SUU In View - Spring 2012

RISING

F O R A L U M N I & F R I E N D S O F S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

THE FUTURE IS

Heres Alumni Days at Shakespeare!

Photo: Leslie Brott (left) as Mistress Alice Ford and Victoria Adams-Zischke as Mistress Margaret Page in the Utah Shakespeare Festivals 2006 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. (Photo by Karl Hugh. Utah Shakespeare Festival 2006.)

S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y

ALUMNIRELATIONS


ALUMNIRELATIONS

IRON COUNTY CHAPTER

S A L T L A K E C H A P T E R

Join Us!FOR ALUMNI DAYS AT SHAKESPEARE

June 2527

Come back and enjoy the beauty of campus, renew friendships and create new memories

Visit suu.edu/alumni to learn more and to purchase your six-play ticket package, or call (435) 586-7777

View all six plays of the Utah Shakespeare Festival 2012 season:

Plus, attend exclusive events with Festival staff & cast!

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Mary Stuart

Titus Andronics

Les Misrables

To Kill a Mockingbird

Scapin

S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 1

OUR F U T U R E I S R I S I NGAbove all else, Southern Utah University is defined by its students. Their individual successes and challenges direct our strides as an institution, and amid great progress in new buildings and a refined University mission, there remains no greater nor more satisfying reward than our students rising success. As we embark upon the Universitys most ambitious fundraising campaign, taking stock of our Thunderbird community, we are cheered to see the positive impact both current and former students are making across the globe as well as right here on campus. We thank you, our devoted alumni, for your allegiance and enthusiasm in this exciting time at Southern Utah University.

2I N V I E W

Contents

EXCITEMENT IS IN THE AIR 47The future is rising! The campaign for SUU starts off with a bangand with five campaign priorities that focus on the future of SUU, there are many ways for everyone to get involved.

PRIORITY 1: Enriching Student Life 815The SUU Experience 812 Learning Gives Forever 1314Live & Learn 15

PRIORITY 2: Academic Excellence 1623Preserving the Arts 1617Furnished for Excellence 18Smith in Swaziland 19Commitment is Tradition 2021Opening the Windows of Enlightenment 22Tools of the Trade 23

PRIORITY 3: Campus Enhancement & Expansion 2425SUU On The Rise

PRIORITY 4: Community Engagement 2628Frehner Museum of Natural History 2627Beyond Campus 28

PRIORITY 5: Emerging Opportunities 3031The SUU Fund Helps Bridge the Gap 30Experience, Education & Excitement 31

S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3


ALUMNIRELATIONS


ALUMNIRELATIONS

IRON COUNTY CHAPTER

S A L T L A K E C H A P T E R

SUU in View is created twice a year, in the

fall and spring. Past editions can be found

online at www.suu.edu/alumni/magazine.

351 West University Blvd.

Cedar City, UT 84720

(435) 586-7777

email: [email protected]

web: www.suu.edu/alumni

Executive Director

Mindy Benson

Associate VP for Advancement

Staci Carson

Layout & Photography

SUU Publications

Contributing Writer

Larry Baker

Left:

University artifacts on display from across the

ages, dating back to SUUs founding as the

Branch Normal School. Items displayed during

the annual Homecoming Alumni Luncheon.

The staff of the offices of Alumni Relations and University Advancement at the east

entrance of Old Main.

The Southern Utah University Alumni Association supports and celebrates the University by fostering a lifelong spirit of loyalty, service and fellowship among alumni, faculty, students and friends of SUU.

EditorJennifer Burt

Creative Director Nate Christian

Production AssistantRon Cardon

T-Bird Tally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Alumni Focus . . . . . . . . . .3233Soaring Higher . . . . . . . . .3435Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . .3637 Alumni Photos and NewsPhotojournal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38We will Remember . . . . . . . . . 39Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Their Future is Rising

T H E C A M P A I G N F O R


ISTHE

Excitementi s i n t H e a i R

In a kick-off celebration that included live music from Kurt

Bestor with the SUU Symphony Orchestra, Peter Breinholt, and

The Joe Muscolino Band, as well as an impressive fireworks

display and entertainment from masters of ceremonies Brian

Vaughn and David Ivers, of Utah Shakespeare Festival fame,

Thunderbirds from across the state joined together under the stars

during Homecoming Weekend in celebration of all that is to come

for the school and our students when President Michael T. Benson

publicly launched SUUs $100 million fundraising campaign, The

Future is Rising: The Campaign for Southern Utah University.

Our thanks to the many friends and alumni who were with us

to mark this exciting turning point in SUU history at the Sept. 16

celebration during Homecoming Week of the Fall 2011 semester.

With a $100 million fundraising goal, this comprehensive

campaign is unlike any other in University history, with bigger goals

and broader objectives that will, simply put, elevate everything.

At the heart of each gift from SUUs friends, alumni and

students is the will to make a difference, to provide the SUU

community with the means to change lives and to improve our

world, as this campaign will spur growth and enhancements

across campus.

4 I N V I E WTHE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU

www.suu.edu/risingwww.suu.edu/risingS U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 5

Excitement


In all that we do, we encourage students to become

productive citizens, responsible leaders, high achievers and

lifelong learners. One student at a time, we are elevating

SUUs influence. This fundraising campaign will provide the

means to do this better than ever before, propelling Southern

Utah University to new heights in the coming decades and

creating an opportunity for us all to reaffirm and magnify our

commitment to SUU. Please join us in this bold and rewarding

endeavor, which promises so much for our students, our

campus and our community at large.

ENRIC

HMENT

P R I O R I T Y 1

THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY

Enriching Student Life

Enriching Student Life$30 MILLION

EXCELLENCE

P R I O R I T Y 2

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence


$14 MILLION

www.suu.edu/rising

This includes important enhancements to the programming and resources that facilitate the experiential, hands-on education for which SUU has come to be known.

Key aims will focus on lowering the faculty-to-student ratio, providing more opportunities to augment classroom work and increasing student scholarships.

This includes important enhancements to the programming and resources that facilitate the experiential, hands-on education for which SUU has come to be known.

Key aims will focus on lowering the faculty-to-student ratio, providing more opportunities to augment classroom work and increasing student scholarships.

Despite enrollment increases and budget cuts, we remain committed to maintaining SUUs hallmark personalized learning environment with the very best faculty and educational tools to carry the University into the future.

To boost academic excellence, the University seeks additional funding for support of faculty positions, educational resources and scholarship.

Despite enrollment increases and budget cuts, we remain committed to maintaining SUUs hallmark personalized learning environment with the very best faculty and educational tools to carry the University into the future.

To boost academic excellence, the University seeks additional funding for support of faculty positions, educational resources and scholarship.

S U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 7www.suu.edu/rising

ENHANCEMENT

P R I O R I T Y 3


Campus Enhancement& Expansion

Campus Enhancement& Expansion$43 MILLION

C A M PA I G N G O A L $ 1 0 0 M i l l i o nRAISED TO DATE $66 Million

ENGAGEMENT

P R I O R I T Y 4


Community EngagementCommunity Engagement$2 MILLION

OPPORTUNITIES

P R I O R I T Y 5


Emerging OpportunitiesEmerging Opportunities$11 MILLION

www.suu.edu/rising

SUUs campus has developed with a keen eye to its uniquely beautiful surrounding environment and natural resources. Future campus enhancement and expansion will remain both strategic to the institutional mission and in harmony with the interests and resources of the greater community.

Portions of such expansion include the much-anticipated Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), a new Shakespeare Theatre, a business building, university housing and athletic facility enhancements.

SUUs campus has developed with a keen eye to its uniquely beautiful surrounding environment and natural resources. Future campus enhancement and expansion will remain both strategic to the institutional mission and in harmony with the interests and resources of the greater community.

Portions of such expansion include the much-anticipated Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), a new Shakespeare Theatre, a business building, university housing and athletic facility enhancements.

