UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | May 17, 2025

Tag: Featured News

EDITORIAL | Our education shouldn’t be a silent casualty of change

by Sun News StaffPosted on

Utah Tech University students were told to expect change, but no one said it would feel like this.

This moment has become bigger than tuition spikes or canceled electives. It’s about who we are, what we value and what future we’re building at Utah Tech. It’s about deciding whether our education system is meant to serve people or cater to the Utah government and its expectations.

What is HB 265?

Because of Utah HB 265, Utah Tech University must reallocate $2.5 million.

To comply with HB 265, as of April 23, Utah State University has 14 programs, degrees and certificates that will be discontinued. Weber State University has cut 17 majors, seven certificates and eight minors.

Most of the degrees cut are College of Humanities and Social Science and Arts degrees. This includes loss of faculty and staff, and programs.

Cultural impact

Utah Tech has always advertised itself as being the most affordable university in Utah, with a fast-growing student population and a multitude of programs. It’s part of why we, Sun News members, chose this university. But now, we are noticing a shift in how Utah colleges are prioritizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees while allowing the humanities to wither.

CHASS programs are being cut across the state. Departments, colleges and faculty are being cut from universities because of this bill. Why? Because it’s not considered “high demand” in Utah’s economic projections. The narrative being pushed forward is that art, literature, philosophy and social sciences don’t matter as much anymore. They don’t produce jobs fast enough. They don’t fill quotas. They don’t fund themselves.

But CHASS majors are critical thinkers, creators, educators and leaders.

First-generation college students are among the most vulnerable to the fallout of these funding cuts. Some of us on staff—who are first-generation students—came to Utah Tech without a plan, left to navigate higher education alone, while working jobs and trying to make sense of systems we were never taught.

Our CHASS classes have been lifelines for us. They’ve provided mentorship, guidance and a sense of belonging in a space that can often feel overwhelming. We came to Utah Tech to be in the CHASS department, and found a home here.

Now, these programs are at risk of being hollowed out or eliminated entirely.

CHASS is also the main majors chosen by women in Utah. Cutting humanities and art majors primarily chosen by women, while boosting majors primarily chosen by men—business and science—appears to be eliminating the chance for women to be successful.

This HB affects anyone whose dream job doesn’t involve a lab coat. This isn’t just about budget cuts—it’s about representation.

It relays the message that some students matter more than others. In an effort to promote equity, the Utah State Legislature has brought upon students a devastating era of division.

What we want to see

We know budgets are real. We understand that tough decisions are part of running a university, and you cannot control what the state tells you to do when they are taking away money. But what students are asking for is simple—fairness and a fighting chance for CHASS and arts, for our voices to be heard.

Don’t target one college. Don’t eliminate an entire branch of education because it’s not the main percentage of students. If you make cuts, make them across the board. Look at every program and department, including athletics. We understand there are NCAA restrictions and stipulations across the board, but why should one department take the hit for cuts?

Or with university events, have less. We understand it is healthy to have these social events at a university, but that’s one option to cut back.

Students graduate when they feel supported, seen and valued, not when their majors are merged or cut without warning. Utah Tech has a graduation rate of 35%, and discontinuing majors will only steer away potential students from our university.

This situation isn’t fair, but pretending it doesn’t hurt doesn’t make it better.

The worst part is there’s no set solution. We want to see a reliable, long-term solution plan that will benefit everyone at Utah Tech. Don’t look at us as percentages and numbers, but look at us as humans who are here to learn and grow. We want to continue to receive the education rooted in “active learning. active life.”

This is a loss for everyone involved. And that’s what makes it so devastating. We wish we weren’t in this situation in the first place, but now that we are, we have no choice but to speak up.

Here’s what we’re saying

Lawmakers: The workplace is going to change and evolve over the years. Understand that not every student wants to be an engineer.

Utah Tech Strategic Reinvestment Committee: Fight for CHASS and arts. Please don’t bow to pressure if it means erasing the programs that brought us here in the first place. Give us clear evidence, guidance and communication on why specific majors are being cut.

Students: Stay involved. Show up to meetings. Call our state representatives. Talk to your professors. Make it impossible to ignore us.

We’re not passive anymore. We see what’s happening and refuse to let it happen quietly.

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Veteran student James Cates—story of perseverance and service

by Alyssa BaylesPosted on

Walking across the stage as a graduate is a testimony to the hard work over the last few years. For James Cates, it is also evidence of his perseverance, compassion and grit, which have prepared him to step into the role of a U.S. Marine Corps commissioned officer.

