UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | October 03, 2025

Month: September 2020

OPINION | Stop letting influencers impact your self image

by Sydney BerenyiPosted on

Stop allowing social media’s impossible beauty standards make you question your natural beauty.

We all know the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but what if the beholder’s perception of beauty is completely botched? You know what I’m talking about; we see it every day in our Instagram feeds. The numerous posts with slim waists, big hair, pouty lips, chiseled jawlines, white teeth, and perfect bodies, and you can’t help but compare yourself to it.

Social media has distorted young women’s perceptions of beauty by creating an unrealistic beauty standard we feel we must conform to. We need to end the idea that we have to meet these standards in order to be considered ideal and receive the same amount of attention as influencers and celebrities do, and the idea that every image we see online is realistic.

A study conducted by the Florida House Experience found that 87% of women compare their bodies to the images they view on their everyday social media platforms. Even worse, “50% of women compare their bodies unfavorably.”

How can we possibly feel confident in our own skin when almost every influencer on our feed flaunts their “natural beauty,” which most of the time includes cosmetic surgery or Photoshop? The answer is we can’t.

Young women are resorting to using filters that instantly enhance the way they look on Snapchat and Instagram, as well as photo editing apps such as Facetune, to morph their faces and bodies to appear more like celebrities like Kylie Jenner or Madison Beer on social media.

I get the appeal of wanting to post a picture of yourself that looks attractive and grabs attention, but a picture that has been edited to give you a “snatched” jawline and tighter waist is not a picture of you. It’s simply a picture of what you wish you looked like.

I won’t lie, it still makes me feel beautiful when I use Snapchat or Instagram filters to make my skin smoother and face slimmer. It was easy for me to fall into the trap of retouching my selfies or digitally removing a huge zit, especially when most photo editing apps are free to download and user-friendly; however, we shouldn’t be fooled.

These apps are dangerous; with the tap of a few buttons, we can completely alter the way we look, almost to the point where we don’t recognize our true selves. This can eventually lead to body dysmorphia and depression.

Altering your appearance and posting it online for others to view as something authentic is unethical and does more damage than good. Not only are you hurting the way you see yourself, but you are giving others yet another image to envy.

A CNN report stated, “The problem is, when you alter a photo and the result is a you-but-better-version staring back, you may start to get it in your head that that’s what you should look like.”

Once the filter is gone and we are staring at our real appearance on our screens, not only will we feel disappointed with the way we look, but this can lead to self-loathing or a negative body image.

A BBC article recommended that social media users should change the focus of their feeds and who they follow to create a timeline that is more positive and healthy to view. The article states, “Finding inspiring landscapes, delicious food, and cute dogs to fill your Instagram feed might just help you remember there’s more to life than what you look like.”

To combat unrealistic beauty standards and free ourselves from feeling that we will never be as gorgeous as the faux-beauties on our timelines, we need to carefully reassess what our definition of beauty is and understand that most content we view online is carefully edited and cosmetically built.

Fight the urge to compare yourself to the “perfect” images you see online. They’re not real, but you can be. You’re authentic. You’re genuine. You’re the true “Instagram Baddie.”

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State of the University addresses new strategic plan, name change rumors

by Autumn NuzmanPosted on

President Richard “Biff” Williams introduced Dixie State University’s next proposed strategic plan during the 2020 State of the University Address.

