Southern Utah University Announces 2025 Board of Trustees Scholarship Winners
Published: June 09, 2025 | Author: Author: Jacob Carr | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University is thrilled to announce Phaedra Henry and Dru Espinosa as the recipients of the prestigious 2025 Board of Trustees Scholarship. This esteemed full-tuition scholarship, funded by SUU's Board of Trustees, is awarded annually to outstanding students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and a promising future at the end of their junior year.
Phaedra Henry, a Theater Arts major with minors in Shakespeare Studies and Arts Administration, was selected as one of the 2025 Board of Trustees Scholars. Originally from Redding, California, Henry chose SUU because of her aunts' positive experiences as alumni and the welcoming environment they described.
During her time at SUU, Henry has been particularly impacted by several professors and courses. She recognized Matthew Pederson for his Costume Technology course, Britannia Howe for her encouraging mentorship, and Dr. Jana Lunt for making her feel seen as an individual during her freshman year. She also acknowledged Dr. Scott Knowles for pushing her to expand her comfort zone. Henry discovered her passion for theater after initially pursuing nursing, finding support and encouragement from the SUU community.
After graduation, Henry hopes to assist directors at local theaters, with her ultimate dream being to build her own children's theater company. She has been involved with the SUU Rotaract Club and is most proud of her work in SUU's recent production of The Anastasia Trials in the Court of Women and her role as assistant stage manager for Sweet Charity.
"I would like to thank Brian Swanson for helping me put together my application and portfolio for this scholarship and to all the professors who believed I could accomplish this,” said Henry. “They all played a part in helping me discover my talents and joys. I would also like to thank my parents for raising me to work hard for what I want and to never give up. If you want something you have to actively pursue it. Don't be afraid to put in the required work and let yourself feel proud when you achieve what you set out to do!"
The second recipient of the 2025 Board of Trustees Scholarship is Dru Espinosa, a double major in Philosophy and History. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Espinosa decided to attend SUU after moving to Cedar City and becoming familiar with the University's specific programs.
Espinosa found several professors and courses to be particularly impactful, including Ethics with Dr. Kirk Fitzpatrick, Modern Philosophy with Dr. Sean Murphy, Deductive Logic with Dr. Gretchen Ellefson, and Classical Greek History with Dr. David Lunt. His time at SUU has solidified his aspiration to pursue graduate studies in Classics or Philosophy after receiving his undergraduate degrees from SUU.
Espinosa has been involved in the SUU Philosophy Conferences, and one of his proudest achievements at SUU is completing two years of instruction in Classical Greek with Dr. Kirk Fitzpatrick.
"I would like to thank the faculty of the Department of Languages and Philosophy here at SUU,” said Espinosa. “I find their work and teaching to be fundamental to the value of the education offered here at SUU."
Southern Utah University congratulates Phaedra Henry and Dru Espinosa on this remarkable achievement. Their dedication and academic excellence exemplify the spirit of SUU.
Tags: Student College of Humanities and Social Sciences Languages and Philosophy Theatre Arts and Dance Academic History College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu