Service Learning

Alumni return to campus to create

real-world learning experiences for

the next generation.

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 0 9

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 0 9 1

F O R W A R D

I had the best of

jobs: to accept,

associate, love,

nurture, reciprocate

through deed,

teach as I could

and send into the

world students of

great character

and destiny.

Dear Friends of SUUWith the beginning of a new year, I reflect on the passing of time and nearly always

remember some event or some person that brings a nostalgic lump in my throat. When

I left SUU after teaching and counseling for some 34 years, people would say to me,

“Don’t you just love the thought of how many lives you have influenced?” My response

is always the same, “Yes, I do, but do you realize just how many more students’ lives

have influenced me in a positive way?”

When I began teaching at SUU, I decided that I would treat every student I met as

being a potential lifelong friend. And today, I am the recipient of countless hours of

contact from students from a variety of states and countries who possessed personalities

and virtues of the best kind. These students have shaped my worldview and have

buoyed my hope for the future.

I have visited with students, many now you loyal SUU alumni, from around the

country and delight in your successes and smiles. You are the business and city leaders,

the entrepreneurs, the teachers, the religious leaders, the innovators, the doers, the little

league coaches and the PTA presidents; those who contribute greatly and ask little in

return. You pay taxes, are loyal to employers, and you support good and progressive

endeavors. Your lives are examples to others of industry, virtue and common sense.

I had the best of jobs: to accept, associate, love, nurture, reciprocate through deed,

teach as I could and send into the world students of great character and destiny. I am

grateful that my life meshed with many of your lives. I glory in the lessons I learned

from you.

As I leaf through yearbooks and smile at the memories the faces bring to my mind and

heart, I hope you have memories equal to mine of the fun and the work you enjoyed while

here at SUU. No longer is SUU the best kept secret in Utah. We all know what a grand

institution it is. You are the spirit of this lovely university and the ones who are making

our valid reputation widely known. Thank you for your loyalty and friendships.

Sincerely,

Gary Giles (’57)

Retired Professor, Accounting

A MATCH MADE IN ZIoN

4I N V I E W

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 0 9

5

On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, SUU President

Michael Benson joined superintendents from the Zion Park

Group (encompassing Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks

National Monument and Pipe Spring National Monument)

on a small stage in the middle of the wilderness.

Though the President’s suit and tie seemed a bit out of

place amidst the towering red cliffs and scrub brush, the

setting was symbolic of the educational opportunities SUU

will be working to provide more and more of its students:

professional experience in the great outdoors.

With friends of both the National Parks Service (NPS)

and the University looking on, Benson and leaders from

the three parks signed a 2 ft. x 3 ft. contract (talk about

fine print) to formalize an educational alliance designed to

improve educational access to valuable natural resources

and enhance services within the NPS.

On this partnership, Benson and Cedar Creaks National

Monument Superintendent Paul Roelandt both remarked

that the contract was merely a formalization of a relationship

that has been long in the making.

Such a familiarity between the University and partnering

institutions seemed the norm, as one after another, each of

the four leaders mentioned

specific examples of

ways SUU’s students and

faculty had already gotten

involved in National Parks

Service initiatives.

Far beyond the obvious

geology of national parks

course being offered this

spring semester, the past

year has seen SUU students

stepping off campus to

pursue a wide variety of academic interests.

One such opportunity has brought creative writing

and art and design students into Zion over the past two

semesters with the goal of creating a Zion-themed art

exhibit.

Zion: A Creative Response archives individual

experiences in one of the nation’s best-known national

parks. The project includes student and faculty

photography, painting, historic art displays and graphic

designs all thematically created around Zion National

Park. In addition, the University’s creative writing students

composed both poetry and prose concerning their Zion

experiences; those compositions serve as the descriptive

text within the exhibit.

These projects were all coordinated by students within

SUU’s Gallery and Museum Practices course, who were

responsible for producing the exhibit that was first

displayed in the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery in January.

Zion: A Creative Response will also be on display in the

Zion National Park Museum from March 20-April 20, and

will help the park mark its 2009 centennial celebration.

While SUU’s contributions to its NPS partners will

obviously last far beyond any one project, Thunderbird

students are getting research and professional opportunities

A MATCH MADE IN

SUU’s newest Alliance for Education

promises to enrich students,

visitors, and the land itself.ZIoN

Above: President Benson signs the agreement with the Superintendants of the Zion Park Group.Left: A pastel painting by SUU student Jacob Dyreng, part of the Zion: A Creative Response show.

Gary Tom performed during the Alliance for Education program.

I N V I E W6

most students can only dream of in return for their

efforts.

This new alliance with the National Parks Service is

further evidence of the University’s success working with

Bryce Canyon National Park over the past two years in a

similar partnership. The driving force behind this latest

partnership with the Zion Park Group is a commitment

by all four partnering organizations to the protection of

natural resources through education and research.

The relationship and missions of SUU and the Zion

Park Group include specialized services to students, park

visitors and regional development. This relationship will

help the NPS and the University better protect natural

resources and provide enhanced opportunities for visitors

in the Parks; expand knowledge and use of the Park as a

resource; provide excellent educational and experiential

opportunities for SUU students; and continue to enhance

the economic, technological and cultural development of

the communities served.

Most importantly, this alliance serves as yet another

example of SUU’s continued commitment to providing

unique educational opportunities that capitalize on the

University’s business relationships, local resources and

surroundings—taking education far beyond the walls of

the classroom.

As a contributing member to this alliance, SUU commits the following support to the Zion Park Group:• Assist NPS with visitor education

• Provide adjunct faculty appointments for qualified

NPS staff

• Allow NPS scientists access to the University’s

research facilities

• Offer consultation services concerning NPS

initiatives

• Provide expertise through faculty manpower in

NPS research and data collection

In turn, the Zion Park Group commits to:• Provide student access to NPS research and

development projects

• Share fieldwork and publish research in

partnership with SUU students and faculty

• Increase internship opportunities for SUU

students within the National Parks Service

• Provide park access for class activities, seminars

and trainings

• Provide students with professional consultation

from field experts

ZIoN NATIoNAl PArk

CEDAr BrEAks NATIoNAl MoNuMENT

PIPE sPrINg NATIoNAl MoNuMENT

souTHErN uTAH uNIvErsITy

Participants in the Alliance for Education program at Zion National Park.

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 0 9 7

The tanking economy is

a concern for us all.

And whether you’re a

small investor, a financial

analyst or just hoping

your savings account will

help see you through the

current financial storms

that abound, information

is power in safeguarding

future economic stability

for you and your family.

To begin, it’s important

to understand the root of

the problem. The crisis

stems from a number of policies aimed at expanding

opportunities for home ownership by weakening

underwriting standards and extending mortgages to

borrowers who previously could not qualify based upon

their socioeconomic standing. Beyond helping marginal

borrowers purchase homes, these policies also benefited

speculators who could now invest in property with

little of their own money at risk. Thus, the demand for

homes skyrocketed and sales prices spiked. As with all

speculative bubbles, rapidly escalating home prices could

not be maintained and the bubble burst. As home prices

fell, speculators were first to dump homes they could not

carry, further reducing market values. Many marginal

borrowers were suddenly facing negative home equity and

defaulted on their mortgages.

As one of the historically safest of investments, mortgages

are purchased by all kinds of financial institutions – from

banks to insurance companies. The sudden negative

return on such a large mass of investments brought down

large financial institutions, and with growing uncertainty,

the credit market halted, bringing with it a drastic decline

in the value of stock investments.

The decline in stock values and home prices also reduced

the value of consumer assets, and many consumers reduced

their spending, further driving down profits and the

economy. Economists call

this the “wealth effect”.

