University Journal: April 2023

Southern

THE UJ CREW

ASPEN ENGLISH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SHAURI THACKER

TARA DOLE

COPY CHIEFS

EMILY LOERTSCHER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ANDEN GARFIELD

REPORTER & PHOTOGRAPHER

BRIA HANSEN

DEVAN CALL

PHOTOGRAPHERS

ANDREA RODGERS

LIFE EDITOR

CHEVY BLACKBURN

SPORTS EDITOR

LILY BRUNSON

OUTDOOR EDITOR

LUKE MCKENZIE

NEWS EDITOR

TESSA CHESHIRE

ACCENT EDITOR

AIDAN MORTENSEN

ANTHONY COLASUONO

AUDREY GEE

JACOB HORNE REPORTERS

KALE NELSON NICK STEIN

GRACIE BUTTERFIELD (NOT PICTURED)

REPORTERS

GABE SMALL

PODCAST DIRECTOR

MICHELE FOGG

OPERATIONS MANAGER

CONTENTS

4|faces of suu

“What is your senior quote, or the motto that has gotten you through college?”

6|ONE SHOT

How one shot took Chevy Blackburn — and the women’s basketball team — to the NCAA Tournament.

8|Bristlecone

Hall

Fun facts about SUU’s newest building.

9|To

SUU and beyond!

Learn how studying abroad can positively impact the college experience.

12|LEAP:

Outside and accessible

LEAP lets students explore southern Utah and get adventurous without breaking the bank.

20|Since when do we have a band?

All about the return of the Thunderbird Marching Band and the birth of the SUU Sound Machine Basketball Bands.

27|Looking back on a year in the WAC

A recap of the Thunderbirds’ inaugural year in the Western Athletic Conference.

14|FIVE

FANTASTIC YEARS

Honoring fifth-year seniors for their achievements in athletics.

16|BFA

HIGHLIGHT

Three SUMA exhibits created by 2023 seniors in the art and design program.

22|Moving Forward

The University Journal says goodbye to five influential staff members.

24|SEVEN YEARS OF SIMON

Throughout his time at SUU, Todd Simon grew past being a head coach that just calls timeouts and schemes plays.

30|Letter from the Editor

A message from the editorin-chief.

31|What’s next for Suu news

In summer 2023, SUU News will officially relocate to the America First Event Center.

FACES OF

In honor of graduation, we asked five upcoming graduates: “What is your senior quote, or the motto that has gotten you through college?”

- Hyrum Smith Communication

- Zoe Newman Family Life & Human Development

“Yesterday, I wanted tacos. Today, I’m eating tacos. Follow your dreams.”

- Abigail Shelton Political Science

“It is what it is.”

- Thomas Walker Criminal Justice

“The more you know, the better you do.”

- Adriana Santos Family Life & Human Development

“I can do this.”

“We’re all here for a reason.”

OF SUU

Top:

Hyrum Smith

Communication

Zoe Newman

Family Life & Human Development

Abigail Shelton

Political Science

Bottom: Thomas Walker

Criminal Justice

Adriana Santos

Family Life & Human Development

ONE SHOT

A week in the life of an SUU sports journalist

Chevy Blackburn had the opportunity to travel alongside the SUU women’s basketball team during their tournament season as a sports reporter — then one lucky shot took him to the program’s first-ever March Madness appearance, too. Everyone wants to do something they love so they don’t have to “work” a day in their life, which is why I chose to pursue a career in sports. Being a sports reporter is notorious for long hours, a lot of travel and little sleep — I learned this the hard way when Southern Utah University women’s basketball made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Over the course of one crazy week, I learned that reaching your goals takes work. For SUU women’s basketball, that was practicing hard every day and continuing to build on a foundation that prior athletes constructed. For me, it was managing schoolwork while traveling and working long nights to report on the team’s accomplishments.

Thursday, March 9

The next day, the SUU men’s basketball team faced off against in-state rivals Utah Tech University. While the game came down to the wire, SUU walked away with a one-point victory. Once it ended, I worked on the recap story until 3 a.m. and set my alarm to wake me in four hours so I could let our copy editors know the story was ready for editing.

Friday, March 10

Once the story was polished and posted, I rushed to shower and make it back to the Orleans Arena in time for the next women's game at 2 p.m. They cruised to the conference championship after beating Grand Canyon University by 13 points. The men played that same night against Utah Valley University, and it was a game for the ages. After trailing by as much as 23 points with 15 minutes left, Southern Utah senior Tevian Jones completed a four-point play to beat UVU 89-88.

This game was truly unbelievable and an adrenaline rush like no other. After the dramatic finish, other SUU media members and I walked around the casino to process what we just witnessed. After we settled down, I got right to work on the game recap.

As the sports editor and a reporter for SUU News, Friday was when my time started to get crunched. My goal was to post the women's recap in the two hours before the men's game, which left me little time to do much besides write the recap and alert the copy editors.

Wednesday, March 8

The long nights began at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas. After a three-hour drive, the women’s basketball team started the tournament off with what should have been an impossible shot for graduate student Cherita Daugherty. With less than four seconds left, Daugherty received an inbound pass from junior Samantha Johnston and threw up a three-point heave that miraculously went in. The shot later went viral on SportsCenter and Sports Illustrated and made it on Scott Van Pelt's “Best Thing I Saw Today” segment.

“I was counting the time down in my head and knew I needed to get something up,” said Daugherty. “I wouldn’t even consider it a shot — I threw it up and prayed.”

Saturday, March 11

Unfortunately for the seniors on the men’s team, SUU fell to GCU and was sent from the NCAA Tournament to the College Basketball Invitational in Daytona, Florida, for their postseason. The program also lost head coach Todd Simon, who received and accepted an offer from Bowling Green University. Simon built a culture at SUU and left a huge impact on other media members and me. Assistant coach Flynn Clayman was left in charge for the CBI Tournament.

In their championship game, the women beat California Baptist University by a sizable margin. The team had to wait until Sunday to see who they would be going up against.

Sunday, March 12

Dealing with the men’s loss was a lot easier when I had Selection Sunday to look forward to. After another three-hour drive back to Cedar City, I went to campus to join the team in watching where the women would be playing their first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament. They were selected to play No. 3 University of Notre Dame, one of the most prolific and historic women’s basketball teams in the country, in South Bend, Indiana. This was the first time in over 20 years that this much spotlight was on SUU and the town. As soon as it was announced, I knew I had to find a way to go with them.

