New Student Living

Snow College is just now finishing its latest student housing complex. It will not be hard to pick it out as it is right at the College gateway on College Avenue--and besides, the next newest dorm building was completed way back in 1969. This is an extraordinary building and a great addition to our campus. It has 400 beds, game rooms, exercise room, two balconies, eight laundry rooms, public kitchens, sand volleyball, barbecue facilities and whatever else I am forgetting right now. 

Best College in the West!

Snow College Leads State in Scholarships for Utah Student Athletes

The Deseret News just reported that 597 high school students in the 2012 graduating class received a scholarship to play college athletics this fall. Most of the students are going to colleges outside of Utah. Of the students heading to in-state schools the largest number are going to be playing for Snow College. According to theDeseret News, “Snow signed in the most in-state kids with 21.” See Deseret News, June 29, 2012

After publishing this post we went back add added up the number of high school students in the 2012 graduating class who are coming to Snow College on athletic scholarship. The number is 38, which is higher than the Deseret News report. 

My American History Summer

I just returned from a wonderful two-week vacation. Instead of hiking 150 miles along the John Muir Trail—like I did last summer—I decided to do the intellectual equivalent. I enrolled in two intensive, weeklong, master degree level, American Government and History classes at a small liberal arts university in Ohio—Ashland University. My classes were taught by visiting professors. I came home with 13 books and about a thousand pages of other materials. I read much of it in preparation for the classes and during the weeks there, and I look forward to getting through the rest of it over the course of the next several months.

The faculty was outstanding: I took Civil War and Reconstruction from Mackubin T. Owens, U.S. Naval War College, and Lucas Morel, Washington and Lee University; and The American Revolution from Robert M.S. McDonald, U.S. Military Academy, and Scott Yenor, Boise State University.

I come home with a much greater appreciation and understanding of these two significant periods in our nation’s history, motivation to learn more, and a few ideas for the one class I teach at Snow College—American National Government.

CNNMoney Ranks Snow College 6th in Nation

Many organizations rank universities. Rankings of two-year colleges are rare. In a recent post I mentioned the Aspen Institute has twice ranked Snow College in the top 10% of all two-year colleges in America. Last week another ranking was just published. CNNMoney ranked Snow College 6^th in the nation. Not top 6%--number 6. (There are approximately 1,200 two-year colleges.)

According to CNNMoney “Not all community colleges are created equal. Figuring out which school will give you the best chance of transferring to a four-year college or university can be difficult . . . . But here’s a good way to start. College Measures, a join venture of the American Institutes of Research and Matrix Knowledge Group, has created a chart for CNNMoney to help students find the best options. Based on the percentage of students that graduated within three years or transferred to four-year colleges, they compiled a “success” rating for each community college in the U.S.” And then for 22 pages CNNMoney listed the ranking for various colleges. Snow College is on the top of the pile.

For a little comparison, U.S. News and World Report ranks universities. Five universities tied for the 6th place spot, including California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania. Snow College is in the world of community colleges what CIT, MIT, Stanford, Chicago and Pennsylvania is in the world of universities.

Not bad!

This ranking is another great tribute to our faculty and staff who have created a very supportive, learning environment at Snow College. You can see the CNNMoney article at http://money.cnn.com/pf/college/community-colleges/?iid=EL 6/9/12

Dutch Master Carl Purcell!

I wandered into one of our painting studios this morning to say hello to Carl Purcell, a Snow College emeritus professor of art, who is teaching his annual summer watercolor workshop. And I discovered that his watercolor instruction book has just been translated into Dutch. Carl is a spectacular artist and teacher. I guess if the Dutch artists want to learn from Carl that makes him a sort of Dutch Master? Well, we can think so! So here is a picture of Snow College’s own Dutch master, in his studio, teaching students who have come to Ephraim, Utah, from all over the country to learn watercolor technic. He is holding his book, translated into Dutch.

Snow College has a long reputation for its quality visual art program. We are bringing forward this year a proposal to launch an associate of fine arts degree. The Last time I looked visual arts was one of our five fastest growing programs at the College. 

Noyes Building

I took this picture a little while ago. It is our landmark building--the Noyes Building. It is a delight to work in every day. The first floor is devoted to classrooms and faculty offices. The other floors have administrative offices and gathering spaces, along with a collection of permanent College artifact displays.  My office is room 332. Stop by and say hello if you are ever in town!