The plan, also known as Trailblazer Distinction 2020-2025, features five goals:

  • Academic distinction, which DSU hopes to accomplish by establishing an open and inclusive environment with a polytechnic blend of curricular and co-curricular experiences, as well as high-impact learning experiences and increased academic programs.
  • Strategic enrollment and growth, which will involve increasing overall enrollment to 16,000 students, increasing education center enrollment by 100%, and increasing graduation and retention rates through affordability.
  • Institutional capacity and performance, which will be done through a deployment of analytics, establishing enhanced business intelligence to increase enrollment, creating a formal plan to regularly assess and maintain the campus’ physical infrastructure, purchasing Desert Color property to integrate it into the campus master plan, using a sustainable refresh and replacement cycle for equipment, and upgrading fundraising capabilities.
  • Community as university, which involves collaborating more with DSU’s surrounding counties and community while increasing partnerships, incubating 10 new companies through Atwood Innovation Plaza, and promoting more global and civic engagement efforts.
  • Faculty and staff life, which will involve increasing diversity, providing more resources, making policies more effective, and creating more cohesion through collaboration in regard to faculty and staff.

Trailblazer Distinction is also meant to make DSU more open, inclusive and polytechnic, with an emphasis on filling the regional hole in polytechnic universities, Williams said.

Williams also gave Dixie 2020: Status to Stature medallions to goal and strategy leaders from each of the six goals in DSU’s Status to Stature plan, and he presented special recognition awards to several people involved in the plan. Most were bison trophies, but the one given to Christina Durham, former chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, was a 50-pound placard for coining Status to Stature and the one given to Michael Lacourse, provost and vice president of academics, was a charging bison because he “hit the ground running” when he got here five years ago.

https://dixiesunnews.com/news/articles/2020/09/12/whats-next-for-dsus-potential-name-change/

David Clark, chairman of the Board of Trustees, addressed rumors surrounding a potential university name change in an impromptu speech during his opening remarks.

“People … have been sharing things that are not truthful and not honest,” Clark said. “I want to set the record straight. There is no secret plan on behalf of the trustees on how to change the name of Dixie State University.”

Clark said legislators are the only ones who have the power to change the university’s name and he feels it’s disingenuous to spread the perception study DSU is doing as if that were proof there’s a secret plan backed by the trustees and university president. He said the perception study is only a survey intended to see how DSU is perceived.

“I want to set the record straight. There is no secret plan on behalf of the trustees on how to change the name of Dixie State University.”

David Clark, chairman of the Board of Trustees

“I think we all know what [Dixie] means locally: our love and affection for our heritage and what’s taking place,” Clark said. “But regionally and nationally, we need some help.”

Clark also acknowledged that the administration was unaware he planned to address the situation in his remarks until he did it.

“The university didn’t know; as he said at the beginning of those, we were not aware,” Williams said. “To be honest, I was in the back and I couldn’t really hear, and so I don’t know what those comments were.”

Lacourse and Jordon Sharp, vice president of marketing and communication, also announced a special recognition for Williams, which was a presidential portrait commissioned by the president’s cabinet from art professor Del Parson.

“Any team needs a good, strong leader,” Sharp said. “[Williams] never stops thinking, he never stops planning, he never stops dreaming, he never stops worrying, he never stops working.”

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Gentri films music video at DSU

by Jordan PalmerPosted on
Video by Jordan Palmer.

Utah-based musical group Gentri has teamed up with University Marketing and Communication at Dixie State University to create a music video. The music video showcases DSU’s athletes while the Gentri trio sings about rising up, which the student athletes will be doing when they enter the world of Division I sports.

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DSU hosts suicide prevention week

by Jordan PalmerPosted on
Video by Jordan Palmer.

The Booth Wellness Center is being pro-active when it comes to suicide prevention, especially here on campus. As part of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a special week of events was held to help students know they aren’t alone.

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Haunted places to visit near St. George

by Sarah CordnerPosted on
Video by Sarah Cordner.

Looking for a fun and safe way to get into the Halloween spirit during the pandemic? Visiting ghost towns might be for you. Luckily, there are a few ghost towns near St. George for you to explore. Ghosts included.

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Fill Drinks opens on campus

by Natalie LightPosted on
Video by Jordan Palmer.

On a dry, hot day at Dixie State University, it’s not uncommon for temperatures to reach over 100 degrees. To a student walking from building to building, the heat can be unbearable and dehydration is inevitable. You buy 2 fountain drinks a day and there goes $60+ a month. Imagine a way to get unlimited refills, with hundreds of drink options for less money.

