Events

Shane Smeed, the newly appointed President of Utah Tech University is enthusiastic for this change in his life which is also a moment of historic change within the community and across Utah’s higher education system. Perhaps none of the state’s degree-granting public institutions has experienced the level of growth in recent years as UT.

The school which went from Dixie State College to Dixie State University and in 2022 to Utah Tech University, also changed mascots: Rebels to Red Storm to Trailblazers.

UT’s enrollment has grown every year since 2013, increasing by almost 60% to over 13,000 students today. Of the school’s 304 academic programs, 60% have been developed within the past seven years.

One reason UT is a popular higher ed destination for many Utahns — 82% are in-state students — is affordability.

But the school’s 19th president believes UT’s opportunities extend beyond affordability and program growth.

Smeed is anxious to reconnect with members of the UT community who may have separated themselves from the school which he says is, "an asset for the state ... for the community and Washington County. I see my role as president as every bit ‘externally facing’ as internal — so it’s a great opportunity.”

Jerry Jaeger is the Washington County Attorney. Before becoming the County Attorney in 2025, Jerry served as a prosecutor for 23 years and has prosecuted at nearly every level including Justice Court cases, General Crimes cases, and – most recently – Special Victim’s Unit cases, which he continues to personally handle. Having also worked as a deputy sheriff and an FBI agent, Jerry has proven his commitment to keeping the community safe. Jerry has received the Honorary Sheriff’s Award, St. George Police Department’s Chief’s Award, and the Washington City Service Award.

As the Washington County Attorney, Jerry balances compassion for victims, the totality of evidence, and being tough on crime in the office’s constant pursuit of justice. Jerry’s love of Washington County began as a student at Dixie College and grew when he and his wife, Stephanie, returned to her hometown of St. George in 1999. They’ve raised their four children in this beautiful community, and he is dedicated to maintaining its safety and security.

Scott Taylor is the Water Services Director for the City of St. George. He oversees all aspects of the culinary water, pressurized irrigation, wastewater collections and wastewater treatment systems in the City. Prior to joining the City in 2003, he was a project engineer at a local engineering firm, overseeing various pipeline and pump station projects in Southern Utah. He has a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Utah State University, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Utah.  

He will provide an update on our current water situation, including current and future water infrastructure.

Jordan Rushton is Dixie Tech's 3rd president.  Before assuming the role, Jordan Rushton spent eight years as the vice president of instruction at Dixie Tech, overseeing the instructors, courses and curriculum across 25 accredited programs. He joined the Dixie Tech team in 2015 as the director of operations. Prior to his life in Southern Utah, he served as the director of public relations and outreach for the then Utah College of Applied Technology system.

Rushton holds an undergraduate degree from Utah Valley University and a master’s degree in public administration with a higher education emphasis from Southern Utah University. He has a post-graduate certification in management from Harvard University and is currently completing his doctorate in education at Baylor University.

For more years than he cares to count, Reed Noble has ordered and received more than 1400 paperback dictionaries to be distributed to 3rd graders in nearly two dozen elementary schools in the Washington County School District.  On Monday, October 27, Rotarians will gather at Reed's office at 35 S. 400 West, #200 to prepare this year's book order for delivery. 

Come one, come all ... for comradery, "service above self" and lunch!!! 

Katharine S. Walter, PhD, studies the impacts of environmental change on infectious disease, with a particular focus on Valley Fever and tuberculosis. Alongside her research, she writes about ecology and health for The Nation, Nautilus, and elsewhere. She is an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Utah where she leads the Evo-Epi Laboratory.

Do you know there are 9000+ federal employees in Washington County ... many who did not receive a paycheck in October due to the government shutdown?  As a result, many will be seeking help for the first time ever from such organizations as the Utah Food Bank and the Salvation Army.  

Monday, November 10 is part of a 4-day Veterans Day weekend so many of our members will be taking time off.  We debated cancelling our meeting on that day but the Salvation Army ... which is already seeing an increase in those furloughed federal employees seeking help at this difficult time.

Please won't you join us for lunch and a work project or two at 11:30 at the offices of the Salvation Army located at 568 W. Telegraph in Washington City (across from the Washington WalMart). 

There is much to be done and your help can provide a huge benefit to those in crisis in our community.

PS:  If you cannot be with us on Monday, November 10, please consider purchasing the new Dixie Direct Savings Guides.  The cost again this year is $40 - of which half will be doubled on Giving Tuesday for a direct donation to the Utah Food Bank.  Of course, Rotarians - generous with time and money - can do both!!!! 

Homeschooling is the education of children at home in their own family environment rather than in a traditional public or private school, with parents or guardians taking the primary responsibility for the child's learning.  This approach allows families to create a customized education plan, with varying methods ranging from structured curriculums to more flexible, life-based learning. 

Hanna Lay and Christina Stead are two local moms with a passion for homeschooling their children and helping families. Together they are putting their love towards developing the Desert Blossom Homeschool Resource Center.

They will provide information about how homeschooling here in southern Utah has grown in the past few years; what homeschooling looks like in our area; what needs are in the local homeschool community and how they are working to meet those needs.  Part of their mission is to be a touchpoint for the larger commuity in reference to homeschooling.  

For more information before their presentation, see www.dbhomeschool.com.

Join St. George Rotary Club in welcoming Terance White, Principal and Director of NWL Architects' St. George office, (and a longtime member of SGR) for an insightful presentation on the innovative use of tilt-up construction for K-12 schools. With over 30 years of architectural experience, Terance is a leading expert in Tilt-Up design and has overseen the successful completion of numerous facilities in our community.

Tilt-up construction is a method where concert wall panels are cast horizontally on a building's floor slabe, then tilted up into a vertical positio using a crane to form the building's walls. This process creates large concrete structures quickly and efficiently, often used for buildings like warehouses, schools, and commercial facilities. 

This presentation will explain the "what" and "why" of Tilt-Up construction, exploring how this method delivers safe, durable, and cost-effective school buildings on an accelerated timeline. Terance will showcase several of NWL Architects’ completed school projects in Southern Utah, providing a firsthand look at Tilt-Up in action and its positive impact on our local educational landscape.