard’s counter drug program. As always, food and prizes will be given away. The entire community is invited to participate in the Health Fair.
Local businesses interested in having a booth at the DSC Health Fair can contact Barbara Johnson at 652-7755 or Jerry Norton at 652-7756.
DSC Hurricane Center Now Offering Day Classes (ST. GEORGE, UT – Sept. 2, 2005) For the first time in its five-year history, the Dixie State College Hurricane Education Center is offering daytime classes this fall semester in addition to its regularly scheduled evening classes.
Approximately one-third of the courses being taught this fall semester at the Hurricane Center have a start-time of 4 p.m. or earlier. Daytime course offerings range from the arts and English to computers, mathematics, and chemistry.
“It’s a sign that the educational needs of the Hurricane area are growing and that the Center itself is growing,” said Hurricane Education Center director Frank Lojko. “We had a lot of students who were traveling back and forth between the Hurricane and St. George campuses. Hopefully this has cut down on people having to do that. Our plan is to continue to offer more and more morning classes, so that we can accommodate more and more people and their schedules.”
The Center also recently added a full-time faculty member specifically assigned to Hurricane. Lojko anticipates that becoming a trend in coming years.
DSC first began offering courses in the Hurricane area in 1995. At that time, all classes were housed at Hurricane High School. As demand for classes grew, however, so did the need for a building the college could call its own. That need was met in September 2000 upon the dedication of the Walter C. Lichfield Building. A second building, the Jonna P. and Boyd C. Stout Building, was completed in 2002.
When DSC first began offering classes in Hurricane during Fall Semester 1995, 34 students total were enrolled in two courses. Enrollment for the following two fall semesters dipped a little and averaged 25 students. Fall enrollment grew to 85 and 90 in 1998 and 1999 respectively, jumping to 242 in 2000. Nearly 500 students are enrolled in 32 courses this fall semester at the Hurricane Center.
Students can register for all fall semester classes at Dixie State College through Sept. 21, 2005, as long as they get instructor approval. To register, call (435) 652-7910 (Hurricane only) or visit www.dixie.edu/reg . The Hurricane Education Center is located at 112 South 700 West in Hurricane, Utah.
DSC President to Speak to Hurricane Valley Chamber of Commerce (ST. GEORGE, UT – Aug. 31, 2005) Dr. Lee G. Caldwell, president of Dixie State College, will be the keynote speaker at the Hurricane Valley Chamber of Commerce’s noon luncheon Thursday, Sept. 1. The lunche
on will be held at the Dixie State College Hurricane Education Center.
Caldwell was named the 16th president of Dixie State College on July 12, 2005. He has worked at five different universities, and now one college, as a professor and administrator and has held executive level positions at three Fortune 500 high tech companies, including Unisys, IBM, and Hewlett Packard. He also spent six years with Novell, Inc. He served as the vice president of academics at Dixie State College during the 2004-05 academic year.
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.
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. Caldwell speaks Dutch, French, German, and some Japanese.
He also has 15 years of experience improving the planning, quality, and effectiveness of business schools on a world-wide basis through his long-time service on the board of AACSB International, an elite accrediting agency for higher education business schools.
Before coming to Dixie, Caldwell served as the associate dean for undergraduate business programs at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Ga. He holds a doctorate degree in business administration (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.
A licensed pilot, Caldwell spends much of his downtime in the air. He was a navigator in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, but didn’t receive his pilot’s license until about five years ago. He’s now a licensed flight instructor and owns his own airplane and he flies two or three times a week. He and his wife, Bonnie, are the parents of two children.
The DSC Hurricane Education Center is located at 112 South 700 West in Hurricane. Those interested in attending the luncheon can call the Center at (435) 652-7910 for reservations.
DSC Sears Art Gallery to Explore the Western Way (St. George - August 30) — Western art lovers will be treated to one of the highest quality art exhibits ever presented in southern Utah at the new Sears Art Gallery in the Eccles Fine Arts Center at Dixie State College. Called The Western Way, the exhibit is open weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm and will run through November 3.
Most of the art will be for sale and includes a donation to the Sears Museum Gallery. Other outstanding events will accompany this art show. A cowboy poetry and music gathering on Friday, Sept. 9, will feature regional stars Kenny Hall, Jon Hall, Sam Deleeuw, Jerry Brooks and Don Kennington at 7:30 pm in the Eccles Main Stage Theatre. An Art Talk Seminar will be presented by several of the artists Sept. 15 from 7-9 pm in Room 155 of the Eccles Center. On Sept. 22-24, an oil painting workshop will be given by Bonnie Conrad. The cost is $200, and reservations may be made by calling Kathy Ciesliwicz at the college.
“This will be an amazing, top quality western art show,” said Ciesliwicz, gallery curator. “I’m thrilled with the artists who have agreed to exhibit their work for the college.”
The show includes a variety of pieces from artists Ryan Skidmore, Jeffrey Craven, Lynn Griffin, Jerry Hancock, Travis Humphreys, Bonnie Conrad, Sam Lawler, Dixon Leavitt and Jared Barnes. Sculptures will be shown by Jeff Wolf, Darwin Dower, Jerry Andersen and Maynard Sorensen.
“These are highly successful artists who have a wide reputation for the quality, creativity and beauty of their work,” said Ciesliwicz. “To have all of these artists represented in the Sears Museum Gallery is a tremendous honor.”
The Museum Gallery operates on a limited budget, and Ciesliwicz said that proceeds from the art sales will benefit future exhibits that will come to the facility.
“These are paintings and sculptures that would add significantly to any home, and at the same time will give us the opportunity to attract bigger and better exhibits for the future,” said Ciesliwicz. “I especially hope that everyone will join us for the opening artist’s reception on Sept. 2.”
DSC Names Acting VP of Academics (ST. GEORGE, UT – Aug. 25, 2005) One of President Lee Caldwell’s first orders of business when he took office this month was to find a replacement for himself. The position he vacated to become president of Dixie State College – the position of vice president of academics – has been filled by longtime Dixie State professor Dr. Donna Dillingham-Evans. She was recently named to that post on an interim basis. She has served most recently as chair of the college’s mathematics department.
“Dr. Dillingham-Evans has been associated with Dixie State College in a variety of capacities since 1982,” said DSC president Dr. Lee Caldwell. “She has been an extraordinary faculty member and administrator and has demonstrated significant leadership in state-wide initiatives. We are grateful for her willingness to assume this important assignment.”
Dillingham-Evans came to Dixie in 1982 as a mathematics instructor and has taught classes ever since. Since that time she has primarily taught mathematics and chemistry. She has also taught science and math methods for DSC’s elementary education program since it came on line in 2002. She has also taught part-time at both Southern Utah and North Mojave Community College.
She also has approximately 10 years of administrative experience. She has served as Dixie State’s Academic Support Center director and as director of the federally funded Student Support Services program during her career at Dixie. Dillingham-Evans was named f
ounding chair of the mathematics department in 2001 and continued serving in that position through 2005.
“I am so fortunate that my time at Dixie has brought me to this time at Dixie,” Dillingham-Evans said. “It is an honor to work with Lee Caldwell. His vision and pursuit of excellence are inspiring. His leadership, combined with Dixie State College's talented faculty and dedicated staff, made accepting his offer a simple decision.”
She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University, a master’s degree in secondary, post-secondary and vocational education from UNLV and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics from Austin Peay State University. She has also studied German at the Goethe Institute in Ebesberg, Germany.
She is married to Keith (Doc) Evans and they are the parents of five children, four of whom have graduated from Dixie. Her youngest is currently in the computer science program at Dixie State. The couple has four grandchildren. Dillingham-Evans will serve on an interim basis, with a national search to follow to permanently fill the position for the next academic year.
DSC Rolls Out theWelcome Mat (St. George, UT -- August 22, 2005) Week of Welcome at Dixie State College, affectionately nicknamed WOW Week, is underway on campus and there’s plenty of welcoming to go around.
For starters, the college officially welcomes a new president for the first time since 1993. Dr. Lee G. Caldwell took over as president last Monday. The college welcomes a new mission, which calls for the expansion of baccalaureate degrees. It will welcome its newest baccalaureate program in communication and new media. It welcomes back Joe Peterson as dean of arts, letters, and science after a one-year sabbatical. Dr. Donna Dillingham-Evans is being welcomed as Dixie’s interim vice president of academics, a post recently vacated by President Caldwell. Perhaps most important, the college will welcome its largest freshman class in its 94-year history.
Over 1,600 first-time freshman students from 34 states will begin classes on Tuesday, Aug. 23, an increase of seven percent over last year’s freshman class.
“We are excited to welcome a new group of students to experience the "Dixie Spirit" firsthand,” said first-year DSC president Dr. Lee Caldwell. “It is wonderful to be at a college where students really matter, where faculty really teach, and where the entire college community really cares.”
The vast majority of those students were on campus Monday for an orientation and to get their first taste of Dixie State College. Week of Welcome is a full week of activities geared specifically toward orienting, welcoming and getting new DSC students involved from day one. DSC director of student activities, Donna Stafford, is involved annually in the planning of “WOW Week” and places a lot of stock in this first week of school.
“This is one of the most important weeks of a student’s academic career,” Stafford said. “Everyone comes here with a clean slate. Everyone comes from their own individual institution to a situation where Dixie State College is now everyone’s institution. It’s important that students feel like they’re a part of the college community.”
WOW Week activities include a BBQ and live music Monday night at 6 p.m. at the outdoor amphitheater near the fountain. The Sandblast, a longtime Dixie tradition, will take place Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the Encampment Mall. On Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m., students will have the opportunity to join over 30 clubs that are available on campus during Club Rush, which will be held in front of the Gardner Student Center. Other highlights of the week include the First Chance Dance on Friday, Aug. 26 at 9 p.m. in the Gardner Ballroom.
DSC Testing Center Announces GED Testing Changes (ST. GEORGE, UT – July 19, 2005) The Dixie State College Testing Center today announced changes to its GED testing schedule. This testing service, which has been offered in the past on Tuesdays, will now be available only on Mondays on a weekly basis effective Monday, July 25.
The change in schedule is being made to help accommodate the many applicants who drive to Dixie State College from Las Vegas and Arizona to obtain their GED. These out of state applicants prefer coming to St. George because they can obtain their scores and GED certificate the same day. Other testing facilities may take three to six weeks to score GED Tests.
Additional information can be obtained by calling the Dixie State College Testing Center at 652-7696 or going online at www.GED123.org.
DSC Trustees Approve Red Hawk Mascot (ST. GEORGE, UT – July 13, 2005) The Dixie S
tate College board of trustees today held a special board meeting to vote on the college’s mascot. The board voted unanimously in favor of the red hawk mascot concept, which had emerged as the top choice among all of the college’s constituencies in May. The red hawk concept received unanimous approval from Dixie State’s college council in May, and the board today concurred with the council’s recommendation.
In terms of its nickname, the institution will continue to be known as the Dixie State College Rebels. The mascot itself – the character used to entertain the crowd at sporting events – was the only item up for vote.
