2016–2017 DSU President's Report

President’s Report 2016-17

President’s Message Dear Trailblazer Community, What an exciting time it is to be a Dixie State University Trailblazer! A year replete with record growth in student numbers, infrastructure, and prestige, the 2016-17 academic year ushered in significant progress on our Dixie 2020: Status to Stature strategic plan. The entire community’s support for our University has been vital to our success, and I am excited to share the results of our continuous momentum with you.

As the Trailblazer community unites to accomplish the goals outlined in the strategic plan by the year 2020, we have made great strides in progressing Dixie State from university status to university stature. In fact, we are ahead of schedule in reaching many of the plan’s desired outcomes.

For example, throughout the past academic year, we have added a record seven new degrees and anticipate adding another seven, including three graduate degrees, this year. With these additions, we plan to offer 42 unique bachelor’s majors by 2018, a goal we had originally scheduled to accomplish by 2020. Working with faculty, staff, and community members to realize our vision of offering more academic options for our students has been inspiring.

We are prepared to build on the momentum this progress has created. As we continue to move forward on our strategic plan goals, we are very mindful of the way in which we grow. Our growth is methodical and meaningful to ensure that our students continue to receive the personalized attention they need to succeed. Continuing to offer our students and community members active learning opportunities is of paramount importance in our growth.

As you take a moment to review the accomplishments of our institution over the last year, I invite you to embrace the active learning, active life experience Dixie State University offers, and join us on the trails we blaze.

Sincerely,

Richard B. Williams President of Dixie State University

Overview OCTOBER 2016 • DSU reports largest enrollment increase in Utah • AmeriCorps lists DSU on the annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll • DSU acquires a hangar at the former St. George airport to convert into a film studio • DSU and the City of St. George introduce Trailblazers Art in the City project, placing locally painted bison statues around town

FEBRUARY 2017

AUGUST 2016 • DSU welcomes largest freshman class in its history • LGBTQ Center opens • Campus View Suites opens to 352 students

December 2016 • DSU receives support to improve Rural Health Scholar award

• Certificate in Entrepreneurship added • Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Swati Dlamini Mandela speaks at DSU • Retired Black & Decker CEO Nolan Archibald speaks to DSU business students • Phase I of Legend Solar Stadium renovation begins • Trailblazers Competition Dance Team places first at West Coast Championship

SEPTEMBER 2016

NOVEMBER 2016

JANUARY 2017

• Bachelor’s degree in Digital Film added • Health Communication emphasis added to Communication Studies • Strategic Communication emphasis added to Media Studies • Economics, Humanities, Management, and Marketing minors added • Institute of Politics & Public Affairs opens.

• Smith’s Computer Center open house celebrates its grand re-opening after extensive remodeling • DSU partners with Center for Legal Studies to offer paralegal certificates • Mascot Brooks the Bison makes his debut at the season-opening football game

• Men’s Soccer wins PacWest championship • Veterans Memorial, complete with three new flagpoles, is dedicated at the center of campus

• Applied Leadership emphasis added to Communication Studies • American Sign Language and Accounting minors added • DSU hosts its Third Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration and Community Service Project • DSU Marketing & Communication and Love Communications awarded Utah Business Magazine’s Sales & Marketer of the Year honor for the Trailblazers athletic rebrand

APRIL 2017 • DSU relocates Health & Counseling Center to larger facility closer to campus • DSU launches the nation’s first collegiate HOPE Squad in an effort to prevent suicide

JUNE 2017 • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art added • Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems & Analytics added.

• Traditional bachelor’s degree in Nursing added • DSU & Love Communication earn the Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for the Trailblazers athletic rebrand

MAY 2017

JULY 2017

• Department of Health Care Diagnostics & Therapeutics added • Broadcasting emphasis added to Media Studies • Multimedia Journalism, Social Media, and Strategic Communication certificates added • Institutional Learning Outcomes approved • DSU’s remodeled Hurricane Education Center re-opens • NBA Legend Lionel Hollins speaks at DSU Commencement Ceremony

• Legend Solar Stadium’s new football field and track unveiled to public during Fourth of July celebration • Bachelor’s degree in Population Health with emphases in Health Care Administration and Public Health added • Bachelor’s degree in Recreation & Sport Management with emphases is Corporate Recreation & Wellness, Experience Industry Management, and Sport Management added • Pioneer Legacy Celebration held at Legend Solar Stadium with an attendance of more than 6,000

MARCH 2017 • Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship Center opens.

