In the News

• The Herald Journal Saturday, Mar. 14, 2026

  Aggie revenge tour capped off with another MW championship

  LAS VEGAS — It was a redemption tour of sorts when Utah State started the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

  The Aggie men’s basketball team would face three teams that had beaten them near the end of the regular season. Despite that, USU had won the regular season and the top seed for the tournement. But they came to Sin City with a bad taste in their mouth.

  On Saturday afternoon the Aggies capped off three wins in three days — all by double digits — and got to cut down a net for the second straight week. USU broke a tight game open late against second-seeded San Diego State to win the tournament, 73-62.

• KSL News Radio Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

  Researchers helping families of babies with hearing loss navigate next steps

  SALT LAKE CITY — About 95% of infants are tested for hearing loss, but only 25 % of those who test positive come back for a follow-up visit.

  Utah State University senior researcher Alyson Ward said there are many reasons not to make those appointments, from misinformation to a lack of transportation. She said for decades parents have been told their infant didn’t pass a test because there is likely fluid in their ears, but she says that is not true.

  The current protocol has health providers wait for at least a day after the baby is born to perform a hearing test, which is plenty of time for any fluid to drain.

• The Herald Journal Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

  USU hosts 2,000-plus at Utah FFA Convention

  Utah State University hosted the 98th Utah Future Farmers of America Convention Thursday and Friday, welcoming FFA members and guests from high schools from every nook and cranny of the Beehive State.

  With science fair-esque competitions, educational and agricultural tours, service projects and countless workshops, the convention also offered students an up-close look at the State of Utah’s land-grant university.

  Becki Lawver, a USU professor of agricultural education and the department head of its Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Department, spoke to her excitement of seeing so many high schoolers at USU.

• Utah Business Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

  Utah State parking deck celebrated in national engineering competition

  WASHINGTON — Reaveley Engineers of Salt Lake City has earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 59th annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA). The award comes for the Canyon View Terrace Parking Structure at Utah State University in Logan, Utah.

  With student enrollment on the rise, the university required a new parking facility ready for the current academic year. The site presented unique challenges due to proximity of new student housing on all sides, an academic building under construction, a state highway, and an existing utility tunnel. High seismic risk and an aggressive 12-month schedule made a traditional concrete parking structure design impractical.

• ABC 4 News Monday, Mar. 02, 2026

  USU athletics receives $2.5 million pledge from anonymous donor

  LOGAN, Utah (ABC4) — An anonymous donor has pledged $2.5 million to Aggie athletics as the school enters its first season in the Pac-12 conference.

  Cameron Walker, Utah State University’s director of athletics, announced the sizeable gift Monday. The donation will be paid out over a five-year period.

  “I am deeply grateful for the generosity and the significant impact this gift will have on the future of Utah State Athletics,” Walker said.

  According to a university press release, the gift was motivated by the donor’s belief in the department’s vision and potential heading into a new conference.

• KSL Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

  Utah State University undergraduates showcase research at state Capitol

  SALT LAKE CITY — Water quality issues faced by Indigenous Bolivian communities, and the role decreased social connectedness plays in misogynistic thoughts and behaviors were among undergraduate research projects on display at the state Capitol on Thursday for the annual Research on Capitol Hill day.

  The event — hosted by the University of Utah, Utah State University and now in its 26th year — gives lawmakers the chance to interact and connect with the work of undergraduate researchers from the two large state universities.

  As Utah's two Research One institutions, both play a key role in shaping the state's future.

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

  USU president announces final approval of Reinvestment Plan

  Nearly a year after the Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 265, which required all higher education institutions to take a long, hard look in the mirror and realign their efforts with the state’s, Utah State University President Brad Mortensen announced Wednesday that USU will receive the remainder of its reinvestment funds.

  “At their meeting last night, the (Executive Appropriations Committee) unanimously approved the plan with no discussion, reflecting positively on USU’s response to the audit and successful revisions to the strategic reinvestment plan,” Mortensen wrote in an email to all USU employees. “I deeply appreciate the work and support across the university over the past several months that helped position us for this success.”

• The Salt Lake Tribune Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

  This USU student is trying to break a world record

  There are the world records you probably know about: The fastest runner (Usain Bolt) or the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (nearly 43 feet, on a Minnesota woman who hasn’t trimmed them since 1997).

  And there are the ones you might hope to someday break yourself, like being the oldest person to have ever lived (122 years and 164 days).

  Then there are the stranger ones: a record for the farthest distance walked barefoot on Lego bricks (a swear-worthy 5.5 miles) and the largest gathering of people wearing unicorn horns (334 almost-magical humans in West Virginia). A Utah man even carried the most bowling balls simultaneously (a striking 16 total).

