Utah Tech's new leader anxious to optimize school's evolving opportunities

ST. GEORGE — Newly appointed Utah Tech University President Shane Smeed's first day on the job — May 1 — happened on the same day as the school's annual graduation ceremony.

"So my very first day was a commencement — and on my second day, we had three additional commencement ceremonies," Smeed recently told the Deseret News editorial board.

"So within the first 48 hours of me serving as president, we had the fortunate opportunity to be able to celebrate some of the most exciting days in the lives of our students and their families."

Smeed's enthusiasm to be sharing his personal achievements with those of the Utah Tech student body, simultaneously, seems apropos at a moment of historic change — both within the Utah Tech 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 Utah Tech University.

During the 2000s, the school originally known as the St. George Stake Academy went from being Dixie State College to Dixie State University and now, since 2022, Utah Tech University.

Even the school mascot has evolved: Rebels to Red Storm to Trailblazers.

Meanwhile, the school'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 why Utah Tech has become a popular higher ed destination for many Utahns — 82% are in-state students — is obvious: It's the most affordable university in the state.

But the school's 19th president believes Utah Tech's opportunities extend beyond affordability and program growth.

While some in Utah's public higher education system view recent legislation demanding budget reallocations as a hostile act against traditional learning, Smeed sees opportunities.

HB265, he counters, "allows us to reinvest money in the places where we think can be impactful — not only in (students') educational experience, but also in the workforce and preparing them to meet workforce needs and its requirements."

Additionally, Smeed is anxious to reconnect with members of the Utah Techcommunity who may have separated themselves from the school. Utah Tech, he said, is their asset.

"It's an asset for the state. It's an asset 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."

Prior to Smeed's hiring, Utah Tech was without a president for over a year after President Richard "Biff" Williams stepped down from the position. Williams, who now serves as president of Missouri State University, was included as a defendant in an ongoing lawsuit alleging Title IX violations in the wake of a vulgar prank.

When asked if those divisive investigations have harmed Utah Tech University's reputation, Smeed said his new job offers him the opportunity to be "a spokesperson for the university" going forward.

"Reputationally, our community will see that our students are probably the best representation of who we are as a university."

UT's polytechnic mission: Preparing grads for the workforce

A Utah native, Smeed served for almost four years as the president of Missouri's Park University, where he championed education/workforce readiness and expanding the Park campus for military-affiliated students.

He and his wife, Angela Smeed, are the parents of three children.

Smeed presided over Park University while also serving as the stake president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Platte City Missouri Stake.

While going through the Utah Tech job application process and meeting with Utah's higher education leaders and members of the Washington County community, "I realized that this was a special place," he said.

"I was born in Provo, Utah — so this was a great opportunity for me to come back to my home state."

As an academic, Smeed said he was drawn to Utah Tech's polytechnic mission. "I believe that it most readily prepares our graduates to meet the workforce needs."

So why should Utah students choose to attend UT?

The Beehive State offers a variety of colleges and universities, both public and private, that are relatively affordable and boast a wide range of academic programs.

Smeed is confident that Utah Tech — an open-enrollment institution — is a campus where Utahns can thrive academically, while saving a few bucks at the state's most affordable university.

"There's been a big question about whether or not the value of higher education is still there today — but the facts show that a person with a college degree will earn $1.2 million (over one's lifetime) more than one with just a high school diploma," he said.

"So if you're from Washington County, you can expect to make $20,000 more annually than someone who only has a high school diploma."

Smeed also highlights Utah Tech University's campus growth over the past decade that has transformed the campus. He's committed to building relationships with the philanthropic community to raise funds and secure scholarships.

Such efforts, said Smeed, will allow Utah Tech students "to graduate with less debt, or no debt, by the time they're finishing their education — especially for those that are looking for opportunities with internships.

"And then they're ready to hit the job force and really help with workforce development."

Historic campus growth; evolving higher ed priorities

Smeed noted that Utah Tech is evolving in real-time even as Washington County's population booms.

A new performing arts center and a general classroom building are under construction on campus — and a new residence hall was recently completed.

Expect such growth markers and physical footprints to increase in the coming years, he said.

"The growth that's happening in St. George in Washington County is a tremendous opportunity for us to attract more students from Washington County and within the state," Smeed said, noting that more than half of the school's students come from inside the county.

While some have been alarmed by the budget reallocation demands placed on Utah's public colleges and universities by HB265, Smeed sees the new legislation as an opportunity to better educate and prepare students.

Read the entire story at Deseret.com.

Related topics