UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 29, 2024

Dixie Awards note ‘best and brightest’

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Dixie State University has its own version of the Academy Awards, and it is quickly approaching.

The Dixie Awards is a long-running tradition. It honors students, faculty, staff, community members and businesses who have been committed to and done great things for DSU. The event will be held May 7 at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Mainstage Theatre.

Jordon Sharp, director of student involvement and leadership, is on the committee board for the Dixie Awards.

“The Dixie Awards is an opportunity to honor those who go above and beyond to improve the experience at Dixie,” Sharp said. “Thousands of students, staff, faculty and community members contribute their time and talents to make Dixie State University the institution we have all come to love.”

Nominations will be accepted until today. There are two main categories that people can be nominated for: academic and general categories. The awards that are classified under the academic category will reward students based on their academic standings. Students in this category will be nominated by the dean of each school. 

The general category will reward students based on an extensive collection of items such as nominee responses to five questions. Anyone on campus or in the community can nominate someone for an award in the general category.

The panel of judges will include one DSU faculty member, one DSU staff member, one DSU male student, one DSU female student and one community/campus member. The judges will use a ballot and a detailed scoring system which, will determine the top two candidates for each award. The winner will be decided by a panel debate. In case of a tie, the decision will be passed to the Dean of Students Del Beatty.

“[The Dixie Awards] are done to recognize the best and brightest as Dixie State, and the awards are considered to be some of the most prestigious offered on our campus,” Beatty said in an email.  

The awards are as follows:

  • Female Student of the Year
  • Male Student of the Year
  • Teacher of the Year
  • Teacher of the Year: Rising Star
  • Distinguished Staff Member: Exempt
  • Distinguished Staff Member: Classified
  • Club Adviser of the Year
  • Club of the Year
  • Stafford Student Involvement Award
  • Entertainer of the Year
  • “Dixie Spirit” Award: Personality of the Year
  • Entertainer of the Year
  • “Heart of Dixie” Award (awards a student who has overcome personal obstacles and still succeeded academically)
  • Commitment to Diversity Award
  • Business of the Year
  • “Dixie 11” Award (awards eleven graduates who have excelled in areas of academic, university involvement, community engagement and service)