“An important thing to point out to people is that we will remain the Dixie State College Rebels. This mascot will be our Utah Jazz bear, our Phoenix Suns gorilla, so to speak,” said Dixie State College spokesperson Chris Taylor. “We’ve tried to be all-inclusive in soliciting ideas from folks, and we feel like the process did what it was set up to do. Some very definite patterns emerged throughout this process, and that certainly helped render a final decision on this matter.”
Nearly 1,300 people either voted online or in person during final voting in late April and early May, which capped a five-month long process of soliciting ideas, nominations, and voting on the new mascot. The red hawk mascot concept emerged as the top vote getter with each of the college’s constituencies (students, alumni, faculty and staff, and community members) at that time.
The mascot selection process officially got underway in February. Nominations and comments from each of the co
llege’s constituencies were gathered via a mascot website. All nominations were then whittled down to 25 by a mascot steering committee made up primarily of DSC students, but which also included alumni, booster club, and faculty/staff representatives. The 25 mascot semi-finalists were voted on through March 30, during which time voters were able to rank their top three choices. Six top concepts emerged, and final voting got underway April 26.
The college will now begin the task of designing a costume and holding mascot tryouts. The college anticipates having the mascot in place for the first conference home game of the upcoming football season on Sept. 10. Mascot tryouts will be held the first week of fall semester. Further details regarding tryouts for the mascot will be forthcoming.
DSC Hosts Artist Seminar (St. George, UT June 20, 2005) — The Cultural Arts Office at Dixie State College will host a Utah Arts Council seminar and work session for visual artists on Monday, June 27, from 6-9 pm in the Concert Hall of the Eccles Fine Arts Center located at 100 S. 700 E. The session is intended for visual artists interested in the discussion, advice and experience of professionals in the field as well as a review of services offered through the Utah Arts Council. The artist session will feature discussions led by a prominent Salt Lake City gallery owner, Pam O’Mara, and successful sculptor Darl Thomas. O’Mara, owner of the Utah Artist Hands Gallery, has been working with artists for several years. Her gallery includes a variety of Utah artists in almost every medium. “Each month she features a new artist in her gallery,” said Laura Durham, visual arts coordinator for the Utah Arts Council. “She especially enjoys highlighting new work. She’s going to talk about being represented by a gallery: the contracts artist relationships, portfolios, and when an artist is ready to approach a gallery.” Darl Thomas, a sculptor based in Salt Lake City, works in many different media, but primarily metal. Durham said Thomas has several public art commissions through the Utah Public Art program, as well as several other commissions along the Wasatch front. “These two presenters will be informative,” said Durham. “These workshops are very important. I’ve been doing these in Salt Lake for three years and every time we do it we get more and more response. The universities are not as proficient in teaching artists about the business side of art in most institutions, so it’s important to learn about the marketing side of a career. It really does help for artists to represent themselves to galleries in a more professional manner. Only a third of an artist’s career is the creative, the rest is marketing and administration. They have to manage mailing lists, contacts, marketing, materials, etc. They need to show they can be professional when working with galleries.” Refreshments will be served at the upcoming artists seminar, and admission is free for artists and prospective artists. For more information, please call 652-7905. “This means that we’ll be able to start offering degrees in areas such as the liberal arts, math, science, for example, and other core areas, like you would see at any other four-year college,” said DSC president Dr. Robert Huddleston. “This is the biggest thing that’s happened to Dixie State College, outside of the institution being granted four-year status originally in 2000.”
Any new bachelor’s programs will be contingent upon available funding and resources. Dixie State College will also continue its ongoing commitment to its role as a community college.
The college was granted full accreditation at the baccalaureate level in 2003 by Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities. At that time, however, the accrediting agency recommended that the college review and make adjustments to its mission statement to more accurately reflect institutional realities. Given the projected growth of the St. George area, DSC administrators felt the timing was right to adjust its mission to more accurately reflect and accommodate the county’s growth.
During the State Board of Regents meeting in April, which was hosted on the DSC campus, college and city administrators – among which included Washington County School District Superintendent Dr. Max Rose, Washington County E
conomic Development Council Director Scott Hirschi, and St. George City Councilman Rod Orton – presented the Regents with data regarding the county’s future growth. Some of that data included:
1. Value-added businesses grew by an increase of 13 percent in Washington County in 2004.
2. Washington County School District is made up of 22,000 students – the seventh largest school district in the state. That number is expected to jump to 40,000 by 2019.
3. St. George’s current population of 67,000 is expected to reach 134,000 by 2020.
4. The number of dwelling units permitted in St. George alone currently exceeds 2,000, almost doubling the number of permits in Lehi. Washington City ranks fifth in the state in number of dwelling units permitted.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, St. George, Utah, ranked number one among the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas (population over 50,000), with a growth rate of 86.1 percent between 1990 and 2000. Las Vegas had the second highest growth rate at 83.3 percent, followed by Naples, Fla., at 65.3 percent. Washington County’s population is projected to surpass Weber County by 2030 and Davis County by 2040, according to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget’s 2005 Baseline Projections.
“We’re exporting far too many of our Washington County natives because of a lack of employment and educational opportunities,” Huddleston said. “It’s our hope that as we’re able to offer more and more bachelor’s degrees we can help slow that trend.”
DSC Students Raise Funds for Triple Deuce (ST. GEORGE, UT – June 13, 2005) For the better part of four months, Dixie State College students, in association with the college’s Skills-USA VICA club, have raised funds to support the families of the Utah National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery – more commonly known as the Triple Deuce. Given the 222nd’s current deployment status, the club is hoping to raise special awareness to its cause.
What started out as an on campus fundraiser, the club has put its skills to use by designing labels that now adorn donation cans in convenience stores throughout Washington county. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to purchase calling cards for members of the Triple Deuce, who, after a 10-day leave, will be on their way to Kuwait later this week and then Iraq.
Thus far, the club has raised in excess of $1,000. The club also organizes all can distribution, pick-up, and bank deposits. Donations can also be sent to Dixie State College to Jay Slade’s attention, who serves as the club advisor.
“This is our way of saying thanks, but it’s also a way to engage our vocational students in service in a way that utilizes the skills they’ve learned in their schooling,” Slade said. “Every penny goes to the calling cards. It’s worked out very well so far. Our thoughts and prayers our with these soldiers and their families, especially right now.”
With the Christmas season being the one exception – the club doesn’t want to compete with KONY Koins for Kids – Slade expects the fundraiser to continue year-round.
The Triple Deuce has spent the past several months training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert. Following its current 10-day leave of absence, the Triple Deuce will serve for one year in Kuwait and Iraq.
DSC Business Student Finishes in Top 5 International Simulation Competition (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 17, 2005) Dixie State College made its strongest push ever this spring semester in the Capstone Challenge, an international business simulation competition. Competing against 298 teams world-wide, Jeff Hunt of Hurricane finished in fifth place overall in the final round of the Capstone International Spring 2005 Challenge. DSC has had students finish in the top 25 of the qualifying round of the competition before, but never in the finals competition.
“This is not only a great honor for your student, but a real tribute to you and to the Dixie State College of Utah,” wrote Dan Smith, President of Management Simulations, Inc., in a congratulatory letter.
Hunt finished the qualifying round ranked second overall. John Middlemiss of Salt Lake City also made a strong showing in the competition this spring, finishing eighth in the qualifying round of the competition.
The competition featured colleges and university teams from all around the world. Other institutions represented in the final top five included Curtin University of Technology, St. Andrews Presbyterian University; University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; and West Virginia 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.
Each team competing in the Capstone Challenge had to make decisions about research and development, advertising and promotion, production, and finance. Teams made simulated sales and accumulated profit based on their performance against five computer-managed teams. Finalists were selected by taking the highest team cumulative profit from each school, then selecting the six most profitable from that list.
DSC business professor Dr. Bill Christensen uses the simulation competition as part of the curriculum for the college’s strategic managem
ent course, the capstone course to DSC’s four-year business administration program. The goal is to give students the opportunity to integrate what they have learned in their various business courses in a near-real business experience. The simulation is sophisticated enough that it is also used to train top business executives around the country, Christensen said.
During fall semester, Dixie State's R.J. (Rory) Mathews and Neils Nisson earned eleventh place in the qualifying round, the highest ranking of any Utah college or university that semester. Another DSC team, composed solely of Kody Young, came in twenty-first place during the fall semester qualifying round.
DSC Students Place at National Marketing Competition (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 17, 2005) Five Dixie State College students earned national recognition at the Delta Epsilon Chi [DEX] Career Development Competition held in Anaheim, Calif., last weekend. Students from across the nation competed in approximately 20 different marketing and management events at the competition.
Business administration majors Eryka Sarria, John Berger, Jessica Bueno, Mark Lees and Stanton Roseman were all selected as finalists Saturday morning, finishing in the top 10 in their respective categories. Sarria, a sophomore from Miami, medaled with first place team in the National Management Institute team competition. She was a finalist last year in the Retail Management category.
Berger, a junior from St. George, continued to the finals round in the Financial Services category, after being awarded medals for top scores in the role play and comprehensive exam portions of his event.
Bueno, a sophomore from Salt Lake City and local chapter president, and Roseman, a junior from Spanish Fork, were both finalists in the Retail Management category. Bueno will serve during the next academic year as the Utah state DEX vice president.
Lees, a junior from Redding, Calif., was selected as a finalist in the Hospitality Management category.
Delta Epsilon Chi, also known as DEX, is the college division of DECA. More than 14,500 students are members of DEX, with about 1,400 that attended the international conference held May 4-7 at the Disneyland Resort and Conference Center in Anaheim, Calif. DEX Director Jeff Collins said students from about 35 states, Ontario and Puerto Rico participated in the conference. Seventeen DSC students attended the event. To qualify for the national conference, students had to place first, second, or third in their respective categories at the state level.
Delta Epsilon Chi is an international college level marketing club centered around turning business students into business professionals. In order to achieve this transformation, state and national competitions are designed to simulate real-life business scenarios, said DSC business chair and 26-year DEX adviser Philip Lee.
“DEX lets students put into practice the things they’re learning in class,” Lee said. “It lets them get out and test it before they get into the real world.”
Final Voting for DSC Mascot Complete, College Council Now Takes Over (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 12, 2005) Final voting for the Dixie State College mascot is complete and the ballots – both paper and electronic – are in and accounted for. With the mascot selection process now in its final stages, the results of the vote will be reported to Dixie State’s college council next week, which will consult the data to make a final decision. The college’s board of trustees will ultimately approve or disapprove the council’s recommendation.
Nearly 1,300 people either logged on to DSC’s mascot web site or cast their vote in person to make their preference known. The red hawk mascot concept emerged as the top vote getter with each of the college’s constituencies, including students, alumni, faculty and staff, and community members.
The red hawk received 33 percent of the total vote. The coyote and roadrunner received 22 percent and 20 percent of the vote respectively. The blaze/sun (11 percent), dragon/reptile (10 percent), and scorpion (four percent) were the other semi-finalists voted on in the final round of voting, receiving votes in that order.