Through these skills, Cates, a senior criminal justice major from Modoc, Indiana, has blazed a path for his future while at Utah Tech University.

Perserverance

In 2014, Cates originally attended Utah Tech with minimal direction for his future. He said at the time, he did not apply himself to college and ended up dropping out a year later. However, he wanted to get his life back on track, so in 2017 he joined the United States Marines.

“Right then, they handed me that paperwork, and I signed it right on the dotted line,” Cates said. “It changed the trajectory of my life.”

Cates served three years overseas in Okinawa, Japan, and has now been working in the reserves since he returned to Utah Tech in 2022. He said it’s been a different dynamic returning to college after being in the Marine Corps and navigating the college atmosphere.

“I really started at the bottom,” Cates said. “When I first came to the university on academic probation, I had to really muster up the courage.”

These challenges did not stop Cates, but he said they encouraged him to finish the degree. He was able to finish his degree in three years, which prompted him to start thinking about his future. It was in this process that he decided he wanted to become a Marine Corps commissioned officer upon graduation.

“I had to change everything in my lifestyle, like my diet, fitness… I was in shape, but not in the shape to which I needed to be,” Cates said.

Last summer, Cates completed the 10-week Officer Candidate School located in Quantico, Virginia. On April 11, he was officially pinned as an officer, and upon graduating, he will return to do follow-up training before he steps into the position.

Compassion

During his time serving overseas, Cates rescued a fellow marine from drowning. They were out snorkeling when one of his friends got caught in a riptide, but Cates swam out to his friend and helped him escape the current. They fought the current together for 40 minutes before finally reaching the shore.

Lewis Kunzler, a Utah Tech alum, said Cates is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. He became a friend of Cates over the last few years through the Utah Tech Veterans and Patriots club.

“He is what every person should strive to be,” Kunzler said.

Karl Watters, director of Veteran and Military Services, said most driven people don’t understand the importance of relationships, so they kind of blow past them to reach their goal or objective. He said it is the opposite for Cates.

“He’s very friendly,” Watters said. “He’s very outgoing. If you’re not his friend, it’s because he hasn’t had a chance to meet you yet.”

Cates is the president of the Veterans and Patriots club, and said he enjoys this position because it has allowed him to meet and connect with people in the veteran community.

“What’s nice about it is that you get to meet people across campus, and you get to hear their story and how they’ve shaped their college experience,” Cates said.

Grit

This semester, Cates won the GRIT award during the 2025 Trailblazer Awards April 10. This award honors students who have faced and overcome significant personal obstacles and found the strength and ability to succeed in their educational pursuits.

“He’s always had some great direction in his life, but to kind of see him solidify that through his education and his military service has been great to see him grow in that way over the last three or four years,” Watters said.

Cates said he is thankful for the people he has been surrounded by to help shape his college experience.

“It always gets better, and you just got to keep living,” Cates said. “If you want to take the easy road out, that’s fine, but at the same time, it’s not going to be as satisfying when you’re taking your [grad] pictures in front of the bison.”

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Utah Tech graduate turns author with first published book

by Rylee HjorthPosted on

Imagine living in a world where humans have evolved with three magical abilities: quickened healing, sense enhancement and syphoning, or the ability to erase memories. Those who aren’t able to master all three are exiled to an island where toxins poison the air and grotesque monsters roam the mushroom forests. 

Imagine the terror and the heartbreak. Imagine you are one of them.

This is the plot of “Miscreant,” a fantasy dystopia recently published by one of Utah Tech University’s alumna. Writing was not always her passion, but Kynsie Hatch—known under her pen name Kynsie Cole—has blazed her trail as a published author. 

Utah Tech alumna Kynsie Cole poses with her debut novel “Miscreant.” Photo courtesy Kynsie Cole.

Cole tells the story of Bellanova “Nova” Darkov, a girl from the most prestigious family in all of Ghandria who has spent her entire life hiding her inability to syphon. After her secret is exposed, she’s exiled and given 60 days to master the ability or stay exiled and separated from her older brother Denali forever.

Readers will find strong familial themes surrounding Nova and the friends she meets during her exile. Similarly, a large part of her and Denali’s shared internal conflict surrounds their separation and their unbreakable relationship.

Cole said she wanted to incorporate an older brother and little sister bond to match the bond she shares with her older brother. 

“I think I write about what is most meaningful to me,” she said. “That’s what comes out on the page naturally. I have five siblings and I’m super close to them.” 

The book took nearly five years to complete from outline to publication, but it was an assignment in a high school creative writing class that came at the heels of her brother’s cancer diagnosis that sparked her love of writing. 