Since its inception, SUU has worked to provide outreach services for economic and regional development, partnering with various organizations to enhance the greater community.

Additional support for such endeavors will enhance and expand community services across the region and state, as well as prompt our students to commit to a wider sphere of service and good will.

Since its inception, SUU has worked to provide outreach services for economic and regional development, partnering with various organizations to enhance the greater community.

Additional support for such endeavors will enhance and expand community services across the region and state, as well as prompt our students to commit to a wider sphere of service and good will.

This final objective will facilitate the Universitys ability to meet a wide range of additional and shifting needs through a variety of gifting programs, including the SUU Fund, deferred gifts and bequests on which the University can appropriately plan for its future needs.

Additionally, the Emerging Opportunities arm of this campaign will designate increased annual funding for SUUs established partners, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games and the Thunderbird Athletic Club.

This final objective will facilitate the Universitys ability to meet a wide range of additional and shifting needs through a variety of gifting programs, including the SUU Fund, deferred gifts and bequests on which the University can appropriately plan for its future needs.

Additionally, the Emerging Opportunities arm of this campaign will designate increased annual funding for SUUs established partners, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Summer Games and the Thunderbird Athletic Club.

PRIORITY 1 ENRICHING STUDENT LIFE

ExperienceTheFrom its very beginning, when the Branch Normal Schools founders gambled all they had to build a schoolhouse in the dead of winter in order to bring higher

education to Cedar City, SUU was destined to be different.

One-hundred-fifteen years later, the University firmly stands

apart from the rest of the states schools, thanks to a more

comprehensive academic experience built to accommodate

the individual interests of every student.

Above all else, the SUU Experience is just that: an

experienceto expand the classroom into real world settings

that allow for active learning and valuable professional

exposure. Recent initiatives speak to this resolve as

administrators, professors and even student leaders redouble

efforts to give our students a hands-on, personalized

education that better prepares them for professional success.

Fittingly named, experiential learning is now a core

component to SUUs undergraduate curriculum. Moving

forward, every student will gain real-world experience in

addition to classroom studies. Every student will leave SUU

not only with a diploma but also with a body of work as

testament to his or her knowledge and skills.

To ensure every student has access to such opportunities,

various centers have been created across campus to facilitate

experiential learning.



| Enriching Student Life |

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe capacity and desire of our students is inspiring. At the heart of these efforts,

the Community Engagement Center aims to help students help others and make a

difference.

One such student, RaeLynn Perez, worked through SUUs Service and

Learning Center to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. Perez, who is

studying to become an occupational therapist, knew she would enjoy the work

of building a home for a family in need but was surprised at everything else that

came with the experience.

I learned about tiling, grouting and insulation, but I learned so much more

by watching our project leaders as they worked with groups of completely

inexperienced college students, teaching them something new. I learned that

even leaders need to be open to ideas from others, and I have been much more

successful working with others in study groups and class projects since. I really

value patience and communication a whole lot more.

As our students serve others, they learn valuable skills and life lessons that

hold true across disciplines. And they realize their own potential for good in

ways they may never have otherwise considered.

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Global Engagement Center aims to provide learning

on an international scale by providing access to safe,

intellectually stimulating communities in a variety of

locations worldwide. This is something students seek out

more and more as they prepare for future, global professions.

Far beyond the obvious cultural learning curve, the

opportunity to live and study abroad teaches students

about their capacity to learn and adapt, according to Alex

Taylor, who spent 10 months studying in Austria.

Taylor explains, While on exchange, I was required to

take a class that was mainly in German. I wasnt fluent in

the language and the class was extremely difficult for me.

But I worked with the professor, sought out extra help and

stuck it out. With a little determination, I was able to pass

the class and now, when faced with a difficult challenge, I

know that there is always a way to succeedits just up to

me to put in the time and effort to make it happen.

LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Leadership Engagement Center provides learning

experiences aimed at refining critical thinking, clear

communication and a deep sense of personal integrity and

social responsibilitytraits valued in every field and the

marks of great potential for the good of all.

In this pursuit, students work through individual

leadership projects that are a great marker of our students

potential. In one example, a first-generation college

student wishes to help others like herself by setting up a

high school student support group. Her goal is to increase

access to the knowledge and tools that will help young

students persist to and through college. For another

student, a model rocket enthusiast, leadership expresses

itself in her work to coordinate travel, team activities

and competition logistics for the American team in an

international model rocketry competition to be held in

Slovakia later this year.

Of these projects and many others, director of the

Leadership Center, Dr. Katy Herbold, said, Though we

are still in process, as proposals were just accepted at the

beginning of the spring 2012 semester, we have already

seen so much growth as students begin to think on a larger

scale and of the impact of their actionsthey begin to give

their ideas much more weight as we show them all that

they can do with them. Its amazing.



HARRY REID OUTDOOR ENGAGEMENT CENTERThe Outdoor Engagement Center takes the classroom

into the great outdoors by facilitating unique projects and

partnerships that help students build success doing the

very things they already love.

One such student is senior outdoor recreation, parks

and tourism major Megan Taylor, who took a semester off

from her traditional studies in 2011 to hike the Appalachian

Trail. Taylor spent January through August preparing for

the experience on campus with the help of her professors

and ultimately hiked half of the trail from September

through December.

Of the experience, Taylor, who aims to be a mountain

guide and outdoor recreation professor one day, said, I

am someone who learns best through hands-on work, so I

really had to get out there and do it myself.

Taylor used the experience to complete her practicum

hours and was responsible for all logistics and preparation,

breaking the project down into concrete goals with a

feasible time line. The result, according to Taylor: Learning

at its best.

She continues, This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience;

not a lot of people have hiked over 1,000 miles, and

the experience really tested and

solidified everything I have learned

over the past few years.

CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT CENTER

The Creative and Innovative

Engagement Center aims to prepare

SUUs students to implement

innovative ideas across every

discipline. Reaching far beyond

the obviousthe performing and

visual arts, poetry and fiction

by its shortened moniker, the

Creativity Center is just that: a

meeting place for the resources

and people devoted to finding new

ideas and solutions.

The newest of all the Universitys

experiential education pursuits, the

Center is in just its second semester, though you wouldnt

guess it based on the truly great ideas its students are

generating. And the Centers director, Dr. Todd Petersen,

is not at all surprised, explaining, Our students have

interests and skills and experience that go well beyond

what we get to see in the classroom.

Petersen is clearly excited at the idea that they have

found a meaningful, new way to help students connect

their work with the rest of their life.

One such example comes from senior integrated

engineering major Tyler Richardson, who plans to build an

entire wind power generating station out of spare parts. His

goal is to build the station at little to no cost, and plans to test

his creation next winter to see if it can power his Christmas

tree lights throughout the season. But it doesnt stop there.

Petersen has encouraged Richardson to think bigger,

explaining, If we open source the plans, and if its

buildable with parts that are broadly available, this one

students idea has a whole lot of potential for good in third

world countries.

Petersen adds, Hes starting as a tinkerer, but this is an

opportunity to teach him about the broader world and all

that tinkerers have been and could be able to do.



UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Program (UGRASP) supports

hands-on research and exploration at the undergraduate level, helping students

develop new skills and experience the thrill of discovery; connect with peers

as well as professionals who have similar interests; and gain confidence, using

their research experience to help direct and support future academic and

career endeavors.

For Roger Leavitt, a geology major who will head to the University of

Oklahoma to study petroleum geology after graduating this spring, this high

level of undergraduate research made all the difference.

Said Leavitt, Not only did the time I spent in my field-based project give me

a better idea of what I can expect of my future, but it allowed me to spend a lot

more time in the field than most students at my levelthis was, in my opinion,

the reason I was accepted to multiple graduate schools.

For many students, research experience is the tipping point when it comes to

the bid for coveted graduate school positions. At larger schools, though research

abounds, student positions on such projects are often reserved for graduate

students. Because of this, SUU students often come into the graduate application

process with an edge over many of their peers. That edgein both the academic

and professional worldsis the whole point of experiential education.

