Thunder in the Big Sky

Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton

A day that has been over 25 years in the making finally was celebrated at Southern Utah University on July 2, as Commissioner Doug Fullerton officially welcomed the University into the Big Sky Conference. 

"I've had several people stop me today and tell me that this is a great day for Southern Utah University, but let me tell you, this is a great

day for the Big Sky Conference too," Fullerton

said during his address to an overflow crowd at SUU's Sharwan Smith Center Rotunda on Monday afternoon.

Fullerton said that the changing landscape in collegiate sports as well as SUU's mission, location and level of competition all played a role, adding that Southern Utah will help establish the Big Sky as one of the most stable conferences in the country.

"About four years ago the presidents of the Big Sky Conference that in [the shake-up of conferences across the country] there was going to be tremendous opportunity," he pointed out. "If we were to sit together, and pay more attention to the type of institution that we bring into the league, and worry less about whether or not they were in huge demographic markets, and pay more attention to the mission and to the people of the universities ... we could win this game. Today the Big Sky Conference is one of only three remaining football-playing conferences in the west: there's the Pac-12, the Mountain West, and the Big Sky Conference.

"As is evidenced by the turnout today, Southern Utah has a tremendous commitment level."

SUU President Michael T. Benson also addressed the crowd, noting: "When I came to work at Southern Utah University ... I was given the charge to accomplish two things ... the first was to get SUU into the Big Sky Conference and the second was to get a Phi Beta Kappa chapter on campus. We've now accomplished the first and we're going to apply for our Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the next little while. This is a huge accomplishment for our University.

"This is a wonderful chance for us to associate with universities that we aspire to be more like," Benson added. "This is an association that goes beyond athletics, it's an association for us academically in a wonderful sense, and it will bring a lot of notoriety to campus and I know a lot of recognition."

For alumni, the conference is welcome news. "SUU will now be traveling to locations throughout the West where the majority of our alumni live," said Mindy Benson, Executive Director of Alumni Relations. "This is a fantastic opportunity and we invite all alumni to become more involved in Thunderbird Athletics, to show their SUU pride by wearing red and to come out to games or matches in your area."

Cedar City Mayor Joe Burgess was also on hand to declare the day Big Sky Day in Cedar City, and SUU Director of Athletics Ken Beazer pointed out that "This is a long-awaited day at Southern Utah University. Ever since the University moved to Division I competition in 1987 membership in the Big Sky Conference has been a goal. Now we have to move forward and become a contributing member."

Southern Utah was invited into the Big Sky Conference in October of 2010 and will play its first contest as an official member of the league on August 11, when the SUU women's soccer team travels to Utah State to play a non-conference match against the Aggies.

The Thunderbirds' first official Big Sky contest will be September 14, when volleyball travels to Weber State, while soccer plays its first BSC game on September 21 when it travels to Northern Arizona and the SUU football team kicks off its BSC era at Portland State on September 22.

The Big Sky now stands at 11 full institutions: Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, North Dakota, Portland State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State. Cal Poly and UC Davis joined the conference as affiliate-football members.

Alumni Days at Shakespeare

Our second year of Alumni Days at Shakespeare was a wonderful success as 120 alumni and guests were on campus June 25-27 for the 51st season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Fred C. Adams, founder and executive producer emeritus, and R. Scott Phillips ('76), executive director, were our featured speakers at a dinner Monday evening on the patio of the Hunter Conference, after wich we attended The Merry Wives of Windsor in the Adams Outdoor Theatre. Earlier that afternoon, attendees enjoyed the compelling American drama To Kill a Mockingbird.

Tuesday, June 26, was the hilarious production of Scapin in the Randall Jones Theatre. That afternoon, Brian Vaughn ('95), co-artistic director, was our guest and speaker at a reception in the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Alumni House. Ben Hohman, properities and display director, explained how props at the Utah Shakespeare Festival are made and revealed a little-known fact that a "monkey" is hidden in at least one prop for all productions at the Adams Theatre. A wig artist also demonstrated the intricacies of wig weaving that occurs for each hair piece used at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. That evening was the production of Mary Stuart, which told the story of the political power game that took place between Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary Queen of Scots.

On our final day, we enjoyed the always popular backstage tour of the both the Randall Jones and Adams Theatres, and viewed this summer's blockbuster Les Misérables. That evening the outdoor stage featured Titus Andronicus, which was one of Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime, and an ice cream social was held at the Alumni House where alumni and guests visited with cast and crew.

Thank you to all who attended this year's Alumni Days at Shakespeare. If you happened to miss this year's event . . . we invite you to attend next year!

View more pictures from the Alumni Days at Shakespeare 2012 on our flickr photostream.