Mary Heers ’86

Utah State University Alumni Merit Citation

Mary Heers ’86 exemplifies the spirit of Utah State University through a lifetime of passionate support for education, the arts, and public service. A graduate of Stanford and Middlebury, Mary came to USU seeking a teaching credential and found her calling in the Caine College of the Arts. Through a chance encounter with Professor W. Vosco Call, she was introduced to the Caine Lyric Theatre and never looked back. From props assistant to stage manager, Mary immersed herself in the collaborative magic of live performance — an experience that shaped her future as an educator and advocate.

For 17 years, Mary inspired students at Preston High School as an English, psychology, and theatre teacher, while leading the school’s academic decathlon team to two state championships. Her passion for learning extended far beyond the classroom: she served as a Fulbright teacher in Poland, engaged in historic labor activism, and lent her voice to Utah Public Radio on programs like Wild About Utah and StoryCorps.

Mary and her husband, Art, have been generous champions of USU’s Caine College of the Arts, providing the lead gift for the Caine Lyric Theatre’s restoration and endowing the Mary and Art Heers Scene Shop — a space where theatre students safely gain hands-on skills in scenic design and construction. Their giving has created opportunities for students to learn, grow, and dream.

For her unwavering dedication to the arts, her transformative work as an educator, and her enduring service to the university and community, Utah State University proudly honors Mary Heers with the Alumni Merit Citation.