MICHAEL O. LEAVITT CENTER FOR POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICEThe non-partisan Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service prepares

students for careers in public service by helping them understand and navigate the

forces at work within their area of interest and discover opportunities to get involved

through leadership, experiential learning, citizenship education, humanitarian

service and public policy research.

Above all else, according to Jay Sorensen, this years student director, the

overall goal for us students within the Leavitt Center is, well, experience.

Sorensen was first given an internship to work at the state capitol during the 2011

legislative session. Once he returned to campus, he applied to be student director.

This position, says Sorensen, has given me more experience than I ever expected.

Ive learned delegation, planning, diplomacy and much more that will help me in a

professional setting.

Sorensen credits his experiences through the Leavitt Center for his success

securing an internship in Washington DC this summer where, according to the

graduating senior, Ill hopefully find a job and be able to stay.

When asked how he felt about his prospects, Sorensen said, I have been fortunate

to create a network and gain experience that I know will serve me throughout my

life. Im excited.


To listen to Southern

Utah University Director of

Development Lori Blackner talk

about those who give and those

who receive scholarship funds

is to share in a feeling of both

wonder and warmth.

Blackner, whos worked with

donors for nearly 15 years, often

shows a bit of emotion when

she meets people who, it would

appear, dont have a great deal of

personal resources themselves,

but nevertheless wish to give in

order to help students, also in need, reach their goals.

Many people who are negatively affected by todays

economy seem to want even more to help others, and its

clear that education is dear to them, she says. Truly the

most wonderful part of this job is meeting charitable people

and then, also, meeting the students who are so grateful

that theres someone who cares enough to help them.

Blackner says that this duality of her job inspires her:

the act of giving and the act of receiving are so uplifting.

Beyond the obvious financial

help, it truly helps students to know

that there is someone behind them,

someone who cares enough to help

and support them, she says. It

is a powerful emotional boost to a

student to receive a scholarship from

donated funds.

Truly, Southern Utah Universitys greatest asset is its

students, but more than 75 percent require financial

support. As a result, the Universitys top campaign priority

is raising general scholarship funds for students in need.

The goal is $15 million for scholarships.

The benefits are truly endless, as the student who

receives a scholarship today becomes the donor to

a scholarship tomorrow. Gifts can establish a chain

of philanthropy that extends

far beyond the lifetimes of

those who give. Moreover, the

positive difference made in

the world by those who have

earned a university degree truly

magnifies the scholarship gift,

perhaps by generations.

It is important to note that

Southern Utah University

continues to have more than

a quarter of its young adults

enrolled qualify as first-

generation students. Some come

from homes where education may not be the most

important focus or funding is difficult to obtain. Some

have had to overcome internal familial challenges along

with academic and financial obstacles that typically

prevent or postpone them from obtaining a college

degree. College graduates typically earn substantially

more than high school graduates and wage earning

capacity affects the overall quality of life for not only the

individual but also for their families and communities in

which they live.

Additionally, SUU actively seeks the

best and brightest students who are

also sought by other fine colleges and

universities. When SUU enrolls the

most talented and motivated students,

the undergraduate experience is

heightened for all. Gifted students serve as role models

and academic leaders; they raise the bar for other students

in terms of what they aspire to achieve, and improve the

overall intellectual climate of the SUU community. But,

there is keen competition among colleges and universities

to recruit and retain such students.

One such student is TJ Nelson of Layton, Utah, who,

approaching graduation from high school, knew that he

could make a difference in his collegiate career and in


LEARNING GIVES FOREVERHOW SCHOLARSHIPS HELP T-BIRDS TAKE FLIGHT

the student who receives a scholarship today becomes the donor to a scholarship tomorrow.


the world beyond. He had a choice

of schools positioned to provide

scholarship aid. Thanks in part to

a competitive scholarship, he chose

SUU and immediately dove into a

myriad of activities in addition to

his business classes. Today, he is the

student body president and, beyond

his studies, gives a great deal of his

time in his fellow students aid. He

is quick to emphasize that without

a scholarship, this would not have

been possible.

While any amount can, when

applied to the gifts of others, aid

in scholarship funds, an endowed

scholarship is the most solid means

of support for students. With an

endowed scholarship, donors can

create a fund that is invested each

year, producing annual income used

for scholarship aid. The principal

remains intact, ensuring that the

fund continues in perpetuity. It

can be established by five years of

$5,000 gifts.

Non-endowed scholarships entail a

smaller annual gift, and contributions

can be added to the fund by the

initial donor or by others, including

family, friends or employers.

These scholarships may be

established in the name of an

individual, family, company,

organization or group. These

scholarships also may be a way to

honor or memorialize an alumnus,

faculty or staff member, student,

family member or others who may

have a special connection to SUU.

Whatever gifts are donated,

benefactors are assured that a

grateful student will be closer to the

dream of a university education. (ABOVE) TJ Nelson, SUU student body president & scholarship recipient

Glen Halterman of Parowan did not have the opportunity to attend a university, but that never stopped

him from making a marked difference in his community, and it doesnt stop him from supporting Southern

Utah University and its students.

After graduating from Cedar High School, Glen worked at the iron mines west of town and when the

mines closed, bought a farm. Along the way, he served his community, sitting on the Iron County School

Board, the Iron County Commission and in the mayors chair in Parowan.

But he always kept his eye on the local university and he and his wife Renee often talked about

endowing a scholarship for SUU students in need. Upon Renees death in 2003, Glen decided to follow through on that idea and established

the Glen L. and Renee Halterman Scholarship for students majoring in agriculture.

Ive always been a great believer in people, he says, and all of us need a chance to excel. Although Im retired from farming now, I was

fortunate in my productive years and this is an opportunity to help others.

Glen says that he often is visited by students hes helped and he tells them that his giving helps him as much as it helps them. It gives

me great joy, he says.

leadinG tHe WaY

CONTRIBUTE TOSUU SCHOLARSHIPS

CONTACT LORI BLACKNER

(435) [email protected]



T he college experience has as much to do with a students adventures outside of the classroom as it does with the learning gleaned from professors and textbooks. For most, the move to college is a young adults first step into the adventures and trials that come along with living on ones own, and the friends and experiences that surround a student do much to either

advance or impede success. To safeguard success, University Housing offers much more than a simple warm bed and sturdy

roof; it provides staff, programming and facilities that enhance academics and help residents connect with like-minded peers

and mentors. A growing trend across college campuses nationwide, Learning Communities place students with similar

academic or social interests within close proximity of one another in a supportive, safe environment with special access to

SUU professors and staff, exclusive programming and services, and invites to targeted social events, all at no additional cost.

Students who live in University-sponsored learning communities are best positioned for academic success.

Art & Design Hall Students stay in touch with the campus and local arts

communities as they draw inspiration and encouragement

from a community of artists and friends.

Global Village Students who are interested in exploring new cultures

will develop a broader global awareness surrounded by

students from all over the world in a friendly community

that values cultural diversity.

Honors Hall Honors Hall surrounds honors students with similarly

high achieving peers, setting the stage for academic

success with roommates and neighbors who understand

the highest academic demands.

Language & Culture Community This learning community immerses students in the

foreign languages and cultures they will be studying,

providing opportunities for daily conversational learning.

Outdoor Adventures Learning Community Students who seek outdoor adventure as part of the SUU

experience will build lasting memories with their peers as

they together develop leadership and adventure skills.

Rural Health Scholars Hall Ambitious pre-health students are placed together in

an engaging community that provides advising as well

as service, leadership and research opportunities in the

early years of a long academic venture.

Service Hall The Service Hall brings students together who are

interested in making a difference in the lives of others,

keeping these civic-minded scholars apprised of service

opportunities, extracurricular activities and other

programming to get involved and make an impact.

Transfer & Graduate Community Students coming to SUU from another college or

university will enjoy meeting peers with similar academic

backgrounds and thrive with a support group of fellow

T-Birds who are just beginning their SUU adventure.