“Most significant is that each group rated the red hawk No. 1 – students did so at greater than a two-to-one ratio,” said DSC vice president of students services Phil Alletto, who has chaired the mascot selection process. “There will be some who will be disappointed with the final outcome, but we listened to everyone, and we feel like the process is working. A pretty clear trend has developed up to this point.”
Just over 37 percent of all votes came from DSC students, followed by community members (30 percent), alumni (22 percent), and faculty and staff (11 percent). DSC students were allowed to vote in person over a four-day period. All other voting took place electronically through Friday, May 6, via the college’s web site.
The issue will now be turned over to Dixie State’s college council next week, which will take its own separate vote. The results will be presented to the college council in rank order by constituency. The college council will make its recommendation to the college’s board of trustees sometime this summer. It is hoped that a new mascot will be in place by fall semester 2005.
Regardless of the outcome, Dixie State College will remain the Rebels. The mascot – the character used to entertain the crowd at athletic events – was the only component open for vote.
The mascot selection process officially got underway in February this year. Nominations and comments from each of the college’s constituencies were gathered via a mascot website. All nominations were then whittled down to 25 by a mascot steering committee made up primarily of DSC students, but which also includes alumni, booster club, and faculty/staff representatives. The 25 semi-finalists were voted on through March 30, during which time voters were able to rank their top three choices. Six top concepts emerged, and final voting got underway April 26. At that point, several artist renderings of each mascot candidate helped aid voters in their decision.
DSC Students Win State Skills USA-VICA Honors (ST. GEORGE – May 11, 2005) Eight Dixie State College students recently received honors at the annual SkillsUSA-VICA state competition held in Salt Lake City. Collectively, students brought home four gold medals, three silver, and one bronze. The gold medalists will now represent Utah at the SkillsUSA National Championships June 23 in Kansas City, Mo.
Brian Doxford, who is currently serving as the SkillsUSA national president, received the gold medal in the Job Interview category. Jared Madsen earned the gold medal in the Job Skill Demo A (Fly Tying) category. In the Power Mechanics category Charlie Iverson won the gold. And Kaleb McCallson won the gold medal in the Graphic Communications category.
Winning silver medals were Heidi Barlow in the Prepared Speech category, Kelsey Madsen in the Job Skill Demo A (Vinyl Sign Making) category, and Alex Whetman in the Graphic Communications category.
Randy Bates, who also competed in the Graphic Communications category, received a bronze medal.
The Dixie State SkillsUSA-VICA chapter is advised by Mel Jensen, Robert McMicken, and Jay Slade.
Gold medal winners will now travel to Kansas City, Mo., to participate in the 40th annual SkillsUSA-VICA National Leadership and Skills Conference June 20-24. More than 4,000 outstanding career and technical education students—all state contest winners—will compete hands-on in 77 different trade, technical and leadership fields at the conference.
Community Education Channel Wins Awards (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 11, 2005) Washington County’s Community Education Channel, headquartered on the Dixie State College campus, has been awarded two Telly Awards for excellence in television production. CEC-TV was also just awarded an Award of Distinction at the Videography Awards 2005 Competition, and the station’s chief, Stan Everett, was just inducted into the National Television Academy's Silver Circle.
CEC-TV has now won three Telly Awards throughout its 10-year history. The first was awarded in 2002 for the channel's broadcasts of Dixie State basketball. These latest two awards were awarded for televised musical productions, the first of which was a choral concert performed by Lieto and totally produced by students involved in the CEC production program. The producer for that concert was Michael Durrant, a graduate of Dixie High School, who was assisted by Don Woods, a graduate of Snow Canyon High School.
The second award was given for CEC-TV’s production of a jazz concert at the Electric Theater performed by John Lee Hooker, Jr. On this occasion, the tables were turned, with Woods producing and Durrant assisting.
The Telly Award, one of the most sought-after awards in the TV, commercial, and video industry, is a national award given for excellence in the technical aspects of a total television production.
"This is a great honor for all of us, to see our students take on the responsibility of a live production and complete it at a level recognized by judges in the broadcasting industry,” said Stan Everett, executive director of CEC-TV. “I congratulate both of these young men. A competition of this kind is a wonderful measuring stick for our students to see how they stack up nationally, not only among their peers but against media professions.”
On a related note, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter, announced recently that Stanley Everett was selected by his peers to be inducted into the National Television Academy's Silver Circle. The Silver Circle Award recognizes and honors individuals within the television industry who have made significant contributions, had an impact on the television industry in their markets, and who have served in the industry for at lest 25 years.
A special luncheon to honor Everett and eight other inductees was held in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Arizona State University Downtown Center. Everett was the only educator and the only Utahn, to be inducted this year. He joins other Utah broadcasters Dick Nourse, and Mark Eubank of KSL-TV and Ken Verdoia of KUED-TV as members of the Silver Circle.
"I am honored to be inducted and held in association with some of the giants of our industry," Everett said of the award.
Lastly, this year marks the first year the station has won an Award of Distinction as part of the annual Videography Awards competition. The competition is an international award organization that helps set the standards for the video production industry. There were 2,293 entries from the United States and several foreign countries in this year’s competition. KCEC-TV garnered the award for its production of a DSC men’s basketball game. Its entry of a local Messiah performance received honorable mention in the same competition.
KCEC-TV covers an average of 63 college and high school sporting events each year. Programming also includes college events and forums, concerts, and community events and meetings.
The station was introduced in 1995 as a non-profit partnership between the college, Washington County School District and the cities of St. George, Santa Clara, Washington, and Ivins. Charter Communications and Skyview Technologies are also contributing partners.
Both college and high school students contribute heavily to the station, which also serves as the hands-on laboratory for Dixie State College broadcasting and production classes. In addition to Everett, Cory Clyde (producer) and Ben Tanner (engineering) help manage the station.
DSC Transitions to Summer Four-Day Workweek (ST. GEORGE, Utah – May 10, 2005) Dixie State College has again transitioned to a four-day work schedule, operating on a 10-hour a day workweek. The schedule will remain in effect during the summer months through Friday, Aug. 12.
Most college employees will work Monday through Thursday, with offices being open to students and the public from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Employees will have a 30-minute break for lunch. The college first experimented with the new schedule in 2003.
“We found that this measure has resulted in significant utility savings, and that was t
he primary motivation behind it originally,” said DSC President Dr. Robert Huddleston. “We’ve also done it to give our employees an extra day with their families in appreciation for the extra burdens our employees have shouldered during these lean budget years.”
The change in schedule will allow the college to cut down on air conditioning and electricity costs. The college’s executive director of business services, Scott Talbot, estimates that the four-day workweek saved the college $40,000 in utility expenses in 2003. The savings for 2004 aren’t yet known, but are expected to be substantial, Talbot said. The measure has coincided with a statewide push to conserve power. Last June, Governor Olene Walker plugged conservation as part of the state’s PowerForward alert system, a color-coded system that encourages electricity use during the summer according to daily circumstances.
Certain buildings and departments at the college, particularly in the student services area, will remain open five days a week. These departments will all run staggered shifts to accommodate student needs and still allow employees to participate in the four-day workweek.
All Friday classes will continue as scheduled, and summer semester will not be affected by the four-day workweek schedule. A two-week summer session begins May 16, with an eight-week session beginning May 31. The college will resume its regular five-day schedule on Monday, Aug. 15.
DSC to Confer 1,603 Degrees and Certificates Friday (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 4, 2005) Dixie St
ate College will again graduate its largest class ever at its 94th Annual Commencement Exercises Friday, May 6, at 6 p.m. in the Avenna Center, Burns Arena.
The college will confer a total of 1,059 degrees, an increase of four percent over last year. In addition, 544 vocational and technical certificates will be awarded.
Ninety-nine of those will graduate with bachelor’s degrees from three four-year programs – business administration, computer & information technology, and elementary education. The college will graduate its first class of four-year nursing graduates in 2006.
Five foreign countries and 25 states are represented in the Class of 2005. Eighty-five percent of grads call Utah home, with 53 percent hailing from Washington County.
Fourteen Hispanic students, 13 Asian American/Pacific Islander students, six Native American/Alaskan Native students, 13 international students, and 998 Caucasian students make up the class. Female graduates constitute 54 percent of the class. Graduates range in age from 17 to 65, and the average age of all grads is 23.
Diane Eckman Winger and Alexander D. Snyder will represent the class as this year’s Baccalaureate and Associate Valedictorian commencement speakers.
An honorary degree will be awarded to Utah State Board of Regents Chairman Nolan E. Karras, who will also give the commencement address. Being honored as Distinguished Citizens for their exemplary service to the college and community are Paula O. Bell, Steven G. Caplin, Thomas B. Hirschi, Ronald W. Thompson, and Dan C. Watson.
Lee Bunnell, Jack Heppler, Dr. Alan Payne, Kathleen Pope, Dr. Sandra Sandberg, and Brent Snow are all retiring and will receive professor emeritus awards. Dr. Doug Godwin will also be honored as a retiring faculty member, as will Janet Cammack, as a retiring staff member.
Graduates will march from DSC’s Old Gym down the palm-lined walkway to the Burns Arena beginning at 5:40 p.m. on Friday. The community is invited to participate in all commencement activities.
DSC Announces 2005 Valedictorians (ST. GEORGE, UT – May 4, 2005) Dixie State College recently announced who will represent the graduating class of 2005 as valedictorians at the college’s 94th commencement exercises Friday, May 6. Eleven DSC students have earned the valedictorian honor. Bachelor degree valedictorians include Jason Abraham of St. George, Anthony Owen Evans of San Gabriel, Calif., Kamille Finklea of St. George, Douglas C. Hammon of Hildale, Utah, Diane Eckman Winger of Henderson, Nev., and Kody D. Young of Orem, Utah. Winger will be the Baccalaureate Degree Valedictorian commencement speaker. Associate degree valedictorians include Liesel Adrienne Bennion of Hurricane, Spencer Browning of Kanab, Dolores Heaton of Hurricane, Justin Reber of St. George, and Alexander David Snyder of St. George. Snyder will represent the class as Associate Degree Valedictorian commencement speaker. A graduate of DSC’s elementary education program, Diane Eckman Winger's dream to become a school teacher was inspired by her father who was a 5th grade teacher in Henderson, Nev. She used to help him prepare his classroom for the upcoming school year and could not wait until the day when she could set up her own classroom and teach her own students. After graduating from high school in 1978, Eckman attended Brigham Young University. Her studies, however, were interrupted with her marriage in 1980 to her husband, Lee. The two have been married for 25 years and are the parents of three sons, all three either alumni, students, or future students of Dixie State College. Eckman and her family have lived in six states in the U.S. and three foreign countries – France, Canada, and Indonesia. Winger never lost the dream to become a teacher and decided to resume that dream at Dixie. In fall 2004, she received the Outstanding Education Student of the Semester Award. Alexander David Snyder is the son of Richard and Gale Snyder. He was born in Riverside, Calif., and shortly thereafter moved to St. George where he has thus far received all of his formal education. Snyder has always enjoyed learning and is grateful for the academic opportunities that Dixie High School and Dixie State College have offered him. He has been the recipient of numerous awards at both institutions in math and science, including Math Sterling Scholar, Outstanding Sophomore Science Student, and Student of the Semester for Mathematics. He has attended Dixie State on the prestigious Presidential Scholarship. He is currently a finalist for the “Outstanding Sophomore of the Year” Rebel Award. Snyder has also been entrenched from an extracurricular standpoint at Dixie State. He served as a Dixie State College Ambassador for three semesters as a freshman student beginning fall 2003. He has also been a member of the service and traditions-based X-Club on campus, serving as vice president of spirit. Snyder will gradua te with an associate of pre-engineering. He plans to continue his education at the University of Utah School of Engineering, majoring most likely in civil engineering, after which he plans to return to St. George to pursue his true dream of becoming a professional “Dad.” He also plans to eventually earn an MBA. The valedictorian award is judged not only upon grades, but difficulty of courses completed. The recipient must have a cumulative GPA of 3.90 to 4.00. Dixie State’s 2005 commencement exercises will begin at 6 p.m. on May 6 in the college’s Burns Arena. High School/College Students Compete in Programming Competition (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 29, 2005) The Dixie State College Computer Club recently sponsored a computer programming competition that featured the talents of local high school and college students.
