The event will take place March 28 at the USU Nelson Field House (700 North and 800 East, Logan, Utah). This annual celebration honors Indigenous cultures through dancing, drumming, ceremony and community gathering. Attendance is free and open to the public.

The USU Pow Wow was initiated in 1971 by the USU student organization Many Eagles Indian Council as part of the newly established “Indian Emphasis Week.” It is one of the university’s longstanding traditions where all are welcome to join a vibrant celebration of renewal and the arrival of spring. Attendees can expect a full day of intertribal dancing, drum competitions, cultural exhibitions, vendor booths and educational opportunities.

Event Schedule — Saturday, March 28, 2026

10 a.m. — Doors Open

Vendor and food areas open to the public.

Session One (Day Session)

Noon — Grand Entry.

All guests to stand.

Following Grand Entry:

• Intertribal dances.
• Drum contest.
• Tiny Tots giveaways.
• Golden Age contests (Women & Men).
• Junior dance contests (Girls & Boys).
• First-Generation Student Women’s Special.
• Adult exhibition dances.

Afternoon — Grand Exit.

Session Two (Evening Session)

6 p.m. — Grand Entry.

• All guests to stand.

6:30-7:30 p.m.

• Adult dance competitions.
• Intertribal dances.
• Golden Age participation.

Special Evening Events

7:30-7:45 p.m. — Head Man Special, Honoring Mothers.

• Flowers shared with mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and mother figures.

7:45-8:15 p.m. — Potato Dance Special.

8:15-8:30 p.m. — Head Man Special, Honor Song for Mothers.

• Participants may walk with mothers or carry photos.

8:30-9:00 p.m. — Community Two-Step Contest.

9:00-9:30 p.m. — Final intertribal dances.

9:30 p.m. — Closing, Grand Entry & Grand Exit.

Learn more about powwows, including powwow etiquette and this year's USU 48th Annual Echoing Traditional Ways Pow Wow, at usu.edu/community/nap/pow-wow.

Visit community.usu.edu, Instagram: center_for_community, or contact community@usu.edu to learn more about Center for Community and its programming.

On the other hand, there are creatures that “can have it all,” says Utah State University biologist Karen Kapheim, who studies the lives of social bees. Queen bees, she says, have lots of helpers that enable them to avoid more trade-offs than most other animals and to accomplish more of what they want to do.

Kapheim, professor in USU’s Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center, and her graduate students Kate Hunter, Tim DeLory and Ren Weinstock will be featured speakers at USU’s Science Unwrapped public outreach program Friday, March 20. They will present “Why Queen Bees Can Have It All” at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center Emert Auditorium, Room ESLC 130, on the Logan campus.

All ages are invited to the free gathering, hosted by USU’s College of Arts and Sciences.

During the presentation, Kapheim and her students will use the Wooclap audience engagement mobile application and invite the Science Unwrapped audience to join in answering quiz questions during the interactive talk. The Wooclap event code is “QUEENBEES,” and posters with a QR code participation link will be posted in the auditorium.

Hands-on learning activities led by USU student groups and community volunteers, along with refreshments, will follow the half-hour presentation. In addition, this spring’s series features research posters by USU graduate students.

“Our Spring 2026 ‘Celebrate Grad Student Research’ series continues with our March 20 event,” says Brynja Kohler, Science Unwrapped chair, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, and professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We’re excited to have Dr. Kapheim tell us about the research she’s conducting with her graduate students, and how it can teach us about evolutionary processes.”

Kapheim’s presentation will be video-recorded and posted on the Science Unwrapped website, following the in-person event.

The remaining Celebrate Grad Student Research series schedule is:

• Friday, March 20: “Why Queen Bees Can Have It All,” USU biologist Karen Kapheim.
• Friday, April 10: “Earthquakes: Predicting the Unpredictable,” USU geoscientists Lindsey Broderick and Srisharan Shreedharan.

Directions and parking information are available on the program’s website. Parking for the event is free in the Aggie Parking Terrace at 700 E. 600 North, and in the Big Blue Parking Terrace at 850 E. 700 North. Motorists parking in these locations do not need to use the USU mobile parking application.

For more information, call 435-797-3517 or visit the Science Unwrapped website.

The performance, titled “The Party,” invited audience members to step inside a fictional 1950s gathering hosted by Cleopatra and Julius Caesar in honor of Cicero’s retirement. As guests moved freely throughout the house, scenes unfolded around them with hints of a possible murder.