“I found this control in writing that felt magical because when I couldn’t control what was going on in my life… I could create anything I wanted,” Cole said. “I went home and over the next few years, I read 10 books on how to write books. I read some of them four or five times.”

It wasn’t until 2020 that Cole decided to begin writing the novel. She was enrolled at Utah Tech as a communication studies major and began outlining her novel after the COVID-19 pandemic forced students into online classes. She said she would come home to work on the story, oftentimes into the early morning hours. 

After 2 1/2 years of outlining, graduating with her bachelor’s in 2023, and two more years of writing, she finally got her name on a book, and “Miscreant” went on sale March 11, 2025. It was the No. 1 new release on Amazon when it debuted.

Cole’s time as a Trailblazer proved beneficial, as she credited connections she made at the Atwood Innovation Plaza for helping self-publish the book.

The Plaza exists to help students foster innovation and create businesses or products based on their ideas. Wayne Provost is the director of the Innovation Guidance and Solutions Center and has worked at the Plaza since 2016.

“I specialize in helping kids get proof of concept of an idea and take them to patent attorneys here in town,” he said. “I try to encourage kids to believe in themselves… [If] you got a really good idea, let’s go do something, and that’s what I did [with Kynsie].”

Cole credits Provost’s personal financial support for helping her obtain a copyright for the book. Similarly, it was through the Plaza and her internship with the Parks Project that helped her find a cover artist.

Lindsey Sorensen is Cole’s friend and co-worker who has been designing for 10 years and works as a merchandise designer for Utah State Parks.

She said she took an empathetic, user-centered approach when designing the cover and encouraged Cole to think about how she wanted readers to feel when they looked at the cover. 

“[Cole] worked with an AI program to get a concept of what she wanted,” Sorensen said. “Pulling someone in like me that knew how to use the tools… I was able to take it from AI to a finished, beautiful piece that is very different from the first concept she brought in.”

Sorensen picked the gold and charcoal color scheme and incorporated gold flecks and a leather texture to bring the fantastical elements of the story to life. 

Source: Amazon; Lindsey Sorensen.

At times, Cole said the writing process was lonely since she sacrificed her social life to work on the book, but she was grateful for the interaction in her classes at Utah Tech to help her divide her time evenly. The biggest lesson she’s learned throughout this journey is about passion.

“Find what you’re passionate about… and then do the work to become the best at it,” she said. “Do the work to know exactly how to do it and be the person that people go to help for.”

She left aspiring writers with this piece of advice:

“Start writing your book,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to do it and go for your dreams. What’s the worst that could happen?”

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Student-led conversation: Showing support for Utah Tech’s international students

by Carly MaxfieldPosted on

Utah Tech University students gathered April 16 in a student-led dialogue to raise donations following the news of 10 international students having their visas revoked.

Student leaders of the Utah Tech Student Association—Sam New, Bella Estes and Ella Parsons—put the dialogue together in the Gardner Student Center ballroom. The crowd consisted of around 80 people including students and Ali Threet, assistant vice president and dean of students.

The purpose of the event was to serve as a dialogue between students and Shadman Bashir, the executive director of international programs. It also allowed students to show empathy for their international peers.

“The main goal and the most important goal is for international students to feel supported and cared for and to answer some questions other students may have about what’s going on,” Parsons, a senior sociology major from Avon, Indiana, said.

New, a senior individualized studies major from Leeds, opened the event with an introduction to who would be speaking and resources that can help international students in need. New gave attendees a handout at the ballroom entrance; it listed Utah representatives’ contact information, a template for contacting them and a donation link.

Parsons followed with reading letters from anonymous international students expressing feelings of confusion and fear surrounding visas being revoked.

Students were able to ask Bashir questions concerning the Office of International Programs. Threet answered a few questions posed by students as well.

One student asked why UT’s public statement regarding the situation was “disappointing” and didn’t include a single “I’m sorry.” Threet answered this question and agreed with the student. She said the statement was a blanket statement to show they were doing something about the situation.

“We need to make sure that at least the student body knows that we’re aware and that they [international students] are receiving individual help through the international student office,” Threet said.

Another student asked if the international students who were set to graduate would be awarded their degrees, to which Bashir said they would be receiving their degrees.

Bashir answered technical questions about the process and reasoning behind why Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status forms, I-20s, are being revoked.

“In the past, if a student’s I-20 was cancelled, they had an option called reinstatement,” Bashir said. “That option is still there, but the fear and the concern that we have, will the same practices apply when people apply for [reinstatement] and they are waiting? Will they get picked up?”

