Utah Tech University students celebrate annual ‘D’-week

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — Utah Tech University students are celebrating the school’s annual ‘D’-week with a variety of celebrations.

This week, Utah Tech students are honoring the school’s history, growth, and community partnerships with their tradition week, called ‘D’-week. Utah Tech’s Student Body President, Shellsea Ramirez Fuentes, gave ABC4.com an insight into what the week means for her.

“It’s just such a vital part of our community, especially where it lies pretty much in the heart of the city, and it really just honors that partnership that we have between this community and the university,” said Shellsea Ramirez Fuentes.

According to Ramirez Fuentes, the week kicks off with the Brooks’ City Tour, during which students visit local art installations and community businesses. They have several local events throughout the week.

“My favorite one is the great race,” Ramirez Fuentes said. “I just think it’s a wonderfully interactive way to kind of get the students around campus. The reason why the Great Race is one of my favorite ones. it’s because it’s one of those that I had participated in before even being involved with, you know, student government or anything else here on campus.”

How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google

On Saturday, at the end of the week, students gather and paint the ‘D’ on the hill with limestone. The ‘D’ represents Utah Tech’s former name of Dixie State University, which was deemed controversial due to its ties to the Confederacy during the Civil War, though some opposed the name change.

Despite any previous controversy, Ramirez Fuentes uses this week to focus on her school and community and to build up her peers.

“I love anything that has to do with building a team and just feeling that energy to sizzle all throughout campus, and I believe it’s wonderful and that ends with the great carnival, which is amazing in here on campus,” she said, adding, “We have ribbons all over campus and just really having that pride of having Utah Tech University and also just the community that we are in.”

You can learn more about ‘D’-week celebrations here.

Latest headlines:

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.