Created by three students at Dixie State University, Fill Drinks is a soda subscription service where subscribers get unlimited use of a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine for $19.99 a month.

The Coca-Cola Freestyle machine lets you choose from different drinks and drink flavors, and it offers technology that allows you to scan a QR code and fill your drink from your phone. There are also options for healthier non-soda beverages such as Powerade, Vitamin Water, sparkling water, and lemonade.

It all started in August 2019 when Devon Dickson, a junior information systems and analytics major from St. George; Stuart Baker, a senior finance major from Santa Clara; and Braden Bringhurst, now an experience design and management major at BYU from Santa Clara, were eating in the Trailblazer Café. Dickson told Baker and Bringhurst his idea for a subscription soda business after noticing how the drinks on campus could add up and become pretty expensive in the long run.

“All three of us have had previous businesses,” Baker said. “We’re always looking for different ideas and different ways to start new businesses, and when this one was presented we all just jumped on it because we thought it was a great idea.”

The three all said they very naturally found their place in the business. Dickson, who came up with the concept initially, was a great fit for the organizing and planning roles.

“Devon is great with just organizing things and making things run smoothly, so he was the obvious pick for the CEO,” Baker said.

Baker, being the finance major, naturally fell into his finance and data role because of his experience working with numbers. Bringhurst works well doing marketing, networking, sales, and website and social media management for the business.

As they told people about their business idea, some people would ask about investing, but Fill Drinks is completely self-funded.

“It’s a little nerve-racking because you’re like, ‘Woah, that’s my money,’” Bringhurst said. “But we wanted to make sure that we kept our ownership and we were in control of what was going to happen.”

Fill Drinks is currently available in Brooks’ Stop on DSU’s campus. The Fill Drinks trio had to work with DSU to find a good place for the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine.

“We wanted to make sure it was beneficial for the school and us,” Dickson said. “Really, the school doesn’t have any headache with it. We decided to propose that we would take over one of their existing soda machines and basically reimburse them for what the profit was on the machine so they don’t have to worry about it as much, so it’s kind of a win-win for the school and for us.”

Major steps started happening around November 2019 as the business began to form a relationship with Coca-Cola.

“We faced a ton of major obstacles,” Dickson said. “We didn’t think we’d really get the machine was the biggest one because mainly it’s for franchises.”

It’s very difficult for a small business like Fill Drinks to get the attention of a multinational beverage corporation like Coca-Cola. Emails would go unanswered, but the Fill Drinks trio continued to reach out. Dickson, Bringhurst and Baker all said they attribute their success with Coca-Cola to the support they received from the university and its faculty members.

“We had to have people like Don Watkins, who is an entrepreneur in residence at DSU,” Dickson said. “He had to contact them and really kind of get them to help. And also Colby Jenkins, who is the director of [the Business Resource Center], he really helped too with getting Coca-Cola to listen to us and give us a chance really.”

Now, subscribers to Fill Drinks can enjoy unlimited drinks for only $19.99 a month and single-use drinks are available for people who aren’t subscribed.

Refilling your cup has never been safer with the new technology that comes with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. You can scan a QR code on the machine, then pick your drink and fill your cup all from your phone for a completely touch-free experience.

“The machine is constantly being updated by Coke,” said Baker. “There are new flavors that are constantly being introduced to it.”

After over a year of hard work, Fill Drinks is open for business in Brooks’ Stop on DSU’s campus. For a refreshing treat, stop by and enjoy a beverage.

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DSU Mask Fashion

by Kiara ParhamPosted on

Homemade Masks

Homemade doesn’t mean less fashionable. Dixie State University students have resorted to making their own masks as opposed to buying them online. Homemade masks can be great for gifts or a fun way to get in touch with your creative side. If you have time you can grab some old fabric or an old t-shirt and create one of your own!

