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Show IAIEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY - 14, 2018 2 - DIXIESUNNEWS.COM Outdoor Leadership Academy extends networking students events to disabled, under-represent- ed tence since 2013 and was originally run by Grand 14 ,f, : ,,, 44.. ' , . ...---,''') ',' .' t ( r 10-- ' ':,...' ''''''. .:: ...' - - t.- -- ' ' e ' ,- y, ,? - ; under-represente- - 4:: ' ' f', , ,i'', ''t '''','' ,., ' 1,4 . .. .. '' ' , ' ' - , '; , ' . ,. 't ,: , -: ''; ''.,i , ' ,,,t 7,','6':,6:App-'- - ' "Under-represente- - , ' ' ' ' . ' - ill g; S ,,,,' 'A , ''.. :' , ' - ';',., .. pat.. .;' '4- - , 1 '''''''''''--,,,- , . ' . ' ,4-- ' socio-econom- ';',1,,, '' - Y,Di'l;-:- -- '..-- . ..,.A.- (T) , in- d cludes ethnic and racial minorities, LGBTQ, ',' ' '.; ,''''',' i' 'kl ' '' ( ':,' !. 1 ,1 , youth with disabilities ,,. ; "01, o ' ,;"' , .i;';'..1; '''' ,) , ' '.,.,- , al, and also 4".' ! ' 'It' 1 handicaps ," O'Brien ' ' ', 4'. xi" ', N ,It 1 ., ,,",.7 said. xt,,) 'A ' lel. s r4 ; .1, 0 'i.',. 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The proto disabled and program; gram was introduced to Dixie State University in 2015. is an umbrella term, covers a diverse BY JONN HOLLAND which each to national parks of people instead trippyjedi year in order to give them group of singling out any one an experience they would trait as to unable be otherwise because there are any have. number of different Dixie State University The Outdoor Leadhas been the lead of the people who have disabilitakes ties or are ership Academy organization since 2015. on students, O'Brien said. trips OLA has been in exis minority students 4 k , ' , I ,t ,,.' V7- .,,,,kol"".,., ,. t '1--- N,....,..., '''''', - ' -I- 7 ', 1:t 44 - ' - ' t ' - l',..''' ' , -- " tt ' -, ,, .1... .., S 1 01'. ; '. :' ,, ) ' ,t, ' t, It , ,' ' ., 1, - , ' Canyon Parashant. Biology department chair Erin O'Brien, who runs the OLA, said it is a project to help change the visitation and employd ment of individuals at national parks because the parks ' have difficulty attracting ethnic and racial minority groups as visitors and as ) employees. ,- ' 7 ,,- n ;- A- , i-- -4 I , '7,. r I.' 17:f ic - ) 1 C - ,.? 4 i ' ', - -- ',, '''',..-'- ' ' ' ' ,,,,,'T '''' under-represent- ed ' ..,,,,,,,,,,.4 Ur, under-represent- ed under-represent- ed under-represent- ed non-tradition- al O'Brien said OLA cre- ates experiences at the parks for youth in hopes they can make a connection to the land as a resource to use and gain an interest in working at these parks and recreation areas. "OLA is providing these students with the skills necessary, not to just get outside, but to know what to do when they're in those positions and how to apply for internships and jobs," said Elizabeth Aguirre, a junior biology major from St. George. O'Brien said OLA is funded by the National Park Service, a part of the federal government that applies for funding it then passes on to the OLA program. It funneled about $180,000 into the program as of this year. These funds make it possible for the program to take these individuals on to the parks. trips The program attracts students from all departments at DSU, from exercise science to communi under-represent- ed under-represent- ed cation, Aguirre said. Hannah Flores, an exercise science major from Palm Springs, California, said it is important to diversify national parks because it is hard for people to relate to the environment when there is not enough representation of different cultural groups. "It inspires you when you are little," Flores said, "When you see a little kid and they look up and see for example, an Hispanic individual at a national park, they say, 'I want to be like that person because they made a it.'" OLA will be taking a trip in February to Grand Canyon Parashant Monument instead of during spring break, which has been its practice in years past. As the program continues, they hope to have a website up later this year to help get the word out to others who want to participate in making our national parks more diverse in their visitors and present or future employees. u), '52 In UI UI A Writing center opens off-si- te tutoring to students BY ALEXIS MCCLAIN AMcclainDSN Dixie State University is expanding on an ideal- istic route as the Writing Center engages in its new e tutoring program. Although this program is fairly new, the tutors and coordinators in the Writing Center are looking forward to a semester of reaching out to all stu- dents across St. George. "Our first official sessions were at Campus View Suites on Jan. 31," Writing Center Coordina- Robert Gray said. Here at DSU there are two locations students can attend but four in total within the local community: Campus View Suites, U PLAZA Language Lab, The Harbor and the Hurricane Educa- tion Center. provided are specific to where Gray and the tutors felt they were needed most. "I was having a con- versation with an English professor here at DSU, and she mentioned that Northern Arizona Univer- sity has a unique program where students can meet writing tutors at a local Starbucks," Gray said. Gray said the idea of f-site tutoring was intriguing to him; he then presented it to the Writing Center tutors who collabo- rated with Gray to decide on which locations to pro- vide students with tutors. The purpose of this tutoring program is to pro- vide a place for students where they can be corn- fortable meeting in a less off-sit- DIXIE SUN NEWS Markee Heckenliable, Editor-in-Chi- ef Ryann Hein len, News Editor Alexis McClain, Sports Editor Cody Eckman, Features Editor Emma van Lent, Opinion Editor Taylor Lewis, Multimedia Editor Kylea Custer, Photo Editor Valerie De La 0, Social Media Editor Hanna Pollock, Copy Editor Erin Hakoda, Ad Manager us Mason