• Graphic Design and Photography minors added • Utah State Legislature appropriates $25 million for DSU’s new Human Performance Center • Bachelor’s degree in Applied Sociology added • Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics added

Growth from Status to Stature CURRENT ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

HEADCOUNT

8,993 5,723

2006

2016

NEW DEGREES ADDED THIS YEAR • B.S. in BIOINFORMATICS • B.A. & B.S. in APPLIED SOCIOLOGY • B.S. in INFORMATION SYSTEMS & DATA ANALYTICS • B.F.A. in STUDIO ART • TRADITIONAL B.S. in NURSING 20:1 STUDENT – FACULTY RATIO

• B.S. in POPULATION HEALTH • B.S. in RECREATION & SPORT MANAGEMENT

NEW DEGREES ANTICIPATED THIS ACADEMIC YEAR • Master’s in ACCOUNTANCY • Master’s in GENETIC COUNSELING • Master’s in SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT • B.S. in APPLIED & COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS • B.A. in ARTS PRODUCTION • B.A. in DESIGN • B.S. in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DSU earned a spot on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

Experience DSU’s “active learning. active life.”

DSU provides a hands-on, individualized learning experience that provides an enriched and active life both inside and outside of the classroom.

VALUE

DESTINATION

ACTIVE EDUCATION

PREPARATION

INNOVATION

TRADITION

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

DSU’s Insight Communication is a student-run public relations, marketing, and advertising firm that gives students a realistic agency experience.

The Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship Center facilitated the process of developing 25 patents.

Education majors conduct field research and teach workshops in the Virgin River Gorge to sixth- and seventh-grade students.

Dental Hygiene students provide free X-rays, screenings, and cleanings to underserved and homebound patients with DSU’s mobile clinic.

Students make films by helping with DSU Films, a production company that allows students to work on commercial projects alongside industry professionals.

Through the Institute of Politics & Public Affairs, DSU students connect with policymakers, politicians, activists, and educators.

Students gain journalism and editing experience working for the student-run Dixie Sun News, The Southern Quill, and Route 7 Review.

The Experiential Learning program offers students the opportunity to stay and study in Zion National Park.

Campus Expansion

Campus Expansion

CAMPUS VIEW SUITES

The new four-story residence hall provides more than 350 beds and features community kitchens, balconies, game rooms, sand volleyball courts, a fitness room, and more.

M. ANTHONY BURNS ARENA

DSU’s basketball arena floor and concourse were renovated to improve the game-day experience and display the new Trailblazers athletic identity.

LEGEND SOLAR STADIUM

A brand new turf and track were installed in Phase 1 of the stadium’s renovation.

Phase 2 is underway and includes the addition of a 5,000-seat east grandstand that will double the stadium’s capacity to 10,000.

SMITH’S COMPUTER CENTER

Lecture halls, five classrooms, and a computer lab were added and four classrooms were remodeled to support the Computer & Information Technology and Computer Science programs.

INNOVATION PLAZA

The former East Elementary School building will house the Center for Academic Innovation and Leadership, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurial Center, and Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.

Campus Expansion

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE

A portion of the Student Activities Center was remodeled to create a more welcoming space for international students.

Campus Expansion - Upcoming

HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTER

This state-of-the-art building will begin construction in fall 2017. The center will be the gateway of campus and will not only hold health and human performance courses, but will also house an Olympic-sized pool, climbing wall, basketball and pickleball courts, indoor and outdoor tracks, exercise rooms, and more.

HURRICANE EDUCATION CENTER

Classrooms were updated to meet University needs and the interior of the building was transformed to fit current DSU branding.

MCDONALD CENTER FOR HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES The second floor of the building was remodeled, receiving new entryways, paint, carpet, and more.

KENNETH N. GARDNER STUDENT CENTER

To accommodate the growing student population on campus, DSU plans to expand the student center to allow additional space for Dining Services and the Campus Store.

Trailblazer Nation

Trailblazer Nation The Dixie State University Marketing & Communication team received a record-breaking number of state, regional, and national awards, including Utah Business’ 2017 SAMY Award for PR Launch and the Public Relations Society of America’s prestigious Silver Anvil Award of Excellence. Commonly referred to as the Oscars of public relations, the Silver Anvil Awards recognize the best public relations initiatives of the year and set the bar for the standards of performance in the profession. Other 2017 Silver Anvil Award winners included Microsoft, Starbucks, Carnival Corporation, Dell, Bank of America, IBM, American Express, and Hilton Hotels & Resorts. In addition, DSU received more regional and national awards than any other institutions of higher education in the nation from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA

UTAH BUSINESS

Silver Anvil Award of Excellence

The SAMY Award for PR Launch

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS National Paragon Gold Award for Viewbook National Paragon Gold Award for Manipulated Original Photography National Paragon Silver Award for Video Shorts National Paragon Bronze Award for College Promotional Brand Video The Medallion Gold Award for the Outdoor Media The Medallion Gold Award for Print Ad The Medallion Silver Award for Notes/Cards/Invitations The Medallion Silver Award for Manipulated Original Photography The Medallion Silver Award for Sports Brochure or Sports Program The Medallion Silver Award for Successful Recruitment or Marketing Program The Medallion Bronze Award for Magazine The Medallion Bronze Award for Outdoor Media The Medallion Bronze Award for the Student Handbook The Medallion Bronze Award for the College Promotional Video The Medallion Bronze Award for Feature Writing

