Southern Utah University facts for kids
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Former names
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Branch Normal School (1897–1913) Branch Agricultural College (1913–1953) College of Southern Utah (1953–1969) Southern Utah State College (1969–1990) |
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| Motto | Learning Lives Forever |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1897 |
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Parent institution
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Utah System of Higher Education |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
| President | Mindy Benson |
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Academic staff
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282 |
| Students | 14,330 (Spring 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 12,080 (Fall 2021) |
| Postgraduates | 1,531 (Fall 2021) |
| Location |
,
,
United States
37°40′32″N 113°04′18″W / 37.675448°N 113.071632°W |
| Campus | College town, 129 acres (0.52 km²) |
| Colors | Red and white |
| Nickname | Thunderbirds |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FCS — Western Athletic Conference |
Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university located in Cedar City, Utah. It started in 1897 as a school to train teachers. Today, SUU helps over 1,800 students graduate each year. They earn bachelor's and other advanced degrees from six different colleges.
SUU offers more than 140 different study programs for undergraduate students. They also have 19 programs for graduate students. More than 10,000 students attend SUU.
SUU has 17 sports teams called the Thunderbirds. They compete in Division I of the NCAA. In July 2022, SUU joined the Western Athletic Conference.
Contents
History of SUU
How SUU Started: Branch Normal School (1897-1913)
In 1897, Cedar City was chosen for the Branch Normal School. This was the first school in southern Utah to train teachers. For three months, people in the city worked hard to get Ward Hall ready. The school opened its doors in September.
From January to July 1898, they kept working. By September, the building called Old Main was almost finished. It had a large chapel, a library, a museum, labs, classrooms, and offices.
Milton Bennion was the first principal of the Branch Normal School. He taught students about honesty and fairness. He also helped students learn to govern themselves. Bennion led 161 students during his time as principal.
The school began with four teachers, known as the Founding Four. Bennion taught history, geography, and health classes. He left in 1900 to teach at the University of Utah. Howard R. Driggs was the first English professor. He taught until 1905. SUU still honors him with the Howard R. Driggs Collection in its library.
George W. Decker was another of the first four teachers. He was from southern Utah. He believed in teaching from the student's point of view. Students liked him so much that they asked for him to become principal. Annie Elizabeth Spencer Milne also taught physical education. She started the school's first basketball team.
George W. Decker became principal in 1904. He was the first principal from southern Utah. He served the school for 16 years.
Branch Agricultural College (1913-1953)
In 1913, Roy F. Homer became principal. He helped the school become the Branch Agricultural College (BAC). BAC was connected to the Utah State Agriculture College. In 1927, BAC got its third building, the Women's Gymnasium. This building is now called the Hunter Conference Center. During this time, the school also started working with Zion National Park. This helped improve classes and bring in more students.
College of Southern Utah (1953-1969)
Daryl Chase became president in 1951. He helped the school grow and change its name to the College of Southern Utah (CSU). Royden C. Braithwaite became president in 1955. During his time, the CSU campus almost doubled in size. Many buildings were built or updated under his leadership. These included the Library (now the Auditorium) and the Science Building.
A very important addition to the college was the start of the Utah Shakespeare Festival in 1961. Fred C. Adams created it. In its first year, 3,276 people visited. By 2012, it attracted 130,000 visitors!
Southern Utah State College (1969-1990)
In 1969, the school's name changed again to Southern Utah State College. President Braithwaite also created the school's motto: “Learning Lives Forever.” Student numbers grew from 360 to 2000. Orville D. Carnahan took over in 1978. He helped the school offer more academic programs.
The biggest growth happened under Gerald R. Sherratt. He was president from 1982 to 1997. During his time, the Business Building and the Centrum were built.
Southern Utah University (1991-Present)
In 1991, Southern Utah State College became a university. This happened under President Sherratt. With university status, Sherratt got money to build 14 more buildings. He also helped start the Utah Summer Games. The school's sports program also reached NCAA Division I status.
Michael T. Benson became president in 2007. He helped raise over $90 million for the university. This included the three largest donations in SUU's history. He also oversaw the building of the new Science Center. President Benson improved academic standards. He also helped more students stay in school.
Scott L. Wyatt became president in 2013. He helped finish a big fundraising campaign. This led to the building of the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Center for the Arts. He also started a 3-year bachelor's degree program in 2020. In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, SUU switched to online learning. Mindy Benson became interim president in August 2021. She was later named the 17th president. She is the first female president of SUU.
Academics at SUU
SUU has many students and teachers. In May 2013, there were 8,000 students and 261 full-time teachers. This means there were about 20 students for every teacher. SUU accepts about 57% of students who apply. New students in 2012 had an average GPA of 3.5.
The university offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. These are organized into four colleges and two schools. There are 140 bachelor's degree programs. There are also 19 master's degree programs. The university also offers a special doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology.
Arts at SUU
SUU offers many chances for students to get involved in performing and visual arts. Students put on more than 250 performances each year. Music students have won many awards in national competitions.
The Music Department is a top music school. It offers many musical opportunities for students. The Theatre Arts and Dance Department works closely with the Utah Shakespeare Festival. This festival is held right at SUU.
Student Life at SUU
SUU has several student-run media groups. These include the University Journal newspaper. There is also KSUU 91.1 FM, a radio station. SUTV-9 is a cable television station.
Utah Shakespeare Festival
The Shakespeare Festival is held on SUU's campus. Fred C. Adams started it in 1961. The first season in 1962 brought in 3,276 people. In 2003, almost 150,000 people saw 246 shows. The Festival now runs all year. It has a full-time staff and offers workshops.
Utah Summer Games
In 1986, President Gerald R. Sherratt was inspired by the 1984 Summer Olympics. With help from the community, the first Utah Summer Games began. After more than 25 years, the Utah Summer Games brings in over 10,000 athletes. They are as young as three years old. They compete in nearly 40 different Olympic-style sports. These include volleyball, tennis, archery, and basketball.
The 38th annual Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games were held at Southern Utah University in 2023.
Intramural Sports
Intramural sports are a big part of student life at SUU. More than 3,300 students play each year. Students can choose from many sports. These include badminton, pickleball, and rugby. These sports run all school year. There are also tournaments and events for each sport.
Outdoor Fun
SUU is called the "University of the Parks." It is located near many national and state parks. This makes outdoor activities very popular. Students enjoy rock climbing, hiking, camping, and mountain biking. SUU is a 60-minute drive from Zion National Park. It's 90 minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park. Kolob Canyons is only a 30-minute drive away.
SUU Athletics
The Southern Utah Thunderbirds have a long history of competing against other college teams. Most teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference. The football team competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They are part of the football-only United Athletic Conference. The SUU gymnastics team competes in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC). The Thunderbirds currently have thirteen sports programs.
The Thunderbirds compete in:
Famous People Who Went to SUU
Many successful people have attended Southern Utah University. Here are a few:
- Harry Reid, a former U.S. Senate Majority Leader.
- Celeste Maloy, a U.S. Representative.
- Michael O. Leavitt, a former Governor of Utah and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
- Jill Stevens, who was Miss Utah 2007 and a semifinalist for Miss America 2008.
- Cameron Levins, an Olympian and NCAA Track and Field Champion.
- Keala Settle, a Broadway performer and Tony Award nominee. She was also in the movie The Greatest Showman.
- Miles Killebrew, an NFL safety drafted by the Detroit Lions.
- LeShaun Sims, an NFL defensive back drafted by the Tennessee Titans.