LIVE & LEARN Learning communities help position students for academic success

www.suu.edu/risingS U U A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 15


PRESERVING the ARTS

PRIORITY 2 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Youd be hard-pressed to find someone more excited about her job than Elementary Arts Education Endowed Chair Carrie Trenholm (85). Perhaps this is because she sees, more than most, her ability to make a difference.

Her sincere enthusiasm is infectious, and one conversation

with Carrie leaves you feeling

hopeful that, despite the red

tape surrounding legislative

budgeting and the pull on

creative teachers operating

under rigid system-wide

assessments, everything will

be all right and kids will yet

paint and sing and dance in our

public schools.

Whats more, because they

paint and sing and dance,

they will excel in the reading,

writing and arithmetic that

drives education reforms.

Trenholm is tireless and hopeful because she truly

believes there is no better way. She has read the studies and

done the research and, in the end, she moves forward in

certainty with one simple aim: keep the arts in our schools.

And she is succeeding, largely thanks to a similar passion

from Beverley Taylor Sorenson who first imagined and

then funded an educational partnership unlike any other,

creating endowed chairs in arts

education at each of Utahs top

four universities.

At the state level, Sorensons

efforts have spurred a lasting

overhaul of elementary

arts curriculum, the likes of

which have garnered national

attention as both revolutionary

and ingenious.

Raised on the arts in a family

of musicians, Sorenson decried

the No Child Left Behind


| Academic Excellence |

legislation that shifted resources

away from the arts and physical

education for math and readings

sake. What Sorenson sensed and

what research has now proven, is

that the sciences without creative

applicability are often frustrating

and inaccessible to young learners,

resulting in declining academic

achievement, increased behavioral

problems and rising absenteeism.

So in 1997, Sorenson took matters

into her own hands.

I decided if I couldnt immediately

bring the arts back into the schools

in their own right, I could at least

train the teachers to use art as a

tool to help teach everything else,

explained Sorenson.

So she sought out the very best

arts education specialists she could

findTrenholm among themand

funded their positions at universities

best known for producing high

quality schoolteachers.

To date, Sorenson has invested

millions upon millions of her own

money to fund arts programs in Utah

elementary schools, and her family

foundation, the Sorenson Legacy

Foundation, has given millions more to

Southern Utah University (along with

the University of Utah, Brigham Young

University, Utah State University and

Westminster College) to create new

programs to train future art teachers.

More broadly, the Sorenson family has

given much in the name of genetic

research, youth services and the deaf.

Yet in all of this, it is in the arts

education endowed chairs that Beverley

Sorenson takes the most pride.

And for good reason. In the past

14 years, these endowed chairs

have done the legwork to create and

sustain the Beverley Taylor Sorenson

Arts Learning Program which,

under the direction of the Utah Arts

Council and the Utah State Office of

Education, utilizes teacher training

from the states leading universities

to provide quality arts learning

in Utahs elementary schools

through continuing education for

all interested educators as well as

oversight to the programs in-school

arts specialists. To date, Sorensons

program has been successfully

implemented in 59 schools and 20

districts across the state.

Leading SUUs charge in this

endeavor, Trenholms impact is

evident. In the past year alone, she

has provided direct professional

development to more than 275

teachers and principals through

workshops, conferences and

in-service training. She has taught

2,184 schoolchildren with integrative

arts activities of her own design. And

she has led more than 170 of her own

elementary education students from

SUU in designing and implementing

similar learning activities that pair

the arts and sciences. Such efforts

amass to more than 8,000 young

students across southern Utah who

have benefitted from Trenholms

enthusiasm and expertise as the

Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts

Education Endowed Chair.

An endowed chair is among

the most important gifts to higher

educationa vital tool to promote

academic excellence by providing

invaluable support for use in research,

teaching or service activities. Carrie

Trenholm is a shining example of all

that can come from such support.

Our professors have amazing skills, a

wealth of knowledge and boundless

creativity; with the proper backing,

their potential for good is limitless.


Endowed chairs and professorships

are a hallmark of a great university

and are sought for a handful of

critical reasons. While an endowed

chair or professorship brings with it

a financial gain for the institution,

and one that eases strain on current

resources, the establishment of such

honorific and fruitful positions also

brings prestige to the University,

aids in recruiting the most talented

students, and most certainly raises

the overall quality of the primary

mission of the University: teaching.

The practice of endowing chairs

and professorships began in England

in 1502, when Lady Margaret Beaufort,

Countess of Richmond, mother of King

Henry the Seventh and grandmother

to the future King Henry the Eighth,

created the first endowed chairs in

divinity at Oxford and Cambridge.

Nearly 50 years later, Henry the Eighth

established the Regius Professorships

at both universities.

Thus far, there is only one endowed

chair at SUU (the Beverley Taylor

Sorenson Arts Education Endowed

Chair) but it is the goal of The Future

Is Rising campaign to establish an $8

million fund for endowed chairs and

endowed professorships, split equally.

Such endowments would allow

for the hiring and retention of the

best faculty and recognize, foster

and sustain academic excellence

among the faculty. The University

seeks to attract, reward and retain

distinguished faculty, leaders,

scholars and artists of national and

international reputation to occupy an

Endowed Chair or a Professorship as

one of the highest forms of recognition

provided by the University.

An endowed chair or professorship

impacts educational quality for a long

period of time and in multiple ways,

says Shauna Mendini, dean of the

College of Performing and Visual

Arts. From a faculty perspective,

there is prestige to those holding an

endowed position and it can be used

to reward or recruit the best and

brightest from the academic world to

strengthen student learning.

The income from the endowment

is used for salary supplements to

reward and retain distinguished

faculty members or to recruit top

professors from other institutions.

The intention is to provide the

holder of the endowed chair with the

resources necessary to continue the

scholars contribution to teaching,

research and public service.

Donors who generously endow

chairs know that they are not only

ensuring academic excellence in

teaching and research today, but

that theirs is truly a gift to the

future. Endowed chairs are living

memorials, signifying a permanent

commitment to quality education.

ExcellenceEndowed chairs & professorships raise quality of students and teachers alike

ExcellenceFURNISHED FOR


SUU Communication professor

Dr. Jon M. Smith is working as a

Fulbright Scholar at the University

of Swaziland-Kwaluseni (UNISWA)

in the Kingdom of Swaziland in

southern Africa, where he is lecturing,

conducting research and producing

video documentary during the

20112012 school year. Smith began

teaching in Swaziland in August

2011 and is on sabbatical leave from

SUU during this assignment. He will

return to SUU in August 2012.

Smith served as communication

department chair at SUU before

coming to Swaziland, where

he is teaching journalism and

broadcasting classes.

Smith introduced his students to

television news production and, for

the first time ever, provided video

coverage of the universitys annual

graduation, involving the countrys

ruling monarch, King

Mswati III. He arranged

for the first-ever student

media credentials and security

clearance for students to cover

the event.

While there is one independent

newspaper in the country, Swaziland

has a largely state-controlled media.

Part of Smiths Fulbright assignment

involves providing consultation to

the media industry, promoting open

access and understanding among

industry professionals, as well as his

UNISWA colleagues and students.

Because UNISWAs department of

journalism and mass communication

does not have the resources for a

student newspaper nor television or

radio stations, Smith is utilizing the

internet for program and content

distribution. UNISWA Today on

Facebook is this new media outlet

for campus news, photographs and

videos. Though the areas technology

is outdated by American standards,

Smith has pushed his students with

new media to better prepare them for

the field at large.

In addition to teaching, Smith is

working on several documentaries

while abroad. The first, tentatively

titled Park Neighbors,

compares the people

who live near and

work in national parks in

southern Africa with those in

southern Utah. Smiths wife, Anne

Smith, adjunct SUU professor in

Outdoor Recreation and Tourism,

is co-producing that documentary

because of her expertise in national

park issues.