We now all question

the appropriate policies

to correct the current

economic plunge.

The government’s

immediate solution and the

resulting bailout focused on

getting the credit markets

back in order. However,

further policy reform

should take a longer-term

approach, as pro-growth

supply-side policies such as

capital gains tax cuts and deregulation have in the past

proved much more effective. Regardless, the U.S. economy

is very resilient and will eventually recover.

And now you ask: What does this mean for me?

Stocks have essentially lost all gains from the last

decade. For investors, however, these losses are on

paper until you sell. Unless your investments are highly

leveraged or have a short time horizon, your best strategy

is to do nothing.

Beyond your current investments, economic downturns

are often accompanied by falling interest rates, so now’s

a good time to be cognizant of lowered mortgage rates to

strategically refinance. This is also a good time to buy

equity investments (stocks and mutual funds) for longer-

term purposes such as retirement or college savings.

Additionally, all consumers should be cautious in

their discretionary spending and postpone additional

borrowing; though it will pass, there are no solid cues to

identify when the economy will turn. Your best strategy

to remain fiscally secure through the storm is to pay off

debt and increase your reserves, as most assuredly, income

reductions and job loss continue to loom.

Beyond that, be patient: the market always comes back.

Now is simply the time to hunker down and weather the

storm.

Weathering the StormLEARNING LIVES FOREVER

An ongoing look at

topics of interest from

SUU professors

Illustration by Jeremy Wilson

Joe Baker Professor of Managerial Economics

I N V I E W8

O F A C H I E V E M E N T

SUU’s 2009 gymnastics team continues a tradition of excellence in the classroom and in competition.

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 0 9 9

ccording to Head Coach Scott

Bauman, the Thunderbird Gym-

nastics team is well-positioned to be

the most dynamic and competitive

team in SUU history. States Bauman,

“If we stay focused and stay together,

we are a top 15, top-ten

team this year.”

As if that pre-season

prediction weren’t

enough to raise a few

eyebrows, the 19 girls

who compose the 2008-

09 team will shoot to

break the University’s

current Gymnastics’

record of 19th in the

nation (from the 1992-93 season), all

while aiming for an equally prestigious

national ranking to be first in the

nation for team academics.

Certainly, if the team’s past 17 years

have proven anything, it’s that national

rankings are not beyond this regional

university’s reach.

The Thunderbird gymnastics team

first achieved national recognition for

its academic accomplishment during

the 1991-92 season, when they debuted

in the NCAA’s number

one spot. The program

has added nine more

number one academic

rankings (along with

four second-place

and three third-place

rankings) in the sixteen

seasons since, and

with such a record, it’s

no wonder their head

coach talks of lofty goals with ease.

As to the team’s third place ranking

the past two years—an enviable finish

for the 60 other Division I NCAA

gymnastics teams that finished below

the T-Birds, Bauman confidently states,

atternPA

“This team—in particular, my

juniors and seniors, are very upset

about this. They have been part of

a national championship team and

they want to continue to be part of

that. They expect it and I think this

team really demands it: third is not

what we shoot for.”

Back in the gym, Bauman talks

of national competition with almost

as much ease as he talks about

the team’s ongoing standard for a

3.7 or higher grade point average.

“This team can go to nationals and

that’s what we want. I think this

is one of the few teams we’ve ever

been able to field on the floor of

competition that can really compete

at the national level.”

With 10.0 start-values through the

18th of 19 gymnasts on the balance

beam, twelve 10.0 start-values on the

team’s floor routines, ten on the bars

and four 10.0 and two 9.9 start-values

on the vault, Bauman is confident the

team’s preparations have given them

the ability to “throw anything [they]

need to onto the floor of competition

this year.”

Bauman states, “Our routines are

at a much higher level than we put

out even just last year. This is truly

a brand new level for this team, and

there is a competitive energy and

drive amongst the girls that is better

than we’ve ever had before.”

When asked how he’s set forth

to build a team with such depth

inside and outside of the gym,

Bauman explains, “We typically

recruit students with great GPAs

and high ACT scores. While the

gymnastics is the first thing we see in

determining who we should recruit,

we immediately look at their grades

next. We’ll take a better student

that’s comparable to another athlete

with lesser grades, and we’ll pick

the better student every single time

for the sole point that Southern Utah

University is a school. It’s not an

athletics or a gymnastics institution;

it’s a school, and that’s what our girls

are here for, and that’s what I shove

down their throats

every single day.”

And as the fall semester draws to a

close and Bauman surveys his team’s

reaction to their classes and looming

finals, he confidently predicts a 3.8

for the fall ’08 semester (adding,

“The one B we may be looking at is

in organic chemistry.”).

Another semester spent exceeding

the team’s already standout

expectations (Bauman requires a 3.5

GPA; the NCAA only requires a

2.0 GPA of its athletes) makes one

e tell them, ‘don’t come here unless you plan on having an academic

standard that is excellent—not just good, not just doable, but excellent’.”

HEAD COACH SCOTT BAUMAN

W“

10I N V I E W

Head coach Scott Bauman (center) in the middle of his hard-working team.

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 0 9 11

question if Bauman really has to do

much shoving at all when his athletes

enter the classroom. That said, with

a coach who helps his girls study and

tutors them in what many consider

the most challenging of academic

subjects (Bauman holds degrees in

both biology and chemistry), there

can be no doubt about this team’s

priorities.

Bauman is quick to credit his

athletes’ success in the classroom

back to each gymnast’s hard work

and character. He beams, “They

push themselves pretty hard.”

The girls know even before they

officially join the team that much is

expected. States Bauman, “We tell

them, ‘don’t come here unless you

plan on having an academic standard

that is excellent—not just good, not

just doable, but excellent’.” The team

doesn’t often push their luck on this

one, and considering an A- is valued

at a 3.67, the girls clearly accept

nothing short of the perfect ten as

they balance homework, practices

and competition.

This mentality is apparent when

Bauman sees one of his athletes

leaving the gym and he bids adieu

with a simple, “Good luck on that

test!”

Records and championships

aside, Bauman sees the academic

demands upon his athletes as the

most lasting of the lessons he can

teach. “Gymnastics, in and of itself,

pushes you mentally, physically,

emotionally, spiritually—every way

that it possibly can. To add the

pressures of our academic standards

on top of that makes these girls

extremely prepared for everything

else they do in their lives.” He adds,

“These are girls who work hard,

play hard, study hard – they’re fairly

intense in almost everything they

do. They’re amazing young ladies

and they deserve the respect that I’ve

always had for them.”

From straight-A GPAs to

powerhouse vaults, it would seem

this year’s team wants it all. And

based upon a long-standing tradition

of success, one may surmise that

perhaps such lofty ambitions are,

indeed, best left to those who can

jump and flip and twist with ease.

Top left: team members regularly support SUU’s other athletes.Above top: Erin Morgan on bars.Above bottom: Katie Hicks on floor.

As a pre-dental student at Southern Utah University, Jeremy

Ludlow (‘03) never set his sights on teaching.

After graduating from SUU, Jeremy headed south to the

UNLV School of Dental Medicine in Las Veags. At the time, this

seemed like Jeremy’s big break. His beginning. But looking

back, he gives just as much credit for his current professional

success to his undergrad alma mater, SUU.

Though Jeremy obviously wouldn’t be running his own

practice without the dentistry degree from UNLV, Dr. Ludlow

says the one-on-one assistance he received from many of

his professors at SUU was the driving force behind his early

academic success. States Ludlow, “My teachers really worked

with me and encouraged me—at many larger schools, it seems

they’re just trying to weed students out.”