The teams involved competed for several hours, solving 10 different computer programming problems. The college team that won first place consisted of Jeremy Whiting and Dan Morwood. The duo got all 10 problems programmed correctly in the least amount of time. Pete Kuhlmann and Dan Hale also solved all 10 problems. The winning high school teams came from Snow Canyon High School and Pine View High School.
The competition was sponsored by the college’s computer & information technology four-year program, which has been offered at Dixie State since 2000. CIT degree emphases include computer science, information technologies, and visual technologies.
Five to Be Honored as Distinguished Citizens at DSC Graduation ST. GEORGE, UT – April 27, 2005) Five local residents will be honored as Distinguished Citizens at the 94th annual Commencement Exercises at Dixie State College
Friday, May 6, at 6 p.m. in the college’s Burns Arena.
Paula O. Bell, Steven G. Caplin, Thomas B. Hirschi, Ronald W. Thompson, and Dan C. Watson will be the recipients of this honor, awarded for exemplary service to the college and community.
Paula Bell attended Utah State University and Colorado State University’s Management Institute at Boulder. Besides being a mom, wife and volunteer, she has managed a full-time career. She has been a legal aid, chamber of commerce executive, and was the first local coordinator of the Huntsman World Senior Games. She sidestepped those positions for seven years to become administrator of a sub-acute alcohol and drug rehabilitation hospital. After retiring for nine months, she accepted a position at Zions Bank as Premier Banking Officer. She retired from that position in June 2004. She has served as chair of the Utah Board of the American Heart Association and is currently serving a second term on the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Bell has many firsts to her credit that include being the first woman to be elected to the Roosevelt Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, later to become its first executive director. She was the first woman pilot in Duchesne County and one of the first women real estate persons in Duchesne County. She was elected as the first woman president of the Utah State Chamber of Commerce and was the first woman president of the Noon Exchange Club of St. George. She and her husband, Charles, are the parents of five children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grand daughters.
Steve Caplin serves as president and CEO of St. George-based Steton Technology, the leading provider of application software leveraged by professionals responsible for public health, consumer safety and quality assurance. Caplin holds an MBA from the University of Texas, where he focused on high technology entrepreneurship and competitive corporate strategy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, summa cum laude, from Southern Utah University and is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Prior to forming Steton, he was successful in sales and business management at IBM, as well as in corporate accounting and finance at Southland Financial Corporation.
Caplin was born in Miami, Fla., and attended secondary schools in St. George. In 1979, he met Toni Brooks on the Dixie College campus and, after a short courtship, they married in 1980. Both Steve and Toni graduated from Dixie College in 1981 and look back fondly on their memories there. Today, Steton is a large employer of Dixie State computer and information technology graduates, and Caplin is currently serving on the selection committee for the college’s next president. Steve and Toni have four children and live in Santa Clara, Utah.
Tom Hirschi was born in Long Beach, Calif., and moved to Hurricane, Utah, at an early age. He was married to the late Kaye Wright of Hurricane for 35 years and has eight children. He later married Kitty Payton Campbell. Tom and Kaye began their family life in Las Vegas where, as a second career, he trained and exhibited horses. Multiple factors finally prompted him to attend Barber College and then begin practicing in Hurricane.
Besides managing two careers, a family, and making religion a strong commitment, Hirschi has thrust himself into public service. He has devoted 40 years to Little League Baseball beginning at age 17. He has coached and served as president for two years of the Hurricane Little League. He has served as chairman of both the Washington County Fair and Hurricane Peach Days and continues to play a crucial role in the latter’s success. He served nine years on the Hurricane Planning Commission and four years on the Hurricane City Power Board. For 25 years, he served on the Washington County Republican Committee and was many times a state delegate. His entry into local politics began when community leaders urged him to run for Hurricane city councilman in 1999. His success in that capacity prompted similar urging that he run for mayor in 2002, an office he currently holds.
Ron Thompson is a member of the Utah State bar and is general manager of the Washington County Water Conservancy District in St. George, Utah. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1971 with a degree in accounting and received his law degree from the University of Utah in 1974. He served as Washington County Attorney from 1975 to 1978 and has also served as the chair of the Washington County Republican Party. He is a past president of the Utah Water Users Association, a member of board of directors for the National Water Resources Association, and serves on the board of directors of the Colorado River Water Users. Thompson also currently serves on the Utah Water Development Coalition and on the board of directors of the St. George Canal Company and the Washington Fields Canal Company. He also serves as the vice-chair on the board of trustees of the Utah Water Finance Agency, which has financed over $500,000,000 worth of water projects in Utah in the last five years.
Thompson was in
strumental in the organization of the Dixie Jr. Tackle Football League for 7th and 8th grade boys in the Washington County area. The program has enhanced the lives of 400 boys each year. He has managed and coached in the league for over 20 years. Born and raised in Cedar City, Utah, he and his wife, Dorothy Rice, are the parents of three boys and one girl and grandparents to seven grandchildren.
Dan Watson is a native of St. George and graduate Dixie High School, Dixie College, and Brigham Young University. He also attended the University of Utah and Northwestern University for post-graduate studies. Watson served as administrative assistant to five Dixie State College presidents and chaired the Inaugural Committee for four of them. He was Commencement Week chairman for 29 years and served as executive secretary of the Dixie State College Board of Trustees, Leadership Dixie, the Dixie Center Control Board, and Dixie Regional Medical Center Foundation. He served as president and secretary of the Dixie State College Alumni Association and member of the Diamond Jubilee Extravaganza Committee.
His civic service has included time as treasurer for the Community Concert Series and on the board of directors for Heritage Savings and Loan, St. George Area Chamber of Commerce, Dixie Medical Center Foundation, and St. George City Dance Consortium. For 30 years, Dixie students have lived in Watson’s home while attending the college. It’s Dan’s belief that Dixie State College has a destiny of great import and that offering baccalaureate degrees will be a significant factor in furthering the educational goals of all who are privileged to attend.
Final Voting for DSC Mascot Gets Underway Today (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 26, 2005) The next stage of voting for the Dixie State College mascot will get underway today, marking the final opportunity for the college’s various
constituencies to vote before the issue is turned over to Dixie State’s College Council.
DSC students will vote in person on campus Wednesday, April 27 through Friday, April 29, and again on Monday, May 2. Voting booths will be set up on the Encampment Mall diagonal between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on those days. All other voting (for alumni, college employees, and community members) will take place electronically via the college’s mascot web page, accessible through the college’s home page (www.dixie.edu) through Friday, May 6.
A coyote, roadrunner, scorpion, red hawk, dragon/reptile, and sun/blaze remain in the running to become the new mascot of the Dixie State College Rebels, as determined by preliminary voting, which came to a close at the end of March. The mascot – the character used to entertain the crowd at athletic events – is the only component open for vote. The college will retain its Rebels nickname.
Voters will find several artist renderings of each mascot candidate to help aid their decision when they vote. The goal is to give voters several different looks at what each mascot candidate could potentially look like.
The mascot selection process officially got underway in February. Nominations and comments from each of the college’s constituencies were gathered via a mascot website. All nominations were then whittled down to 25 by a mascot steering committee made up primarily of DSC students, but which also includes alumni, booster club, and faculty/staff representatives. The 25 semi-finalists were voted on through March 30, during which time voters were able to rank their top three choices.
At the end of the final vote, the results will be presented to Dixie State’s College Council in rank order by the college’s various constituencies (alumni, students, community, and faculty & staff). The College Council will then have its own vote and will make an ultimate recommendation to the college’s Board of Trustees, which will approve or disapprove the Council’s recommendation. It is hoped that a new mascot will be in place by fall semester 2005.
Board of Regents Approves DSC's Comms Degree (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 22, 2005) The Utah State Board of Regents threw its full support behind Dixie State College’s communications degree Friday at its monthly meeting, which, incidentally, took place on the Dixie campus. The degree will be available to students for the first time this upcoming fall semester.
The new communications degree, which has formally been dubbed a communication and new media (CNM) degree, will be unique in the state in that it will be a mixture of visual technology and oral communication with three separate tracks: 1). Digital Motion Picture Production and Broadcast, 2). Business Communications (Oral and Electronic Presentation Production), and 3). Web Design, Publishing, and Online Journalism.
“This degree has been four years in coming in terms of the research and development that’s gone into putting the whole package together,” said DSC fine arts and communications department chair Eric Young. “I think the approval of the degree is also an approval of Dixie’s direction as far as where we need to go as a four-year institution and still maintain our status as a comprehensive community college.
“The degree represents a lot of things in addition to a baccalaureate degree at DSC,” Young continued. “It represents a better synergy between Dixie State and Southern Utah University, with its new master’s degree in communication, also approved today. It represents the support of the Board of Regents behind us, as well, in what we’re trying to accomplish.”
The primary job market for degree holders will be in marketing and media production, but grads could potentially end up landing in a number of different fields. DSC Trustee Robert Moore, president and COO of Big-D Construction Corporation in Salt Lake City, has echoed this sentiment.
“A degree like this is critical in today’s world,” Moore said. “What we have to do just to obtain a job in the construction field involves all of these different aspects of communication. It’s difficult to keep up on the new technology, and it’s something that’s important for all fields.”
In Utah, there are 4,000 open jobs every year that relate to this degree, Young said, with another 3,000 in southern Nevada. In Washington County alone, there are 170 jobs available per year, Young said.
According to dean of arts, letters, and science Dr. Don Hinton, the degree will constantly be assess
ed and revised as technology progresses. One-third of the proposed degree is already being taught on campus, which originally was a big selling point with the college’s Board of Trustees
. In related news, the Regents also considered a mission revision for Dixie State College today, which, in essence, calls for a broadening of four-year programs. A motion was passed by the Board to revisit the issue in its May or June meeting. In 2000, the college’s mission expanded, enabling the college to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees that are in high demand locally, in addition to its function as a comprehensive community college. Nearly five years later, DSC offers degrees in business administration, computer and information technology, elementary education, nursing, and now communications and new media. The mission revision would pave the way for four-year degrees in core or foundational areas, similar to any comprehensive four-year college, in addition to high demand areas.
