Students get the best of both worlds when attending Dixie State University with its “active learning. active life.” tagline which enables students to have a dynamic, engaging life.
DSU offers a multitude of classes and employment opportunities which engage students in learning actively and having an active life. It helps enable students to not only thrive while attending but also in their careers, personal endeavors and more.
Classes that offer hands-on labs and interactive lessons embody the “active learning. active life.” tagline. Being close to the lesson, seeing and moving things instead of sitting and listening to a lecture is a much better way to actively learn.
“Seeing what you learn in real life makes the information come alive,” said Erin O’Brien, director of community engaged learning. “I can explain how something is relevant to a student’s life or career, but it doesn’t carry the same weight as when they can see the relevance for themselves.”
As DSU offers more and more interactive courses, students are getting a better learning experience that will stick with them after graduation.
Campus recreation allows students be more involved in the “active life” part of the tagline. It gives them the opportunity to become more active in school and engage with other students.
DSU offers a number of courses at the Human Performance Center that help students engage in active learning.
“All of our programs are designed to not only keep our students, faculty and staff active and engaged in campus, but to also support personal growth and development,” said David Howell, director of campus recreation.
Howell said students get hands-on experience and learn to grow their physical, mental and emotional health.
There are many ways to be involved in “active life” on and off campus. DSU’s Outdoor Adventure program is a great way for students to see some of these sights.
“Through trips and equipment rental, our outdoor programs can help students plan and organize outdoor excursions that allow them to learn and engage in all the outdoor activities southern Utah has to offer,” Howell said.
Recreational programs are fun for students and focus on inviting and supporting student needs and wants while teaching lifelong skills. Howell said campus recreational employment also helps engage students in the active learning component by giving them real world, active participation in programs and services.
Campus recreation employs over 70 part-time and full-time students which allows them to engage in high level recreational and fitness programs and gain valuable experience and professional development.
DSU gives students the chance to actively learn and retain the information by interacting with the learning instead of blankly listening to lectures.
“Being a part of the Dixie State Ballroom Team has made Dixie’s active living, active learning lifestyle a breeze,” said Senisa Zambrano, a junior mechanical engineering major from Pleasant Grove. “Getting up in the morning and immediate moving my body helps wake up my mind before going to classes, making me more alert and focused throughout the day.”
Living by the “active learning. active life.” tagline helps set us up to have a successful time here at DSU. Taking classes that are more interactive than lectures is a good way to help retain the knowledge being given by our professors.