For this and many other reasons, Dr. Jeremy Ludlow is now

volunteering his time teaching a pre-dental practicum class at

SUU. He also provides several job shadowing opportunities for

SUU’s pre-dental students in his private dental practice each

semester—a must-have to be a competitive applicant at dental

schools across the nation.

Dr. Ludlow’s story is not as unique as it may seem.

In fact, more and more SUU alumni are reconnecting with

More and More SUU

alUMni are reconnecting

with their alMa Mater by

Sharing their profeSSional

experience with today’S

UndergradUate StUdentS.

12I N V I E W

their alma mater by sharing their professional experience

with today’s undergraduate students. So while a course in

pre-dentistry and one in quantity foods production may not

immediately conjure clear associations, these classes, and

others, have found champions in former T-Bird students.

For Lee Drumm (‘08), general manager of the Lodge

in Zion National Park, SUU provided a much different

academic experience. A transfer student

from Oklahoma, Drumm headed west

for a job and was fortunate to also

find that the nearby SUU offered a

degree in hotel, resort and hospitality

management (HRHM).

With much of his undergrad work

already completed and a full-time job

with a 45-minute commute, Drumm

was really just looking for classes

that would better position him within

his current field. And though his time

on campus was limited to class time

only, Lee still appreciates his own SUU

experience, stating, “I always thought

it would be useful to have practical

experience beyond class. That way,

when you read something in a book,

you would really understand what they

were talking about. I felt fortunate

to have professors at SUU with solid

experience in the real world, and

learned a lot from the insights they

shared that are only gained by doing—

especially when so much of the hiring

process in my field is based upon practical experience.”

With that in mind, when one of Lee’s employees and

fellow SUU alumnus Casey Smith (‘08) proposed Drumm

partner with Dr. Lisa Assante’s quantity foods production

class this past fall semester, Lee didn’t hesitate in offering

up the Zion Lodge as a test kitchen.

Under the supervision of Smith, Drumm and Assante,

SUU’s quantity foods production students spent a semester

designing the ultimate dining experience. With “A Taste of

Thailand: Land of Smiles, Flavor for Miles” as their guiding

theme, students prepared everything from invitations

and take-home recipe books to goon pao (prawns with

coriander leaves and chili) and kuey buad chee (bananas

in coconut cream) for more than 50 guests.

Such opportunities, coined “service learning” at SUU,

are part of the University’s academic

mission, and SUU’s students are

increasingly encouraged to seek

opportunities beyond the walls of the

classroom to learn by doing rather

than simply by reading about topics in

their field.

Across campus, students seem to

be embracing this new component of

their SUU experience.

“It is truly a great opportunity to

apply our skills—it really tests our

knowledge,” said SUU senior Justin

Kailing of his experience in Assante’s

food production class. “Preparing

these dishes for actual guests is a lot

different than simply cooking for one

another in the classroom and going

through the motions. There is no

doubt that there is a feeling here of

crunch time, and everything we’ve

been discussing all semester really

seems to be coming together.”

According to Dr. Assante, who tries

to craft a service learning component

into all of her HRHM classes, responses like Kailing’s to

the service-learning required of most students within the

School of Business are the norm.

And alumni like Drumm and Ludlow are vital to Assante

and so many other professors working to open doors to

students that may not be available on SUU’s campus.

Rita Osborn, associate director of the Utah Center for

Rural Health and academic advisor to SUU’s pre-medical

“Graduate schools

want their applicants to

come through the door

with as much pre-existing

knowledge within the

field as possible. And just

as importantly, they want

students to have a

true-to-life concept of

their chosen field.”

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 0 9 13

14I N V I E W

students, agrees that more and more is being asked of

entry-level applicants.

States Osborn, “Graduate schools want their applicants

to come through the door with as much pre-existing

knowledge within the field as possible. They want students

to have a true-to-life concept of their chosen field.”

Though small in relationship to many other schools

across the region, SUU’s pre-medical and pre-dental

programs have very high graduate

school acceptance rates. Osborn credits

this in part to the relationships and

experience SUU’s students gain with the

help of alumni.

Says Osborn, “It is hard for

students at larger schools to get the

same educational access beyond their

classes.” Osborn says that though

they are increasingly inundated with

student requests, the University’s local

physicians “have bent over backwards

to provide job shadowing opportunities

for SUU’s students.”

And though a close proximity to

campus does streamline the process,

geography certainly doesn’t limit the

impact one alumnus can make.

In addition to out-of-town job

shadowing opportunities scheduled for

winter and summer breaks (a benefit to

those T-Birds from beyond the county

and state borders), Osborn has also created a network of

alumni across the country who host students with medical

school prospects in their area.

These alumni provide everything from transportation

and housing for the young students during their school

visits, to offering tips on the interview process and insight

about the schools the students will be visiting. According

to Osborn, this developing network is proving itself to be a

great resource—with the potential of impacting students’

chances for acceptance into the schools of their choice.

In fact, Osborn says, “The mentored students are the

students who tend to get into those schools, because, when

the interviewer asks ‘why us?’ our students can respond

with more insight into that specific program.” Osborn

adds, “It really does help students connect with a specific

school. It shows our students are deliberate and educated

in terms of their graduate school selection.”

Assante sees the possibilities of such alumni connections

as limitless. In addition to partnering

with Drumm and the Zion Lodge this

past semester, she also partnered with

Lance Syrett (‘03 ) of Ruby’s Inn outside

of Bryce Canyon National Park for her

guest services class.

Assante’s class visited the Ruby’s

properties in small groups to evaluate

service components of the company’s

operations. They used their textbooks

and issues they’d discussed in class

to survey everything from front-desk

service to the property layout and

directional signage. At the end of the fall

semester, the class presented an overall

evaluation, with specific and calculated

recommendations, to the Syrett Group

which includes Lance and at least 12

other SUU alumni.

Far from just serving as a learning tool

for students, this large-scale evaluation

proved beneficial to the Syretts as well.

After the students’ final presentation, Lance reflected,

“We’ve been thinking about doing something like this for

a few years, but it requires a lot of time and resources.

With the help of Lisa’s class, we’ve received professional

quality consulting at a bargain price.”

Syrett adds, “Lunch for a handful of students is a pretty

good trade for a comprehensive service evaluation and a

60-plus page final report.”

Beyond the financial benefits, opening Ruby’s doors

to such a comprehensive evaluation by SUU’s students

“More than anything

else, it’s rewarding to hear

back from students who’ve

taken the class and

who are now becoming

dentists themselves.”

D r . J i m S o r e n S e n

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 0 9 15

proved very insightful to this family-

operated company. Said Syrett, “The

students brought up a lot of new

ideas and issues we’d never really

considered before, as most of us were

raised within the company and are

used to things being done a certain

way.”

Syrett credits this fresh perspective

to the students’ relative inexperience,

which he feels allowed the students

more creative freedom; “When you’re

in college, your mindset is to push

the limits. What some may consider

naivety has actually worked out to

our advantage, opening our eyes to

more possibilities than we may have

otherwise thought to consider.”

Syrett, Drumm and Ludlow all

agree that the benefits of involving

students in their business operations

outweigh any additional effort it may

require on their end.

From Zion, Drumm adds, “It’s also

part of giving back to the community,

which is something that we try to do

as a lodge. Being an SUU alumnus,

I kind of widened our community

beyond Springdale and included the

University and Cedar City.”

Ludlow, who came back to Cedar

City from dental school with a

specific goal to give back to SUU,

agrees, “When I went to SUU, they

only had a pre-med club. When I

came back, starting a pre-dental club

and providing those opportunities

was the first thing I wanted to do.”

Ludlow continues, “I think it’s

important to encourage students to

go after whatever it is they want,

and I know I can help by providing

other students the experiences I wish

I would have had.”