Another documentary which

Smith worked on in free time, titled

Saints in Swaziland, explores the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-

day Saints humanitarian and

missionary efforts in Swaziland.

Smith collaborated with KSL-TV in

Salt Lake City on the documentary

which aired on KSL-TV between

sessions of the LDS Church General

Conference in April 2012.

For both documentaries Smith

captured the life and culture of

Swazi people as well as many

extraordinary animals.

SMITH INSWAZILAND




In 1898, Branch Normal School founding faculty member George W. Decker

quietly paid the first of many tuition balances for students whose financial

circumstance jeopardized their education. This selfless act was the beginning

of a sincere concern for the success of our students that continues among the

Universitys faculty today.

Southern Utah Universitys history is rife with stories of teachers who have

gone the extra mile to help a struggling student or to challenge a successful

one. And though each student who tells the tale of a professor who invited

them into their home for a warm meal with family and additional help

studying for exams claims theirs is surely the ultimate example of a professors

extraordinary commitment, the situation repeats again and again, with

different students and various professors across generations and disciplines

testament to a learning community that, above all else, is wholly committed

to its students.

To them I was a person, not just another face in the crowd.

More than a century has passed

since Decker anonymously cleared

the debt of struggling students,

and while much has changed, the

SUU facultys level of commitment

to both students and field has

not once wavered, as evidence by

grateful commendations of alumni

across the ages.

In 2004, as a freshman nursing

student prepared to give up after an

impossibly challenging first semester,

Donna Lister, head of SUU Nursing,

redoubled her efforts with that one

student amidst pressing demands

and responsibilities surrounding

the fledgling program. Said Amber

(Bowler) Chapman (06), Donna

was certainly not obligated to invest

any more effort into my education,

as I was about to drop the program,

but she refused to let me give up

and supported me personally over

the next four years. Donna was my

cheerleader and I couldnt have done

it without her.

Similar sentiments were expressed

by alumni Cliff Yardley (59) and

Nancy Head (77). Said Yardley, By

his example, Dr. Phil Ogden taught

me about the importance of caring

about and helping other people.

And of Professor Gary McIntyre

(62), Head said, He had a way of

making me and all those students

he worked with feel like there wasnt

anything we couldnt do if we worked

hard enoughand we believed him.

T raditionCOMMITMENT IS

Among them: George Decker

BNS faculty photo taken in 1912 in front of Old Main



Bryce Christensen as well as Jessica

Tvordi in English all made my

time at SUU amazing. They each

demonstrated such a passion for their

work, that I couldnt help but be

inspired and want to learn more.

To be an SUU professor is to be a

mentor, not merely a teacher, and as

Malissa Zierow (95) so eloquently

stated when speaking about several of her professors, To them I was a person,

not just another face in the crowd. They advised, directed and influenced me

to become the person and the teacher I wanted to become. I owe a great debt of

gratitude to them.

Clearly, our professors are the core of the Universitythe driving force behind

much of our progress and the heart of our commitment to every students

success. No matter how great our facilities and course offerings, the delivery

of a true SUU education rests upon the talents and expertise of our professors.

Unfortunately, retaining and recruiting top faculty is a major challenge in

what has become the highly competitive field of higher education. Faculty

support through competitive wages, professional development and individual

scholastic endeavors is vital in keeping the best professors from going elsewhere

and in recruiting additional world-class faculty members.

As we move forward, boosting academics and enhancing the personalized

learning environment through an experiential, personalized education

that will set SUU apart from the vast majority of all other public schools,

we place great weight on our facultythe professors who work with our

students day in and day outto deliver all that is promised in a Southern

Utah University education.

Beyond their impact for good upon students, a great professor has the power

to positively influence their colleagues with energy, enthusiasm and creative

example. Great faculty members step forward as leaders, seeking to become

involved across campus and to strengthen the broader college experience each

of our students receive.

With a commitment to their students and a passion to advance their field,

every one of our 253 full-time faculty have in them the drive and potential

necessary to change lives; our job is to provide the resources and professional

support they need to hone their very best skills and ideas to the benefit of

their students.

Our professors concern for

their students is matched with

a commitment to their discipline

that inspires the students under

their tutelage.

Said Ron Proctor (74), Professor

Richard Dotson brought challenging

science topics to life. You couldnt

help but be drawn in by his

enthusiasm for the things we were

talking about.

Oftentimes, such enthusiasm was

evidence in many professors across a

single students course of studies, as

was the case for Kirstin Bone(11).

Christine Frezza in theatre, Matt

Nickerson in the Honors Program,

The individualized education SUU students enjoy is thanks to small class sizes and faculty who genuinely care about each students success.


The library of the 21st Century

still contains stacks filled with

books and racks of magazines

and journals. But, to hold all of

the information available through

physical means, the Sherratt Library

would have to be vastly larger and

more costly. Thus, the library of

todays information age depends

largely upon digital resources as

well as on its paper collection.

While the Sherratt Librarys

resources are voluminous, such

materials fall short of facilities at

peer institutions. As a whole, the

University has long been measured

against its in-state peer institutions,

but the library, alone among the

entities of the University, is judged

by a national body against those of

other schools.

Again, the library of today is

built to a great extent by digital

resources. While Wikipedia

and other such sites around the

Internet may be helpful to the

curious web surfer, scholars and

researchers require access to

expensive peer reviewed databases

to support their studies. When such

digital resources are taken into

consideration, the Sherratt Library

is falling behind. According to

the dean of the library, John Eye,

subscriptions to some necessary

databases can run as high as

$30,000 per year, and the cost

of essential digital materials far

exceeds SUUs ability to pay with

state-provided funds alone.

To be sure, the Sherratt Library has

a strong following, and individuals

and groups such as the Friends of the

Library are invested in the librarys

success. But more aid is needed. As

part of The Future Is Rising campaign, a

goal of $2 million has been established

to bolster library acquisitions and

to expand the figurative walls of

the library even further, with more

information for all.

500

400

300

200

100

0expenditure dollars per

student

books andpaper collection

in thousands

Opening the Windows of Enlightenment

437.

32

403,

188

254.

77

288,

778

100

80

60

40

20

0

10 Schools MedianComparable to SUU

SUU

FTE Students

70.2

3

41.9

4



Experiential education is touted as the cornerstone of a Southern Utah University education. In this, our aim is simple: prepare students for professional success with hands-on experience. Yet, in most fields, such experience is impossible without the proper tools of the trade, and the University often upgrades technologies and equipment to facilitate hands-on

learning that will propel students into rapidly advancing fields. A small sampling of instructional wish list items from across

campus speaks to the pressing need for ongoing support in this area.

LES JONES TESTING & ANALYSIS LAB There are two closely connected variables when it comes to psychological diagnosis

and treatment: the mind and the body. Professor Les Jones has helped students

make these connections to better understand human behavior for the past 43 years.

In his honor, we will expand hands-on psychophysiological research at SUU by

providing broader access to clinical assessment technologies, enhancing the student

experience by facilitating active learning and critical undergraduate research.

FOOD FOR THOUGHTThe belly rules the mind, according to a Spanish Proverb which holds true for

SUUs Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management (HRHM) students whose future

livelihoods may very much be determined by the food that they plate. With food

production courses required of all HRHM students, there is a pressing need for

dedicated, on-campus space and commercial equipment to improve learning.

PAST MEETS FUTUREWith much yet to be learned from the past, the Sherratt Library seeks to digitize

its vast collection of artifacts to make them accessible to a much broader and far-

spread audience for everything from academic research to family history. Currently,

however, the Sherratt Library is lacking the technology to archive large format and

fragile materials, thus limiting access to many important historical holdings.

SCHOOLING THE TEACHERS OF TOMORROWWith standard learning practices that increasingly incorporate technology into at all

levels of education, teachers must keep pace with the tech savvy of students who

have been raised on technology. To best prepare tomorrows educators, the college

of Education must lead the way in classroom technology, steadily incorporating the

latest and greatest in learnings sake.