Annual Spring Garden Tour Set to Bloom (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 21, 2005) The annual Dixie Spring Garden Tour will be held Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds from the Garden Tour go directly toward a Dixie State College scholarship.
This year, numerous privately owned gardens, specifically in the Santa Clara Heights and Ivins, areas will be highlighted. Each garden with different landscapes, varying from flowers, vegetables, lush and green, and desert scenes will be on display for public viewing as part of the tour. Different locations are chosen each year for the Spring Garden Tour.
“This is a great springtime outdoor event that everyone can enjoy,” said Director of Community Education Janet O’Riley “It’s a
decade and a half-old tradition in this community, the really neat part being that it helps further someone’s college education.”
The Garden Tour first began in 1986 in Santa Clara and Leeds to help support students who were returning to Dixie College. The American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Lady Lions of St. George, St. George Business and Professional Women, the Dixie Garden Club, and Community Education sponsor this event.
Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the Continuing Education office at Dixie State College located at 865 East 100 South in St. George, Evelyn’s Inc, R & K Bookstore, City of St. George Recreation Center, Plant World Nursery, and Star Nursery. Participants will receive a map of the gardens with their ticket purchase.
For more information about the Spring Garden Tour, contact Janet O’Riley at 652-7671.
Medical Radiography Degree Ok'd at DSC, Application Deadline Set (ST. GEORGE, UT – April. 21, 2005) In the wake of Governor Huntsman signing a bill securing nearly $16 million in funding for a new health science center for Dixie State College last month, the college recently got the go ahead to proceed with a new two-year medical radiography degree that will, coincidentally, be headquartered in the new health science center. Prerequisites and an application deadline of Aug. 1 have also recently been established for the program. The new degree is classified as an associate of applied science and will be available January 2006. Between 15 and 20 students will be admitted in the inaugural class. The college is currently seeking to hire two faculty members, including a director for the program.
The degree will prepare students to become licensed radiology technologists, which perform diagnostic imaging with the use of radiation and administer radio-opaque dyes. Medical radiography students currently face a job market with a higher vacancy rate than that of RNs.
The statewide demand for medical radiography technicians is 90 per year through 2012, as determined by the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Graduates of the program can expect to earn between $32,000 and $47,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
“The need is there, and our partnerships are in place to make this a very successful program,” said Dr. David Borris, dean of business, technology, and health sciences.
The degree fits right in with the college’s strategic emphasis on the health sciences. The college added a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree in fall 2004 and also offers an associate degree in nursing (ADN) as well. Other health sciences programs include dental hygiene, practical nursing, nursing assistance, paramedic, EMT, surgical technology, and phlebotomy. Each of these programs will be headquartered in the new health sciences facility.
“This is exciting news on both accounts,” said DSC president Dr. Robert Huddleston. “As far as the building goes, our local legislators, Dixie Regional Medical Center, and the Foremaster family deserve a lot of credit. The facility will be a great complement to this new medical radiography program and all of our health sciences programs.”
Senators Bill Hickman and Tom Hatch and Representatives David Clark, Steve Urquhart, Brad Last, and Mike Noel all played a key role in helping secure the funding for the new facility, Huddleston said. Both IHC and the Foremaster family of St. George donated two acres of land on the new Dixie Regional Medical Center, upon which the new facility will be built. Those donations were just as critical, Huddleston said. Groundbreaking on the facility is anticipated for November 2005, with an expected completion in August 2007.
Prospective students interested in applying for admission into the new medical radiography program can call Dana Kelvington at (435) 652-7749 or email at kelvington@dixie.edu. The application deadline is Aug. 1. Prerequisite courses for admission into the program include:
Math 1050 (College Algebra) Engl 1010 (Intro to Writing) Engl 2010 (Intermediate Writing) Psy 1010 (General Psychology) Biol 1610/1615 (Principles of Biology I & Lab) Biol 2010/2020 (Human Physiology & Lab) Biol 2030/2040 (Human Anatomy & Lab)
Comm 2110 (Interpersonal Communications)
DSC Concert to Feature Miss Dixie State College (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 19, 2005) In June, Miss Dixie State College Morgan Widmer will represent the college and community by competing for the M
iss Utah crown and accompanying scholarship. In order to help raise the funds necessary to do so, Dixie State College will play host to a concert in Widmer’s behalf Saturday, April 23 at 7 p.m. in the new Eccles Concert Hall.
The concert will feature the musical talent of Widmer, DSC music professor and local concert pianist Dr. Nancy Allred, and several other DSC music students. Widmer, a piano and vocal soloist, will play a Beethoven piece in addition to a piano solo “Hungarian” by 20th Century composer Edward McDowell, which she will perform for the talent portion of the Miss Utah competition. The tempo marking of the solo is “presto con fuoco,” which translated means, “fast with fire.” Admission to the concert is by donation.
Widmer has already raised $1,000 for the Miss Utah competition and expects to raise an additional $2,000 over the next few months leading up to the pageant. Any donations will be applied toward the Miss Utah entry fee, gowns – including an evening gown for the poise competition and talent and performance gown – and other apparel and accessory items, and professional photos.
Widmer’s platform issue is Rising Above Flood Trauma (RAFT). In the wake of Washington County’s recent flooding, she organized a benefit concert, raising in excess of $1,400 for flood victims. She is an advocate of the Red Cross and of educating people on disaster relief and preparation.
A native of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Widmer has lived in the states for 14 years. She is the daughter of Siegfried and April Widmer of American Fork. Widmer is attending the Dixie State College on a Celebrity Concert Series Guild Scholarship as wel
l as a full academic scholarship. She was also awarded leadership and piano and vocal scholarships. She is a full time student in DSC’s music program and has maintained a straight A report card since the seventh grade.
An American Fork High School graduate, Widmer participated in the chamber and concert choirs, as well as the Women’s A Cappella Choir, as choir accompanist. She was second attendant at the Miss American Fork Scholarship Pageant in 2004 and toured Europe as a member of the Utah Ambassadors of Music in 2003.
She plans to graduate from Dixie with an associate degree in fine arts and then hopes to pursue a bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Dixie. She is the president of Student Advocates for Bachelor’s of Music on the Dixie campus. Widmer eventually plans to pursue a master’s degree in piano performance at either Brigham Young University or the Julliard School
. The Miss Utah pageant will take place June 14-18 in Abravenal Hall in Salt Lake City. By winning the Miss Dixie State College pageant in conjunction with DSC homecoming this past fall, Widmer automatically qualified to compete in the Miss Utah pageant. The Miss Utah crown carries a reward of approximately $25,000 in scholarship money.
KCSG-TV Crew to Present at Dixie Forum (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 18, 2005) The final Dixie Forum of the spring semester will feature KCSG-TV’s Ann Staples and cameraman Mike Gardner. The forum is Tuesday, April 19, at noon in the Dunford Auditorium on the Dixie State College campus.
KCSG, Southern Utah’s News Channel, has covered many of the noontime forums. Terre Burton, coordinator for the program, became so fascinated watching the filming of interviews with her Forum guests that she asked Staples and Gardner to come talk to Forum audiences about how they put together their show.
“I think we’ll see some clips of their work, observe the interview process in action, and ask questions of the team. It should be fun as well as enlightening,” Burton said.
Staples, a longtime St. George resident, hosts and produces "So Utah" for KCSG Television. The show format is like a television magazine featuring the lifestyles, events, entertainment, and people in Southern Utah. She also contributes to KCSG with stories and movie reviews, which air on KONY and The Planet radio stations every Friday morning.
Gardner's love for broadcasting began in the Dixie College Broadcasting Department under Stan Everett. From that experience, he decided to pursue that field of study at Brigham Young University. During his time there, he worked for KBYU engineering support and also the BYU News Department. In 2000, Gardner graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and media arts. He has taught a television broadcasting class, worked at LearnKey directing its instructional videos, and has directed and produced a sport action skimboarding video which has been distributed throughout the US and Australia. KCSG Television hired him in March of 2004 as a news cameraman. Eventually he moved over to their magazine show where he co-produces with Staples
DSC's Holden Named Utah's New Century Scholar (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 15, 2005) For the third straight year, a Dixie State College student has been named a New Century Scholar. Deric Holden was recently named a 2005 New Century Scholar by Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, and was honored as such this week at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) convention in Boston, Mass.
Holden’s selection was based on scores earned in PTK’s annual All-USA Academic Team competition. The highest scoring All-USA applicant from each of the 50 states was named a New Century Scholar. Holden will receive a $2,000 scholarship funded by the Coca-Cola for his efforts. Over 1,700 students were nominated for the competition this year by college presidents throughout the nation.
During his time at Dixie, Holden has been named to the Dean’s List every semester he has attended the college since spring 2003 and has received the Award of Excellence, awarded by the mathematics department for exemplary performance beyond college level mathematics. Holden is currently studying chemistry at Dixie State College.
Holden spends much of his time outside the classroom helping students with math, chemistry, biology, and physics principles in the
college’s tutoring center. He also spends about six hours each week offering free private tutoring to people who don’t qualify or who otherwise can’t afford it.
Holden will graduate with his associate degree in May and plans to continue his education at Utah State University.
Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in higher education with more than 1.3 million members and 1,100 chapters located in the United States, Canada, Germany and Japan.
Stephen Wade Donates Vehicles to DSC (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 14, 2005) The Dixie State College automotive technology program recently received a significant gift courtesy of Stephen Wade Nissan in St. George, Utah, and Nissan North America. Wade donated three vehicles to the program’s fleet.
The vehicles will be used in lab settings at the college. Instructors will deliberately put “bugs” in the vehicles and require the students to go through the vehicles and diagnose the various problems. The vehicles will also be disassembled and then reassembled by students in order to learn about the various automotive parts.
“It is very difficult for a college to otherwise obtain current state-of-the-art vehicles to train future technicians on,” said DSC automotive professor Bill Schouten. “It is the community involvement by the dealership and the manufacturers that allows this stuff to happen. We need this. As a college, we’ve got to have this community support – it’s essential.”
All three vehicles are various makes and models of the Nissan brand, a 1997 Nissan Altima, a 1998 Nissan Frontier 4x4 truck, and a 1993 Nissan D-21 V-6 truck. Most of the vehicles currently used in the DSC program are domestic. This donation will give th
e program a good cross-section of domestic and imported automobiles to its fleet, Schouten said.
“Stephen feels very committed to the community and college both. He enjoys that involvement,” said Stephen Wade Nissan General Sales Manger Tim Mills.
The donation is expected to give a shot in the arm to an already healthy program. The DSC automotive program has taken first at the AAA/Ford Student Auto Skills State Competition three of the past five years. At the national level, the program placed seventh overall in 2003 and sixth overall in 2002
Karras to Speak at DSC Graduation .(ST. GEORGE, UT – April 13, 2005) Nolan Karras, chairman of the Utah State Board of Regents, will be the commencement speaker at Dixie State College’s 94th annual commencement exercises Friday, May 6, in St. George.
