Dixie State University has implemented a goal that all students will graduate, regardless of their major.
To make this goal a reality, faculty and students have started discussions about grit. Grit is an individual’s passion for their long-term goal, but whether or not it can be taught has sparked conversation.
“Intelligence is a great asset to have but it’s not everything,” said Tatum Scoville, a sophomore psychology major from Layton. “Someone with a passion for what they are doing can [surpass] a naturally gifted [learner] with little work ethic.”
Grit is an equal partnership of passion and perseverance, without one the other is not enough, Scoville said.
“I’ve had very few professors who have made me feel so strongly about the subject I was learning about,” Scoville said. “I’ve noticed in those classes, I do significantly better.”
DSU has guided professors toward “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” a book by Angela Duckworth, to help motivate students and teach them endurance throughout their careers.
“It’s so hard to keep motivated throughout the course of a semester,” said Hannah McGough, a junior biology major from Las Vegas. “But when you’re passionate about what you’re learning, it’s easier to stick with it.”
McGough said the true secret to earning a degree is going into a program students truly enjoy. College isn’t easy, and it’s certainly not for everyone, McGough said, but people who thrive in a university are usually those with a genuine love for what they’re planning to do.
“College isn’t a sprint,” McGough said. “It’s a marathon.”
