Formalized in July 2006, the Alliance provides a world-class education and research venue for SUU faculty and students. In return, Bryce Canyon National Park gains access to the resources and expertise of the University. This is a model for collaboration SUU hopes to replicate with other state and national parks and monuments in the region.
Started in 1999 as a teacher development and environmental education initiative, the College of Science’s Cedar Mountain Science Center (CMSC) in cooperation with the School of Education offers summer science camps for 4th-6th graders based at SUU’s Mountain Center. Elementary students and teachers from across Utah (in 2007, 374 4th-6th grade campers, 23 elementary education college students, and three elementary teachers) convened in nine, three-day camps. Demand for Science Camps is now more than can be accommodated with available staff and facilities.
SUU joins 22 non-federal partners along with five federal natural resource management agencies to form the Colorado Plateau Cooperation Ecosystem Studies Unit (CPCESU). CPCESU creates opportunities for research, education, and technical assistance to support stewardship of natural and cultural resources by federal agencies on the Colorado Plateau.
Surrounded by unmatched natural environments, exciting outdoor research and course offerings await undergraduates at SUU. Current social scientific research examining park soundscapes, alternative transportation, recycling, and night sky visibility has produced award winning projects. SUU students have collaborated with faculty, resource managers, gateway communities, and other local organizations, and presented their findings at regional, national, and international conferences. Undergraduates have made use of their research experiences at SUU to propel them into graduate school and beyond.
Located at the main campus, the Mountain Ranch, and the Valley Farm, SUU’s Equine Program is unique in the state and continues to increase in popularity and demand. Since the 2000-01 academic year equine classes have experienced a 95% increase in enrollments. A new Associates of Applied Science degree in equine sciences enhances SUU’s opportunities in this exciting academic and recreational endeavor.
Situated in the greatest natural outdoor laboratory in North America, SUU science students enjoy field work in some of the most geologically-unique landscapes in the nation. While researchers come from around the world to visit and study southern Utah’s geologic wonders, SUU students get to experience it every day. Geology field camps and field trips are also offered to non-science students, making this world-class learning experience available to everyone on campus.
Currently being developed by the Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management Program, the Center will focus on hospitality and tourism issues that assist hospitality and tourism organizations to be more effective. Initial funding for the Center is from the state legislature base funding increase in 2007. Hospitality research centers at other universities that serve rural audiences have been investigated. Focus groups with hospitality industry executives have been held in Cedar City and St. George. Additional focus groups and surveys for stakeholders unable to come to Cedar City may also be conducted. Results will be analyzed Spring and Summer semesters of 2008, with the plan of officially launching the Center in the Fall 2008 semester.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management (HRHM) is meeting the needs of students who want careers in the hospitality industry—a professional field that is rapidly growing in Utah and across the western U.S. With our proximity to national parks, public lands, and the businesses that provide recreation opportunities on these lands, SUU is ideally located for practical, hands-on HRHM learning and training in an outdoor recreation environment.
A weekly seminar on outdoor related topics hosted by the ORPT Program and the Harry Reid Outdoor Enagement Center.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism (ORPT), created in 2006, now has over 35 majors. Outdoor Recreation in Tourism, Outdoor Education, and Outdoor Recreation Management form the three areas of curriculum emphasis. All ORPT students are required to successfully perform a 10-hour volunteer practicum and a 400-hour capstone internship, which typically involves a project with a land management agency or an outdoor recreation provider. Many courses within the ORPT Program also require service learning projects in partnership with land management agencies or local recreation organizations.
Currently recognized by the National Park Service (NPS) as a 2016 NPS Centennial Initiative Project, SUU manages this National Collegiate Honors Council program. For 2008, seven in-park programs are scheduled, with three being SUU based (Bryce Canyon NP, Zion NP, Grand Canyon-Parashont NM). A faculty training institute, co-sponsored by SUU and the University of Arizona, will also be provided in 2008 at Saguaro NP in Arizona.
Managed by the HRHM Program, this study is the most comprehensive and current analysis of visitors to southwest Utah and their preferences.
In partnership with the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association at Bryce Canyon National Park, SUU Outdoors and the ORPT Program hosts an annual Wilderness First Responder certification training.
Last Update: Thursday, August 30, 2012