Monday, March 13

Luckily, I was given the opportunity to travel and cover the team by professors Michele Fogg, Hayden Coombs and Matt Barton. I was beyond grateful, but I also knew this was the moment when I would truly experience the strenuous travel schedule that sports journalists endure. But before that, I needed to piece together a game preview article that had never been written before for SUU women’s basketball. I was overwhelmed with the trip’s logistics, but turning that anxiety into excitement helped.

Tuesday, March 14

Convincing Barton took time and planning. First, Coombs and I looked at the cost of flights, shuttles and hotels to make the pitch. After a rough estimate, I asked Fogg, my boss at SUU News, for clearance. Once I had the official go-ahead, I emailed my professors about missing class on Thursday and attempted to get ahead on my homework.

Wednesday, March 15

Correctly completing a travel request form through the communication department took me three attempts. Once done, I grabbed travel essentials from the store and went home to pack. A screw in my glasses came out, so I spent the rest of the day scrambling until I found a solution. I felt like Velma from the Scooby-Doo cartoons: “I can’t see without my glasses!”

Thursday, March 16

My trip to South Bend started with a Salt Lake Express shuttle that left at 4:55 a.m. Four hours later, I arrived at the Salt Lake City International Airport and had another six hours until I boarded my first flight. Once I landed at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, I only had 20 minutes to board my connecting flight in a completely different terminal. SLC and O’Hare are the sixth and seventh largest airports in America, which meant lots of cardio for me.

After traveling for a mostly sleepless 17 hours — the curse of having a middle seat — I arrived at South Bend International Airport and ordered an Uber to take me to Culver's. A sports reporter’s gotta eat!

Friday, March 17

Now that I was in the Eastern time zone, my internal clock was all out of whack. The team didn’t play Notre Dame until the afternoon, so I was luckily able to sleep in, but there were still articles to post on our website. I woke up for breakfast, posted one, took a nap, posted another, did a homework assignment and finally got in an Uber bound for the Purcell Pavilion.

Notre Dame’s campus felt like a different world because it is one of the few U.S. schools dating back to the mid-1800s. I could really feel the historic energy, from the iconic “Touchdown Jesus” mural to the banners hanging in the Purcell Pavilion. I took a step back and soaked it all in.

Unfortunately, Notre Dame lived up to its reputation and beat the Thunderbirds 82-56. I don’t think we should have played on St. Patrick's Day, because the Fighting Irish didn’t even need the luck. I wrote the recap story during the game, grabbed dinner from the commons area and took an Uber to get breakfast for the morning. Despite their loss, all of the travel was worth the unforgettable sight of SUU women’s basketball making history.

“A sports reporter’s gotta eat!”

Editor’s notes

The Thunderbirds worked all season to meet one goal: make the national tournament. Their hard work all season made that achievement possible and sparked pride at SUU. But this did not come easily.

Experiences like these help me realize the importance of choosing a career I enjoy. Over that crazy week, I only had one night with more than five hours of sleep. Luckily, it was such an amazing experience that it never felt exhausting.

- Written by Chevy Blackburn

Saturday, March 18

My flight back home boarded at 6 a.m. and luckily had a longer layover at O’Hare this time. I got back to SLC five hours later and had to wait another six hours for the shuttle back to Cedar City, but that gave me time to work on the story you’re reading now. After a five-hour ride, I finally arrived in Cedar City and crashed on my bed after 18 hours of traveling.

To SUU and beyond!

M any college students and faculty are familiar with the concept of studying abroad. To most, it may just seem as a way to travel to a different country without the need to drop out of college. However, learning abroad is more than what some might consider simply a vacation. According to SUU’s Office of Learning Abroad, it is a way to “foster empathy, cultural and global understanding, experiential learning and personal enrichment in all of the university’s students, faculty, and staff.”

Learning abroad gives students the chance to not only learn about different parts of the world but to be fully immersed in them. Students and faculty experience unique wonders of the world, so to speak, environmentally and historically by being there in person.

Jaycee Carter, a social sciences major who works at the Office of Learning Abroad, shared her experience of her first study abroad trip: a short-term anthropology visit to Guatemala.

“We hiked to the top of a volcano, and at the top, we roasted marshmallows over the lava,” Carter said. “That was lifechanging, just so cool, so much fun!”

From a more academic standpoint, students who study abroad learn about a variety of topics taught at their own local universities which, due to the change of location and culture, are presented in a way that varies from what is common back at home.

“It opened me up to different perspectives,” said Jessica Gilchrist, a political science major who did a semester exchange in London. “It was definitely a different learning environment than it is here at SUU.”

It is a way to “foster empathy, cultural and global understanding, experiential learning and personal enrichment in all of the university’s students, faculty, and staff.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAYCEE CARTER & JESSICA GILCHRIST

Jaycee Carter enjoying a city view of Antigua, Guatemala

Jessica Gilchrist strolling through the streets of London, England

Additionally, studying abroad provides students with the privilege of meeting, serving and learning from new people. This can create meaningful connections and, in some cases, long-lasting relationships.

“That’s how I met a lot of my friends,” Gilchrist said. “They were from all over the U.S., but at the end of the day, we were all in London, and we bonded over that.”

The positive impact learning abroad leaves on students is present even after returning home. For many students,

they develop a new understanding and appreciation toward their field of study. For others like Carter, it inspires them to learn something new altogether.

“My major before I left wasn’t anthropology at all; I just went because I wanted to go to Guatemala,” she said. “But then I just loved it so much I ended up switching my major to social sciences. It changed my whole career path.”

What’s more, studying abroad can help students after they complete their undergraduate program and as they search for a higher education or career.

“My major before I left wasn’t anthropology at all; I just went because I wanted to go to Guatemala. But then I just loved it so much I ended up switching my major to social sciences. It changed my whole career path.”

...overlooking the city of Jaen, Spain

“It makes you stand out on resumes for post-graduation and even getting into graduate school,” Carter explained. “It’s a huge asset.”

The changes in a student’s life after a learning abroad trip go beyond academics. One Forbes study shows that those who learn abroad tend to be more empathetic and service-oriented, leaving a positive impact on their local communities.

“It made me have a bigger appreciation for those around me,” said Gilchrist.

Studying abroad, in many ways, helps students on their way to becoming their best selves. Carter, reflecting on the students that the Office of Learning Abroad and she have aided with their own experiences, said, “It’s almost magical. Their confidence goes up; they’re far more engaged.”

“At first it can be really intimidating,” Gilchrist shared. “But being in a new country and a new culture is so exciting and so much fun, and I loved it!”

- Written by Andrea Rodgers

Learn more about study abroad programs at SUU

Short-Term

Short-term programs usually take place during the summer for one to two weeks or over a holiday break. Prices vary per trip but include travel within the trip’s area, dining and lodging. Flights are often on the student to buy, though scholarships for such expenses are available through the Office of Learning Abroad. These trips are led by members of the university’s faculty, and while they are usually focused on a certain field or fields of study, any student, regardless of major, is invited to attend. Up to six academic credits can be earned on these trips.

Semester or Year Exchanges

Semester or year exchanges are around the same length as a typical SUU semester or academic year. SUU’s tuition and financial aid is applicable, with students only needing to pay extra for flights and rent, which varies by location. SUU has partnered with over 60 universities from around the world for this exchange option.

National Student Exchange

The National Student Exchange has many similarities as the semester/year exchanges, including expenses and applicable financial aid. Instead of traveling to a country outside of the country, the NSE allows students to stay in one of the over 200 schools within the United States, United States territories or Canada.

Students or faculty who wish to learn more about studying abroad and the options available through SUU are invited to visit the Office of Learning Abroad website at suu.edu/studyabroad. They may also email them at learningabroad@suu.edu or visit their office in the Sharwan Smith Student Center International Affairs Office, or ST 169.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF LEARNING ABROAD

Southern Utah University provides a variety of study abroad programs, each with different opportunities and experiences:

Students and faculty show SUU spirit during their dance and music short-term trip in Arezzo, Italy

LEAP Outside and accessible

Accessibility is one of the values that make up the mission of SUU Outdoors. According to their website, they “are an inclusive culture, striving to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to experience the outdoors in a meaningful way.”

As the “University of the Parks,” SUU has dedicated resources and staff to help students get outside. SUU Outdoors Coordinator Baylee Howe is one of these employees. She leads LEAP, a program that aims to open up the outdoors to anyone who wants to explore.

LEAP stands for local events, activities and programming and is run by SUU Outdoors under the Department of Recreation and Wellness. Its goal is to “get more students involved and get them learning about different activities that they can do,” according to Howe.

Prior to the creation of LEAP, most SUU Outdoors activities were held on weekends through the Trips and Adventures program. Frequently far away from campus in southern Utah’s backcountry, these grand adventures often cost money and time that many students weren’t able to sacrifice. These trips require significant planning and sign-ups in advance, typically with a limited amount of space.

Leaders in SUU’s department of recreation and wellness decided to hire someone to lead a series of more accessible activities

during the week, noticing that there were few affordable opportunities for students to be involved with SUU Outdoors. Baylee Howe was hired specifically to spearhead the program when it began in the fall of 2021.

“I told myself when I started college that I would try something new and get outside of my comfort zone, and that’s what I did,” said Howe. It wasn’t until her senior year of high school that Howe became interested in the outdoors, where she found her love for hiking on Idaho trails with a friend and her dog.

While working and attending classes in physical education at the College of Southern Idaho, Howe helped to run their budding outdoors program and built a challenge course similar to the one she now oversees here at SUU, located west of the Eccles Coliseum.

After graduating with her bachelor’s in recreation management, Howe spent time working for Undercanvas, which Howe described as a “glamping company.” There, she was an experience coordinator, planning activities for guests in Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon until she was promoted to the manager of their Zion location.

Although Howe excelled in her prior jobs, she always knew she wanted to end up working for a university after her time spent

LEAP often hosts mountain biking excursions in SUU’s own backyard.

Baylee Howe, SUU Outdoors Coordinator and leader of the LEAP program.

at the College of Southern Idaho and Brigham Young UniversityIdaho. Working with students and being in an environment full of learning have appealed to Howe since she was a student.

Now a graduate student in the interdisciplinary studies program here at SUU, Howe has made it her mission to share what she knows, help students develop the skills they need and introduce them to a community of adventurers like herself. Her favorite part of her job is getting to know students and lead within the community formed by the outdoors program.

“It’s essentially just a program to get students to come try new activities and meet new people,” Howe explained. In making weekly activities accessible to students who may not otherwise try to get outside, LEAP opens doors to a whole new world of adventure. In her eyes, the program strives “not just to attract the people who love outdoors things, but to attract everyone — give them something new to try.”

LEAP includes weekly events held in the “frontcountry.” “We usually keep our activities pretty centralized around campus,” said Howe. These activities include hikes, slacklining, wallyball, mountain biking, climbing clinics, rappel lessons and lectures by way of the Outdoor Education Series.

The J. L. Sorenson Physical Education Building houses the SUU Outdoors climbing wall and rappel station, both of which are managed by this program. Other activities are held on or around campus or at Basecamp in the Sharwan Smith Student Center.

The OES is held on Thursdays twice per month at Basecamp.

These educational lectures from community members, faculty and students started as a class designed for outdoor recreation and parks tourism majors. Once the class ended, student interest created a demand for the series to continue, and it was taken over by LEAP.

This year, speakers included a student who interned in the National Parks Service, a professor who dabbles in songwriting and even Howe herself, who, along with her husband, shared about their experience hiking to Everest Base Camp.

Other than LEAP, Howe shares responsibilities in other SUU Outdoors programs, managing the climbing wall, overseeing basecamp employees and rentals and attending backcountry trips as a guide. Although her main focus is LEAP, Howe is grateful for the chance to learn new skills while working with the outdoors center.

LEAP has spent its first two years developing itself into a staple of SUU student life. The students who attend these events have the chance to learn, form friendships and explore the Cedar City area with a community of like-minded adventurers. As LEAP continues to grow and to offer more accessible activities, students can be certain they have the opportunity to get outside with SUU Outdoors.

- Written by Lily Brunson

A group of T-Birds show their wings while on a LEAP adventure.

FIVE FANTASTIC YEARS

1. Daugherty earned Most Outstanding Player at the WAC Tournament. Fun fact: She earned 1,000 career points as a Thunderbird.

2. She is the first women’s golfer in Southern Utah history to qualify for NCAA regionals. Fun fact: Her favorite movie is “Karate Kid.”

3. She won bars at a BYU meet with a 9.925 in 2022. Fun fact: Her favorite professional sports teams are the Dallas Cowboys and LA Dodgers.

4. Kho earned Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Vault Specialist of the Week on March 13, 2023. Fun fact: Her favorite foods are sushi, spaghetti, ice cream and cheesecake.

5. McClain is a two-time MRGC all-around First Team all-conference. Fun fact: Her favorite TV show is “The Bachelor.”

6. Murakami won the MRGC Bars Championship at the 2022 MRGC Championship. Fun fact: Her favorite professional sports team is the Vegas Golden Knights.

7. Smith was MRGC Second Team on vault in 2021 and 2022. Fun fact: Her favorite movies are “10 Things I Hate About You” and “World War Z.”