THE NEW PAPER & INKTodays burgeoning artists must possess much more than raw talent to succeed

professionally, and a students confident command of common yet expensive

artistic technologies will best ensure their work is both accessible and marketable.

Wider access to t Digitizers, the industry standard, will ensure every illustration

and design student is not just creative and skilled, but well prepared for professional

success in the very competitive, demanding field that is the arts.

PRIORITY 3 CAMPUS ENHANCEMENT & EXPANSION


sUU on tHe Rise: oUR GRoWinG CaMPUs

neW diXie leaVitt bUsiness bUildinGSUU teaches business using experiential education and student engagement and now needs a building that complements our efforts to blend theory and practice. That includes student breakout rooms for team projects, seminar rooms for case studies, advanced computer labs and an expanded service learning and investment lab so students can practice what we teach.

indooR RidinG aRenaA new, 22,990-square-foot covered riding arena to be located at the Valley Farm, will provide a safe, weather-proof venue for the teaching of a variety of equine courses. A covered arena will dramatically improve the safety and comfort of such classes, facilitating programmatic growth and lending notoriety to SUU equine studies.

football tURfSUU Athletics has upped its game in preparation for the fall 2012 move to the Big Sky Athletic Conference. With an increasingly impressive record and great potential to generate public support and revenue for the University, SUU Football will greatly benefi t from an improved fi eld of competition.

www.suu.edu/rising

| Campus Enhancement & Expansion |


sHaKesPeaRe tHeatRe

The new Shakespeare theatre will allow for the same intimacy

and overall experience of the current Adams Memorial

Theatre, yet allow the Utah Shakespeare Festival to expand

its season and performances.

sUMaThe Southern Utah Museum of Art will become a major year-round regional cultural attraction, with education central to its purpose of exhibiting, collecting and preserving historic and contemporary works of art signifi cant of the interior American West. The nationally-accredited museum will be staffed and operated by students in a shared research and learning environment mentored by faculty and staff in an applied learning program unique in the world.

sCienCe CenteRThe Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Science and

Engineering is partially housed in the now complete L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Center for Health and Molecular

Sciences, a 42,385-square-foot addition that provides state-of-the-art laboratories and similar spaces to prepare students for their futures in the sciences.


FREHNER MUSEUM of natural history

PRIORITY 4 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History within the L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Center for Health and Molecular Sciences opened its doors to the

public on April 2 to an eager campus as well as the whole

of the regional community who will now benefit from the

museums growing collection of animals, fossils, plants,

minerals and archeological discoveries. By its mission, the

museum exists to increase public understanding of the

biology, geology and anthropology of southwestern Utah.

With a focus on early learning, the museums initial target

is for K-12 learning and will house, in addition to a wide

variety of specimens, many hands-on exhibits and activities

for youth. Steadfast believers in the value of education,

the Frehners have sought to use their knack for big game

hunting to bring new insight about the natural world. In

this pursuit, the museum will also serve as a central vehicle

of support for broader educational opportunities, special

events and local initiatives concerning the natural history

and present-day conditions of southern Utah.


The natural wonders that surround usbig and smallwarrant re ection

and protection. There is much to see and learn as we continue to build the museums programming and collection. Track our progress on Facebook: Garth & Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History.

28 I N V I E W

| Community Engagement |

THE FUTURE IS RISING THE CAMPAIGN FOR SUU

Southern Utah is widely regarded

as a special place, blessed with

wondrous scenery, open-hearted

people and a culture of dedication

to education and advancement.

As an important element in the

region, Southern Utah University

is an enthusiastic partner as well

as a committed leader in the

broader community in which it

resides. To that end, and with an

eye to the future, the University

takes seriously its charge to grow

promising community initiatives for

the benefit of all.

Engagement in the community

takes many forms, largely via the

Office of Regional Services, but

beyond that, the University prides

itself on investment in the Small

Business Resource Center, the Center

for Applied Research and Advanced

Technology, the Outdoor Institute and

the states only Hispanic Center for

Academic Excellence. Through these

initiatives, Southern Utah University

strives to make a difference in the

quality of life in the region it serves

as representatives of those programs

work together to ensure their success.

A chief need for support through

The Future Is Rising campaign is in

operating expenses for the Business

Resource Center, located on Main

Street in the historic downtown

of Cedar City. The Center assists

businesses with a wide variety of

aids to help them achieve success

and grow the economy of the region.

Representatives in the area of

community engagement include

not only faculty and staff, but

also students. SUUs students are

encouraged to become contributing

members of the communities in

which they work and live. Thus,

the University provides ample

opportunity for active participation

in projects and initiatives on and off

campus. Such partnerships provide

unique learning environments in

which SUUs students can thrive.

With $2 million in support through

The Future Is Rising campaign, SUU

and its partners will enhance and

expand community services across

the region and the state.

SUUs Hispanic Center for Academic Excellence is an important resource for a significant segment of the

Universitys students, but, more than that, it is a valuable addition to the community at large as its staff

and students work to improve the lives of Hispanics in the area.

Center students tutor Hispanic youth and enable families to gain better access to resources and

educational opportunities as they travel to schools throughout the region to address such needs.

Most important, says Center director Dr. Rosanita Cespedes, is that Hispanic youth and their parents

learn a new paradigm that includes the very real possibility of a higher education.

Many of these families face a very real barrier in that they have no idea how to navigate toward higher

education, or that it is even a possibility she says. This goes beyond an issue of language. It is a failure to

see or understand the opportunities for their children.

With support through The Future Is Rising campaign, the Center will expand its quest to address the

challenges families face in acclimating to life in southern Utah and integrating into educational systems.

sUU HisPaniC CenteR

Rosanita Cespedes, Director of Hispanic Center for Academic Excellence

beYondCaMPUs

91,57991,579

4444A N U M E R I C A L S L I C E O F S O U T H E R N U TA H U N I V E R S I T Y S C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T

TALLYT-BIRD

162162162162162

1,5601,560

9,9679,967

120,000120,000

808023,40323,403


hours of community service by SUU students were documented in the Universitys bid for the U.S. Presidents Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

non-profi t and community organizations have partnered with the Civic Engagement Center and Center for Rural Health to provide service opportunities for SUU students91 from Cedar City, 41 from across Utah and 30 on a national or international level.

students labored across Iron County in SUUs annual Service Saturday for incoming freshmen.

athletes participated in the 2011 Utah Summer Games, ranging in age from two to 85 years old.

tickets were sold during the Utah Shakespeare Festivals 2011 season.

sports comprise upcoming Utah Summer Games competition, which will run June 7July 1, 2012 in Cedar City.

gallons of soup are served on the fi rst Monday of every month in the traditional Bread & Soup Nite service activity, netting an average of 950 cans of food donations for the campus HOPE Pantry and the Iron County Care and Share.

pounds of food for the Iron County Care and Share was collected by SUUs student-athletes in the Summit Leagues annual Food Fight service competition.


THE SUU FUND HELPS BRIDGE THE GAPEveryone, Every Year is both

the slogan and goal of the SUU Fund,

which supplements scholarships

and other needful programs of the

campus. The collected funds are

expended in full every year, so that

Brad Bishop (93), SUUs director of

annual giving, starts at zero each

July while students have benefited

over the previous year by the gifts

of alumni, friends, the community

and businesses.

While donors often channel their

gifts to programs that mean the

most to them, unrestricted gifts made

annually to the University provide the

steady support to weather economic

downturns and dwindling state

support. These funds can be spent

immediately and allow the University

to address needs as they arise.

Annual gifts enable the University

to provide scholarships that

will attract the best students and

support faculty/student research

projects. They improve the library

and computer labs as they enable

students and faculty to have access

to the most current information and

technology. Additionally, they support

the pursuit of excellence in athletics

and help provide culturally enriching

programs in arts, theater and vocal

and instrumental performance.