Karras has served on the Board of Regents of the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) since 2001 and was first appointed as its chairman in 2002. Donations From IHC to Help DSC Graduate 223 Additional Nurses (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 8, 2005 – Intermountain Health Care (IHC) donated $600,000 to Dixie State College this week to help train 223 additional registered nurses. The donation will be spread out over the next five years and is expected to increase the number of nurse graduates a the college by 25 percent.
Nationally, there is a shortage of nurses, and the trend is expected to continue. Some estimates project that by 2020 the U.S. will have a 20 percent shortage in the number of nurses needed. While Utah has not yet experienced the shortage to the degree other places in the country have, more nurses are needed to care for the sick and elderly.
“One of the major challenges in Utah is that many qualified applicants for nursing school are turned down because the programs don’t have the capacity for more students,” said Nancy Nowak, RN, IHC’s chief nursing officer. “These donations will help address that problem by allowing more teaching staff to be added to the programs. Rather than wait until the nursing shortage becomes a crisis in Utah, we’ve taken steps to be proactive,” she said.
“The gift from IHC is a very generous one that will give the Dixie State College nursing program the opportunity to significantly expand its nursing program to meet community needs,” said Carole Grady, interim director of the school’s nursing program. “We have a successful program with a high RN licensure pass rate as well as dedicated faculty and motivated students. Our partnership with IHC and Dixie Regional Medical Center is essential to the achievement of our goal to educate competent nurses. With this donation, we will be able to accommodate more nursing students, hire additional faculty, and make better use of our facilities. The nursing faculty, staff, and students are deeply appreciative of this gift.”
The college has a longstanding partnership with IHC and Dixie Regional Medical Center. Past donations have aided several endeavors, including the college’s pursuit of its four-year nursing program, which kicked off this past fall. In addition, Dixie Regional Medical Center and the Foremaster family have each donated two acres of land upon which the college’s
new health sciences facility will be built. Finally, like this latest donation is aimed to achieve, past financial aid has also helped the college increase enrollment, namely in its associate of nursing and practical nurse programs. This past spring semester marked the first time the college has been able to admit classes of nursing students in both areas twice in the same year.
“Dixie Regional Medical Center has been a tremendous partner for many years,” said DSC president Dr. Robert Huddleston. “Much of the progress we’ve made in the area of nursing, and all of the health sciences, is traceable back to Dixie Regional and IHC and our partnership with them. We’re so grateful to them – what a shot in the arm this is.”
Other institutions will also receive grants from IHC to increase the number of graduates from their nursing programs: College of Eastern Utah, BYU, Salt Lake Community College, Southern Utah University, Weber State University, Westminster College, and Utah Valley State College. It is expected that the grants will allow more than 600 additional nursing graduates to be produced by Utah colleges and universities over the next five years.
“As with all good partnerships, this one is mutually beneficial. From our perspective, we could not do what we do, and we could not do it as well, without this partnership,” Grady continued. “Our nursing program has expanded greatly from 37 students in 2001 to almost 130 today. Given statewide budgetary constraints over the last few years, we had reached a point where we couldn’t go much further. With this very outstanding, generous gift we will be able to go wherever we want to go.”
NASA Engineer to Speak at Dixie Forum (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 8, 2005) NASA engineer Jacqueline Townsend will be the
next speaker at Dixie Forum Tuesday, April 12 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium (Browning Building) at Dixie State College. Townsend has worked with the Hubble Space Telescope Project for nine of her 13 years at NASA.
Townsend, from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, will present an overview of the Hubble Space Telescope Project – from its astounding science discoveries to the engineering achievements that make them possible.
The Hubble Space Telescope's purpose is to spend 20 years probing the cosmos from the nearby planets of the solar system to the farthest and faintest galaxies in the universe. From a unique vantage point, orbiting roughly 300 miles above the surface of the Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope has given humanity discoveries that have fundamentally redefined our understanding of the universe.
Townsend began her NASA career as a materials engineer. She studied the effects of the space environment on materials, particularly polymers, and has published 32 papers on the topic. She was the contamination engineering manager for the Hubble Space Telescope for five years and worked on console at Johnson Space Center in Houston for two servicing missions. She recently became the instrument manager for the Wide Field Camera 3 instrument, which will be installed in the Hubble Space Telescope during the next servicing mission.
Townsend lives in Silver Spring, Md., with her husband of nine years and their five-year-old daughter.
DSC Mascot Candidates Narrowed to Six (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 7, 2005) A coyote, roadrunner, scorpion, red hawk, dragon/reptile, and sun/blaze. Each of these six concepts remains in the running to become the new mascot of the Dixie State College Rebels, as determined by preliminary voting, which came to a close at the end of March.
There is often some confusion between an organization’s name, nickname, and its mascot. The college will continue to be named Dixie State College. It will also retain its Rebel nickname. The mascot – the character used to entertain the crowd at athletic events – is the only component open for discussion.
The polls will open up once again for a final vote beginning approximately April 20 for two weeks, just prior to the end of the semester. Students, alumni, faculty and staff, and the community will be able to vote electronically on the mascot web site accessible via the college’s home page (www.dixie.edu). Each voter will have a single vote.
Four illustrators have been asked to make renderings of each of the six finalists, in hopes of aiding the final vote. The goal is to give voters several different looks at what each mascot candidate could potentially look like.
This past month approximately 1,500 people cast votes on the mascot. Forty-six percent of the vote came from students, with 24 percent coming from community members, 22 percent from alumni, and 12 percent coming from DSC faculty and staff.
The mascot selection process officially got underway in February. Nominations and comments from each of the college’s constituencies were gathered via a mascot website. All nominations were then whittled down to 25 by a mascot steering committee made up of students, alumni, boosters, and faculty/staff. The 25 semi-finalists were voted on through March 30, during which time voters were able to rank their top three choices.
At the end of the final vote, the results will be presented to Dixie State’s college council in rank order by constituency as early as May. The college council will also vote and make a recommendation to the college’s board of trustees, which will also vote. It is hoped that a new mascot will be in place by fall semester 2005.
DSC's D-Week Still 'Great' As Ever (ST. GEORGE – April 4, 2005) Dixie State College’s second homecoming, affectionately known as D-Week, officially got underway Monday at the college. The headline event of D-Week is the Great Race, a large-scale relay race that remains one of the more beloved traditions at the college. The Great Race begins Friday at 6 p.m. on the college’s Encampment Mall.
The event has evolved somewhat over the years. The equipment isn’t exactly the same, the course has changed, and the competitors’ shorts have lengthened considerably. The concept and spirit of the Great Race, however, is still largely the same as it was back in 1971, the event’s inaugural year.
Referred to as an “unusual” relay, the original course at one time took competitors to the outer reaches of St. George. Motor-cross, horseback riding, running up and down Foremaster Ridge, tubing down the Virgin River, bicycling up River Road, and long distance running back to campus made up the original race in nearly that order. Students used to pack the roof of the Student Union building with binoculars to watch the race unfold.
Area growth and increased traffic eventually forced the Great Race exclusively to campus. As a result, today’s race isn’t exactly a carbon copy of the old school version, but its greatness still remains. In addition to the traditional running, biking, and swimming, Great Racers now have to negotiate, among other things, a slip n’ slide track, a roller blade course, a Dixie trivia question, and a mud pit throughout the 10-leg relay course.
Each Great Race team consists of six male participants and four female participants and must be comprised of DSC students, alumni, or faculty and staff members. One team from each of the five local high schools has also been invited to race.
D-Week is a chance for college alumni, students, and faculty and staff, as well as the community, to come together in a reunion setting for a week of activities. Its roots trace back to 1914, three years after the college’s founding.
Other main attractions during D-Week include the D-Queen Pageant Tuesday, April 5, at 5:30 p.m. in the Gardner Center Ballroom, the annual whitewash of the ‘D’ Saturday, April 9, at 7 a.m., and the D-Day Dance Saturday at 9 p.m. in the Gardner Ballroom. Community members are invited to attend all D-Week activities.
“The oldest of Dixie traditions that still hold great institutional value include white-washing the “D” and having the D-Day Dance and the Queen Contest, but in my span of years, th
e Great Race ranks high,” said Bill Fowler, associate vice president of advancement and former longtime vice president of student services. “I’m glad it is still what it’s always been…a “Great Race.”
To enter this year’s Great Race, call (434) 652-7517. Applications can be picked up and turned in at the student body executive council offices on the second floor in the Gardner Center. A mandatory meeting for all team captains will be held Wednesday, April 6, at 8 p.m. in those same offices at which time all registration forms are due.
“D-Week is one of those things that makes Dixie Dixie. It’s what makes us unique,” said Donna Stafford, director of student activities. “To me, there’s no greater time of year.”
U of U Anthropologist to Speak About Iran at Dixie Forum (ST. GEORGE, UT – April 4, 2005) Dr. Ewa Wasilewska, an anthropologist from the University of Utah, will talk about her experiences in Iran at the next Dixie Forum Tuesday, April 5, at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College
The title of the forum is “Iran: An Axis of Evil or Paradise?” Wasilewska visited Iran last summer and is one of a very few Americans allowed almost unlimited access to Iraq under Saddam Hussein in 1999. Wasilewska also is a featured speaker of the Utah Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau
Wasilewska is also an author of a book entitled “ Creation Stories of the Middle East,” and of many articles about ancient and modern Middle East and Central Asia for specialized and general audience publishers. She has conducted archaeological and anthropological fieldwork in numerous countries of both regions.
The following Tuesday’s forum will feature Jacqueline Townsend, who has worked with the Hubble Space Telescope project for nine of her 13 years as an employee of NASA.
All community members are invited to attend the noontime forum series each week during fall and spring semesters. Dixie Forum is now in its fourth year at Dixie State College. For more information, contact Terre Burton at (435) 652-7812.
