Ruth Challis to be Honored on Founders' Day

Published: March 19, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minutes

During the annual, 2007 Founders' Day celebration, three service awards will be presented to important and active members in the Cedar City community.

The event will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2007 in the Great Hall, on the Southern Utah University campus, and one of this year’s Distinguished Service Award recipients is Ruth Challis.

Challis began working at SUU when she moved from Salt Lake City, UT to Cedar City, UT in 1959. Her first three years at SUU were spent working as the secretary for the education department. She went on to become the secretary for university president Royden C. Braithwaite, Orville Carnahan, Harl Judd and Gerald R. Sherratt.

In addition to her service to SUU, she has been active in many community organizations including: the local and state organization Business and Professional women, and the President of the local PTA board. Challis was also the first hostess of the Utah Shakespearian Festival in 1962.

The award on Founder’s Day will not be Challis’ first recognition for her achievements. In 1994 she was awarded Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women. In 1995 she was awarded SUUSA President’s Award, and in 1996-97 she was awarded the university’s Outstanding Female Staff Member.

In 1997 Challis retired from SUU, but she will forever be recognized as making a difference at the university and in the community.

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