Dixie State University welcomes two new members to the Board of Trustees

As Dixie State University’s Board of Trustees held its first full meeting of the 2020-21 academic year on Friday, the institution's governing board welcomed entrepreneur and local business owner Deven Macdonald and Student Association President Penny Mills to the board. 

Appointed by the governor of Utah and approved by the Utah State Senate, members of Dixie State University's Board of Trustees act as liaisons between the institution and community. The board assists with and approves the university's mission, traditions, strategic planning, policies, budgets, new degree programs and honorary degrees.

“I am honored and grateful to be a part of the legacy of this great university,” Macdonald said. “Throughout my years of involvement at DSU, I have grown to love the administration, faculty, alumni, and students more and more. I have found great fulfillment in helping grow DSU’s athletic program, mentoring students, and teaching business classes.”

Combining his entrepreneurial knowledge with his passion for helping young people develop critical life skills, Macdonald opened a Chick-fil-A business in St. George eight years ago. He seeks to promote and demonstrate principles of business, servant leadership, work, service, character and integrity while working with youth in his store, community and church programs.

Macdonald, who earned a degree in Marketing and Business Management from Brigham Young University, spent the first 14 years of his career running an identity and security management portfolio at a multi-billion-dollar software company. 

As the student body president, Mills represents the student body as the other newest member of the Board of Trustees.

“I love DSU because it is a place where you can blaze trails to your own dreams and live them,” Mills said. “I love the great leadership spirit here.”

Mills, who is majoring in communications with an emphasis in applied leadership at Dixie State, first became involved on campus as the administrative assistant to the DSUSA vice president of student life. In addition to being the student body president for DSU, she is also currently serving as the executive vice president for the Utah Student Association. Last year, she served as the DSUSA vice president of service.

A native of Orem, Mills has a solid history of leadership experience, serving as the senior class president and a member of the student service organization Bruin Crew at Mountain View High. Additionally, she has served in a number of leadership roles within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including as a youth leader for Young Women, a mission in Eugene, Oregon, and president of the local congregations’ Women’s Relief Society twice.

Macdonald and Mills join the eight other members of the board: Chair David Clark, Vice Chair Tiffany Wilson, alumna Julie Bangerter Beck, Washington County School District Superintendent Larry Bergeson, alumnus and financial planner Tony Christensen, Retired Banking Executive Colleen Kvetko, City of St. George Mayor Jon Pike and DSU Alumni Association President Kelli Prince.

To learn more about the Dixie State University Board of Trustees, visit trustees.utahtech.edu.