8. McKee appeared in 22 matches and 71 sets for Southern Utah. Fun fact: Her go-to pregame snack is fruit snacks.

9. Tanne ran the 5,000 meter in 18:04. Fun fact: Her favorite music artist is Panic at the Disco.

10. White had 61 hits in her first season as a Thunderbird in 2021. Fun fact: Her favorite food is tacos.

11. Barnes scored a career-high 20 points at University of Texas, Arlington this season. Fun fact: He helped the Thunderbirds win the Big Sky Regular Season Championship in his first year on the team.

12. Butler was elected to the Western Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team. Fun fact: His favorite food is chicken alfredo.

13. Fausett is the only Thunderbird to eclipse 1,500 points and over 900 rebounds. Fun fact: His favorite movie is “Space Jam.”

14. Healy made a season-high four three-pointers in the win over Utah Valley University at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. Fun fact: He played with fellow Thunderbird Felix Lemetti, who was a teammate of Healy’s in high school.

15. Jones received National Association Of Basketball Coaches First Team honors. Fun fact: His brother Torren Jones played in the NBA G-League.

16. Burns rushed for a career-high 61 yards versus Utah Tech. Fun fact: Prior to SUU, he attended William & Mary.

17. Caine finished with 32 total tackles on the season. Fun fact: He is originally from Detroit, Michigan.

18. Cole finished with 161 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Fun fact: He previously played at the University of New Mexico before playing for the Thunderbirds.

19. Gerardi was named to three different allAmerican squads this past season.

Fun fact: His hometown is Oceanside, California

20. Mitchell appeared in three games for the Thunderbirds. Fun Fact: He played for Southern Virginia University before coming to SUU.

21. Phillips appeared in nine games and totaled 129 receiving yards. Fun fact: He played for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels in his hometown prior to attending SUU.

22. Price racked up a season-high six tackles versus Sam Houston State University. Fun fact: He served a mission in Billings, Montana.

23. Stand finished with 5.5 sacks on the season. Fun fact: He has played at all levels of NCAA football: DI, DII, DIII.

24. Thomas has played in 15 games in two years as a Thunderbird. Fun Fact: He was nominated to the 2021 Big Sky All-Academic Team.

Cherita Daugherty BASKETBALL

Chanikan (Pluem) Yongyuan GOLF

Mayson Bentley GYMNASTICS

Karley McClain GYMNASTICS

Caitlin Kho GYMNASTICS

Shylen Murakami GYMNASTICS

Rachel Smith GYMNASTICS

Andreanna McKee VOLLEYBALL

Due to the COVID pandemic, NCAA athletes got an additional year of eligibility. See how SUU’s year five athletes have left their mark on the university:

25. Labra took 59th place at NCAA regionals. Fun fact: Before attending SUU, he attended San Diego Mesa Community College.

26. Spence has a mile record of 4:32. Fun fact: His favorite food is macaroni and cheese.

27. Douglas helped set a new school record in the 4x100 meter relays. Fun fact: He grew up in Cedar City and attended Canyon View High School.

28. Riggs’ top high jump is 6’8”. Fun fact: His major is biology.

29. Vasquez is fifth place all-time in rocket throws with a 54’8 ¾. Fun fact: He was named an allAmerican in weightlifting in high school.

Marcus Phillips FOOTBALL

Dee Barnes BASKETBALL

Elijah Burns FOOTBALL

Tre Caine FOOTBALL

Bobby Cole FOOTBALL

Jake Gerardi FOOTBALL

Justin Mitchell FOOTBALL

Mitchell Price FOOTBALL

Max Spence CROSS COUNTRY

Zach Strand FOOTBALL

Nelson Douglas TRACK & FIELD

Jason Thomas FOOTBALL

Payton Riggs TRACK & FIELD

Isaiah Labra CROSS COUNTRY

Dominick Vasquez TRACK & FIELD

Harrison Butler BASKETBALL

Maizen Fausett BASKETBALL

Cameron Healy BASKETBALL

Tevian Jones BASKETBALL

BFA highlight:

Art and design students in SUMA

For seniors in the art and design program, the BFA Senior Exhibition represents the culmination of four years of hard work and artistry. While other disciplines require a capstone project or a final thesis, these students must craft an art exhibit that encompasses what they learned during their time as an undergraduate. These exhibits are an example of the quality of Southern Utah University’s programs in the fine arts, as well as a testament to the effort put in by these graduating seniors and their unique experiences.

Take a look at three of these seniors and their projects:

classes related to motion graphics and design, so she felt a music video would be an effective way to showcase those skills.

Wilson’s experience at SUU has taught her how to find her voice as a designer. “Explore and have fun. In the beginning, I really struggled to find my identity as an artist, and I felt like it was important,” Wilson said. “Explore and make mistakes. Do crappy things, do good things, and all of the practice makes you a better artist.”

SAMI WILSON

Samantha “Sami” Wilson is about to graduate with a BFA in graphic design. For her exhibit, Wilson created what she calls a “case study in branding.” Using a Salt Lake City-based musical group called The Garden Plot, Wilson designed several merchandise options, including an album cover, a poster and liner notes for a CD case.

This idea is something that Wilson has been working on for almost a year. “I actually started thinking about this during [last] summer,” said Wilson. “I really enjoy their music, and [I] felt that some branding would set them apart from other Utah indie bands.”

Wilson’s project isn’t limited to merchandise. Her BFA also includes a music video set to The Garden Plot’s 2022 single “Am I That Easy to Forget?” Wilson has recently been enrolled in

AUBREY BODINE

Aubrey Bodine is a senior in illustration. Through her art, she wanted to pay tribute to her experience growing up in Tooele. Her BFA exhibit consists of three digital illustrations as well as two 3D forms crafted from felt. Each piece tells a story about her hometown and the impact that it has had on her as an illustrator.

According to Bodine, a major theme of her exhibit is the feeling of being in “a state of decay and growth simultaneously.” This state of conflict is something that she has tried to highlight through her art. “There’s a lot of people moving there constantly, and there’s new housing developments, and the population is growing significantly. At the same time, small businesses don’t last there, and it’s just kind of a place to live but not ‘live.’”

The three digital illustrations were drawn on Bodine’s iPad using an application called Procreate, and her two soft-sculpture pieces were sewn by hand. One sculpture is a boxelder bug, something Bodine associates with her hometown. “I wanted them to feel handmade and plush, like a child’s toy, to kind of play on the fact that I was reflecting on my childhood and being raised in Tooele.”

Bodine’s advice to younger illustrators is all about community.