Bashir also said the university’s international office is covering flight tickets for students who are choosing to leave the country and needed assistance affording a ticket within the 15-day deadline. The Office of International Programs is making sure these students leave in time so they are not arrested and criminally deported.

The international office is checking the listing every day for students who may show up due to even minor offenses.

“These are our kids. This is painful for us, you know,” Bashir said. “What we are doing is whatever is best in our judgment.”

Students are advised not to protest in order to protect the status of international students. There are ways for students to help out. Individuals can donate to the international students who are leaving the country or call representatives and make their voice heard.

“Those are our friends and our fellow students; I think we see a huge support from Utah Tech because we know those people,” New said. “I don’t want my friends to go, I don’t think any of us do. I think we are losing a big part of what makes Utah Tech, Utah Tech.”

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Visas revoked for 10 international students at Utah Tech

by Katie WalkerPosted on

Ten international students at Utah Tech University are among the nearly 300 university students across the United States who have had their student visas revoked—and face the possibility of deportation. 

The Department of Homeland Security began revoking Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Status forms, known as I-20s, through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Once an I-20 has been revoked, a student’s lawful status in the U.S. is terminated. Students were given 15 days to get their affairs in order and leave the U.S. 

If they are still in the country after the 15-day period, they are liable to be detained and deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 

On April 9, Utah Tech released an official update.

“At this time, 10 Utah Tech international students have had their I-20s canceled. These students have received information and support from our International Programs office. Please note that the cancellation of an I-20 is a different process than deportation and no UT students have been detained or deported at this time,” the update said. 

Utah Tech students were notified of their I-20 revocation by email from Shadman Bashir, the executive director of international programs. In the email, students were told no further information other than the fact that the individual had been identified in a criminal records check and or had their visas revoked. 

The email said Utah Tech’s Office of International Programs was working with academic leadership to provide support in their capacity. They urged students to meet with the Office of International Programs to receive support and discuss next steps and their enrollment at Utah Tech.  

“It came as a surprise,” Bashir said. “It is highly unusual. It has never happened before; that’s why it becomes such a concern for institutions, and when we reach out to our resources within the government, Homeland Security, they could not share any more information with us because things are happening so fast; things are not clear.” 

Utah Tech isn’t the only school in Utah being impacted. Eighteen students from the University of Utah were notified their I-20s had been revoked, and The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has had four I-20s revoked. 

The lack of information and guidance is concerning to international students, not just the ones whose I-20s were revoked. 

“I’m just a little scared,” an anonymous international student from Utah Tech said, out of fear of retaliation. “It kind of feels like the beginning of something, you know what I’m saying. It starts with this, but we don’t know what comes next.” 

Four international students who were contacted as sources chose to decline, citing reasons like fear and anxiety about the state of their futures and citizen status in the U.S.

Several students around the country said they were detained and had their visas revoked due to speaking out about political issues, particularly Gaza. At this time, zero Utah Tech students have been confirmed to have their I-20s revoked due to political involvement, but the Utah Tech Office of International Programs advised their students to be conscious and careful about what they post online. 

Miki Akiyama, a senior marketing major from Tokyo, is one of the students whose I-20 was revoked. Akiyama has been in the U.S. for the past seven years. 

Akiyama was charged with a misdemeanor in December 2023. After the incident, she hired a lawyer, carried out her court dates and paid the fines associated with the charge. 

On April 7, she received notice that her I-20 had been revoked and she would need to leave the country. 

“I’m really sad and afraid,” she said. “I was doing it all legally. We have to take a lot of steps, get an agent, do everything and now they’re just canceling it.”

For Akiyama, this issue isn’t just about leaving the home she’s built in Utah. It’s about whether or not she wasted six years and thousands of dollars at Utah Tech. 

“They’re saying that they will make sure that I can graduate so no worries,” she said. “But it’s just something that they’re saying.” 

The update given by Utah Tech said, “Staff in the University’s Office of International Programs are offering support and resources to affected students, helping them follow federal laws and regulations, and working with Academic Affairs to help impacted students.” 

For international students concerned about the status of their I-20s, you can visit the Office of International Programs in the Student Activity Center. The Booth Wellness Center offers counseling for those experiencing emotional turmoil. 

UPDATE: On April 16 at 3 p.m., there will be a student-led conversation at the Gardner Student Center ballroom on supporting Utah Tech’s international community. This will include raising funds for students who’ve had their I-20s revoked.

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Behind the name: The complex history of UT

by Madisyn BishopPosted on

Utah Tech University, formerly Dixie State and more, has a troubling past. Since its founding, UT’s associations with the confederacy and racism have created a longstanding controversy that led to the name change.