  • “Moo”-ve over department stores. Homemade masks are trendy and cost effective! Ashley Christensen, a freshman biology major from Salt lake City, said her mask is special because her friend made it for her. She usually doesn’t coordinate her masks with her outfit, but she has four different masks that she rotates through and sometimes it just happens.
  • “The plain black ones are too plain for me.”
    Moesha Spencer, a junior business marketing major from East Yosemite, California, made this mask herself.
    Materials you’ll need:
    a white homemade or store bought mask
    rubber bands
    Rit dye
    water

  • Sean Jordan, a senior theater major from Mesquite, said “My girlfriend made me this mask and it doesn’t fog up my glasses.” Jordan has at least seven other masks and plans to bring out his Halloween inspired mask when the time is right.
  • Devon Rice, a junior business marketing major from Bountiful, made his mask on campus at the Multicultural Inclusion Student Association and Black Student Union event. “Sometimes I match, if it works it works… Tie Dye and tie dye is what I wear usually.” Rice said.

Locally Bought

Who knew mask-shopping would be a thing? If you like it… buy it. There are fashionable masks in town, you just have to do a little browsing around to find the perfect one for you.

  • Walmart is known for its unique masks. This student saw an outfit opportunity and went for it. Elle Schreiber, a freshman dance major from Starvalley, Wyoming, loves Jurassic Park and coordinated her shirt with her mask and earrings.
  • Grey is not so shady after all.
    This mask might be basic but the color says otherwise. Target has a cute variety of colored masks that can be coordinated with any outfit you can think of.
    Kristina Judd, a junior behavioral science major from Addis Abeba, Ethiopia is wearing her grey mask from Target
  • Cute masks are not exclusive to college students; Success Academy Student Blakely Fairchild from St. George thought her mask was cute so she had to get it.
  • Sometimes, less is more when you want to match your mask with your outfits.
    Josh Calvo, a freshman computer information major from Mexico City, Mexico, bought his mask from Red Cliffs Mall! He kept it simple with a black and white mask to match all of his outfits.

Online

Why limit yourself to a few in-store selections when the options online seem endless? Online shopping is always an option to get your hands on never before seen masks.

  • Spread good vibes with a mask that spreads a good message!
    “I really liked the message and I would like to spread it.”
    Sadie Goodrich, a freshman general studies major from St. George, is sporting her “Do Good” mask from CotoPaxi.com.
  • Show off your smile in style!
    Dance Adjunct Professor Jenny Mair got her mask from Ebay. Mair said, “I like for my students to see my mouth and expressions; it’s vital for dance students to see facial expressions.”
  • Nickelle Blanton, a sophomore digital film major from Payson, enjoys her mask because it is cute and has a black lining on the inside, “it doesn’t get gross like the white inside ones.” Her mask is from Calledtosurf.com
  • Calling all cat lovers. Here’s a mask just for you!
    Jessica Richardson, a sophomore music education major from Lehi, said Etsy is a popular website to find all kinds of creative masks.

School Pride

A little school pride goes a long way on your face. Masks are available in the bookstore to buy or available in the Dean of Students office, and students are taking advantage of the ability to represent their university. Some clubs on campus including Radio Dixie gave out free masks to students.

  • There’s nothing wrong with a little club pride. Free masks from Radio Dixie made their outfits complete. From left: Samantha Ortiz, a junior media studies major from St. George, and Alyssa Janeway, a sophomore communication major from San Diego, California, matched their masks perfectly with their promo shirts.
  • Not your average mask, but it’s unique and free.
    Jonah Tuttle, a senior communication studies major from St. George, enjoys this mask because its comfortable and it was free; he got it from the dean of students office in the Gardner.
  • A mask specifically for work.
    Iliana Reyes, a sophomore nursing major from Temecula, California, works in the dining services as well as an RA in student housing, and her mask is specific to that. Reyes has other masks that she wears to classes.