“Talk to your professors. Build connections there because they are going to be the people that help you have connections after graduation,” said Bodine. “Make friends with the art students. It’s so helpful to have people that you can bounce ideas off of and will understand what you’re going through.”

TALIA WOODBURY

Talia Woodbury is a graphic designer who centered her final project around the relationship between color theory and spirituality. Her exhibit is called “Reveal,” and according to Woodbury, it was based on the question, “What do your true colors reveal?”

“Rainbows have always meant a lot to me, and the rain has that symbolism,” said Woodbury. “The rain falls, it cleanses everything, and then the reveal of the rainbow. I took that idea, and I used it to kind of formulate my project.”

“Reveal” includes a collection of cards that pair a specific color with the spiritual concepts that are associated with that shade according to color theory.

For Woodbury, this exhibit is important because it is all about self-exploration. “I can either conform and figure out how other people want me to design, or I can stick true to how I feel,” she said. “I’m revealing how I interact with my artwork and how I want other people to interact with my artwork.”

During her time at SUU, Woodbury learned how to follow her own artistic sensibilities, and

her advice for the next generation of designers is to do the same. “Have some confidence,” she said. “It took a second for me to be like ‘no.’ I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job in my classes of saying, ‘No, this is my direction.’”

To see these exhibits and others from the art and design program, visit the Southern Utah Museum of Art. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. The museum is currently filled with amazing artwork, and the Cedar City community can take pride in the talent of the graduating class of 2023.

- Written by Nick Stein

Since when do we have a band?

For years, Southern Utah University sports had been missing something all Division-I universities should have: an athletic band. Then, the 2022-23 school year saw the return of the Thunderbird Marching Band and, along with it, the creation of the SUU Sound Machine Basketball Bands.

The marching band was brought back for the football team’s first season in the Western Athletic Conference to add to the game-day atmosphere. Adam Lambert, SUU’s director of bands and an associate professor of music, was only looking for someone to simply get the athletic bands started when he met David Torres. Torres’ visions for the Sound of Southern Utah, the umbrella that the Thunderbird Marching Band and the SUU Sound Machine Basketball Bands fall under, were grander than Lambert even hoped for.

“The nationwide search included some very impressive applicants with amazing credentials, which speaks to the quality of the person winning the position in the end,” Lambert said of Torres.

Torres came to Cedar City with quite an impressive resume. After earning his bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of South Florida School of Music, he decided to pursue two master’s degrees from New Mexico State University, one in trumpet performance and the other in wind conducting.

Prior to finishing his education, Torres had a long career performing on Broadway as a trumpet player in live bands, which included a five-year run with a Tony Award-winning production of the show “Blast!” He also conducted and played in the live band for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for four years.

Torres began his teaching career at Southern Arkansas University, where he was the director of athletic bands and an assistant professor of trumpet. He now fulfills those same positions at SUU and directs the brass choir in addition to the athletic bands.

With Torres’ guidance, the Thunderbird Marching Band hit the ground running. They debuted this past fall with the numbers “Thunderbird Fanfare” and “Songs We Love to Hate,” among others. They also performed the national anthem at the majority of the football games and provided the SUU fight song on occasion.

It was no easy task to get the marching band started, and a lot was demanded of its members. Torres pushed them to be their best and put high expectations on them. They learned upward of 40 formations in their first season on the field, and many of the musicians had their music completely memorized.

“I went from having practically no experience with professional marching to being in sync with 80 other people within the span of a couple weeks,” senior Hannah Small said.

“Participating in the bands enriched my school experience by being able to physically represent to people outside of the school. It was fun to cheer on the teams and also march together as a team,” Camille Overson said. “Just overall very unifying.”

The marching band welcomed students from all fields of study and with any level of experience. In fact, non-music majors made up more than 80% of the band members this year. The Sound Machine, however, requires members to have previously performed with the marching band, and they must go through an audition process in order to join.

The SUU Sound Machine Basketball Bands were an exciting

David Torres at football game

addition to the basketball season. They joined forces with the student section to give the America First Event Center an atmosphere it had never seen before.

“What really makes this band fun is helping out the cheerleaders and student section with cheering,” Small said. “It’s particularly fun when the opposing team brings their band as well and we get to compete with them for who can be the loudest and play the best.”

The bands also accompanied the men’s and women’s basketball teams to Las Vegas for the Western Athletic Conference Tournament and followed the women’s team to their first March Madness appearance in the program’s history.

“I’m excited for the basketball band to be on ESPN this weekend. They’re definitely going to be on that TV,” Torres said prior to the March Madness game.

“My fondest memory this year was being able to travel to the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas and the NCAA Tournament in South Bend, Indiana,” Overson said. “Performing for people outside of Utah is something very enriching to me, especially as we chant SUU cheers.”

Torres hopes for both the Thunderbird Marching Band and the SUU Sound Machine to do more traveling. He has plans for the marching band to follow the Thunderbird football team to their game at Brigham Young University this fall. Regardless of where they go, Torres knows the athletic bands have nothing but potential moving forward.

“Progress is happening,” Torres said. “I have students knocking on my door once a week saying they want to come on board.”

“I truly hope word of this amazing and growing program spreads to anyone interested in marching band/pep band,” Overson said.

The Sound of Southern Utah is getting louder as the program continues to find ways to put its name out there.

- Written by Anden Garfield

Thunderbird Marching Band pre-football game

Moving forward

The goal of an organization like SUU News and the University Journal is to prepare its employed students for their futures while providing the student body with up-to-date coverage of what’s happening on campus. This semester, five staff members are graduating, but the mark they have left on SUU News will be lasting.

Aspen English - Editor-in-Chief

Aspen English likes to say that the UJ found her. During her sophomore year, English found herself in then Operations Manager Hayden Coombs’ office to talk about SUU News. She asked how she could apply, and Coombs asked if she could start on Monday.

English has been a more than dedicated member of the staff, and she took on the role as editor-in-chief her senior year. In this position, English has incorporated new systems that have revolutionized the way SUU News functions and has proven to be a leader that knows how to direct and respect her team.

“I’m so lucky to have such an incredible team of capable, knowledgeable writers that all have the same goal: provide the campus with relevant, credible news,” said English. “When you have so many people in the same room working towards the same goal, that is how the magic happens.”

After graduation, English will be moving to Salt Lake City, where she has accepted a job in the marketing and communication department at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

“Any on-campus job is going to give you real-life experience, but the University Journal kind of took that an extra step,” said English. “It taught me about the publication process, reporting, investigating, interviewing and researching my information.”

Tara Dole - Copy Editor

Tara Dole is yet another member of the UJ staff Coombs recruited. After noticing that Dole rarely made AP style mistakes when writing, Coombs recommended that she interview with the former copy editor to be one of the people to take over the job.