To understand how UT blazed these trails, one must go to the very beginning.

1911-1935

In 1911, Utah Tech was founded as the St. George Stake Academy, which housed both high school and college students.

The St. George Stake Academy, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was founded after the community felt that an educational program for ninth-12 grades and beyond was vital.

Trevor Cox, visiting assistant librarian for heritage, culture and regional history, said: “There were a lot of ties with the college and the community. They [St. George Stake Academy] originally started out as a high school that was part of the college, and they worked together for decades, at least until the ’50s or ’60s.”

In 1916, it became Dixie Normal College. Its founder and trustee during this time was Edward Hunter Snow, who was reportedly unlikely to be a Confederate sympathizer and was targeted by the Ku Klux Klan when he served his LDS mission in the south, though information on this is scarce.

Sources vary on the day the university was founded; however, one source said its foundation was Sept. 19, 1911. Ever since, the college’s Foundation Day was known as “D-Day” and then later became “D-Week” to extend the celebration; a tradition celebrated over a century later.

In an article by “The Dixie,” the student news organization at the time, it was reported that students hiked up the hill to whitewash a D on the hill—a tradition still celebrated to this day.

They wrote, “The students of the Dixie Academy have always held up an ideal of leaving something to Dixie to remember them by.”

1950-2000s

In an article written by Makoto Hunter from Brigham Young University, Hunter wrote: “In 1952, Dixie College changed its mascot from ‘the Flyers’ to ‘Rodney the Rebel.’ In 1959, the community embraced the Confederate battle flag as a secondary school symbol. Then, in 1966, the yearbook’s name changed from ‘The Dixie’ to ‘The Confederate.'”

Until the early ’90s, Dixie College adopted the Confederate flag as their logo, waving it at games, setting up Confederate soldier statues around campus, wearing costumes, participating in activities that made light of slavery such as mock lynchings, “Monster Mash” dance where students dressed in blackface, and more that fully embraced the Confederacy.

Source: ‘Confederate 69.’ St. George, UT: Associated Students of Dixie College, 1969, 101. PDF. Courtesy of
the Washington County Historical Society. 

Caitlinn Grimm, visiting assistant librarian and interim head of Special Collections archivist, said: “The school’s identity was wrapped up in Confederate symbolism as early as the 1950s, and the Confederate battle flag and soldier mascot only stopped being used in the 1990s to early 2000s.”

When the Civil Rights Movement started, this became more than just a symbol; there were also student events called “slave days,” where students wore blackface as late as the 1990s and organized mock slave auctions and fake lynchings.

Nancy Ross, associate professor of interdisciplinary arts and sciences and department chair, said: “The community liked to think about itself as like a thing apart, a thing set apart, and like it’s in its own bubble. But really, throughout the 20th century, it [the community] was responding to national trends and pulling against the progressive direction of the Civil Rights Movement.”

These two students are dressed in blackface for the annual “Monster Mash” Halloween dance. Source: “The Confederate.” St. George, UT: Community Press, 1988, 53. PDF. Courtesy of the Washington County Historical Society.

Despite this, there was a sense of belonging amongst students. In 1977, the Dixie Indian Club won first place for their float at the homecoming parade.

The Dixie Sun reported: “The club has been a great factor in uniting us together, and we are able to do more than when we were all scattered. I feel that we need to strive to do our best in all that we set out to do. Whether it be in float building or in school or whatever we do because we are the examples of our people.”

Student events included dances, which were incredibly popular at the time, and the Sand Blast, where there were reportedly “smiles and designer jeans, and watermelon, chili burgers, potato chips, ice cream bars, and soda pop — lots of soda pop, and cliff climbing, and nausea.”

These events started long-standing traditions that are still celebrated today, like the Battle of the Ax.

“One of my favorite things about UT’s history is that women were involved from the beginning, fundraising, as staff, and as students, even serving in the school’s student police and court systems,” Grimm said. “Often, schools started during this time period were only for men, and women students were allowed later.”

Despite steps toward a stronger future, in 1996, a racially motivated attack shocked students and stalled progress.

News reporting on this event is difficult to find; however, only one article said the attacker was Robert Allen Little Jr., who was 18 years old, placed a bomb outside the college’s Shiloh Dormitory Oct. 10, 1993, in the room of two Black students, destroying their belongings.

This pipe bomb had the letters KKK written on it, and after the attack, these students were still targeted, forcing them to leave the school for their own safety.

