Our Heritage
Throughout our history, Southern Utah University has evolved from a teacher training institution to a comprehensive regional university. From the time of its founding, SUU has placed students first by featuring personalized and participative classes, combined with competent, qualified and supportive faculty, staff, and administration. The university provides skill development opportunities, major academic specialties, outreach services, cultural and athletic activities, economic and business development resources, and regional archives. Capitalizing on our unique environment, Southern Utah University prepares its graduates to excel in careers and as citizens by emphasizing the following core values: Academic Excellence, Community and Social Responsibility, and Involvement and Personal Growth.
The University’s History
Possessing a rich pioneer heritage, SUU has a unique history in American higher education. In 1897, Cedar City was notified it had been chosen as the site for the Branch Normal School, the first teacher training school in Southern Utah.
In September of 1897, the school opened its doors for the first time. However, only two months into the session, the Attorney General ruled that Cedar City was not complying with the provision stating that the school must be on land deeded to the state for educational purposes. If a building was not erected by the following September, the school would be lost. Winter had already set in, when on January 5, 1898, a group of townspeople trudged into the Cedar Mountains, setting out to do the impossible. Snow had obliterated the trail they had originally blazed and the wagons could not make it and were abandoned. It was in this phase of their march that an old sorrel horse proved so valuable. Placed at the front of the party, the horse walked steadily into the drifts, pushing and straining against the snow until it gave way. Then he would pause for a rest, sitting down on his haunches the way a dog does, heave a big sigh, and get up and start all over again. “Old Sorrel” was credited with being the savior of the expedition.
The people of Cedar City continued their work from January through July and in September of 1898, the building, now known as Old Main, was completed.
Today the campus comprises 133 acres, landscaped with fountains, tall spruce and pine trees, plazas, latticed walkways, and expansive lawns. Beyond campus, the University owns and operates a 1,032-acre farm in western Cedar Valley and a 2,629-acre ranch in Cedar Canyon. The ranch includes a Mountain Center for executive leadership and continuing education programs.
The University’s Ashcroft Observatory is located outside the lighted neighborhoods of Cedar City for better celestial viewing opportunities.
Because of their proximity and grandeur, Zion National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument are claimed by students as part of the campus. Indeed, geological and life science field trips take advantage of these national treasures. The Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks lie close by for easy touring. The University’s skiing classroom is at 10,000-foot Brian Head Ski Area, less than an hour away.
A Tour of the Campus
Campus facilities vary from the historical Old Main and Braithwaite Center building built in 1898 and 1899 to the Emma Eccles Jones Teacher Education Building, the Carter Carillon, and the J.L. Sorenson Physical Education Building that mark the northern edge of SUU’s campus. The Dixie Leavitt Business Building, South Hall, the Gerald R. Sherratt Library, and the Sharwan Smith Student Center are located in the center of campus, while the Science Center, the General Classroom Building, the Auditorium, the America First Credit Union Event Center, and the athletics facilities skirt the edges of the grounds. As the home of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, SUU also features one of the world’s most authentic Shakespearean stages and the Randall L. Jones Performing Arts Theatre.
Guided tours of the University are available by appointment. Please contact the SUU Admissions Welcome Center at (435) 586-7741 to schedule tours, or visit www.suu.edu/visitors.
Our Mission
Southern Utah University is a dynamic teaching and learning community that engages students in experiential education leading to personal growth, civic responsibility, and professional excellence.
Our Vision
SUU will be an inclusive and innovative institution of higher education that strengthens students’ connections to each other, the campus, their discipline, career of choice, community, and the world. SUU will deliver quality and affordable academic learning and an outstanding student experience.
SUU’s Academic Planning
Southern Utah University is an institution built on a foundation of being people-centered, purpose-driven, and place-empowered (the three Ps). Our people are our highest priority and our work is fueled by a desire to change lives and to create a sense of place where our university community feels like they belong. Following the success of its previous strategic plan (2015-2022, Explore, Engage, Excel), SUU is implementing a strategic plan to guide the university’s planning, decision-making, and resource allocation for the years 2024-2030. This plan intends to build on five strategic priorities: enhancing student success, enriching the academic experience, cultivating a culture of caring, increasing access and affordability, and expanding alumni and community engagement. For more information, visit www.suu.edu/strategicplan.
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