Athletic Success NEW SPORTS ADDED

2016 PACWEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS MEN’S SOCCER

• Women’s Distance Track & Field • Women’s Swimming

BRANDON KINTZLER

Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins

The first Dixie State Baseball alumnus to play in an MLB All-Star Game

2016-17 REGIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES • Men’s Soccer

• Baseball

• Men’s Basketball

• Softball

• Men’s Golf

DSU hosted a basketball reunion in honor of longtime basketball coach and Dixie State Athletic Hall of Famer Doug Allred. Forty-four of his players, including notable alumni Nolan Archibald, Jeffrey R. Holland, and Lionel Hollins, attended the event. Allred led his teams to two NJCAA Region One Championships and four Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference titles.

Community Engagement DSU students served at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab and provided environmental services in Portland, Oregon, as part of the student association’s Alternative Breaks program.

More than 350 students, faculty, staff, and community members packaged 100,000 meals for hungry and homeless members of the Washington County community, doubling the amount of meals prepared in previous years.

DSU Student Association Vice President of Service Dillon McKinney was honored with the 2017 Community Engaged Student Leadership Award by the Western Region of Campus Compact.

Student-athletes broke their record for total hours of community engagement by serving 2,234 hours in one academic year.

DSU sponsored STEM outreach programs such as Girls Go Digital and CodeChangers to let youth across Utah try their hand at everything from photography and programming to web design, robotics, and more.

Dixie Serves, DSU’s new volunteer center was initiated to provide service opportunities and connections countywide.

The 30th Annual Robert N. and Peggy Sears Dixie Invitational Art Show featured 250 pieces of art from approximately 100 invited artists.

The Institute of Politics & Public Affairs opened in fall of 2016 with Henrie Walton as director.

Associate Provost Dr. Nancy Hauck traveled to Costa Rica to build partnerships for DSU’s Latin American Initiative.

Kathy Cieslewicz was named the 2016 Utah Museum Educator of the Year by the Utah Art Education Association.

More than 100 students participated in the Campus to Community service project, helping with seven different projects and providing more than 400 hours of service.

The new Trailblazer Art in the City project placed handpainted bison across St. George to promote the arts and DSU’s new Trailblazers identity.

Events 4th of July Celebration — The newly renovated Legend Solar Stadium opened to a crowd of more than 17,000 for a Sawyer Brown and Diamond Rio concert, followed by southern Utah’s largest firework show.

Pioneer Legacy Event — More than 6,000 community members came to Legend Solar Stadium for a tribute to southern Utah pioneers and a staged show produced by Merrill and Justin Osmond.

Fire & Ice Gala — The annual event raised more than $150,000 for needs-based scholarships this year.

DSU Celebrity Concert Series — This year’s lineup featured nationally renowned artists as well as local and emerging performers, including GENTRI, Manhattan Transfer, Take 6, Ryan Shupe, and the Drifters.

DOCUTAH — The seventh season of DSU’s international documentary film festival featured 62 independent films.

Dixie Power Kite Festival — 25,000 attendees joined in the celebration that encourages reading among Washington County elementary school students.

KINnect You — Nearly 4,000 youth, between ages 14 and 18, came to the DSU campus for a world-record-breaking family history indexing event.

Campus View Suites Ribbon Cutting and Open House — Community members and media were invited to tour the first residence hall added to campus in 48 years.

Inclusion The LGBTQ Resource Center, established with a large outpouring of support from the community, hosted fundraising events, established a noncirculating library, offered training opportunities, and hosted speakers and activities.

Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes, authors of Diary of Two Mad Black Mormons and You Got This, spoke to DSU students, faculty, staff, and community members during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.

Swati Dlamini Mandela, granddaughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, led an Inclusion training workshop for student leaders, outlining strategies to increase inclusion at the University and in the community. She followed the training by delivering a keynote address to more than 400 campus and community members, highlighting her grandparents’ work in building a sense of community in apartheid South Africa.

Diversity Week concluded with the annual Taste Around the World event, which served 300 students, staff, and community members homemade dishes from across the globe.

DIVERSITY AT DSU

More Trails to Blaze Seek funding for a new state-of-the-art science, engineering, and technology building Propose graduate degrees in genetic counseling, accountancy, and software development Design and construct a world-class Human Performance Center Matriculate the first class of physician assistant students from University of Utah’s program on the DSU campus Add baccalaureate degrees in mechanical engineering and design Enhance operations of the Student Success Center Launch the Community Engagement Center Develop the cutting-edge Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Center Complete Phase II of Legend Solar Stadium

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