Ross said: “There’s a sense in which an older generation of people sometimes want to undermine what was framed certainly within many circles, many white circles in the United States, which was that racism was not a moral issue. It was a personal choice and that’s now how we understand it now, we understand that’s not what racism is.”

2010-now

In 2013, Dixie State College gained university status, which prompted further change toward a more inclusive and accepting university.

“After many smaller steps and debate, the university updated its name from Dixie State University to Utah Tech University in 2022,” Grimm said. “Faculty and students have been working together to foster belonging since the institution’s founding, including clubs and student organizations, research and presentations confronting tough topics.”

Finally, and despite controversy, in 2022, the university changed its name to Utah Tech, and it continues to grow and change every day.

Ross said: “I understand that this is a very hot button topic and that we have finally changed our name, and that’s good. It is challenging, though, to understand that this, for many folks, is tied up in a past where it’s not just slavery existed, but slavery that was central to an economic system.”

Despite setbacks like HB 261 and 265, administrative lawsuits, the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion programs like the Center for Inclusion and Belonging, each decade brings new changes and growth.

There are a multiplicity of programs and resources that have helped students feel a sense of belonging, including The Booth Wellness Center, which provides students with free mental health care, and the Disability Resource Center, where students are given the help they need in the classroom.

Utah Tech is also more diverse than ever.

Source: Student Body Profile; Jan. 26, 2024.

With the name change, the university has since started construction on the new General Education Building, made plans to renovate and update the campus, and created plans to open a south campus.

Ross said: “I don’t think we know how to make peace with ourselves or find better ways to say, ‘Once upon a time we did this, and we’re going to make different choices now.’ And it’s not to say that there aren’t good things, but there aren’t only good things. The history of most places is complex. Like when we’re looking at history, we need to honor that complexity.”

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New era at Utah Tech: Student initiatives, campus expansion

by Carly MaxfieldPosted on

Utah Tech University officially announced Shane B. Smeed as the new president Feb. 26. President Smeed will take office on campus May 1, and with his arrival comes a number of changes to UT.

Smeed has over 25 years of experience in higher education leadership roles and student affairs. In a letter addressed to the presidential search committee, he wrote he believes strongly in providing students with the resources needed to succeed.

In that same letter, Smeed said “I am passionate about advocating for students and implementing measures and processes that promote student development.”

Smeed has already started discussions with Utah Tech staff and student leadership on future plans for the university. 

Paul Morris, vice president of administrative affairs, said expansion and growth, whether that be student enrollment numbers or facility upgrades, is one of his most important priorities looking forward.

The McDonald Center is planned to start an upgrade fall 2025, where a 30,000-foot expansion will be added and the art department will be relocating there from the North Commons Building.

“They’re going to get all of the state-of-the-art spaces that they need,” Morris said. “They’ll have kilns, pottery wheels and labs for graphics and video. It’s going to be a neat project.”

The administrative affairs department is also asking for a second health sciences building that Morris said he believes will reach approval within the next few years. 

“We initially asked for that [health sciences building] over this last summer and it got a lot of good traction,” Morris said.

Ali Threet, assistant vice president and dean of students, said because of Smeed’s background in student affairs, he knows the importance of being a student-facing president as well as academics within higher education.

“I think the way that you understand students’ needs and make sure that you’re student-facing is by being present,” Threet said.

Threet also said the department of student affairs is working toward a new program called “active learning. active life.” 

This program is dedicated to grouping the polytechnic learning at UT with active student experiences and events. Once this program is fully integrated, students will be encouraged to engage both in the classroom and in activities or leadership roles that suit their interests.

Andy Hunter, a junior biomedical science major from Vancouver, Washington, and UT’s new student body president, said the top priorities for the upcoming school year from the student perspective are career preparedness and student belonging. 

Hunter also had an opportunity to meet with Smeed and said, “He really wants the best for each student and that’s what makes me excited to work with him.”

The incoming student body leadership has plans to promote student belonging through events and other activities on campus.

Bella Estes, a senior communication studies major from Scottsdale, Arizona, and the current student body president, said students should be excited to have Smeed as the new president.

“As someone who was part of the presidential search from the beginning, he [Smeed] was someone I knew who students would love,” Estes said. “I think students can know that they’re in good hands with both President Smeed and student body president Andy Hunter to have students in the forefront.”

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HB 261 lingering impact: BSU faces challenges

by Ives HongPosted on

After the passing of Utah HB 261 in January of 2024, many diversity-based clubs on campus felt the weight of anti-DEI practices as well as issues involving events, representation and community, including the Black Student Union.

