At the event, incoming Freshman learned from DSU students, faculty and staff about university traditions, the available campus and community services, and were treated to an entertaining show, along with the chance to win prizes and enjoy a free dinner and concert.

"Freshman Friday is the perfect jump start to your Dixie State experience,” DSU’s Student Body President Cajun Syrett said. “It’s a great way for freshmen to meet one another and get a head start in feeling comfortable on campus.”

This new class of Trailblazers, as well as the entire Dixie State student body, will have the opportunity to study a wider array of fields, as the university is offering four new programs starting this semester — bringing Dixie State’s offerings up to 43 distinctive baccalaureate majors.

Opening a new chapter in Dixie State history, the university will open its first graduate degree, a Master of Accountancy, this fall semester. The program will fill students’ professional accounting educational needs by teaching them the conceptual, technical, analytical and communicative skills required for working as tax and accounting professionals.

A newly offered Bachelor of Music in performance program will provide students with the formal training and credentials necessary to prepare them for careers in the music industry. The program will require students to work through a set of core music courses including theory, ear training and musicology training and include specific tracks in strings, winds and percussion, voice and piano. Students will perform in public recitals and music ensembles of varied sizes and purposes including a unique requirement to participate in an electro-acoustic, early music or new music ensemble.

Across campus, the new Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering will meet a high student demand for it. “We were originally hoping for at least 24 students, but already we’ve had 105 students join the program.” DSU President Richard B. Williams said.

Housed in the renamed College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, the program will expand the capabilities of students interested in mathematics and science by providing unique hands-on education and preparation for pursuing advanced degrees or careers in engineering, science or computer science disciplines. The program will offer students the option to choose an area of emphasis to provide depth in topics that interest them, such as design and manufacturing, mechatronics, thermofluid sciences and solid mechanics.

Also accepting students for the first time during the Fall 2018 semester, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will add a traditional baccalaureate program track to Dixie State’s offerings, which already include an associate degree nursing program and a post-licensure RN-to-Baccalaureate in Nursing track. The new program will prepare students to meet the complex demands of caring for patients in today’s healthcare system, work in interdisciplinary teams and be primarily responsible for direct patient care and care coordination. Additionally, the new degree program will build on the partnership between Dixie State and Dixie Regional Medical Center, who employs the majority of DSU nursing graduates.

Two additional baccalaureate majors await momentary approval — a Bachelor of Science in design and a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology-biochemistry.

For more information about Dixie State University’s academic offerings, visit dixie.edu.

Chapter Vice President Madison Whitney currently serves as the SkillsUSA national college post-secondary treasurer. Both she and one of DSU’s chapter members, Kyler Kelsch, will attend the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, this month. Kelsch, who will compete at the conference, also will run for a national officer position for the upcoming academic year.

Whitney, who just finished her sophomore year majoring in media studies at Dixie State, is the first student to represent a Utah school as a national officer in the last eight years.

As a national officer, Whitney attends board meetings and helps build membership throughout college and university chapters. This past academic year, she also participated in initiatives such as advocating for career and technical education (CTE) and meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

“We spent two days training, learning how the priority points of the U.S. Department of Education align with CTE and SkillsUSA, and how to better connect with our members as we prepare for some of our largest events of the year — our state conferences,” Whitney said.

Kelsch hopes to carry on Dixie State’s influence as a national officer for the 2018-19 academic year. He will run for an at-large position, which includes president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian. Positions are decided after candidates are elected.

At the state competition, Kelsch won gold in the college-level screen-printing technology category and will compete in the 54th Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference from June 25 to 29. The conference will allow all state contest winners to compete in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields. More than 16,000 students, teachers and business partners are expected to participate in the weeklong event.

SkillsUSA empowers college, high school and middle school students to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible citizens. In an effort to improve the quality of the nation’s future workforce, the organization helps develop students’ personal, workplace and technical skills.