In addition to team teaching the

pre-dental practicum with Dr. Jim

Sorensen and Dr. Davin Faulkner,

Ludlow has had more than ten

students job shadow within his office

in the past three years and appreciates

the energy and perspective these

students have brought to his office.

Says Sorensen, one of the original

founders of the pre-dental practicum

class and longtime friend of SUU,

“More than anything else, it’s

rewarding to hear back from students

who are now becoming dentists

themselves. They’re so grateful for

our help, and being able to see your

efforts directly impact someone else’s

success is just so rewarding.”

What Kind of a Legacy Will You Leave at SUU?

A Bequest is a gift made through your will or trust. There are several ways to make a bequest to SUU:

• Specific dollar amount

• Percentage of your estate

• Specific asset

• Residue of your estate

For more information on how to create a lasting legacy at SUU through a bequest, please contact Cameron Brooks in the office of Gift Planning at 435-865-8045 or log on to our informative website at www.suu.edu/giftplanning

In s t i tu t iona l Advancement

n BEVERLI JO

DEWALt (’98,

Communication)

is a Foreign

Service Officer

and Diplomat for

the Department of State in Washington

D.C. where she works in the Secretary’s

Office for Coordination of Reconstruction

and Stabilization.

She is currently on a tour of duty

in Afghanistan, working in two

provinces north of Kabul. She helps local

government leaders, line ministers and

citizens improve community stability

and security through reconstruction

and regular engagement. Last year

Beverli also assisted with the Kosovo

transition from a U.N. protectorate to an

independent state.

Beverli also served in Brussels,

Belgium at the U.S. Mission to NATO,

working as an Executive Officer to the

Ambassador for a year and a political

officer on Iraqi issues. She reveals, “The

most interesting part was working with

our 25 NATO Allies. In one day I would

have lunch with the Germans, afternoon

hot chocolate with the Dutch and an

evening meeting with the French.”

Her first tour with the Foreign Service

was in Islamabad, Pakistan as a Vice-

Consul interviewing Pakistani citizens

wishing to visit the United States. She

met people from every walk of life and

fell in love with the country.

Beverli credits her SUU education in

communication for providing her with

a strong background for service as a

diplomat. She values having learned

the importance of relationships, politics

and economics. She remembers Suzanne

Larson opening class by saying,

“Persuasion is manipulation with ethics,”

and Les Jones repeatedly asking his

students to answer, “Why do we do the

things we do?” Beverli continues to carry

these lessons into her work every day.

n LOUISE BLUhm

(’50, Associates

Degree) has a

passion for music

that began nearly

sixty years ago

at SUU when she

performed in the symphony orchestra

and with several choral groups. Louise

warmly remembers professors William

“Pa” Manning and Roy Halverson and is

grateful to them for instilling a deep love

for music that remains with her today.

Following her graduation, Louise

earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and

teaching from BYU and did coursework

for a master’s degree in conducting at

the University of Utah. She went on to

teach for nine years in the public school

system, instilling an appreciation for

music in a new generation.

In 1977, Louise reached the pinnacle of

her music career when she was selected

as a member of the prestigious Mormon

Tabernacle Choir. During her 13 years

with the choir, she traveled to many

exotic and diverse countries.

Upon leaving the choir, Louise formed

her own choral group known as the Salt

Lake Harmony Singers. She performed

with that group for more than ten years.

F O C U S

16I N V I E W

Beverli credits her

SUU education,

specifically her

Communication

training, for

providing her

with a strong

background

for service as a

diplomat.

Beverli Jo Dewalt, right, with a

friend in Afghanistan.

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 0 9 17

Louise served two LDS missions

with her husband Harry and currently

works in the Salt Lake Temple. She

is an active member of the emeriti

organization at the U of U where her

late husband taught for 30 years.

Above all of her music

accomplishments, Louise is most

proud of her family that includes five

children and 18 grandchildren.

n mVEmBA PhEZO DIZOLELE

(’94, Political

Science and

French) is

a W. Glenn

Campbell and

Rita Ricardo-

C a m p b e l l

National Fellow at Stanford

University’s Hoover Institution. He

has been an international business

advisor, radio broadcaster, columnist

and foreign policy analyst, which has

allowed him to bring a distinctive

perspective to African economic and

political development.

Prior to Stanford, Mvemba was Vice

President for Business Development

at GoodWorks International, LLC, a

global advisory firm in Washington,

D.C. While there, he initiated new

public-private partnerships between

African State-owned enterprises and

U.S. companies.

As a fellow at the Pulitzer Center

on Crisis Reporting, Mvemba covered

the 2006 historic elections in the

Democratic Republic of Congo. He

was also embedded with United

Nations peacekeepers in the war-torn

Ituri and South Kivu regions.

He was a policy analyst at the

Center for Global Development and

managed the Millennium Challenge

Account Monitor. While serving as a

global analyst at Thomson Financial

Institutional Shareholder Services,

he advised U.S. and British fund

managers on investment transactions

that included the $2.5 billion

Norsk Hydro-Saga merger and ISS

International’s $417 million share

issuance.

He earned an MBA from the

University of Chicago, served eight

years in the Marine Corps and speaks

English, French, Norwegian, Spanish,

Swahili, Kikongo and Lingala, and is

proficient in Swedish and Danish.

For Mvemba, SUU was his first

home in the U.S., and he still considers

it as such. “I enjoyed the fellowship I

received from the faculty and student

communities. SUU professors Rodney

Decker, Craig Jones, Michael Stathis,

Jim Harrison and Jim Mills all had

a profound impact on my education.

They laid a foundation of how I came

to look at things in my world and

how I analyzed my political thought.

I still remember their classes.”

n tRAVIS PARAShONtS (’79, Social

Science) is currently the President

and Chief Executive Officer of Suh’

Dutsing Technologies in Cedar City,

an information technology services

company owned by the Cedar Band of

Paiutes. Travis founded the company

in 2002, with

the hopes

of bringing

e c o n o m i c

growth and job

creation to his

reservation. “I

have a passion inside me to help my

people,” says Travis.

Suh’Dutsing landed its first big

client in 2004, when a $200 million

contract was negotiated with the

United States Department of the

Interior. Recently, Suh’Dutsing was

ranked the sixth-best minority

contracting company by the

government technology magazine,

Federal Computer Week.

For his work and leadership at

Suh’ dutsing, the Utah Office of

the Small Business Administration

chose Travis as its 2007 Small

Business Person of the Year. This

past summer, professional services

giant Ernst & Young named him

Utah Entrepreneur of the Year.

Commenting on his achievement,

Travis says, “Entrepreneurship is not

easy. The risk is hard, but the dream

and passion is what carries you

through.”

Despite having a difficult

childhood, Travis counts himself

fortunate enough to have graduated

from SUU. He credits his success

to his education, both inside and

outside the classroom, as well as to a

commitment to hard work.

18I N V I E W

John & Cleopha

LeBaron

The LeBarons have

built a legacy on

the principle that

“learning lives

forever.”

John, from

Hurricane, and

Cleo, a Santa Clara

native, met in

1943 and married

a year later to

begin a family that

eventually included

seven children.

John enjoyed a 30-year career with

the Utah Department of Transportation

in its engineering division as a surveyor,

and then later advanced to the position

of inspector. In that role, John’s duties

included assuring quality control of

road projects throughout Utah . By the

time he retired, John was working in

a managerial position and was widely

known for his unwavering integrity and

thirst for knowledge.