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026

  USU President makes some changes in leadership

  Having faced budget cuts and intense scrutiny over spending recently, Utah State University President Brad L. Mortensen is working to get the school back in the good graces of the state legislature and those that have been critical.

  The new president has been transparent in tackling the big issues. On Tuesday, he sent a message to all employees that was later posted on the university website Utah State Today.

  While he enjoyed himself Saturday at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, performing with the Aggiettes and the USU cheer squad, Mortensen knows that some changes need to be made.

• The Herald Journal Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026

  USU shares mid-legislative-session update

  As the State of Utah’s 2026 Legislative Session continues to churn, Utah State University composed a mid-session update Thursday, providing an overview, detailing budget requests and announcing a post-session town hall on March 6.

• KSL Thursday, Feb. 05, 2026

  Bobby Wagner Named Walter Payton Man Of The Year

  Former Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner was named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year at NFL Honors on Thursday.

  The ten-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection brought home the award on his fourth time being nominated by his team.

  The Walter Payton Man of the Year award “recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field. Each team nominates one player who has had a significant positive impact on his community.”

  For all three cities that have been lucky enough to host Wagner, his impact has been felt immensely.

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, Feb. 04, 2026

  USU tabs Bobby Wagner as 2026 commencement speaker

  Utah State University announced USU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and Super Bowl Champion Bobby Wagner as 2026’s commencement speaker Monday.

  The four-year Aggie starter and 14-year NFL veteran — primarily with the Seattle Seahawks but with stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders — played for the Aggies from 2008-2011 and finished tied for the school record in career tackles with 446, as reported by Utah State Today.

  After leading the Aggies to their first bowl game in 14 years as a senior, the Seahawks selected Wagner with the 47th overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft.

• The Herald Journal Friday, Jan. 30, 2026

  USU launches initiative to build statewide dementia support network

  Utah State University is launching a three-year training program to create a network of Dementia Resource Ambassadors across the state, aiming to connect families affected by dementia with available support services.

  The program, led by USU’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center and Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice, is a collaboration with the Utah chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

  About 10% of Utahns aged 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, and an estimated 115,000 residents provide informal care for loved ones with dementia at home, often without training or support.

• The Herald Journal Monday, Jan. 26, 2026

  New USU endowment fund seeks donors for 'last-dollar' scholarship

  Originally announced by Utah State University President Brad L. Mortensen during his inauguration on Jan. 16, the university formally announced its new Utah State Promise Scholarship Endowment Monday.

  As reported by Utah State Today, the Utah State Promise Scholarship currently supports 1,307 students to the tune of $2.5 million, with increasing demand, “Expanding the opportunity to all eligible new and current students requires an additional $4 million in funding each year. This ongoing annual support would impact an estimated 2,800 students.”

  Acting as a “last-dollar” scholarship, which covers the remaining tuition and student body fees of eligible students, the scholarship is available to incoming, full-time, first-year or transfer undergraduate students who are Utah residents, Pell Grant eligible and are admitted for the upcoming summer or fall semesters.

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026

  USU receives Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

  Utah State University has been reclassified with the highest recognition for community engagement a higher education institution can receive.

  The designation, awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizes institutions that demonstrate sustained commitment to collaboration between universities and their communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources.

  USU first received the classification in 2020 and has now been recertified for a second consecutive cycle, joining 277 institutions nationwide that hold the designation.

• Fox 13 News Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026

  New cloud seeding study over Wasatch Range the largest in state history

  SALT LAKE CITY — For decades, cloud seeding has been part of Utah’s strategy to stretch its water supply. This winter, scientists are taking a much closer look at whether the practice actually delivers measurable results.

  Cloud seeding involves pumping silver iodide into the atmosphere during a storm to generate a little more precipitation.

  Researchers from the University of Utah and Utah State University are leading the largest cloud seeding research effort ever conducted in the state, focusing on winter storms over the northern Wasatch Mountains. The goal is to better understand how cloud seeding affects snowfall and spring runoff.

• Deseret News Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

  Brad Mortensen inaugurated as Utah State University's 18th president

  Brad Mortensen was inaugurated Friday as Utah State University’s 18th president, the first alumnus to ascend to the presidency since 1968.

  “The landscape blooms with a calling to serve students wherever the sagebrush grows. Our university must transcend the familiar or risk becoming an echo of the past, rather than the propulsion for the future,” Mortensen said. “We stand together, the student in Logan and the student in Blanding, the long tenured professor and the newest extension agent, the donors, the legislators, the staff member who keeps our lights on.”

  Mortensen brings more than two decades of higher education leadership to the position, having served as president of Weber State University for the past nearly seven years.