BSU is a cultural club on campus that aims to cultivate and promote inclusion and cultural awareness pertaining to all factors of Black diasporas. Students of BSU do this via events, fundraisers, collaborations and many on-campus initiatives such as the Hear Me Out/Conspiracy Night and the No Place Like Family Cookout.

In the past, BSU was among the diverse organizations associated with the now-dissolved Center of Inclusion and Belonging and the Multicultural Inclusion Student Association. For BSU, this included support from faculty who were dedicated to inclusion and belonging, scholarships for students who took up leadership roles, and a community where students from underrepresented populations could support each other’s projects.

However, students from BSU have reported difficulties in carrying out such events; many of these difficulties can be attributed to HB 261, more commonly known as the anti-DEI bill, which is the sole reason for the dissolution of CIB and MISA. As a result, BSU and other organizations were reduced to clubs, which had implications regarding funding and visibility.

Nevaéh Anderson, a junior criminal justice major from Atlanta and president of BSU, said advertisements for the annual Black Excellence Gala were restricted and halted. When it came time to advertise for the event via the campus-wide faculty/ staff email newsletter, Anderson said her verbiage and wording in the advertisement were unapproved for “unspecified reasons.” Anderson declined to specify who was in charge of the disapproval.

This left Anderson to contact faculty on her own accord and attempt to increase faculty involvement for the gala.

Therefore, news about the gala could not reach the appropriate number of faculty members on campus, which led to a lack of nominations for awards, ultimately causing the event’s cancellation, Anderson said.

Anderson said when the CIB was still in operation, the organization represented all diversity organizations, which led to increased marketing and attendance when it came to events.

“Marketing was on both ends, both the organization itself as well as CIB and MISA that kept spreading largely across campus,” Anderson said.

Talara Pelt, a senior English major from Las Vegas and secretary of BSU, said the ways in which BSU events have been advertised have been limited since the dissolution of the CIB and MISA.

Pelt said communications that BSU has access to, without the help of MISA, are not effective in reaching students and driving engagement, despite their ongoing efforts with flyers, posters and emails.

Pelt said, “It’s always going to be important to let people know that you definitely have a community even within a predominantly white university such as Utah Tech.”

Anderson said: “In the past, we had spaces where we could freely discuss our experiences, find mentors and get support. Now, students are more cautious, and those safe spaces feel increasingly fragile.”

Despite the stressors that stem from a lack of visibility and funding, BSU continues to be a group of students who strive to advocate and represent Black voices and experiences. Notably, BSU honors the annual Black History Month with a list of events that emphasize and celebrate the importance of Black culture, such as the Disco Night, Poetry Slam and the upcoming Karaoke Me.

Regardless of the lack of visibility, BSU is constantly accepting students to help with their initiatives. Sharniece Pinex, a freshman psychology major from Las Vegas and BSU vice president, joined BSU as a freshman.

Pinex said, “I saw that there was a Black Student Union; it was kind of surprising because, you know, it’s Utah.”

She said through the motivation from Anderson, she was encouraged to join BSU in her very first semester.

Anderson said, “Despite not having the momentum and support behind us, we are still trying to make an effort.”

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Hitting home runs in the classroom: How Utah Tech softball seniors excel academically

by Rylee HjorthPosted on

Finding success as a college athlete both on the field and in the classroom is a challenge, but that hasn’t stopped three seniors on the Utah Tech University softball team from making huge academic strides.

Ellie Evans, Marisa Rubio and Carly Eldredge were three of the six players on the team who landed on the president’s list for the fall 2024 semester, meaning they maintained a 3.9-4.0 GPA. The team posted an overall GPA of 3.52, which falls in the middle of the pack among the other sports teams, and tied for second with the women’s track and field team for the number of athletes on the president’s list.

“It’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose motivation, but that’s just kind of where your discipline comes in,” Evans, a senior English major from Sammamish, Washington, said. “[With the] athlete mindset, not every day do you feel super energetic at practice, but you still have to get your work done. It’s the same thing in the classroom for us.”

On top of her English major, Evans is minoring in management and has earned a full-ride scholarship to law school at the University of San Diego. She said from the beginning of her academic journey, she knew law school was the end destination. 

Evans originally started as a business major, but decided to switch to English with an emphasis in professional and technical writing and kept management as her minor. She said focusing on English has helped prepare her for law school and hopes to find success practicing law in the future. 

Rubio, a senior communication studies major from Victorville, California, was in the same boat and originally began as a business major before switching to communication. Originally, she thought business would be a good degree to pursue, but changed her mind early on and made the switch.