Meanwhile, Cleo’s priorities were at

home with her growing family. As her

children grew, Cleo enrolled at SUU to

study elementary education and music. In

1978, Cleo graduated from SUU, alongside

her son Craig. Three years later, she

returned to earn a master’s degree in

education. Cleo enjoyed a nine year

kindergarten and second grade teaching

career, working diligently to ensure

her students had the best educational

experience possible.

The LeBaron imprint on education is

far-reaching. Four of the couple’s children

became teachers, as did several of Cleo’s

students—no doubt instilling in a new

generation the value of lifelong learning.

As a selfless expression of their

commitment to education, John and Cleo

have graciously endowed a scholarship

that assists multiple students attending

SUU from Washington, Iron and Sevier

Counties. In recognition of their

generosity, Southern Utah University is

proud to induct Cleopha Gubler LeBaron

and the late John LeBaron as Benefactors

in the Old Main Society.

Austin & Magda Jones

For Austin Jones, Southern Utah

University is a family affair. His

grandfather, Thomas Jedediah Jones was

one of the institution’s founders and

chairman of the committee that oversaw

the construction of Old Main. His parents,

H. Marvin and Lucy Esplin Jones, were

students at the University, as were three

of his siblings. And while at the BAC

himself, Austin was involved in the band,

orchestra and debate teams.

During World War II and after

H O N O R S

Old Main Society Inducts New Members

Through their

magnanimity,

members of

the Old Main

Society provide

the extra margin

of excellence

that enables the

University to meet

the ever-increasing

challenges facing

higher education

today.

Cleopha LeBaron, left,

with President Benson.

Austin Jones, left, with President Benson.

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 0 9 19

graduating with an associate of arts

degree in 1940, Austin entered the

Navy with an interest in electronics

and radar. Following his military

service, Austin returned to Cedar City

where he obtained an engineering

license and eventually moved to

Oakland, California, working as a

field engineer. After then returning to

work in the Navy during the Korean

War, Austin moved to Holland to

assist the Dutch Naval Air Force with

its aviation radar.

While in Holland, Austin met

Magda Markovics, a native of

Hungary, and in 1955, Magda and

Austin were married and returned to

the United States—Austin by military

transport and Magda by cruise ship.

The two eventually settled in Palo

Alto, California where he worked in

satellite communications development

and she in a dress shop.

After making his first gift to SUU

following the Old Main fire of 1948,

Austin and Magda soon became

stalwart supporters of the University.

The Jones’ generosity has paved

the way for multiple scholarship

endowments at SUU in the fields of

science and engineering.

For their commitment to the

University’s heritage and support of

its future, Southern Utah University

is proud to induct Austin and the

late Magda Jones into the Centurium

Circle of the Old Main Society.

Jim Jones

Surrounding Southern Utah

University are some of the nation’s

most spectacular vistas, and Jim

Jones has spent a lifetime preserving

the views he so treasures.

A Cedar City native, Jim began

painting as a teen, and after

spending five years at the Art Center

in Los Angeles, he eventually earned

a bachelor’s and master’s degree

in fine arts from the University of

Utah. In 1975, Jim began working

to capture the most difficult subject

he could find: Zion National Park.

It took Jones eighteen months to

complete his first Zion series, but

once it was done he knew he’d found

his life’s calling.

The transition from portrait to

landscape painting required Jim’s

work become bolder, and Jim

describes himself at that time as

“a problem solver, cautious but

persistent.” Now, with his home

and art studio perched atop a white

mesa in Rockville, Utah, Jim has

the ultimate view of Zion National

Park and the Virgin River. And with

millions of years of geography visible

from his living room window, the

artist’s masterpieces now number

more than 1300.

Because of his Cedar City ties

and love for southwest Utah, Jim

has generously agreed to donate his

entire personal collection to SUU,

which will be permanently housed

in the planned Southern Utah

Museum of Art. He also included

his beautiful home at the mouth of

Zion National Park as part of his gift

to the University. For his enduring

friendship, his enrichment of the

arts in the region and his generosity

to SUU, the institution is honored to

induct Jim Jones as a Legacy member

of the Old Main Society.

To be eligible for membership in the Old Main Society,

individuals, couples or businesses have made cumulative cash,

in-kind, or deferred gifts to the University of $25,000 to $99,999.

Other levels of giving include:

Benefactor: gifts between $100,000 and $499,999

Gold Medallion: gifts between $500,000 and $999,999

Centurium Circle: gifts more than $1,000,000.

Accepting on behalf of Jim Jones was Patricia

Embley, left, with President Benson.

20I N V I E W

Frank & Celestia Nichols

Community spirit, accompanied

by a personal philosophy to always

do their part, epitomize the service

of Frank and Celestia Nichols to

both Cedar City and Southern Utah

University.

Celestia, a lifelong resident of

Cedar City, graduated from SUU in

1963. Her grandmother lived across

the street from the University, and

as a child the campus was Celestia’s

playground. She and her mother,

Thelma Ashdown, attended countless

cultural events on campus over the

years, and Celestia holds a deep love

for the University.

Frank, a transplant from Kansas,

discovered SUU through his brother

Burt, who came to the area to build

Brian Head Ski Resort. He graduated

in 1968, and as a student, Frank

remembers the University as a close-

knit community.

Indeed, Frank and Celestia

have immersed themselves in this

community. Frank joined the

Cedar City Jaycees and Chamber of

Commerce, and always seems to be

engaged in community improvement

projects. Celestia’s love of the arts has

directed much of her own service,

and she is an active member of

Cedar City Music Arts and The Utah

Shakespearean Festival—a program

whose growth both she and Frank

have enjoyed watching. She also

serves as a newly appointed trustee

on Intermountain Health Care’s

Valley View Medical Center Board.

Wherever there is a worthy cause,

Frank and Celestia are sure to be

found. When the Centrum Arena

was proposed, they provided a pivotal

gift that made that project a reality.

And they recently provided another

essential gift to SUU—facilitating

the replacement of Manzanita Hall

with a state-of-the-art student living

center which will open its doors this

coming fall.

Both here at SUU and across

the region, Frank and Celestia

are characterized as spark plugs

for action, and the couple count

as their greatest accomplishments

four children, nine grandchildren,

and making a positive impact in

the Cedar City and Southern Utah

communities.

For their endless dedication to their

community and especially to this

campus, Southern Utah University is

proud to induct Frank and Celestia

Nichols into the highest level of the

Old Main Society: The Centurium

Circle.

Celestia and Frank Nichols, left, with

President Benson

One of Eight Great Playgrounds for Retirees–Where to Retire Magazine (twice)

Top 20 Cities for Outdoorsmen

–Outdoor Life

Eight Great & Unusual Fall Foliage Destinations–NBC Today Show

Ten Best Outdoorsy Places to Retire–US News & World Report

SUU & Cedar City Great partners since 1897

S O U T H E R N U T A H U N I V E R S I T Y F A L L 2 0 0 8 21S 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 0 9 21

35 Solar panels installed on SUU’s campus this past fall semester.

Screaming fans cheered on the T-Birds football team at this year’s homecoming game.

8,0188,018

271,244Books call the Sherratt Library home.

271,244

3,759Total hours of community service performed by 1,253 fresh-man the weekend before they started classes at SUU.

3,759

6.5%Increase in SUU student headcount from fall 2007 to fall 2008 semesters.

6.5%

98%Satisfaction rate among current students with SUU’s student life.98%

14Talented students accepted into SUU’s new Bachelor of Fine Arts program.14

24Out of the 25 possible UBEE awards for southern Utah were given to SUU Radio Productions students and alumni.24

35TAlly

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

T-BIrD

Whether you

prefer a small

gathering or

a large scale

event, there

are myriad

opportunities

for you to be

an involved

member of the

SUU Alumni

Association.

C H A P T E R S

22I N V I E W

A l u m n i C h A p t e r s

ChAPtER PRES. NAmE PhONE EmAIL

Iron County Bruce Barclay 435-586-7932 barclay@suu.edu

SLC Area Richy T Steadman 801-209-8170 richy1@hotmail.com

Utah County Everett Kelepolo 801-798-4679 everett.kelepolo@nebo.edu

Washington County Ryan Richey 435-215-5454 ryanutah@gmail.com

North East Marcia Nelson 212-697-4378 mnelson@fmv.com

Arizona Natalie Coombs Pfleger 602-553-9852 nxcoombs@yahoo.com

So California Ralph E. Spence 714-777-2452 hersheysp98@aol.com

So Nevada Chad Marchant 702-308-6815 marchantchad@hotmail.com

Washington, DC Justin Harding 703-221-1556 cedarcitynative@hotmail.com

looking for a way to make new friends and contacts in your

city? Seeking to re-connect with fellow Thunderbirds to watch a game together?

Looking for opportunities and in need of a network of friends? Or are you simply

wanting to keep the connection to SUU? If so, the SUU Chapters are growing strong

and would love to have you contact any of the chapter leaders in your area and start

getting involved. Be a part of community projects, game-watching parties and other

activities. Network Reps are a contact source for fellow alumni living in their area.

They are building their networks into a chapter status. Connect with other T-Birds who

share your unique experience and memories of SUU.

March 12 Founders’ Celebration

March 27 Utah County, SUU Night at the Utah Flash Game, 7:00 PM at the McKay

Events Center on the UVU Campus. Tickets are $4.00 per person, for all ages.

RSVP to the Alumni Office 888-586-1997 or email the Alumni Office at alumni@

suu.edu

March 28 Arizona Chapter, Spring Training LA Angels play Seattle Mariners, Game

time is 1:05 PM, Tempe Diablo Stadium, $20.00 includes lunch and game ticket

(tickets are limited). RSVP to the Alumni Office 888-586-1997 or email the Alumni

Office at alumni@suu.edu

May 2 Commencement

May - Southern Nevada Family BBQ, Washington County Family BBQ

June - Utah County Family BBQ

July - SLC Chapter -- Bee’s Baseball Game

October - Homecoming 2009

To learn more about Southern Utah University Alumni Chapters & Network

Representatives in your area, please visit our Alumni Website www.suu.edu/alumni

or contact any of the Alumni leaders listed below. Feel free to contact the SUU Alumni

Relations Office at 1-888-586-1997 or 435-586-7777 with any questions or concerns.

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 0 9 23

A l u m n i n e t w o r k r e p s

NEtWORk NEtWORk REP PhONE EmAIL

Michigan Regan Borton 734-276-1193 regan.borton@gmail.com

Fresno, CA Weaver, Ryan 559-994-1337 ryan@leavitt.com

Lincoln County, NV Sherrin McHenry sherrinmc@yahoo.com

Lincoln County, NV Sarah K (Pete) Getker 775-728-4610

Juab County, UT Clinton Painter 801-817-7026 clintonlp33@hotmail.com

San Francisco, CA Steve Kiisel 435-862-8990 stevenkiisel@yahoo.com

Central Utah Stacee Yardley McIff 435-201-1592 stacee.mciff@snow.edu

North Carolina Tosh Brinkerhoff toshbrinkerhoff@yahoo.com

Chicago, IL Anna Ables annaables@mac.com

New Haven, CT Stan Kontogiannis 203-389-9747 hellenikos@hotmail.com

Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA Area Darrell Jourdan 402-734-0794 Djourdan2@cox.net

Boston, MA Ken & Rosanne Harvey 617-573-5814 ken.harvey@hklaw.com

Cache Valley, UT Dave & Tasha Adams 435-563-9254 adamsinhershey@yahoo.com

Spring semester at the Gerald

R. Sherratt Library and the Leavitt

Center for Politics and Public Service

has gotten off to an exciting start

as Michael O. Leavitt (’78, Business

Administration) has returned to

SUU finish work on his collection’s

capstone: Project Prologue.

Mike served as Governor of the

State of Utah from 1993-2003, then

served in the administration of

George W. Bush until January of

2009, first as administrator of the

environmental protection agency and

concluding as secretary of health and

human services.

While in office as governor, Leavitt

created a record-keeping system which

included a daily journal of activities

and events along with numerous

papers, speeches and memorabilia. In

2004, he donated that collection to the

Gerald R. Sherratt Library, to provide

a unique look into the work of the

state’s top executive from 1993-2003.

SUU’s Special Collections has been

archiving these artifacts, preparing

them for eventual use by researchers,

historians and the general public.

“The online archive that we are

building is the first digital collection

of its kind that includes documents,

photographs and videos through one

web portal. It will be a tremendous

tool for researh,” says SUU Archivist

and Special Collections Coordinator

Paula Mitchell.

This March, The Michael O. Leavitt

Center for Politics and Public Service

will unveil a new dimension to the

digital collection: Project Prologue,

a massive database of first-hand

accounts from his gubernatorial

administration. This project “is

intended to expand a traditional

collection of documents and artifacts

and put a context to them,” says

Doug Larson, executive director of

SUU’s Leavitt Center.

More than 250 individuals from

inside and outside his administration,

will share their experiences of

the time surrounding the Leavitt

administration. As these insights

are collected, others will be able

to access and comment on the

information, making Project Prologue

an updateable database.

Current SUU students are also

the beneficiaries of Project Prologue,

gaining real world experience

conducting research for interviews

and organizing the results. SUU’s

students are gaining valuable insights

and knowledge on an important

time in the history of Utah. The

administration coincided with great

changes in the state, including

technological advances, state

healthcare reform, environmental

issues and the Olympic Winter

Games in Salt Lake City. “It really has

been a dynamic experience for all

students involved, as they’ve learned

about so many facets of Utah,” said

Leavitt Center Student Director Laura

McAlister.

Project PrologueMike Leavitt returns to SUU to work on his historical collection

Former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt speaks

to the audience at a coming-home reception

held in his honor in February of this year.

24I N V I E W

S o u t h e r n u t a h u n i v e r S i t y F o u n d e r s’ d a y 2 0 0 9

OLD MAIN c. 1898

T he 2009 SUU Founders’ Day celebration was held

March 11-12. The activities commenced on March

11, with the first annual Howard R. Driggs Memorial

Lecture, which was given by former Utah governor Michael

O. Leavitt. The Founders’ Dinner, on March 12, at 6 p.m.

in the Hunter Conference Center, was followed by a special

concert at the Cedar City Heritage Center theater, featuring

piano performances from Steinway artists, SUU President

Michael T. Benson and SUU piano students.

The University also inducted two new members into its

Hall of Honor: Rodney Decker and Jim Bowns; and gave

Distinguished Service Awards to Marva Middleton and

June Sewing.

Marva Middleton served as the administrative assistant

to the provost for many years and prior to that was the

administrative assistant in the advancement office.

June Sewing has been involved in many areas of

community service with the Chamber of Commerce, Iron

County Home Builders and the Kiwanis, as well as SUU

Athletics.

Rod Decker and Jim Bowns have each served at SUU

for an amazing 44 years. Rod has been the dean of HSS

(SUU’s largest college), a professor of political science, and

the provost. Jim is a professor and researcher in agriculture

and biology, an expert and leader in his field, and chair of

the Board of Wildlife Resources.

We congratulate these four individuals on their successes

and thank them for their individual commitment to

Southern Utah University.