  Mortensen led Weber State to multiple recognitions for outstanding return on investment for graduates, established the Miller Advanced Research and Solutions Center in partnership with the Utah Legislature, the U.S. Air Force and the aerospace and defense industry, oversaw the establishment of new graduate education programs, including the Doctor of Nursing Practice, and led the university’s dual enrollment program to become the largest in the U.S. among four-year institutions in 2024.

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Jan. 08, 2026

  USU initiative helps refugees learn farming skills

  Utah State University is partnering with the Utah Department of Agriculture to provide comprehensive farming training to refugees as a means to provide for themselves and support the state’s agriculture.

  The initiative, funded by the Vilcek Foundation, uses on-farm demonstrations, training videos and mentorship to teach participants how to raise livestock and poultry. Topics include farm safety, biosecurity and sustainable farming practices, as well as business management and market literacy.

  The program was started by Assistant Professors Joseph Okoh and Chad Page in USU’s Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences.

• The Herald Journal Friday, Jan. 02, 2026

  Al Smith Named Cache Valley Resident of the Year

  Utah State University has been an integral part of Logan City and Cache County since its founding in 1888, contributing to the local economy, culture and, of course, educational opportunities.

  According to a report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, USU was the largest employer in Cache County and the seventh largest employer statewide in 2023. That year, the university supported $1 billion in earnings, $1.4 billion in gross domestic product and $2.2 billion in total sales.

  Many Cache Valley residents attended USU or have had children attend. According to the institute’s report, more than half of USU graduates continue living and working in Utah after graduation.

• National Geographic Friday, Jan. 02, 2026

  Coyotes mate for life—and grieve when their partner dies

  The loss of a longtime companion is a pain many people—and coyotes—know all too well. 

  About a decade ago, scientists discovered that coyotes mate with just one partner in their lifetimes. But more recent research has turned to the sadder side of their lifelong love: the grief of widowhood.

  Scientists hope their inquiries can build compassion for these oft-misunderstood carnivores and perhaps guide the development of new mental health treatments for humans. 

  “We have this opportunity to really understand what happens during loss and how that might translate to improved outcomes for people who have extended grief,” says neuroscientist Sara Freeman, an associate professor of biology at Utah State University who is studying the changes that occur inside the brains of coyotes that have lost their mates. 

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025

  8 USU faculty members ranked in the top 2% of global researchers

  An analysis of Elsevier Research’s 2024 statistics revealed eight faculty members of Utah State University’s Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) ranked in the top 2% of global researchers within their respective field, as reported by Utah State Today.

  “The 2024 scholars were ranked among the top 100,000 researchers in the world, or with the top 2% of their sub-field,” Utah State Today reported. “The list is based on publicly available data that tracks how often researchers’ work is used and cited by other scholars worldwide.”

  Interim Dean of the CEHS Shawn Whiteman said the college is thrilled to celebrate the eight faculty members.

• The Herald Journal Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025

  Utah Legislature gives initial support for USU reinvestment plan

  After reviewing Utah State University’s revised strategic reinvestment plan Tuesday, the Utah Legislature’s Executive Appropriations Committee unanimously voted to release 30% of the university’s initial $12.6 million disinvestment.

  The committee requested that USU bring the plan to them a third time before receiving the remaining 70%.

  Committee members expressed support for the plan, including adjustments the university made since Brad L. Mortensen was appointed president. However, some committee members raised the issue of the ongoing legislative audit, which the committee initiated in August over concerns about former USU president Elizabeth Cantwell’s spending.

• ABC 4 News Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025

  USU researchers develop ear tag technology to deter livestock predators

  Researchers from Utah State University have developed a flashing, motion-activated livestock ear tag that is showing promise in deterring livestock predation, which then means that fewer predators would killed by humans.

  They’re called FlashTags, and they are motion-activated LED tags that can be worn by livestock. They are triggered by movement, and they light up in random patterns that help deter predators.

  Julie Young, an associate professor at Utah State University’s Department of Wildland Resources and director of the Berryman Institute of Wildlife Damage Management, explained that the tags are similar to what a cow or sheep is already wearing, and they are just another tool for livestock owners in deterring predators, who tend to avoid new things.

• The New York Times Tuesday, Dec. 09, 2025

  These Utah Beavers Are Moving

  The beaver who would one day be named June was simply doing what beavers do. But her dams, built around her lodge in Utah’s Bear River Mountains, ran afoul of a rancher. He said the flooding caused his sheep to get stuck in the mud.

  That landed the furry engineer in the unfortunate category of “nuisance beaver.” In most places around the country, she would have been killed. Instead, she was enlisted: strategically relocated and released in an effort to restore degraded streams elsewhere in the state.