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ACE center now more accessible to students

by Christina BlockPosted on

Students now have easier access to the Advising and Career Engagement Center with a more welcoming environment.

Katie Armstrong, director of college advisement said, “It’s really like a one-stop kind of shop right there with academic advising and career advising as well.”

The ACE Center, which is located on the first floor of the Udvar-hazy College of Business, consists of two academic advisers and one career adviser available for students who need help finding internships, achieving their goals to graduate, or any information regarding their future plans.

“The goal of the ACE center is to create a supportive environment for students to keep them on track to graduate within their majors, as well as guide them in their career exploration through co-op/internship opportunities and learning about their interests beyond the classroom,” said Sarah Vandermark, associate provost for academic success.

Daniela Gutierrez, an adviser for the College of Business, said the move from the third to the first floor created a welcoming environment and gave students easy access.

“I was a student here and I didn’t know there were offices on the third floor… it’s easier for students to get a hold of us.” said Gutierrez.

Interview rooms have been added and are available for students to practice and prepare for work or internship interviews. When these rooms are empty students may may also use it as a quiet study room.

Additionally this center is able to relate to the university’s moto, “active learning, active life.”

“We want students to actively learn and apply this knowledge throughout their lives,” Vandermark said. “We also want students to always take an active role in their learning through the opportunities offered by career services as well as have an active lifestyle, which creates health and an abundance of opportunities.”   

Now students can receive easy access and get help from advisers who are willing to point them in the right direction, so that they can accomplish their goals.

Academic Adviser Hannah Thompson said while the building was being worked on, she and her coworker planned out their vision for what it would look like, which included creating a comfortable working environment for students and staff.

It is open Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and advisers are willing to extend the time when students make appointments. An appointment can be made by calling, emailing, through the Navigate Student app or dropping in. Drop-ins are open from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. other week days.

A private donation was given from alumnus of the College of Business to help create the center. More information regarding the donation will be announced next month.

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Kelsey Cook viewed as leader, earns high praise from coach, teammates

by Brock DomanPosted on

It didn’t take long for head coach Molly Rouse of the Dixie State University women’s soccer team to realize the special talent senior midfielder Kelsey Cook has.

As Rouse is looking to make her coaching debut for the Trailblazers in 2020, she needed someone to look to.

“Kelsey was a huge part in giving me an understanding of where the team is at culture wise,” Rouse said. “She’s able to relate to pretty much everybody on the team in some capacity, making her very approachable as a leader.”

Cook, who is a senior business administration major from American Fork, led the Trailblazers to eight goals while tallying on an additional nine assists in the 2019 season.

Her desire to play for the Trailblazers first developed in high school. “My high school team came to a Dixie State [University] summer camp, and that’s where the [coaches] first saw me,” Cook said.

Not only did this give the coaches an opportunity to see Cook play, but it was also a big opportunity for Cook to see DSU.

“The whole environment and the campus made me pretty interested right away,” Cook said.

As Cook continued to stand out throughout high school, the midfielder gained interest from other universities, including well known in-state rival Snow College, as well as Pacific University in Oregon.

After a lot of thought on where to further her soccer career, Cook said she decided DSU was the right place for her.

“I liked that it was in Utah, but it was also far enough that I was getting away from home,” Cook said.

Once she arrived at DSU, Cook said she knew she’d have to work hard for her a position and role on the team. Cook stands 5-foot-5 and said she knew this would be something she’d have to work past.

“She has a willingness to get in and do the work that needs to get done while being able to push the team in the right direction.”

Head Coach Molly Rouse

“My struggle is always my size,” Cook said. “I got a lot [of feedback] from coaches saying I wasn’t big enough, so I have to do other things to make up for that.”

Those other things have included stepping into leadership roles and really learning the game of soccer.

“You can tell she is somebody who has a really good understanding of the game,” Rouse said. “She’s had a really good impact on the fluidity of the sessions and practices that we’ve had.”

