Southern Utah University Campus

Through its more than 100-year history, Southern Utah University (SUU) has evolved from a teacher training school into its current role as a comprehensive, regional university. It serves the southern region of Utah and the contiguous counties of two states with undergraduate and graduate programs and applied technology training. People of the region look to the University for outreach services, culture, economic and business development, public education, regional history, public affairs, and major academic specialties.

Points of Interest

SUU points of interest have been developed to offer students and visitors an area to foster thought, reflection and cultural awareness.

The Centurium honors 12 of history's greatest intellects with bronze statues and plaques specifying their unique contributions to the "life of mind". The Centurium stands guard to the 5,000 seat, Centrum Sports Arena, where many of the University athletic competitions take place. In 2000, SUU Men's Basketball Team stepped boldly into the limelight when they made their first appearance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament by winning the mid-continent conference championship. The Centrum also hosts a variety of head-liner concerts throughout the school year, including the likes of Diamond Rio, Fuel, Vertical Horizon, & Sawyer Brown. For information and tickets to Centrum sporting events or concerts, contact the Box Office at 435-586-7906.

To the north of the Centrum is the large bronze Founder's Monument, a depiction of the trail breaking efforts of the horse "old Sorrel", which very well may have saved the lives of community members attempting to build the institution's first building. The story of that struggle is recounted on the monuments tablets. The Nellie Unthank Monument honors the lives and struggles of early pioneers and the Starmaker Monument, surrounded by a grove of hundred year old pines, is wonderful place to meditate and relax. Both monuments are located on the southeast portion of the campus.

The Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery is located on the upper east side of the campus and is open to the public, Tuesday thru Saturday from 12 p.m. (noon) to 7 p.m. The Gallery exhibits rotating national and regional art exhibits. On the lower level of the Gearld Sherratt Library is Special Collections, a unique accumulation of early Southern Utah photographs, writings and books. The William Palmer collection of native American handcrafts is also located in the collection.

The Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival makes its home on the campus of SUU. The outdoor Adams theater and adjacent courtyard, detailed to simulate the atmosphere at Stratford-upon-Avon, are a bustle with excitement and pageantry during the summer months. The grand, indoor Randall Jones Theater is used for the Festival's summer and fall season productions and for student theater and dance performances during the school year.

In the spring and summer, visitors are encouraged to walk the paths of the Parterre Gardens located at the southern end of the Greek themed Eccles Coliseum. The Parterre is a University staff project featuring several hundred species of flowers and plants grown at the University science center. While walking the gardens, be sure to meander over to the Coliseum. Statues, towers and spires adorn the walkway, the centerpiece is the Utah Summer Games Cauldron, which is lit during the Games Opening Ceremonies (The Utah Summer Games is held every June and brings 8,000 athletes to Cedar City to compete in summer sporting events). The eight foot wide, stainless steel cauldron sits atop a 2002 Olympic Legacy Monument which carries the Olympic marks on the sides.

SUU Physical Education Building

The new SUU Physical Education building's Olympic size pool, racket ball courts, indoor track, weight room and basketball courts are available to the public during the school year. The Pool is available 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., noon to 1 p.m., 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for lap swim and 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. for regular swimming. Check with the "cage" for the availability schedule for racket ball, basketball, weights and the indoor track (Call 435-586-7700 and ask for the "PE Building Cage"). Cost is $3.00 per use.

Tennis Courts

Located on the southwest corner of the campus are four tennis courts available to the public. No fee.

Sporting Events

The 5,000 seat, Centrum Sports Arena, is where many of the University athletic competitions take place. In 2000, SUU Men's Basketball Team stepped boldly into the limelight when they made their first appearance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament by winning the mid-continent conference championship. The SUU Athletic Department competes regionally and nationally in: Football, Women's & Men's Basketball, Women's Gymnastics, Men's Baseball, Women's Softball, Track & Field, Swimming, & Rodeo. For information and tickets to SUU sporting events, contact the Centrum Box Office at 435-586-7906.

June, the Utah Summer Games is held on the campus of Southern Utah University. The Games brings 8,000 athletes to Cedar City to compete in summer sporting events, like soccer, baseball, basketball, track and field. The opening ceremonies are held at the Eccles Coliseum. Contact the Utah Summer Games at 435-865-8421 or visit their website at www.utahsummergames.org

Walking The Campus

Walking the campus is a great activity for visitors, students and residents. The Campus' walks are beautifully landscaped with waterfalls, fountains, ponds, and several varieties of trees, plants and shrubbery. Beautiful bronze statues are situated between many of the buildings, such as the Founder's Monument, a depiction of the trail breaking efforts of the horse "old Sorrel", which very well may have saved the lives of community members attempting to build the institution's first building; The Nellie Unthank Monument which honors the lives and struggles of early pioneers; and the Starmaker Monument, a wonderful place to meditate and relax. In the spring and summer, visitors are encouraged to walk the paths of the Parterre Gardens located at the southern end of the Greek themed Eccles Coliseum. The Gardens are a University staff project featuring several hundred species of flowers and plants grown at the University science center. While walking the gardens, be sure to meander over to the Eccles Coliseum. Statues, towers and spires adorn the walkways, and the centerpiece is the Utah Summer Games Cauldron, which is lit during the Games opening ceremonies The eight foot wide, stainless steel cauldron sits atop a 2002 Olympic Legacy Monument which carries the Olympic marks on the sides.

For more information regarding Southern Utah University or recreation opportunities, visit their website www.suu.edu.

Southern Utah University
351 W University Blvd.
Cedar City, Utah 84720
435-586-7700