Hardy Jonathan Holland Jessica Johnson Grant Jones Kyle Lindsley Maria Modica Aubrey Shipley Naomi Vazquez Rhiannon Bent, Adviser The Dixie Sun News is distributed each Wednesday during fall and spring semesters as a publication of Dixie State University, the communication department, and Dixie State University Student Activities. DSU administrators do not approve or censor content. The student editorial staff alone determines its news coverage. The unsigned editorial on the opinion page represents the position of Dixie Sun News as determined by its editorial board. Otherwise, the views and opinions expressed in Dixie Sun News are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dixie Sun News or any entity of the university. J formal atmoshpere and discuss writing topics with tutors, Gray said. This environment is especially represented in the U PLAZA Language lab with tutor Ryan Gibb, a junior English major from Grand Junction, Colorado. "I'm posted in an area where kids generally study," Gibb said. "So students will come in and see me... and they'll say 'Oh that's a good idea; I should get help on that paper." Gibb is able to work with the students in the language lab because he is bilingual and has the ad-tvantage of understanding the students and helping them better articulate their written work. Like Gibb, some tutors who are specified in a major or skill will help students in that field. Tutor Brittany Bennett, a senior English erature and History major from Mesquite, has been working for the Writing Center for two years. This transition into an offsite program has not yet altered her feelings toward tutoring. "There are so many challenges because there's so many different varying levels of ability... but you just do your best," Bennett said. "The goal...is to imofprove your strategies and writing over time...and that's really exciting." Although the Tutoring Center does not follow e suit in providing for students, the tutoring Writing Center does. So if you are in need of free tutoring, schedule your next appointment at writingcenter.dixie.edu. or ns off-sit- ; Diversity dialogue , doors to understanoilig oil,..s-1.1's- BY RYANN HEINLEN AvereeRHeinlen As Dixie State University continues to grow, stu- dent diversity will expand as well, panelists said at the most recent Diversity Dialogue. Casey Banner, the LGBTQ educator at Dixie State University's Multicultural and Inclusion Center, acted as the moderator for the latest Diversity Dialogue on Feb. 8 and started the forum by announcing the subject. This latest dialogue concentrated on the intersectionality of race, ethnicity and sexual identity in regards to demographics, socioeconomic landscapes and belongingness at DSU. DSU alumna Keshara Bjorkman and Zsa' Jade Ervin, a senior English major from Los Angeles, spoke to interested students about their experiences as LGBTQ people of color. Questions ranged from asking the duo to define terms to religiosity in Southern Utah. Banner opened the questions with asking both panelists about where they come from and the experiences they have had at DSU. "I've had some interesting experiences at DSUl," Ervin said. "I've had some ups and some downs, but the ups outweigh the downs." Bjorkman said it was a roller coaster, and said her first two years were less than desirable due to her lack of involvement. Bjorkman and Ervin said their college experiences were much better after finding communities on campus with similar thoughts and feelings. Banner broadened the topic, asking the pair about their experiences in the St. George community. "That's a different level of interesting," Ervin said. "I feel that because of my race, that's one of the first things you can notice about me, I think it gers certain people. They don't think I notice them." Ervin said one of her first and most memorable experiences within the St. George community involved a woman fling to her car, clutching her purse as Ervin walked down the street. Ervin continued to walk, she said, and turned around to see the woman back on the sidewalk, watching. "I always like to tell people that I love DSU , but I'm not a huge fan of St. George," Bjorkman said. "The culture here at DSU is vastly different from the entirety of ington County." Bjorkman said her tattoos, race and sexual identity made her stick out and feel out of place. When Bjorkman moved to St. George 10 years ago, she said the community was less accepting than they are today. "I don't know if it has' anything to do with my race, but it definitely has something to do with my tattoos and my short hair," Bjorkman said. "Like Ervin said, I don't think people realize that we know they're looking at us differently." Ervin said it is the "shuffling away" and whispers that people "think we can't hear" that they notice most. Bjorkman said the stares that last "a little too long" are also noticeable. "I think the reason negative remarks happen is because people aren't used to LGBTQ individuals," Bjorkman said. "People just don't know." .B jorkman said the main purpose of events such as the Diversity Dialogue is to educate people and help them to understand, in hopes that education will lead to acceptance. Banner asked the girls the pros and cons of being racially, ethnically and sexual diverse. "We bring a uniqueness to the room," Ervin said. Ervin said when she looks around her classes, she finds most of the time she is the only African American in the room. She finds that she tends to analyze literature differently compared to the other students in her class, and therefore able to lend a different perspective to the conversations, Ervin said. Both Bjorkman and Ervin said they knew very little about their culture and background until they started actively searching for the information. ..0. see DIALOGUE page 3 ( 1 t |