Donors to the SUU Fund respond

to direct mail requests or through

the annual phonathon from SUU

students. Additionally, and to

underscore its importance, faculty

and staff are strong supporters of

the SUU Fund, and 78 to 86 percent

of employees contribute to the Fund

each yeara figure among the

highest in the nation.

The Future Is Rising campaign

goal for the SUU Fund is $1 million.

An additional goal is $3 million

in deferred gifts to the University,

including life insurance gifts,

bequests by will or life estate gifts,

so that the future of the University is

made stronger.

PRIORITY 5 EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES

FOR MORE INFO ON THE SUU FUND

CONTACT BRAD BISHOP

(435) [email protected]


&There are myriad Southern Utah

University programs that advance

the institution in the realms of

achievement and renown. However,

two enduring SUU staples, in

particular, fulfill a number of

institutional goals while serving

as magnets for many thousands of

visitors each year and, importantly,

establishing new friendships.

The great numbers of students

and alumni who had first contact

with SUU through the Utah

Shakespeare Festival and the Utah

Summer Games is a tribute to the

vision behind these great events but

also to their efficacy and success.

While both are vibrant ingredients

of the institution, they transcend

the boundaries of SUU and Cedar

City and are truly important and

beloved dimensions of the state

of Utah as well. The University

has always treasured its role and

close association with both of these

inspired and inspiring offerings

that celebrate the human spirit and

enliven a vast community.

An added benefit to the

University through these two

programs is the opportunity for

students to gain valuable real-world

experience with well-respected and

nationally-recognized professional

organizations. This association

strengthens the primary mission of

the University to educate its students

through engagement.

In efforts to keep these programs

flourishing for participants and

constituents alike, the cost of tickets

and entry fees are maintained at a

reasonable level and staffs of each

are augmented by healthy numbers

of volunteers. However, both events

are costly to produce, and in order

to bridge the gap between costs and

revenues, each require the help of

generous partners and donors.

The Tony Award-winning Utah

Shakespeare Festival, now beginning

its sixth decade of excellence, seeks

continued financial support with

its annual fund to augment ticket

revenues as costs keep rising, while

the Utah Summer Games, now more

than a quarter-century old, relies

on gifts in addition to the generous

sponsorship of many.

Those who give to these programs

see their gifts as investments in the

future. Neither the Utah Summer

Games nor the Utah Shakespeare

Festival can remain static. Both

must continue to advance and to

serve expanding numbers of people

with ever-evolving programming

and activities.

&Experience, Education

Excitement THE USF & USG FULFILL A MYRIAD OF ROLES AT SUU

www.suu.edu/rising

32I N V I E W

Alumni FocusStay in touch with your former classmates and share in the celebration of your accomplishments through our online Class Notes webpage: suu.edu/alumni/classnotes

Galen West63, chemistry. Retired dentist. Sitka, AK & Halfway, OR

Where are you now?Enjoying retirement following

33 years as a dentist in Sitka and

13 years with a childrens practice

on the Yukon River. I have fished

commercially for salmon and halibut

in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering

Sea ever since I moved to Alaska.

What are your most valued accomplishments?

My family. I am married to a

wonderful lady from Kansas and

have four children: two commercial

fishermen in Alaska, a dentist in

Colorado and a wholesale marketer

in Southern California.

Which sUU employee impacted you?

Bessie Dover. While in the Navy

and hitchhiking home to Oregon, I

stopped in Cedar, found the campus

and met Bessie. She was so positive

about what CSU stood for and

strongly encouraged me to attend

when I got discharged. I did attend

and am forever grateful to her.

What are your most memorable accomplishments?

Being the first female justice of the

peace in Lincoln County, receiving

the Distinguished Jurist Award and

serving as president of the Nevada

Judges Association.

What did you gain from your sUU professors?

From Carol Johnson and A.W.

Stephenson, I learned about the

secretarial world; Mary Basto taught

me how to dress my home; V.R.

Magleby taught me in the biology of

the planet; Blaine Johnson inspired

me musically; and Vern Kupfer

opened the door to understand

human behavior. I am grateful for

all of these lessons.

What are your fondest sUU memories?

Assemblies, Phi Pho Omega &

Lamba Delta Sigma sororit ies,

operettas, kissing a special guy

under the auditoriums big pine

tree and making life long friends.

Pete GetKeR58, secretarial science. Senior justice of the peace for Nevada. Panaca, NV.

What are you doing now?Learning French for my new

position this summer with the U.S.

State Department in Paris, France. I

was previously with the political and

economic office in Dili, Timor-Leste.

How did you discover your career?

Professor Walser was very

influential. His stories about being

a legal attach at the embassy in

Mexico first peaked my interest

and prompted me to research

international career opportunities

with our government.

What professional memories stand out?

Serving my country as a soldier

in Operation Iraqi Freedom was a

life shaping experience. And my

most exciting days recently have

been passing the Virginia bar, being

accepted to the U.S. Foreign Service

and welcoming our third child.

What was a favorite college experience?

Helping organize scholarship

weekends with my fellow presidential

ambassadors. It was a fantastic

opportunity to brag about SUU.

CHRis CRaWfoRd04, criminal justice. State depart-ment vice-consul. Washington, D.C.


JoHn & natalie WateRsJohn: 87, accounting & theater arts. COO of Covington & Burling, LLP. Natalie: 87, music. Institute teacher and homemaker. Fairfax, VA

What are your most memorable professional accomplishments?

John established offices for his

firm in California, New York and

China. Three more are planned in

Asia and the Middle East. Natalie

helped establish The Youth Orchestra

of Fairfax and maintains her Chinese

fluency.

do you volunteer in your community?

We take a very active role in

supporting events associated either

with our church or with our children.

What is your favorite sUU memory?

Meeting each other. A mutual

friend introduced us. We were then

cast opposite each other in a theatre

production and the rest was history.

Our romance began in the auditorium

breezeway.

How do you share sUU? We encourage anyone exploring

universities in the West to consider

SUU. We quickly promote the high

qualities and unique learning

environment that SUU embraces.

RiCK & Heidi RobinsRick: 96, physical education. High school principal. Heidi: 95, elementary education. High school counselor. Nephi, UT.

What are your most recent pro-fessional accomplishments?

Rick was named Utah High School

Principal of the Year (2011-2012) from

the Utah Association of Secondary

School Principals.

Where was a favorite dating spot of yours during college?

We loved to watch movies at

Fiddlers movie theatre.

How do you keep your thunderbird pride alive?

We follow SUU Athletics, of course,

and our basement is full of SUU

memorabilia from our playing days

jerseys, paintings, pictures, blankets

and banners. We bleed T-Bird red!

What were your sUU highlights? Rick: Winning the football

conference championship in 1993,

becoming the all-time leading QB

passer in school history and having

44 consecutive starts.

Heidi: winning the basketball

conference championship and

defeating the University of Utah at

the Huntsman Center.

What have you been doing since graduation?

I received my MFA from Wayne

State and danced worldwide with the

Joffrey Ballet. I now work in higher

ed. as an educator and administrator.

Who at sUU most impacted your success?

Gerald Sherratt, hands down.

He cared about my growth

and development and gave me

opportunities. Pat Paystrup and

Gwen Grimes were knowledgeable,

tough, direct, and made me search

for things inside of me that I didnt

know I had.

What are your favorite sUU traditions?

The Utah Shakespeare Festival has

been my most constant connection

with SUU. But Homecoming is

becoming a regular tradition for me.

How do you keep your sUU pride alive?

Besides wearing Thunderbird red,

I give back to my alma mater and

support students in their education,

just like so many alumni did for me

when I was in school. Now more

than ever, scholarship support is

vitally important to students.

MiCHael andeRson89, communication. Associate V.P. for institutional advancement at Columbia College Chicago. Chicago, IL.

34I N V I E W

Thunderbirds far and wide continue to make their mark. We applaud the heights theyve reached and look forward to all that is yet to come.

