Utah Tech University

Dixie State University student and Eden Technologies Founder and CEO Hunter Manz, along with company Co-Founder Zack Manweiler, successfully secured $100,000 to help fund their desalination invention and address water scarcity issues in needed areas. Eden Technologies' desalination invention removes the salt from ocean water to generate pure drinking water. The device has its own energy recovery system which sets it apart from other desalination systems. With the initial funds secured, Eden Technologies will now begin to construct a fully-functional prototype of their desalination machine as well as obtain an international patent. Once the prototype is completed, the Saline Water Conversion Corporation of Saudi Arabia has agreed to consider allocating funding to develop a much larger commercial model if results stay consistent with previous data.

Dixie State University freshman, Emily Isaacson, received a perfect 1000/1000 score on the Certiport Microsoft Office Specialist Word Exam, and has been selected to represent Utah at the Certiport U.S. National Championship competition in 2021. Isaacson, who is also a member of the DSU women's basketball team, will have the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida next June to compete with other state champions from across the United States.

At a time when the world's first responders are in high demand, five students from Dixie State University's Emergency Medical Services Program will receive a financial boost from the AT&T Foundation to help prepare them to work in the emergency response field. DSU students Melissa Andersen, Brennen Hill, Rachel Hillam, Chris Swann and Alexis Wasden were each awarded $2,000 scholarships to support their DSU first responder educational training.

Dixie State University proudly recognizes the institution's largest-ever graduating class during this unprecedented year, awarding 2,388 degrees to 2,021 graduates. Dixie State's 109th graduating class includes 17 master's candidates, 860 baccalaureate candidates, 943 associate candidates and 568 certificate candidates. Of these graduates, the majority - 63 percent - are female and students range in age from 17 to 68 years. Although the COVID-19 pandemic impacted DSU's initial commencement ceremony plans, originally scheduled for May 1, this graduating class will still be honored with a traditional commencement to be held on Friday, December 11, 2020, in the M. Anthony Burns Arena on campus, dependent on no social distancing guidelines being in effect at that time.

Representing Dixie State University and the state of Utah, Senior Noelle West was one of 60 students in the nation selected to present at the Council on Undergraduate Research's 24th annual Posters on the Hill event. The competitive poster session, to which more than 360 students applied this year, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to share their research with members of Congress and their staff. West, who is the first Dixie State student to ever present at this prestigious event, was one of four students selected to participate in the Mathematics and Computer Sciences division. She presented her research on "A Mathematical Model of West Nile Virus: The Effects of Passive Immunity in Birds and Vertical Transmission in Mosquitoes," which she carried out under the mentorship of Assistant Professor of Mathematics Vinodh Kumar Chellamuthu.

Dixie State University's wrestling club placed nationally last month at the National Collegiate Wrestling Association national tournament in Allen, Texas. The tournament took place March 12-14, just prior to sporting events shutting down due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Dixie State's wrestling program, a campus club sport, traveled to the national tournament and finished No. 13 out of 63 teams from around the United States.

In a display of academic achievement, 18 percent of Dixie State University students earned President's and Dean's List recognition for the Fall 2019 semester. Specifically, 1,978 students were included on the university's honor rolls, with 816 students on the President's List and 1,162 on the Dean's List. Inclusion indicates students' strong commitment to their academic pursuits, as they must achieve a semester GPA of 3.9 or higher to be included on the President's List and a GPA of 3.5 to 3.89 for the Dean's List. Both lists require students to complete a minimum of 15 credits.

Dixie State University students Cajun Syrett and Riley Randall recently won first place against eight other couples at the BYU Dancesport Festival on November 15-16, 2019, in the Cabaret category of the championship. Cajun and Riley are now eligible to go on to compete with dancers from all over the world in Manhattan at the New York Dance Festival in February 2020.

During the 24th Miss Native Dixie Pageant on January 29th, Phyllis Kitseallyboy, a junior exercise science major from Kirtland, New Mexico, was crowned Miss Native Dixie 2019-20. Along with the title of Miss Native Dixie, Kisseallyboy won a $1,000 scholarship.

Dixie State University awarded $40,000 in scholarships to the recently-selected cast of their premier song and dance recruiting team, Raging Red, for the 2019-2020 school year. Selected after an extensive audition process, the 16 student performers will represent DSU at engagements on campus, throughout the community and even at a global level as they assist the University in recruiting efforts. The scholarships awarded will aid these students in reaching their goals both academically and as a team.