Dixie Tech prepares for change in leadership as state board names interim president

Vice President Jordan Rushton has been named interim president of Dixie Technical College effective May 1, following the retirement of President Kelle Stephens, St. George, Utah, March 23, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Dixie Technical College, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The Utah Board of Higher Education has announced its selection for interim president of Dixie Technical College. Jordan Rushton, who currently serves as vice president of instruction, will succeed President Kelle Stephens following her April 30 retirement.

“I’m honored and humbled, and I look forward to continuing the good work we’re doing up here,” Rushton said of his appointment. “She’s (Stephens) built an incredible foundation here, so I think now we have a responsibility to continue to build and expand and broaden our reach.”

Having joined the administration at Dixie Tech in 2015, Rushton has been an integral part of expanding program offerings and generally improving instruction, helping the college grow to offer 26 accredited programs in various vocational fields, including medicine, welding, IT and more.

In a press release from the state board, Chair Harris Simmons said Rushton was selected for his industry knowledge, expertise and advocacy for the importance of technical education, as well as his commitment to the long-term success of Dixie Tech.

The change in leadership was initiated by Stephens announcing her plans in January, intending to see the school through one last graduation. The last three and a half months have been spent preparing for the transition and making sure the change was as smooth as possible for whoever would take her place, Stephens said

File photo showing outgoing President Kelle Stephens (right) walking beside a local business leader at an event celebrating a community partnership on Dixie Technical College campus, St. George, Utah, Sept. 29, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

“It’s a time of great uncertainty, and the faculty and staff have some anxiety about what’s going to happen and who’s going to take over,” she said. “I think that everybody was relieved and really excited when it was announced that Jordan would be the interim president. He’s earned the respect of faculty and staff. They know him. They trust him. That’s a real positive thing.”

Stephens highlighted many of Rushton’s best qualities, including his commitment, dedication, vision, integrity and sense of humor. She also gave credit to Rushton for contributing to the school’s exceptional graduation and job placement rates.

In fact, Stephen’s retirement coincides with the largest graduating class in Dixie Tech history: 682 students are preparing to receive their certificates at the end of April – a 36% increase over last year’s record-breaking cohort of approximately 500 graduates.

Rushton follows the lead of Stephens in more ways than one: she served as vice president of instruction prior to her promotion to president in 2012. Having spent so much time contributing to technical education in Southern Utah, Stephens said she’ll miss the faculty and staff she worked alongside and the students that served as focus and inspiration for her efforts.

File photo showing the entrance to the diesel tech bay and other instructional spaces at Dixie Technical College, St. George, Utah, Dec. 17, 2019 | Photo by Ryann Richardson, St. George News

To better prepare the school for her departure, Stephens challenged her faculty and staff to go the extra mile in the last few months, which meant everything from spring cleaning to last-chance requests to legislators and community members for donations and funding to improve the school’s facilities and staff.

“I wanted to make sure that I left this college in as good a shape as I possibly could,” Stephens said. “When I announced that I was going to retire, I asked everybody to pitch in and do some things. I just didn’t want to leave a mess for anyone – financially or in physical facilities. I think the faculty and staff have come together and done everything I’ve asked of them, and then some.”

While Rushton will take the helm on May 1, he will serve as interim president only until a permanent replacement is officially appointed. In adherence to Utah code, the Utah System of Higher Education Board and the Dixie Technical College Board of Trustees will form a search committee to find a permanent president in the coming months. 

The Utah State Board of Higher Education expects a new president will be in place by the fall of 2022, but has promised to take the necessary time to find the most qualified candidate, according to the press release.

A native of Lehi, Utah, Rushton, his wife Lundi, and their four children currently reside in St. George, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Jordan Rushton, St. George News

As for his qualifications as interim president, Rushton has seven years of experience at the college and holds an undergraduate degree from Utah Valley University, a master’s degree in public administration with a higher education emphasis from Southern Utah University, and a post-graduate certification in management from Harvard University. He is currently working toward completing his doctorate of education from Baylor University.

Rushton and his wife, Lundi, are the parents of four children and currently live in St. George. He said while his time as president may be limited, he hopes to extend the benefits of Dixie Tech’s instruction and training to communities throughout Washington County, from Hildale to Enterprise and everywhere in between.

More than anything else, he said he hopes to build Dixie Tech’s reputation as an exceptional educational institution that prepares students for fulfilling, well-paid careers.

“The people that graduate from Dixie Tech are really the essential workers that we hear so much about,” Rushton said. “All of the stuff that really keeps a community and an economy running happens here at Dixie Tech. So if we can continue to get that message out there, and elevate the perception of what we do here at Dixie Tech – that’s what’s important to me.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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