S O A R I N G

GOLDEN VOICES

THE SAND MAN

HIGHER

HONORABLE SERVICE

3434I NI N VV I E W

HIGHER

Dr. Danielle Dubraskys collection of poetry, The Sand

Man won first place in the Utah Arts Council Original

Writing Competition. Dubrasky is a creative writing professor

and associate department chair within the Department of

English and has taught at SUU for the past 20 years.

Two SUU students as well as several staff members

and alumni returned to our campus community this

spring semester after a six-month deployment in Iraq

as part of the 222nd battalion. Our thanks to all of our

Thunderbird alumni and friends who sacrifice so much

to serve our nation.

SUU vocal students Taliah Lee Johnson and Geneil

Perkins were nominated for a 2012 Grammy as

contenders in the Best Choral Performance division for

their work on Seraphic Fires recording of Brahms: Ein

Deutsches Requiem.


GAINING SPEED

IN SUPPORT OF SPORT

THE QUETZALTENANGO PROJECT

AWARD-WINNING ROLE

UPHOLDING EDUCATION

STUDENT S F IRST

SUUs Cameron Levins ran to a first-place finish at the 2011 Canadian Cross Country Championships, finishing

the 10k course in 32:04. Just six days before, Levins recorded a fourth-place, All-American finish at the NCAA

Cross Country National Championships. The title is Levins second consecutive title after first capturing gold at

the 2010 Canadian National Championships. Levins is an Olympic contender in the 5,000 meters for Canada.

College of Education alumnus and Richfield High Schools current

athletic director and assistant principal Richard Barton (93) received the

Distinguished Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic

Administrators Association for his contributions at the local, state and

national levels.

SUU Gymnastics finished the 2011 season second in the nation in

academics with a team GPA of 3.8050. In addition to the second place

nod in the NCAA Academic National Championship, 12 of the teams 14

gymnasts also earned academic all-American citations.

SUU alumnus Paul Bottema (82) recently spent nine

months completing the stone and tile work inside the

LDS Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple. Inspired by

Mayan architecture, the Quetzaltenango Temple project

included the most extensive use of tile and stone that

Bottema has ever seen in the, now, 21 LDS temples that

include his craftsmanship.

The National Theatre Education Association (EdTA) recognized SUU

theatre alumna Jan Shelton (90) with its Lifetime Achievement Award

for her dedication to and promotions of educational theatre for more

than 20 years. Shelton was inducted into the EdTA Hall of Fame along

with just four other teachers from across the nation.

Education alumnus Jim Johnson (76) has

been named the Utah Superintendent of the

Year by the Utah School Superintendents

Association. Johnson has worked in

education for 36 years, as a coach, teacher,

principal and now superintendent for Iron

County School District.

36I N V I E W

Class NotesWed love to feature Thunderbird adventures far and wide in the next Class Notes. As you reconnect with your college pals, snap a pic and send it our way: [email protected]

(ABOVE) SUUSA Reunion this past fall. Front row, left to right: Dani Apo (02), Caytee Cox Wankier (08), Ryan Richey (03), Jennifer Davey Richey (03). Middle row, left to right: Heath Apo, Marilyn Hodson Boucher (02), Jessica Burr (07), Anna Davis (05), Andrea Dover (02), Heather Lattier (02). Back row, left to right: Natalie Richardson Leavitt (02), Jeric Leavitt (03), Jesse Holt (10), Kiersten Gray Holt (09), Thor, Zach Ludlow (03), Mindy Benson (94) Steve Kiisel (07), Tarrence Warenski (02), Wendy Warenski.

(ABOVE) Sisters from the Phi Rho Omega Sorority were on campus last summer for their annual reunion. Top row (left to right): Judy Cloward Christensen (73), Kathy Peterson Hadlock (72), Wendy Dubois Wilson (72 ), Linda Erickson Kay (72) and Susan Terry Maxfield. Front row (left to right): Sue Rickenbach Barney (69), JoAnn Martin Mikelson (72), Kathy Conder Fry ( 71), Kaye Eckersley Mitchell and Sandy Thalman Barney (72).

(ABOVE) Several Thunderbird Football Alumni attended the UNLV tailgate and football game football game Sept. 24. Among them were, left to right: Larry Wandel (02), Roosevelt Miller (98), Ben Fermon (80), Kit Janes (80) and Sean Holifield (96). SUU won 41-16.

(ABOVE) The tenth anniversary celebration of the Corn Dog Party was held during Septembers homecoming tailgate. The annual party (attended by hundreds) was started by college friends and has continued ever since. Friends of the Corn Dog organizers left to right are: Nicole Bingham Funderburk (00), Amy Swalberg Hughes (02), Dana Dzwoniarek Marchant (02) and Kimmy Soper (01).


(ABOVE) Alumni support was everywhere at Septembers tailgate and football game at Weber State. Among those who attended were: back row, left to right: Stephen Allen (98), Nikki Nicholas (99), Cheryl Whitelaw (95), Chandler Whitelaw (62); middle row, left to right: Jenifer Zundel Ramsdell (07), Lisa Brown Allen (97), Amy Shupe Paget (10), April Hulet (05), Terri Hart Linford (89), Byron Linford (91) and Scott Jolley; front row, left to right: Chris Ramsdell, DJ Archibald, Josie Beth Baxter Archibald (03), Kourtney Limbaugh Jolley (05). The Thunderbirds won 35-28.

(ABOVE) Thunderbird Football fans Emily Burt (11), Stewart Wilkey (09), Emily Holmgren (09), Jayme Clifford and Cody Alderson (09) at Northern Arizona where SUU won 27-24.

(ABOVE) Celebrating 20 years since serving together in the 91-92 SUUSA administration are, left to right: Gary Taylor, Sue Taylor (93), Andy Hyer (92), Ellene Bunker Hyer (90), Mindy Benson (94), Dave Heaton (95), Will Drury (91), Joyce Jackson Drury (92), Kimber Heaton (92), LaRae Heaton, Michole Boyter Church (92) Corey Church, David Blodgett (93) and Lisa Pearce Blodgett (93).

(BELOW) The Class of 1961 was inducted as the newest member of the 50-Year Club during the 2011 Homecoming festivities. Among those were classmates: Rod Decker, Kent Bishop, Fred Whicker and Mont Crosland.

(ABOVE) Five year reunion for the 06-07 SUUSA administration. Pictured left to right: Jesse Holt (10), Kiersten Gray Holt (09), Thor, Jessica Burr (07), Steve Kiisel (07) and Caytee Cox Wankier (08).

(ABOVE) Kimberly Scriber, Ken Scriber (00), Wyett Ihler (01), Marlo Madsen Ihler (99), Nicole Bingham Funderburk (00), Aaron Jenne, Juliann Smith Jenne (04), Jennifer Allen Wilkey (99) and Nate Wilkey (00) enjoying The Future Is Rising celebration that was held on the Upper Quad September 16.

38I N V I E W

P H O T O J O U R N A La look at news headlines and highlights from the past six months on the campus of southern Utah University

JANUARY 3becky Hogan has been named head coach of the womens soccer team. a native of West Jordan, Utah, Hogan will return to her home state after serving as assistant coach at idaho state.

JANUARY 13sUU debuted on the americas 100 best College buys 2011-12 list, which weighs the academic success against the price tag of each college and university across the nation to determine which of the best colleges are the most a ordable. SUU records the lowest annual tuition of the 100 schools listed and is one of just 12 schools recognized across the western U.s.

OCTOBER 29The Thunderbird Mens Cross Country team nished rst, ahead of north dakota state and south dakota state, at the 2011 summit league Cross Country Championship in tulsa, okla. the womens team was not far behind with a second-place nish in the championship race.

SEPTEMBER 1U.s. senate Majority leader and sUU alumnus Harry Reid (59) was announced as namesake to the Harry Reid Center for outdoor engagement, which aims to promote learning, service and leadership that activ

Documents

SUU In View - Spring 2012