“I am a huge proponent of grammar and stuff, so it’s kind of perfect for me,” said Dole.

Dole is planning to give herself a break after graduation to recover from the hectic past four years, but she’s sure that the skills she’s learned at the UJ will apply to wherever she finds herself in the future.

“The collaboration aspect, especially over Google Docs and the internet, I think, is super valuable for any job where you’re going to be working on a team, especially on projects that are collaborative,” said Dole.

Andrea Rodgers - Life Editor

Following the trend of being brought into SUU News by Coombs, Andrea Rodgers was taking one of his writing classes when he invited her to work for SUU News. She started as a reporter before becoming the life editor, and the rest is history.

“I have a deeper appreciation for how projects are done because there’s so much that goes unnoticed or unsaid in media in general,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers hopes to work in either television or radio post-grad but would also love to keep doing print journalism. As for the UJ, Rodgers hopes that it continues to be a supportive community.

“One of my favorite things about this job has been the people I work with,” said Rodgers. “It’s kind of a little family of just a bunch of writers and editors who get to work together and do some good.”

Chevy Blackburn - Sports Editor

Chevy Blackburn started at SUU News in the fall of 2022 as a reporter for the sports and outdoors sections. When the previous sports editor graduated, Blackburn was chosen to step up. During his time in the role, Blackburn has been able to release an average of eight stories per week in his section.

“The biggest lesson I have learned is not to take anything for granted and that it takes a lot to run a sports section,” said Blackburn. “I’ve noticed it is more about the effort you put in that makes an impact.”

Blackburn plans to pursue a master’s degree in professional communication and gain more experience within an athletics department — preferably at SUU. The UJ has helped prepare

him for any potential future writing endeavors he is interested in, including sports information directing.

“My work at the Journal goes hand in hand with sports information directing, which is writing previews, recaps and other things for a program’s athletic department,” said Blackburn.

Luke McKenzie - News Editor

Luke McKenzie was working at Walgreens when he found out that SUU News was hiring halfway through his sophomore year. He took the opportunity and was hired a week later, eventually leading to him becoming the news editor.

“While journalism is definitely in the running for what I’d want to do as a career, I’d say the reason I took this job was to give me experience in something that would be meaningful to both me and job recruiters down the road,” said McKenzie.

McKenzie is currently deciding whether to enter into his master’s degree at SUU or to go straight into the workforce, preferably in sports communications. He credits SUU News with improving his writing skills in a way that will impact his future career.

The future

With such a strong group of journalists departing SUU News and the UJ, there are new opportunities for the organization to grow, both in size and in what it accomplishes.

“The program may be losing five of us, but I have full faith in the remaining staff of SUU News,” said English. “We’re just passing the torch to the next generation of T-Bird journalists.”

- Written by Tessa Cheshire

Top:

Aspen English Editor-in-Chief

Tara Dole

Copy Editor

Middle:

Andrea Rodgers

Life Editor

Chevy Blackburn

Sports Editor

Bottom:

Luke McKenzie

News Editor

SEVEN YEARS OF SIMON

Southern Utah University’s seniors aren’t the only ones moving into the next stage of their life as this semester concludes. Former men’s basketball head coach Todd Simon announced he would be leaving the Thunderbirds to coach for Bowling Green State University on March 15. Having “graduated” from SUU after seven years, Simon will leave behind an unforgettable influence on the program.

Like the student-athletes he mentored, Simon used his time at SUU to learn and develop. He grew as a coach, instructor, husband and father during his time in Cedar City. As he walked out the door, Simon realized that even though he initially traveled here with the intent of growing SUU’s program, the school has helped him grow in his own life.

A game changer

During his reign as coach, Simon entirely shifted the culture of SUU basketball. His first season with the team yielded only six wins while piling up 27 losses. He realized that he would have

to turn the program around quickly if he wanted to succeed as a college coach.

“We knew it was going to take a little time,” Simon said. “The first year, there was a learning curve and the process had to begin. Then, we built the foundation year by year, and hopefully, it’s built to last now that we’ve strung a lot of winning seasons together.”

Turning the struggling team into winners proved to be a difficult task and required far more than just Simon’s coaching abilities. The head coach, along with the athletic department, began working to build a team that would draw more fan attendance. With more support, Simon would have more resources to improve on the program and pull together a team that could make championship runs.

“The program wasn’t having success on the court when we got here, and we needed to really engage the community and get people excited about basketball again. That was certainly a challenge,” Simon said. “Learning how to win and playing good basketball was the next step. We had to modernize the program and catch up to speed with our competitors.”

As Simon’s plan began to unfold, the program flourished, gradually growing into an increasingly more victorious team. During his last three years with the Thunderbirds, men’s basketball racked up at least 20 wins each season. Despite a move from the Big Sky Conference to the Western Athletic Conference in his final year, he led his senior-heavy team on a furious run at the championship to earn second place.

In transitioning to Bowling Green, Simon plans to use the same vital concepts from his time in southern Utah to develop a new program.

“We knew it was going to take a little time. The first year, there was a learning curve and the process had to begin. Then, we built the foundation year by year, and hopefully, it’s built to last now that we’ve strung a lot of winning seasons together.”

“I think our system will translate and apply, so I want to use it at Bowling Green,” Simon said. “I think the lessons we learned in building Southern Utah will help me build faster there, and I think with experience you learn a lot of lessons.”

His time at SUU helped him hone his coaching skills and garner a reputation for winning, but the leader expected success on more than just the court.

An educator

Simon wanted his student-athletes to triumph as much in the classroom as they did while executing his gameplans. While excelling on the court would help the players win in the moment, Simon knew that what they learned would stay with them for the rest of their lives.

The importance of academics was instilled in him from an early age. He attended college at Central Michigan University on an academic scholarship that few others received. His wife was a valedictorian and English teacher. His connection to education showed him that success means more than simply winning. For any athlete, learning and growing is just as critical.

“I view my role as an educator as much as a coach,” Simon said. “We have to teach the game and teach fundamentals by taking an educational approach to it.”

By approaching his team as a teacher rather than simply a play caller, Simon developed the minds of his athletes along with their bodies. While he didn’t necessarily have to, he also took on the responsibility of holding players accountable in the classroom. He insisted players maintain scholarly standards regardless of their physical talent.

“We’re 33 for 33 in graduating guys that have finished their senior year here,” Simon said. “I’m going to leave it in their hands from here, and I think we’re in a good place now.”