OLD MAIN 2008

Marva Middleton June Sewing

Rodney Decker Jim Bowns

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 0 9 25

S o u t h e r n u t a h u n i v e r S i t y F o u n d e r s’ d a y 2 0 0 9Thor’s Thunder ClassiCMonday, September 28, 2009 4 man scramble formatEntrada at Snow Canyon Country Club (www.golfentrada.com)Check in from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Shot-gun start at 9 a.m.

Benefits SUU Alumni Chapter Scholarships and the Alumni Association

Please submit registration by September 15, 2009.Registration and Sponsorship forms available at www.suu.edu/alumni or by calling 888-586-1997

RED!

ALUMNI

G O F O R T H E G R E E N

26I N V I E W

wants to “create an identity that is

translatable across disciplines and

professional objectives.”

Thus, as HSS marks its tenth

anniversary at SUU, McDonald looks

to the College’s future with a renewed

focus to unify all his departments

under one interdisciplinary theme:

everyday leadership.

In short, McDonald’s long-term

objective is to provide an academic

certificate in leadership to supplement

a student’s undergraduate degree in

any of the HSS programs. However,

neither he nor his colleagues are

waiting for the creation of this new

degree component to move ahead

with their goal of “training students

to be the next generation of leaders.”

According to McDonald, the

hope is to “help students become

leaders not simply in a business

administration sense, but more by

Sculpting LeadersNewly Appointed Dean Has Vision for College

And with everything from German

to public relations, the College

could easily become segregated into

individual disciplines. Yet in the face

of unique subject matter each of

the College’s departments aims to

teach, as a whole, HSS is becoming

increasingly focused on academic

initiatives that cross disciplines.

Making this liberal arts college well-

positioned to thrive in the face of

ever-increasing professional demands

for academic specialization.

As he contemplates the current

perceptions of HSS at SUU, the

college’s newly appointed dean,

James McDonald, predicts his biggest

challenge will also be one of his most

valuable assets in attracting good

students and support: better defining

the value of an HSS degree.

Says McDonald, “What we have is

great; we’re just looking to connect it

even more with those things that are

asked of our students as they become

professionals.” Above all, McDonald

At SUU, the Humanities and Social Sciences comprise the departments

of communication, English, foreign languages and humanities, history and

sociology, political science and criminal justice, and psychology. As such,

SUU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) is arguably the most

diverse in its offerings of all the University’s academic colleges.

thE COLLEGE OF hUmANItIES

AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

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 0 9 27

broadening perspectives and giving students the tools to

become active contributors to their communities.”

According to McDonald, the goal for an everyday

leadership component to the HSS degrees is “quite

possible,” as many of the disciplines within HSS already

naturally address leadership topics within a given field.

In fact, McDonald says his faculty members have already

begun looking for specific ways

“to simply increase and embed all

coursework with discussions about

ethics and leadership.” This approach

is a twist on the way academic

leadership courses and programs are

usually structured, as traditionally,

students are simply offered one or

two classes about leadership without

much discussion about field-specific

application.

HSS faculty want students to

see opportunities for leadership in

everything they do. Says McDonald,

“It’s important to discuss leadership

in everything our students study.”

McDonald predicts such an

approach will be useful to students

across the University, and he endeavors to make an

everyday leadership component of an HSS degree “as

interdisciplinary as possible.”

Says McDonald, “The beauty of academia is that so many

different conversations are taking place simultaneously

that students are forced to think beyond the moment.

Really, almost all disciplines are rooted in a concern for

the human condition; we just go after our discussions

surrounding that in different ways.”

McDonald considers it a strength of the University’s

academic structure that all of SUU’s students are required

to take at least one HSS course within their academic

programming, as “regardless of the degree a profession

requires, every employer seeks to hire people who can

communicate effectively.” Considering a large majority

of the programs within the College of HSS focus on

what McDonald considers, “global mastery skills,”

including writing, logical and critical thinking, and

verbal communication, McDonald is confident HSS is well-

positioned to lead everyday leadership initiatives at SUU.

To McDonald, teaching leadership is not simply teaching

a student to act; it’s about teaching

a student to question and evaluate

independently of the norm—

regardless of the discipline in which

that norm may be rooted.

McDonald plans to embed these

new educational components into

the topics professors and students

are already discussing rather than

dramatically altering the curriculum

within any one program.” So while

the actual leadership certificate

may be a few years in development,

McDonald is buoyed when he surveys

HSS programming, as many of the

faculty and classes are already quite

mindful of these ideals.

Along with the addition of everyday

leadership into its official offerings, McDonald hopes the

next ten years sees the College increase its focus on service

learning, research and internship opportunities for all its

students. In this, the aim is for HSS to be well-known as

a college that personally assists each student as he or she

learns “to take their knowledge out to the real world.”

Espousing the leadership qualities he hopes to embed

within the HSS curriculum, McDonald tries to “constantly

reflect on all of the college’s programs, asking, ‘is this

the best way we can construct this course?’.” He’s asked

his faculty to do the same, focusing on “how to get [HSS]

students where they need and want to be,” and for this, the

College’s future looks bright—filled with at least as much

success as its past ten years.

Dean James McDonald of the College of

Humanities and Social Sciences

28I N V I E W

The 2008-09 Thunderbird Women’s

Basketball Team had their season

drastically altered on November 3,

with the passing of Head Coach

Steve Hodson (’79). But though

he’s no longer pacing the court,

his legacy endures as Interim Head

Coach Kit Janes (’80), who came to

SUU as Hodson’s assistant in 2006,

continues to build a program that

reflects what was important to the

late coach.

Says Janes, “This program is a

product of what Steve enforced the

past three years. He expected our

kids to be great students and people,

and then he’d work on basketball

after that; nothing has changed.”

One player who has aptly balanced

such expectations, Challis Pascucci,

a sophomore forward from Goodyear,

Arizona, agrees, “Coach Hodson

recruited a great bunch of girls, and

we’ve all come together as stronger

players and friends in the past year

and a half.”

Many of his past and present

players would agree that Coach

Hodson taught them how to be strong,

to persevere and to continually move

forward. For Caitlyn Sears, a guard/

forward from Cedar Hills, Utah, the

SUU women’s basketball program is

definitely the beneficiary of Hodson’s

own tenacity. “He never looked

back. We always pressed forward

to the next game, learning from our

mistakes and continuing on.”

Steve’s strengths and his struggles

touched lives in a very personal way.

Says Sears, “I only knew him for two

years but I can honestly say Coach

Hodson changed my perspective

on life. He helped me see that I

could always have it worse, that I’m

stronger than I think I am, and that I

can do more than I think I’m capable

of doing. He saw something more

in me. That’s why he brought all

of us girls here: because there was

something more to us that we had

yet to see.”

Anne Higbee, a senior forward/

center from Cedar City, will

remember Coach Hodson’s quest

for perfection and his emphasis on

respecting others. “I learned that

you never give up and that things

are never as hard as you think they

are. We all knew what he was going

through. Division I head coach

is a demanding job, but he came

every day and never complained.

He was sitting on the sidelines and

could barely even sit, but he just

wanted to be there because he’d

made a commitment. Coach Hodson

recruited people with the same goals

he had and I definitely think our

program will keep getting better.”

As a player, Steve helped the

Thunderbirds to the NAIA National

Tournament in 1977 and was a two-

time all-district performer on the

hardwood. He was also voted to

Southern Utah’s all-1970’s team.

Hodson began his coaching

career at Cedar High School as an

assistant coach in 1977 and returned

as the head coach in 1983-87 and

1991-97. In between, he made stops

as an assistant with Dixie State

College (1980-83) and as an assistant

with SUU (1987-1991), helping the

Thunderbird program transition from

the Division II to Division I level.