State Department Official to Speak at Dixie Forum (ST. GEORGE, UT – Mar. 28, 2005) Steven Douglas Bopp of the United States State Department will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum Tuesday, March 29, at noon in the Dunford Auditorium (Browning Building). Bopp is the human resources officer at the American Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Bopp will talk about the State Department and foreign service careers. During his 15 years with the Department of State, he has served in Pakistan, Guatemala, Germany, Egypt, Bangladesh, India and Washington, D.C. When he is in the states, Bopp makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Born and raised in California, Bopp moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1967, the year he entered the U.S. Navy. During 22 years in the Navy, he spent 17 years overseas serving in the Philippines, Sicily, UK, and tours with the U.S. Department of State as the port liaison officer at the American Consulate, in Mombasa, Kenya, and as the admin/security officer in American Embassy, in Oslo, Norway. During his military career he was a personnel administrator. Among his assignments were tours as an instructor, EEO specialist, substance abuse counselor, program and organizational development specialist, and training/workshop design facilitator. Animation Gurus to Speak at Dixie Forum (ST. GEORGE, UT – Mar. 21, 2005) Mark Swan and Gerry Bextrand of Swan Animation will be the next speakers at Dixie Forum Tuesday, Mar. 22 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium at Dixie State College. The duo will talk about their art and careers in the television and film animation industry. Swan, president and CEO of Swan Animation Inc., has twenty-four years of experience in the field of animation. He began in television animation and after three years moved into theatrical features, working on Space Jam, A Goofy Movie, An American Tail, Land Before Time, All Dogs Go To Heaven, Thumbelina, A Troll In Central Park and the upcoming feature Curious George. As a freelance artist, Swan has worked for Walt Disney Studios, Amblin Entertainment, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and on various independent projects. Mark recently wrapped up director/co-producer duties on a feature-length film, The Princess and the Pea, for Feature Films for Families. In May 1992, Swan moved to the St. George area and created Swan Animation as an entity providing development artwork and storyboards to various studios in Los Angeles. His reputation for quality and talent has allowed him to work on several major projects long-distance. With 13 years in the animation business, Beckstrand has been a lead character animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation, drawing many of the toughest character assignments. His credits include Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Tarzan, Emperorís New Groove, Treasure Planet, Home on the Range, Thumbelina, Troll in Central Park, and The Swan Princess. A Dixie State alum, Beckstrand moved back to St. George in June of 2005 to team up with Swan as they build an animation studio in the area capable of producing and marketing their own original animation titles. Beckstrand currently serves as vice president of animation. DSC and SUU Partner Up On Fast Track Degree (ST. GEORGE, UT – Mar. 17, 2005) In February, Dixie State College announced that it will begin offering a fast track version of it business administration degree this fall, with the idea that students can get their four-year degree from Dixie in three years and then go on to get their MBA if desired. Dixie State and Southern Utah University today announced a partnership on the MBA side of the track, which will allow students to get both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration in a period of four years, right on the Dixie State campus. The MBA portion will be available on the DSC campus on a full-time basis, and the undergraduate credits will transfer seamlessly. An information meeting regarding this accelerated MBA program will be held Tuesday, Mar. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Boeing Auditorium (Room 121) located in the Udvar-Hazy Business Building on the DSC campus. “We’re excited about this partnership,” said Dr. Philip Lee, chair of the DSC Business School. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for St. George residents. They can get both degrees on the same campus and shave two years off the time that it traditionally takes to get both degrees. It’s a creative approach, and a more efficient approach, to education.” Students who choose to pursue the accelerated track at the bachelor’s level will attend classes year-round, including summers, taking between 15 and 18 credits each fall and spring semesters and between six and 10 credits in the summer months. Other than the accelerated pace, the fast track degree will have the exact same requirements and course load as the traditional degree.Students who go on to get their MBA will take the same 30 hours of instruction as the full-time program in Cedar City, but will do so at DSC. This will be accomplished by adding courses to the existing part-time MBA in St. George, which will also continue. So, students will have the option of working either full-time, or part-time, at the Dixie State campus towards attaining an accredited MBA degree. Admittance into the accelerated program will be selective out of necessity. Due to the quicker pace, there will be no remedial courses associated with the program. In addition to offering its MBA program on the DSC campus on a full-time basis, SUU will also begin offering its master’s degree in accounting (MACC) on the Dixie campus on a part-time basis beginning this fall as well.All three programs, including the MACC program, will be available on the DSC campus beginning fall semester 2005. For more information, call the Udvar-Hazy School of Business at 435-652-7745 or visit www.dixie.edu/business. Prospective students can also call Paula Alger at SUU, at 435-865-8157 for more information. The college first launched the site in February to solicit input from all groups regarding its mascot. A committee made up of DSC students, employees, alumni, and boosters was organized in November with the charge to come up with a process for selection. The committee narrowed the list of suggestions down to 25 earlier this month. Following the primary vote, renderings of the top three to five vote getters will be drawn up and submitted to the college’s constituencies for a final vote sometime in April. Each voter will have a single final vote. The outcome of the final vote will be reported to Dixie State’s College Council in rank order for each constituency (alumni, students, community, etc.). The Council will then vote as well and make a recommendation to the college’s Board of Trustees. The Board will ultimately approve or disapprove the Council’s recommendation. It is hoped that a new mascot will be in place by August 2005, prior to fall semester. (ST. GEORGE, UT – Mar. 15, 2005) The Dixie State College Foundation will host its first annual Fire & Ice Gala the evening of Friday, April 8, at the Berry Springs Ranch in Hurricane. The gala will be headlined by an auction and live performance by Kurt Bestor. Proceeds from the auction will go to college’s scholarship fund and capital campaign. It’s also geared to give the college a jumpstart in raising funds for a satellite campus for the western portion of Washington County. Both a silent and live auction for numerous valuable items will be held. Among the items up for auction will include a mint condition '65 Ford Thunderbird, which has been donated to the college specifically for the auction. In addition, a three-day trip for two to Costa Rica, including hotel accommodations, deep sea fishing and sight-seeing, will be auctioned off to the winning bidder. Tickets for the event are $125 per person. Thirty-six of the 39 tables are already sold out. Those interested in donating items for this event can call Bill F owler at 435-652-7542. Those interested in attending the event can call 435-652-7502. Since 2001, the college has conducted an ongoing campaign designed to continually improve the quality of education at Dixie State College. Over $32 million has been raised as part of the campaign, which has been used to help fund scholarships and construct numerous buildings on campus, including the Eccles Fine Arts Center. Dixie Forum to Depict the Life of Willa Cather DSC Nursing Students Tops in the State Again Mary Dickson of the Salt Lake Tribune called it "the most brilliant piece of theatre from a Utah author to date." Heubener is the true story of Helmuth Heubener, a sixteen-year-old member of a tiny branch of the LDS church in Hamburg, Germany, who in the summer of 1941 discovered the Nazi's were lying and decided to do something about it. "If one is allowed only a few peak experiences in life, one for me was watching the text emerge of Thomas Rogers' play Huebener,” said Dr. Douglas Alder, former president of Dixie State and history professor. “The work is a product of our local culture which has universal meaning. It invites all to consider models in addition to the pioneer legacy, to apply out thinking to contemporary issues, in this case the competing loyalty between freedom and obedience." While aware of the risk to his life, Helmuth Huebener persisted in asserting his conscience. This fearless Latter-day Saint begins a campaign against Hitler's propaganda machine. In this play we will witness his tragic story. A resident of Hamburg, Germany, Huebener secretly listened to BBC broadcasts from London, which criticized Hitler. He organized a group of his friends to distribute flyers he had written which opposed Hitler. For this he was eventually caught, tried and executed. The Huebner case is attracting increasing attention in Germany and America. Several books and television documentaries have been produced about him. “Americans today may have difficulty understanding that many of Huebner’s fellow believers were not his defenders,” said Alder. “Even today, after the Nazi system has been completely discredited, the Huebner story is controversial, some decorating Huebner as a hero, others being openly critical of him for disobeying the law.” The play is directed by guest artist Connie Fulton, who has written and directed professionally in California and New York. DSC Theater director Varlo Davenport created the sets; Josh Scott designed lighting for the show, and Hannah Dave nport served as costume designer. Kim Purcell is stage manager for the show. The cast includes the following: Abigail Duston as Mirella Shultz, Hausfraus; Mike Stephenson as Martin Shultz, Husband, 2nd Counselor Chief Justice; Mason Petersen, Gestapo Officer; Parker Miner, Gestapo Officer; Skyler Jewell, Hugo Huebener; Laura Jacobson, Emma Huebener; James Wilde, Gerhard Kunkel; Dallin Waters, Johannes Sudrow; Allie Eddington, Anneliese Sudrow; Ryan Christensen, Helmuth Huebener; Bryan Stephenson, Rudi Wobbe; Isaac D. Spafford, Arnold Zoellner; Mark Smith, Jonni Duewer; RitaRene’ Morton, Wife; Bekki Rasmussen, Clerk; Anna Dalton, Clerk; Ian Davenport, Young Man; Caden Randall, Young Man; Quinten Hardman, Young Man; Chris Tracy, General, Sandmann; Loy Grimm, Aide; Ashley Brooke Belliston, Hausfraus; Spencer Marshal, Soldier, Justice; Ben Smith, Soldier; Nathan Everett, Werner Kranz; Justin Cullimore, Guard, Justice, Defense Counselor; and Varlo Davenport, Prosecuter. Dixie State Announces Changes to Scholarship Program (ST. GEORGE, UT – Feb. 23, 2005) In response to an increased number of students and the advent of new four-year degree programs at Dixie State College, the college has announced changes to its scholarship program to better accommodate a greater number of students. Under the new guidelines, which focus on promoting degree completion and longer term financial planning for families, academic scholarships will now be offered for four years, rather than one or two. In addition, students will maintain scholarships from year to year by earning a 3.0 GPA, rather than the 3.5 or 3.75 GPA previously required. The college is also trying to accomplish other objectives with the changes. “We’d like to make the process easier, and we’d like to get money to more students,” said Vice President of Student Services Dr. Phil Alletto. New students will no longer be required to file a separate application for academic scholarships. A completed application for admission, which includes the high school transcript, will be used for this purpose. All new students will automatically be considered for scholarships. Furthermore, in order to extend the reach of the program to more students, scholarship amounts will now be variable according to merit and need, rather than a fixed amount. In other words, rather than solely full or half tuition awards, DSC’s scholarships will fall somewhere between $600 and $1,650 (the equivalent of current full tuition) and will remain at the awarded level throughout the life of the scholarship. Students will also be able to apply for additional monies based on need. With tuition and fees that are lower than all but two other colleges in the state, and half as much as some, the new scholarship program has the potential to make DSC even more affordable to a greater number of students. About 80 percent of new students currently receive some type of aid. “When you consider our already low tuition and generous academic scholarships in combination with the quality of the education, DSC is the best value in the state,” said Alletto. Recently reported statistics on nursing exam pass rates had Dixie graduates as the best in the state, including finishing ahead of BYU and the University of Utah. Dental Hygiene students finished number one in the United States in 2004 on the National Dental Hygiene Board Exam. Other scholarship program changes include: Scholarship recipients must now complete a minimum of 24 credit hours during their freshman year, rather than the previously required 30. Also, awards will be based on high school preparation, as evidenced first and foremost by courses taken and high school GPA. ACT and SAT scores will be given some consideration. In the past, the college has only considered GPA, without considering the number of courses and their difficulty. Talent awards, including music, art, athletics, dance, etc., will still require separate application processes, which are described on the college web site at www.dixie.edu/financial. “If you consider that the awards are for four years and that they are easier to maintain from year to year, this program is much better for students than the old one," said Peggy Leavitt, the college’s financial aid director. Though the new changes will be made effective immediately for incoming students, the college will roll out the new program over the next few years to avoid changing anything that has been promised to current students.
Milligan has traveled throughout the Rocky Mountain West portraying fascinating historical characters. Terre Burton, the coordinator for the Dixie Forum, points out that she has seen how Milligan delights audiences in performance, holding them enthralled as he takes them back in time and place.
The public is invited to both of these free events at noon in the Dunford Auditorium of the Browning Learning Resource Center.
Titled “Hold to the Ironic Rod,” the noontime presentation will fall along more humorous lines. The evening forum will be of a more serious nature. The topic will center around Kirby’s recent book about Utah police officers killed in the line of duty, titled “End of Watch: Utah’s Murdered Police Officers, 1858-2003.” A former police officer himself, he also has several family members who are police officers.