“I was trying to think about what I really like to do and what I enjoy,” Rubio said. “I really do love the whole entertainment field in a sense. I wanted to pick communications because I feel like that’s really broad and I could take that anywhere. That’s why I did the minor in digital media. It’s something I can see myself doing after graduation.”

Rubio wants to take time to build up her resume before leaving St. George, and has plans to stay for another year after graduation to explore job options. She said she could see her work taking her back to California at some point and hopes to end up back home.

Eldredge, a senior biomedical major from Arvada, Colorado, had a different experience during her early years at college. She wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do, but her interest in math and science helped shape her path. 

She took classes in various departments, initially majoring in engineering and taking a few art classes for fun. Eventually, she stepped away from engineering and took some inspiration from her sister, which prompted the switch.

“My sister was a biomed major as well,” she said. “So I thought that I would take a [anatomy] class to see if I liked it. Biology was kind of always where I felt the most comfortable.”

Another one of Eldredge’s loves is math, and she decided to minor in it since her major didn’t require more math classes, but her eyes are fixed on a future of practicing medicine. 

“I kind of have geared everything that I want to do towards PA [physician assistant] school at the moment,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be someone [who] can help others, and that’s what’s really pushing me to finish this degree strong. Hopefully, I’ll be applying to PA schools in August, and I hope to start next fall.”

These accomplishments seem more impressive when sized up to the challenges of playing Division I sports, but these players’ stories show how anyone can find success in a busy and often difficult schedule. The future is bright for these softball seniors, and all three are excited to see where their academics will take them. In the meantime, there are still a few weeks remaining in the softball season, and their schedule can be found here.

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Fire and Ice Gala helps students financially

by Ives HongPosted on

Utah Tech University celebrated the 21st annual Fire and Ice Gala March 21, an initiative that brought the community on campus to raise funding for scholarships and resources.

With the sponsorship of companies like Dixie Power, Shae Financial and more, the Fire and Ice Gala was a premier black tie event.

Attendees could choose to become a sponsor at various levels. For example, attendees could join the evening as an individual registrant for $250, or they could register as a title sponsor for the price of $30,000.

In its prestige, the Fire and Ice Gala aimed to raise funding to help students through many auctioning events. Brad Last, vice president of university advancement, said the event featured a live auction, with 10 auction items for bidding.

“Auction items range anywhere from $2,000 or $3,000 and could be as high as $15,000 or $20,000 depending on how many people get involved in bidding,” Last said.

Funding raised through the auction will fund need-based scholarships, like the Marcia Wade and Dorothy Orton Pay it Forward Scholarship, and a paddle raise, which will help fundraise university initiatives like the Student Resource Center and the Struggling Student Funds.

Rochelle Blatter, donor relations event coordinator, said the Marcia Wade and Dorothy Orton Pay it Forward Scholarship benefits all students in need, even students who do not often receive traditional scholarships, such as international students.

“They’ve given out over the past twenty years more than a thousand scholarships, and it’s been $1,700,000 to those thousand students,” Blatter said.

An addition to this year’s gala was the feature of students and their research, which showcased their active learning experiences while highlighting Utah Tech’s polytechnic model.

For example, students presented the Go Baby Go program, where students from Utah Tech’s Physical Therapist Assistant program and the University of Utah’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program created eight customized kid’s vehicles to support children with mobility disabilities.

This year, six-time Emmy winner and Grammy nominee John Tesh joined the gala as the musical guest for the evening. Tesh is known for his eccentric career, from anchor to composer, with the most notable being the NBC Sports’ NBA theme. Joined by his son Sib Gerard as the emcee, Tesh ignited the night with music and stories.

An attendee of the event was Justin Durham, a first-year doctorate occupational therapy student from St. George, who was a recipient of assistance via the Struggling Student Funds.

Durham said: “Without the Struggling Student Fund, I would have dropped out of school. So, it helped me graduate with my bachelor’s degree and ultimately to get into the program that I’m now in.”

Durham shared experiences of homelessness and food insecurity, but through applying for the Struggling Student Funds, he was able to overcome his difficult experiences.

When asked about the application process, Durham said: “I needed to show what my needs were. And then once I was about to do that, Ali Threet basically took care of everything else.”

Durham said he didn’t feel judgment or hesitancy from Threet, assistant vice president and dean of students. Instead, he felt instant relief.

Threet is responsible for working directly with students in need, which are the same students who benefited from the funds raised by the Fire and Ice Gala.

Threet described her feelings toward the paddle-raising portion of the gala and said, “I just can’t help it; I just tear up, and it’s because I know the students it’s going to help.”

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