Prior to his appointment as the

head women’s basketball coach at

Southern Utah University, Coach

Hodson served as the boy’s head

coach (1998-2000), girl’s head coach

(2001-2006) and athletic director

of Cedar City’s Canyon View High

School.

Steve Hodson holds the distinction

of being the only Utah high school

coach to win state boy’s and girl’s

basketball titles at three different

programs and one of only three

coaches in the state to win boy’s

and girl’s basketball titles in the

same year. He was also honored as

a seven-time Region 9 and two-time

3A Coach of the Year.

Steve Hodson1955 - 2008

rememberWE WILL

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 0 9 29

JULY 2008 – DEC 31, 2008

ALUMNIVera Ahlstrom Leigh (’35), age 90,

passed away July 16, 2008.

Alice L. Batt (’38), passed away August 4, 2008.

Willard Leigh Gardner (’53), age 76, passed away July 18, 2008.

Connie Davenport Whicker (’61), age 66, passed away August 1, 2008.

Calvin thomas hair (’63), passed away June 28, 2008.

David Earl “Red” Savage (’88), age 73, passed away July 12, 2008.

Debra Ann Watts Banks (’97), age 42, passed away July 26, 2008.

Cecilee Goddard, age 31, passed away August 22, 2008.

Valerie P Imlay (’92), age 52, passed away August 22, 2008.

keith m Shumway (’08), age 29,passed away August 22, 2008.

marci marie tillery (’04), age 29,passed away August 22, 2008.

Dolores Fife Jones (’48),passed away August 26, 2008.

Larry S. Whittaker, age 70,passed away September 4, 2008.

thomas Bartlie Cardon (’89), age 55,passed away September 2, 2008.

Chester Judd Smith (’34),passed away September 5, 2008.

Blair S. kenney (’51), age 81,passed away September 11, 2008.

Irene Gale Nicholes (’51),passed away September 12, 2008.

kortney Parkin (’97), passed away June 12, 2008

Grace Dover Osborne (’33), age 93,passed away September 23, 2008.

maude macfarlane halversen (’29),passed away September 21, 2008.

Carmen Croft Jones (’38), age 88,passed away October 6, 2008.

Roger Burke Chidester (’69), age 77,passed away October 7, 2008.

Edwin Oscar Larson (’49), age 79,passed away October 19, 2008.

Brian Vermon Fink, age 27,passed away October 21, 2008.

kelly Robert Orton, age 35,passed away October 24, 2008.

Stephen R. Rozelle, age 73,passed away October 28, 2008.

Zbigniew Bishop Dolegiewicz (’00), age 55, passed away Oct. 29, 2008.

Dolores Urie hill (’51), age 77,passed away October 30, 2008.

Rodney Isom Palmer, age 89,passed away November 2, 2008.

Steven Lloyd hodson (’79), age 53,passed away November 3, 2008.

kenneth Edwin Goulding Jr (’56),passed away November 15, 2008.

J. Richard Grant, age 73,passed away November 13, 2008.

Elizabeth Finlinson Foy (’37), age 91,passed away November 19, 2008.

John Gary middleton (’58), age 74,passed away November 21, 2008.

Delton Jay Bettridge (’50), age 80,passed away November 26, 2008.

Winnie Nell heywood Stevenson, age 72, passed away Nov. 26, 2008.

ArNita Urie Webb (’31), age 95,passed away December 4, 2008.

Viola Woodbury kelsey (’52), age 95,passed away December, 2008.

Bart N hess (’75), age 58,passed away December 10, 2008.

Gloria Olson Peterson (’47), age 83,passed away December 18, 2008.

Clyde munford (’76), age 55,passed away December 23, 2008.

Zelma Williams Ford, age 90,passed away December 27, 2008.

Ward topham middleton (’48), age 80,passed away December 28, 2008.

Zella Robinson Leu (’29), age 100,passed away January 2, 2009.

Ruby Ward Whicker (’36),passed away January 2, 2009.

FACULTYSTUDENTSDallin D Ellsworth, age 23,

passed away August 22, 2008.

mandy Johnson, age 20,passed away August 22, 2008.

Rick A. madsen, age 31,passed away September 3, 2008.

Patrick Shukait, age 24,passed away December 30, 2008.

FRIENDSSUPPORTERSmalen mecham,

passed away July 2, 2008.

marshall Earl Noel,passed away July 11, 2008.

Dr. Lansing G Ellsworth, age 50,passed away August 22, 2008.

David Goddard, age 60,passed away August 22, 2008.

James C. hall, age 80,passed away August 26, 2008.

Val Dean Edwards,passed away August 29, 2008.

Leona Swallow, age 75,passed away September 4, 2008.

Gale Demille Fife, age 71,passed away September 5, 2008.

Robert “Bob” mcCullough,passed away September 17, 2008.

George John Nakken,passed away October 1, 2008.

Robert Vincent Rohde,passed away October 10, 2008.

Norma Wesner Bruce,passed away October 13, 2008.

Joyce A. Adams Osborn Evans, age 87, passed away Nov. 8, 2008.

Bruce h. Osborn, age 84,passed away November 23, 2008.

Edward Rondthaler IV, age 73,passed away November 27, 2008.

murray L. maughan, age 89, passed December 12, 2008.

John matthew Liebhardt, age 95, passed away December 31, 2008.

With a service learning initiative that

spans almost every academic discipline

SUU offers, faculty and students are

finding increasingly unique ways

to serve others by applying the ideas

they discuss in the classroom. And

this semester, Professor Jean Lopour’s

adaptive physical education class will do

just that as they host a rodeo that won’t

soon be forgotten.

Unlike most rodeos, the cowboys and

girls in this competition have not been

riding horses for a lifetime. In fact, many

have never before been on a horse, as

this rodeo is designed especially for

middle and high school-aged children

with special needs from the Iron County

School District.

The special rodeo, slated for April 1, at

the Cross Hollows Arena in Cedar City,

will give the young teens opportunities

to try stick horse barrel racing, roping,

riding a lead horse and riding a bucking

bale. As the first time many of these

children will be so close to such large

animals, participants will also get to pet

and feed both horses and goats.

This is the second semester one of

Lopour’s classes has coordinated an

event like this. Last fall, a similar rodeo

was open to elementary-aged children

with special needs.

Lopour anticipates that “If this spring’s

rodeo is anything like last semester’s, the

smiles on the children’s faces will go a

long way in helping my college students

understand the unique impact they can

make by applying their interests and

skills to creatively serve others.”

30I N V I E W

Ride ‘em Cowboy! SUU Students Put on a Special Rodeo for Some Special Kids

“...the smiles on the

children’s faces go a

long way in helping

students under-

stand the unique

impact they can

make...”

Left: Last Fall’s rodeo, with SUU students and elem-

entary children from the Iron County School District.

Above top: Professor Jean Lopour and friend.

Above bottom: An elementary student enthusiastically

rides around the course in stick-horse barrel racing.

A F T E R T H O U G H T S

SOUTHERNUTAH UNIVERSITY

L E A R N I N G L I V E S F O R E V E R

Alumni Association

351 West University Blvd.

Cedar City, UT 84720

Change Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCEDAR CITY, UT. 84720

PERMIT NO. 53

Sponsored by:The terms Utah Educational Savings Planand UESP are registered trademarks.

®

www.uesp.org 800.418.2551

Read the Program Description for more information andconsider all risks, objectives, andexpenses before investing. Investments are not guaranteed by any federal or state agency.Your investment may lose value. Non-Utah residents should check their own or their beneficiary’s state’s 529 plan for state tax or other benefits not available through UESP.

Maybe, she’ll receive a full-ride horseshoe

scholarship.

Maybe, you should be saving

for college.

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