His teaching impacted more than just his athletes. Former sports information director Bryson Lester worked with Simon from the day of his introductory press conference through the 2020-21 season when his team earned the title of Big Sky regular season champions. In that time, Simon helped Lester become more familiar with the game of basketball.

“Todd is someone I consider both a mentor and a friend, along with someone I’m hopeful I’ll cross paths with again professionally. I learned an incredible amount from him in the time I was able to spend with the men’s basketball program, and I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for me,” Lester said. “I’ll carry fond memories of our lunches together and how much I learned about the game of basketball during those. I wish him nothing but the best at Bowling Green and am now a huge fan of the Falcons.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDEN GARFIELD

Simon’s off to Ohio, but his habits won’t change. His time at SUU set in stone methods of teaching that he’ll continue to use as long as he coaches.

Education can make a world of difference, but the key to Simon’s team didn’t lie on the court or in the classroom. What shaped his program was the concept of family.

A family man

Simon’s connection to each individual player was a foundational principle of his program. He trusted his players to live up to their potential and accomplish all they could in life.

“The key to being a successful coach isn’t just having good players,” Simon said. “It’s having good relationships with those players and getting the most out of them. Having a disciplined program that believes in one another is kind of our secret.”

When Dee Barnes transferred to play for the Thunderbirds, he quickly recognized the welcoming environment that Simon had created. Now a fifth-year senior, Barnes won Sixth Man of the Year in the WAC.

“Coach Simon has had a huge impact on me, not only as a player but as a young man,” Barnes said. “Coming to Utah, I had no family here, and from day one, he always made me feel welcomed. He always checks in to make sure we’re taken care of and to make sure our families are well. I’ll always appreciate

what he has done for me and the success we had together.”

Simon’s strong sense of family formed from his closeness with his own wife and four children. They would regularly support him at his games and consistently proved to be his biggest fans. Simon’s heartwarming moments with his family offered fans of the Thunderbirds a view at the loving culture he built in his home, his program and his community.

“I have a very tight-knit family, and I love everybody in the program like family. I want the best for them, and I want to help them be the best they can be. I care about them genuinely,” Simon said. “I want them to see the love I have for my family, and hopefully, that will translate to their lives when they have families of their own.”

His family played a huge factor in the decision his wife and he made to travel across the nation to Bowling Green.

“It’s a new challenge, but most importantly for us, it’s close to home,” Simon said. “Our families will be two hours away in Michigan, so that gives our kids an opportunity to spend more time with cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles.”

Although Simon has looked out for his SUU family for seven years, he couldn’t pass up such a perfect opportunity to provide his immediate family more time with their loved ones.

Simon’s “senior quote”

“I’m so appreciative of the SUU students and their support. They really lift this program up with their passion. I’m appreciative of the SUU and Cedar City community for welcoming us and making us feel at home by letting us grow our family here for seven years. It’s an important part of our lives and always will be. We’re very grateful for that.”

- Written by Kale Nelson

Looking back on a year in the WAC

From a first-ever March Madness appearance for the women’s basketball team to inter-conference dominance in track and field, the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds had an eventful start to their residence in the Western Athletic Conference.

Women’s basketball, 23-9 (16-2 WAC), WAC champions

This year’s season for the women’s basketball team will be remembered as one of the best in program history.

Cherita Daugherty’s 499 points led the team and was ranked third in the WAC among those with at least 100 attempts. She had a free throw percentage of 83.2% that ranked her second and 35 steals.

Lizzy Williamson led the WAC in total rebounds with 329 and blocked shots with 77. She was the only player in the WAC with over both 300 total rebounds and 200 defensive rebounds.

After beating their first nine in-conference opponents, SUU stormed on to a 16-2 conference record and only grew stronger during the WAC Tournament.

The Thunderbirds fell short against the University of Notre Dame by a score of 56-82, but Tracy Sander’s main hope for next season is to return to the Big Dance with a higher seeding.

“If we get a better seed, then we don’t open up with a team like Notre Dame,” Sanders said. “We’re playing someone where we’re closely ranked, and it’s just a better opportunity for us in the NCAA Tournament.”

Men’s basketball, 22-12 (12-6 WAC), third in WAC, eliminated in WAC championship

After Daugherty made a miraculous last-second buzzer-beater to send the Thunderbirds to the quarterfinals, SUU outscored their next two opponents to win the WAC championship as well as a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The SUU men’s basketball team also shined this year, finishing third in the WAC behind Utah Valley University and Sam Houston State University.

Tevian Jones led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 596 points and a free throw percentage of 84.5%. Drake Allen led the team in assists with 125.

Maizen Fausett also cemented his legacy at SUU by becoming the third SUU basketball player ever to surpass 1,500 career points after finishing the season with a total of 1,565. Harrison Butler finished just short of the same mark, ending his career with 1,468.

The Thunderbirds had a storybook run during the WAC Tournament, where they beat their rival, Utah Tech University, and overcame a 23-point deficit to beat Utah Valley University.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUU ATHLETICS

The Thunderbirds defeated California Baptist University 82-73 to clinch the title and their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Jason Spurgin and Drake Allen celebrate their WAC Tournament victory over UVU.

Unfortunately, SUU then fell to Grand Canyon University by a score of 84-64 in the WAC championship.

Men’s cross country, second place at WAC championship

The SUU men’s cross country team had three separate podium finishes to mark a successful 2022 season.

Although the season began with a sour last-place finish at the UVU Invitational, the Thunderbirds quickly turned the tide with a second-place finish at the UC Riverside Invitational.

After two more invitationals that included a first-place finish versus Utah Tech and Utah Valley, SUU took 10th out of 26 colleges at pre-nationals. Following the event, the Thunderbirds took second place out of the 13 teams at the WAC championship.

In their final event of the season, SUU took 11th place in the 10k run at the Mountain Regionals in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team was barely beat by Utah Valley, who finished about two minutes before the final SUU runner.

Women’s cross country, fourth place at WAC championship

The women’s team recorded two top-three finishes, and all but two of their meets resulted in top-10 finishes.

The team placed fourth at the WAC championship on Oct. 29, 2022, and then placed 13th at the Mountain Regionals, falling to Utah Valley with a score of 214.

Holding the best time among her teammates in the final three meets, Madison DeBos was the Thunderbirds’ most impactful runner down the stretch. Her spectacular 20:44.5 time at the WAC championships landed her 11th place.

Football, 5-6 (2-3 WAC)

After only one of the four previous seasons resulted in more than one win, the Thunderbirds began to turn the tide in their favor with their best season since 2017.

The season began with a bang after the Thunderbirds blew out the University of St. Thomas by a score of 44-13. However, as they entered conference play, the Thunderbirds lost their first four games before claiming victory against Lincoln University and Sam Houston State University.