DSC to Host Employment Fair (ST. GEORGE – Feb. 22, 2005) Dixie State College will host its annual employment fair Thursday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the college’s Gardner Center Ballroom. The college’s four-year students are reportedly in high demand. “We are very pleased by the response, especially by employers who are interested in our four-year graduates,” said Career Center and Employment Services Director Kathy Kinney. Over 60 employers have registered for the fair so far, and over half of them have indicated an interest in DSC’s four-year students. Interest is not limited to four-year degree holders, however, Kinney said. Employers will be recruiting at all educational levels and for a variety of positions, from fulltime professional to seasonal and internships. “Over the years, the fair has proven to be a valuable resource to all of our students, regardless of academic level,” Kinney said. “We try to cater to all-comers.” Among those in demand include registered nurses and CAD certified drafters. Utah currently needs 1,000 RNs per year. DSC’s new four-year nursing degree is helping fill that need. CAD certified drafters are in high demand as well due to the building boom in St. George and Mesquite. A full list of employers that will be in attendance and available positions can be found at the Career Center’s web site at http://dsc.dixie.edu/career/index.php Winners of 2005 Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show Announced (ST. GEORGE, UT – Feb. 18, 2005) The winners of the 2005 Robert N. & Peggy Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show were announced Friday night at the show’s annual gala banquet at Dixie State College held for the first time in the newly dedicated Dolores Dore’ Eccles Fine Arts Center. This year’s Best of Show Purchase Prize Winner is Steven E. McGinty. McGinty’s “Sheep at Dusk,” an oil painting, earned him the honor, which carries a grand prize purse of $3,000. McGinty, a Murray, Utah, native, began painting with oils at the age of 10 with his grandfather who was also an artist. When he was 12, his grandfather bought Steve his first paint set. It was from this gift and the love of his grandfather that gave him the desire to share his talent with others. His education in art ranges from studies at the University of Utah to travels in Russia and Paris. While in Russia, he gained a wealth of knowledge by meeting with many Russian artists and attending their museums and art academies. McGinty can often be found in a rural area or in someone’s garden painting PleinAire; his favorite studio is located outdoors in nature. He is a member of Oil Painters of America, and continues to display his works in shows and galleries throughout the west. His paintings can be found in collections within the United States, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia. A regular winner and participant in the Sears Invitational Art Show, McGinty’s “Milking Time” won third place in the Oils category of the 2004 show. A.D. Shaw took first place in this year’s Oils Category with his painting “A Boy’s Life.” Second place was awarded to Steve Songer for “Monte Cristo.” Robert Call won third place for “Autumn Gold.” In the Watercolor category, 2002 Purchase Prize Winner Wallace Lee took first place for “Cliffs of Snow Canyon.” For the second straight year, second place was awarded to Carl Purcell for “Evening Stroll, Ballyconneally Ireland.” And third place went to 2003 Purchase Prize Winner Roland Lee for “Quiet Creek – Pine Valley.” Taking first place in the Pastels category was Jerry Hancock for “As Far as the Eye Can See.” Second place went to Dixie State College art professor and 2000 Purchase Prize Winner Del Parson for “Summer Lilacs,” with third place going to Marilee Campbell for “Winter Evening – Grand Canyon.” In the Other Media category, the first place ribbon went to L’Deane Trueblood, the show’s inaugural Purchase Prize Winner in 1988, for her bronze “Far Horizon,” up a notch from her second place finish last year in the same category. Jerry Anderson was awarded second place for his bronze work “ Flint.” And Annette Everett took third place for her sculpture “ St. Lucia.” All artwork will remain on display through Sunday, Mar. 20, in the new Robert N. and Peggy Sears Art Gallery located in the Dolores Dore’ Eccles Fine Arts Center at Dixie State College. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. This year’s show features 176 works from 89 artists. Each work exhibited is for sale to the public. Since 1988, a portion of each purchase has gone toward funding the new Dolores Dore’ Eccles Fine Arts Center dedicated on campus in October. The Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show was first established in 1988 by the Robert N. and Peggy Sears family with the goal to build an art gallery on campus. Over $500,000 has been raised toward this goal, which has now been met. The public is invited to view the exhibit free of charge. Eastern Thoughts for Western Thinkers (ST. GEORGE, UT - Jan. 24, 2005) Southern Utah University professor and Fullbright scholar Dr. Satyam S. Moorty will be the next speaker at Dixie Forum speaker on the Dixie State College campus Tuesday, Jan. 25 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium. His subject is “Eastern Thoughts for Western Thinkers.” “This topic seems so appropriate right now as many of us are more aware than ever of South Asia,” said Dixie Forum coordinator Terre Burton, “especially as we have seen so many Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims suffering from the effects of the recent tsunami.” Moorty has taught American Literary Realism & Naturalism, Shakespeare, Eastern Literatures in English translation (Indian, Chinese, & Japanese), and Indian Writers in English at Southern Utah University in Cedar City since 1975. He holds a doctorate degree from the University of Utah in American literature and a mater’s degree in British literature from Delhi University, India. For over a quarter century he has published his scholarship in professional journals in the U.S., France, Spain, and India, and presented scholarly papers at international, national, regional, state levels . He is a recent recipient of SUU’s Distinguished Faculty Honor Lecture Award, which he has received twice, and SUU’s Distinguished Faculty Publication Award (first prize). Apart from scholarly articles, book reviews, and commissioned articles, he has also published several of his poems and given readings at Yale University, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Sofia University in Bulgaria .Other honors include his first-time Fulbright professorship at Sanaa University in Yemen (1989-90). He is active throughout the state as a member of the Utah Humanities Council and is currently serving on UHC’s board of directors. Moorty’s daughter, Neela Moorty, spoke and danced at Dixie Forum in its inaugural season. Tribune Humor Columnist to Speak (ST. GEORGE, UT – Feb. 11, 2005) Salt Lake Tribune humor columnist Robert Kirby will speak at Dixie State College on two occasions Tuesday, Feb. 15. At noon, he’ll be the Dixie Forum speaker. Then at 7:30 p.m., he’ll give a special evening forum. Both will take place in the Dunford Auditorium on campus. “I had wanted to hear Kirby speak for a long time because I’ve enjoyed his columns so much,” said Dixie Forum coordinator Terre Burton. “I’ve listened to him speak about his book and discovered a very different Robert Kirby. There was still some humor there, but he was passionate and caring about these officers who gave their lives in the pursuit of justice. “It’s fascinating to see one of the most humorous writers in Utah at his most serious,” Burton added. “I feel very fortunate that he was willing to speak to us.”
Kirby was raised in a military family. After serving an LDS mission to South America, he became a police officer. He has since been an editor, correspondent and columnist for a variety of newspapers. He is the author of five books of demented humor. His novel Dark Angel was released in 2000. His most recent humor book, Kirby Soup For The Soul, was released this past Christmas.
Kirby has written for the Tribune since 1994. His column appears in the Tribune every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, and he has been voted the “Best Columnist in Utah” for six years in a row by City Weekly.
Motion Picture Students Go Sundancing (ST. GEORGE, UT – Jan. 26, 2005) Two DSC digital motion picture students recently produced a 30-second commercial that was among the five winners in the Utah Film Commission’s second annual commercial contest. The commercial aired this week during the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. "Lights, Camera, Distraction," was produced by John Mortenson, and shot and directed by Ben Braten. Over 100 commercials geared to promote Utah as a filmmaking destination were posted for the contest. The competition also included high-end production companies throughout the state, DSC motion picture program director Eric Young said. The duo was invited to the Sundance Film Festival as guests of the Utah Film Commission. The winning commercials represented the Commission on Park City Television’s “In the Can” program, which has become required viewing for many motion picture executives. The commercial will also air in film production markets such as Los Angeles and New York City and will be posted on the Utah Film Commission website at http://film.utah.gov. The students received a cash award of $1,500 for their efforts. The commercial was shot in the Cougar Cliffs area of St. George and depicts a supermodel getting upstaged by southern Utah’s natural beauty. “We couldn’t have done it without Eric Young’s support,” Braten said. “He’s helped so much. Everything I know basically comes from picking his brain and what he has shown me. It’s a great program.” Both Braten and Mortenson plan to enroll in DSC’s proposed communications and new media bachelor’s degree, currently being considered by the Utah State Board of Regents. Digital motion picture production and broadcast would be just one component of the degree program.
.This year, the Invitational will open on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 10 am. It will then be open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 2 pm to 6 pm. The show will run through March 21, 2005. Those wishing additional information may call 652-7905. The art show was named in honor of its founder, Robert N. Sears, who passed away in 1996, and his wife Peggy. The couple worked tirelessly to establish a quality art invitational at the college, which has become one of the most popular, well-attended exhibits in the state of Utah. Artists from across the country are invited, and a variety of representational art including landscape, portrait, western and a few contemporary pieces are shown. Participation is by invitation only. Following many successful exhibits, the Invitational has established a reputation as one of the finest yearly shows in the state of Utah. Between 8,000 to 10,000 patrons visit the Art Show each winter, and about 35-percent of the art is sold annually. “We’re grateful for the wonderful public response we always receive regarding our yearly invitational,” said Mark Petersen, executive director of Cultural Arts at the coll ege. “We have been fortunate to have quality artists accept our invitation to display their newest paintings. It creates a beautiful exhibit where people come from all over, year after year, to see and purchase paintings.” Along with showing the works of more than 75 artists, the college actively encourages the purchase of the works. For every painting sold, the artist receives 70 percent of the price and the purchaser makes a thirty percent tax-deductible contribution to DSC. The funds from the sale of the art works exhibited are applied toward the new art museu m; proceeds from each yearly exhibit helped make the dream of a campus art museum a reality. The Dixie exhibit is funded in part by a grant from the Utah Council of the Arts and the Dixie Art Alliance. A "Best of Show" first place purchase prize is awarded each year. Ribbons are given for paintings in various categories .The late Mr. Sears and his wife, Peggy, presented longstanding service to the popular art exhibit. “Bob and Peggy have been wonderful benefactors of Dixie College,” said Petersen. “Their service and professional experience has been a real gift to the college; we have all learned a great deal from them.” Sears began his association with Dixie State College not long after his retirement as a vice president and director of Phillips Petroleum in 1979. It was his experience at Phillips and his dedication to hard work that would eventually benefit this growing college in southwest Utah. At Phillips, Sears worked with all the banks on financial matters in New York, met with stockholders, and served in the management of the company from 1950 -79, 29 years. Sears elected for early retirement from Phillips in 1979. Bob and Peggy had built a home in St. George in 1970 and liked it so much they ended up staying here when he retired. Since Sears’ father was an artist Bob grew up with art in his home. His dad was an art professor at the U of U. “I was raised with this love of art,” Sears once said. He collected a great deal of Indian art over the years, plus a collection of western United States art. “We traveled to see a lot of art shows— the Invitational at Dixie is as good as any.” Petersen hopes to build upon the great success of the Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show. “We hope to continue to draw visitors from all over Utah and throughout the states as we have in the past. We want everyone to recognize this art show as one of the highest quality shows — with all of the art for sale — in the region.”
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