About Eccles A.P.E.X.
In its previous iteration as the "SUU Convocations Series," the Eccles A.P.E.X. program has been bringing exciting experts across all disciplines to campus for almost 40 years! It began as a speakers’ series funded by the president’s office, and its first event was on March 24, 1983, with motivational Speaker Dan Clark speaking on the "The Power of Positive Thinking." Currently, the series is housed in the Provost’s Office and directed by a faculty member on a ½ time teaching load with a support staff. Attendees to our events are students, faculty, staff and community members, and speakers have been invited from all areas of the US and abroad. While on campus, guests are invited to interact with students and faculty in multiple ways, with opportunities to connect and network in vast areas of scholarship! All A.P.E.X. events are free and open to the public!
What’s with the [X]? The new tagline for our series is “Ask. Ponder. Educate. [X].” and the [X] represents the variety of topics we explore in the series – it's the variable element from week to week. The A.P.E.X. team is passionate about the broad spectrum of thoughts, ideas, disciplines, backgrounds and cultural themes that can be showcased and shared, all within the context and with the consistency and organization that our team provides. There is sure to be something for everyone at some point in the season, and all events will certainly open your mind and creativity!
Our Team
Ryan Paul - Director
Contact: paul@suu.edu
Ryan Paul is an advocate of diversity in storytelling, a curator of Cedar City’s history, and studies Rock 'n Roll's impact on the world.
After earning a graduate degree in History from the University of Mississippi, Ryan forsook his Northern Utah home and settled in Southern Utah. He currently works as an Assistant Professor of History at Southern Utah University, specializing in Public and Local History and the History of the National parks. Ryan was thrilled to take on A.P.E.X. Events and continue the series on campus as Director.
Ryan has written five documentary films, lectured across the State as a Utah Humanities Council Road Scholar, served as President of the Utah Museums Association, and created a number of museum exhibits.
Alongside Cedar City’s local tourism bureau, Ryan writes and hosts the web series “Main Street Minutes” which dive into the history of the area. Ryan also served as the Museum Curator at Frontier Homestead State Park Museum for 19 years.
In 2015 he earned a Master's Degree from Southern Utah University in Arts Administration.
Ryan is a devotee of all things Elvis, Dr. Who, and DC Comics.
Sophia Grzywacz
Student Producer
This is Sophia’s third year here at SUU. She is majoring in both Management and Accounting with the hopes of becoming a Hospital Administrator. Her passion is people! She loves getting to know and meet new people. She enjoys traveling and the great outdoors. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada and spent her childhood in beautiful Southern Utah and absolutely loves it here!
Christina Schweiss
Reporter
Christina Schweiss is a Sophomore at SUU majoring in Theatre and Communications and minoring in Shakespearean Studies. She loves writing, poetry, acting, meeting new people, and exploring different wonders life has to offer. Her favorite Shakespeare play is “Two Gentlemen of Verona” and she loves the show “Golden Girls” with her favorite character being Blanche.
Faith Christensen
Faith is a recent graduate from Southern Utah University (SUU) with a bachelor’s in Anthropology and minors in Sociology and Ethnic Studies. She is furthering her education at SUU as a graduate student in the Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies program studying Leadership, Nonprofit Management, and Humans Values. Faith strives to create opportunities for others to achieve their goals, as many others in Faith’s life have helped her achieve her dreams. In her free time, Faith enjoys indoor cycling, playing amateur pickleball, and spending time with her husband and friends.
Kasen Graff
Kasen is a Junior at SUU double Majoring in history and French with double minors in music and chemistry. Kasen is a southern Utah native and 4th-generation SUU student who grew up visiting SUU's campus, and he is thrilled to be working and studying here! He enjoys meeting new people and traveling to new places, as well as reading, playing the trombone, coin collecting, and flag collecting, and he will happily lecture you on any of those, whether or not he's asked.