In terms of stats, Braedon Wissler finished with the most rushing yards for the Thunderbirds with a net gain of 444 yards. Isaiah Williams and Elijah Burns tied for the most rushing touchdowns with four each.

As for the passing game, Justin Miller led the team after completing 240 passes on 367 attempts for 2,821 yards. He also had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 20:8.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kohner Cullimore led the Thunderbirds in tackles with 76. Zach Strand was the leader in sacks with 5.5.

Soccer, 9-6-2 (4-5-2 WAC)

Isaiah Wooden and Kyle Sfarcioc celebrate a late touchdown against St. Thomas university.

The women’s soccer team celebrates a home win versus the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The SUU soccer team went undefeated through August and won their first five games. However, the rest of the season took a turn, and the Thunderbirds lost or tied in eight of their final 12 games to finish with an overall record of 9-6-2.

While the in-conference play was poor, the team still set several season records:

— Most single-season wins with nine

— Longest winning streak with five

— Most points with 87

— Most goals with 31

— Most shutouts with eight

Sammie Sofonia led the team in goals with seven, and Whitney Wangsgard and Hailey Hamataka tied for the team lead in assists with four each. Megan Short was the team’s leading goalkeeper and had a goals-against average of 1.29 per game with 21 goals allowed and 93 saves.

Volleyball, 7-17 (6-8 WAC)

Out of all of the SUU athletic teams competing in the WAC, volleyball had the most unfortunate beginning to their season.

The Thunderbirds lost their first eight contests, outscored 552715. The team managed to break their losing streak against former Big Sky rival Idaho State University.

Entering in-conference play, the team had a record of 1-9 but managed to slightly turn around their bad luck with a conference record of 6-8. At the end of the season, SUU finished in eighth place in the WAC.

As for stats, Mackenzie Templeton led the team in points and kills with 297.5 and 275, respectively.

Women’s indoor track and field, sixth at WAC championship

The women’s track and field team also performed well with multiple dominant performances versus WAC opponents.

At the WAC championship in Spokane, Washington, the Thunderbirds took sixth place out of the 12 teams competing.

Madisan DeBos and Haley Tanne took first and second place, respectively, in the mile run.

Secret Mceuen, Jentry Skidmore, Seadra Hamilton and Maya Benjamin not only took first but broke the all-time school record at the event with a 4x400 meter relay time of 3:45.09.

Mceuen also broke the women’s 200-meter race record with a time of 23.93 seconds, becoming the first runner in the history of the women’s team to reach a time below 24 seconds in the event.

Men’s indoor track and field, third at WAC championship

The men’s side of the track team also performed well versus WAC opponents and were able to take third place in the WAC championship.

Joren McKeever went unbeaten in the high jump event and finished his season by claiming the conference title with a height of 7 1/4. This was McKeever’s second straight conference title in the event, as he won the event while SUU was in the Big Sky Conference last year.

Meanwhile, Santiago Gaitan finished in first place in the mile run with a time of 4:05.46, and Astley Davis managed to secure the title in the triple jump with a distance of 50-9 1/4, a new school record.

As each of the Thunderbird teams move toward next year on a different path, one goal remains the same: conference dominance.

- Written by Luke McKenzie

Carissa Richie and Rylee Achtzehn jump to block an incoming attack from Utah Tech outside hitter, Whitnee Nihipali

Letter from the editor

As editor-in-chief of SUU News and the University Journal, I have had the opportunity to speak to dozens of students about their college experiences. Whether it be for a news article we’re writing, for a podcast or just for fun, I love learning about the T-Bird experience. I especially love sharing words of wisdom to my fellow students (If you listen to SUU News Podcasting, you know this well).

As you saw on page 22, I will be graduating and leaving the UJ behind at the end of April. But I just can’t leave without imparting my sage knowledge on all of you, so here’s some personalized advice:

If you are graduating: Put this magazine down, and go take a nap. You’re so close. You are also so sleep deprived.

If you are a junior: You’re probably also very sleep deprived, but the senioritis hasn’t hit yet, so take advantage of that. When you return to campus in the fall, try to last as long as you can before letting it creep in. Don’t think you’re too cool to go to sports games and events next year!

If you are a sophomore: Welcome to the second half of your college experience! Something cool starts to happen right about now. You start to take more niche and interesting classes within your chosen major or discipline. You start to find your favorite professors and staff members and build relationships with them. Keep doing that! They’re going to help you find opportunities and internships in the future.

If you are a freshman: Let me guess, you’re technically a sophomore by credits? If you are finishing your first year here, then I have wonderful news for you: the worst is over! You’ve almost finished your generals, which are sometimes the hardest classes you’ll take. Hopefully you’ve found some friends and a tolerable roommate or two. Hold on to them if you can, but also know this: the people in your life will change throughout the rest of your college career. Learn to be okay with that.

If you are a professor or staff member: THANK YOU! I guess I’m not extremely qualified to give you much advice, but I don’t need much credibility to say that your presence on campus is changing lives. Your classes or organizations have a big impact on students like me. Keep doing what you’re doing, and

If you are anyone else: Thanks for picking up the UJ! I’m pretty proud of the group of people who worked tirelessly to put it together, and I’m going to miss having them on my team. So here’s my advice to you: Keep supporting us T-Birds! Keep picking up our magazines, and keep engaging with our

What’s next for

For as long as anyone can remember, SUU News and the University Journal have resided in the corner of the Sharwan Smith Student Center, recently dubbed “The Wing.” However, good media organizations grow, and that means those organizations often outgrow their newsrooms. In summer 2023, SUU News will officially relocate to the America First Event Center.

Room 209, which was previously home to the art and design faculty, will be the new SUU News office. The space will house the office for the operations manager as well as desk space for student reporters and editors. New technology, printing materials and screens will allow SUU News to continue to publish bisemesterly editions of the University Journal and daily digital news stories.

The news organization is working on a plan for the full redesign of their new space, which SUU Facilities will put into action over

the summer. They’ll knock down several walls to open up the room for reporter workspaces and add a graphic design and copy editing station. In the spirit of a true newsroom, screens will be installed to broadcast events and news throughout the day. The addition of a conference room will make for more effective, open meetings and employee training.

The transition puts SUU News in a position where they can better stay involved with the rest of the communication department. With SUTV and the social media lab as its neighbors, the news crew will have close access to helpful resources.

“Regardless of where we are, SUU News is always here for you,” said editor-in-chief Aspen English. “Our office has always been and will continue to be a space for friendship, collaboration and most importantly, good journalism.”