Rouse said she attributes Cook’s leadership to her ability to connect with her teammates on and off the field.

“[Cook] has a very calming presence on the people around to help them problem solve within challenging moments,” Rouse said. “She has a willingness to get in and do the work that needs to get done while being able to push the team in the right direction.”

Not only do Rouse and the rest of the coaching staff have high praises toward Cook, her teammates do as well.

“I like that Kelsey made an effort to get to know me and the rest of our team on a personal level,” said Kenna Sparks, a freshman general studies major from Vineyard. “I felt really welcomed by her, and instantly had respect for her after I had met her.”

Cook tore her ACL during a November practice and has been recovering ever since; however, this hasn’t been a hurdle too large for her to handle.

“This [injury] helps me have the motivation for when we do play; I’m ready to go, and I’m taking full advantage of that,” Cook said. “It’s been a while for me since I’ve played a soccer game, so with that, I’ve realized I can’t take any practice or game for granted anymore.”

Cook said she couldn’t only attribute her success and recovery at DSU to herself; she also gave praises to her teammates for supporting her.

“We’ve had to rely on each other getting through what we have together, and we are still close friends, [which] makes this pretty amazing,” Cook said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without the group we have here.”

The Trailblazers said they are hopeful to take the field in the spring, and Cook said she is also determined to have success on the field once she has graduated.

“I’d like to do some coaching,” Cook said. “I coach two club teams right now.”

Off the field, Cook would also like to pursue the business side of her life by starting her own graphic design business.

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Additional eligibility brings uncertainties for student-athletes, coaches

by Brock DomanPosted on

Collegiate athletes are facing the difficult decision between moving forward post college graduation and move into the work force or return to campus to compete collegiately with an additional year of eligibility granted by the NCAA.

Not only does this affect players and their future decisions, but this also has a major impact on the coaching staff and how they go about speaking with the seniors about their future plans.

“I wouldn’t expect them to have a final answer right now,” Men’s soccer coach Jonny Broadhead said.

Head coaches are not only looking at the individual player, they are also considering the needs of the team.

‘“I have to look at if the player [senior] could help us next year or if that player is on athletic aid; could I use that towards somebody coming in,” Broadhead said. “They may say yes if I talk to them today, and say they want to finish what they started, but come March or April if they get a job lined up.”

Men’s soccer has just two seniors on track to graduate on time and one junior ready to graduate after his third year in college. Women’s soccer has a total of six athletes who are faced with this difficult decision. The differences in numbers of players faced with this decision has changed the way coaches have navigated through these unprecedented times.

“We have loved the senior class and would be happy to bring back any and all of them,” DSU women’s soccer head coach Molly Rouse said.

Rouse is also understanding of the difficult decision these athletes are facing.

“Just knowing that the seniors are supported in which ever decision they end up choosing to do because I can see [the benefits] both of those options.”

With the many uncertainties the coronavirus has brought to this fall sports season, Rouse is certainly understanding of the pressure the athletes are facing.

“This is a different situation for the senior class that no other senior class has had to reflect on this option for them,” Rouse said. “A senior is hard because you are figuring out your life after school, but you are also super engaged in being a senior athlete at the same time.”

With the challenging decision these athletes are required to face, this also makes recruiting future classes somewhat difficult. As coaches weigh out the position these seniors have on the team, they need to recruit these positions to fill; however, with some of the seniors not knowing their decision come graduation, this poses difficulty for the coaching staff.

“It’s a dead period for the NCAA, so we can’t get out and see any of these kids play right now anyway,” football head coach Paul Peterson said. Peterson has plans made for many situations regarding his seniors. “If these guys were to leave, we are going to sign this [specific] class.”

As these student-athletes move forward desiring to earn a degree in the spring, Broadhead asked a question many of them may be asking themselves: “Is ball still life? Or does life need to move on?”

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