Grace Lynn Owen, a second-year theatre arts student who played Cicera, said the immersive format creates a unique experience for both performers and audiences.

“Everyone’s allowed to go wherever they would like, and the actors will be walking around the space,” Owen said. “It really is just like coming to a house party. Except that there is a storyline.”

Batten Bland worked with students to develop the immersive production and explore new approaches to performance. Although the creative team had spent the past year discussing ideas and meeting with designers over web conferences to prepare, the full production was devised in just four days of rehearsals.

“I love the form because I love how closeness tells stories and how we actually react inside of them in terms of being a performer and a spectator,” Batten Bland said. “When we're close to someone, we're rubbing up against our fight-flight systems and our nervous systems that cue us in ways that make us avoid or go toward people in real life. This is the form that allows you to do that inside of fiction while you're still dealing with your reality.”

“The Party” provided hands-on experience in a form of theatre that is becoming increasingly popular in the performing arts industry both for actors and production team. Jackie Porter, stage manager and first-year student in the theatre arts program said the format added a level of depth to set design.

“With it being immersive, the audience can see and touch everything in the house,” Porter said. “Everything has to be period-accurate, so it has to be pretty spot on.”

Batten Bland said experiences like this help students expand how they think about performance and collaboration.

“The goal here is to understand that we're all hybrid, and that all the modalities are active at the same time,” Batten Bland said. “If a student can exit a silo and realize that there is a fusion of different disciplines all at the same time under this beautiful umbrella called performance, then it's going to widen their ability to perform and widen their entry points into different types of performative opportunities.”

For more information about theatre arts at USU, visit the website.

The merger of the former Quinney College of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and Department of Geology earlier this year has meant celebrations of the college in fall and spring semesters.

Throughout QANR Week Part II, students are encouraged to submit photographs to the QANR Week Photography Contest, which will be showcased and awarded on Friday. Photos can be uploaded to the contest website.

Activities officially begin Monday with painting pots to take home — perfect for spring plants — and a gear and clothing swap. Pots & Swap runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Natural Resources Building patio. The clothing swap is hosted by the USU Sustainability Club and Backcountry Squatters Club, and all are welcome to participate.

Tuesday features Quinney Clubs Friendship Night from 5-7 p.m. in the NRB atrium. Snacks and beverages will be served as students learn about clubs in the college, collect each club’s unique bead and leave with new connections and a bracelet or necklace they create.

On Wednesday, Rapid-Fire Research will highlight QANR students’ research presented in just five slides and five minutes. The competition is open to anyone conducting research in the college, with prizes awarded. Free pizza will be available, and attendees will vote for their favorite presentations. Research participants must register using the form linked here. Rapid-Fire Research will run from 6-7:30 p.m. in Room 102 of the Biology and Natural Resources Building.

Earlier on Wednesday, students can enjoy free pizza (while supplies last) and explore the Quinney Explorers event, where many of QANR’s 12 departments and clubs will be showcased. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom. All USU students are invited to learn about the many degrees, minors and certificates offered in the Quinney College. Drawings for prizes will take place every half hour, and line and swing dancing will be happening from 1-2 p.m.

On Thursday morning, students can experience goat yoga with the dean (yes, with real goats) and QANR Interim Dean Grant Cardon beginning at 10 a.m. on the Agricultural Sciences Building lawn.

An evening Plant ID Walk begins at 5 p.m. Thursday in the NRB atrium. Students are encouraged to bring their own mug for free hot cocoa. Participants will learn more about local plants during a relaxed walk around campus.

The week will wrap up Friday evening with cookies and a display of photographs entered in the QANR Photography Contest. Entries will be on display beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Life Sciences Building, Room 231. Faculty will judge the week’s submissions and winners will receive prizes.

Crooks and Valencia will also be recognized at the USU Faculty Awards Ceremony slated for Wednesday, April 1, from 3-5 p.m. in the Russell/Wanless Performance Hall on campus. They are among eight nominees for the university Faculty Researcher of the Year award.

Crooks, who joined USU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics as an assistant professor of pure mathematics in 2022, is nominated for his original and influential work in symplectic Lie theory. His 12 peer-reviewed publications and preprints in just three years include articles in Compositio Mathematica and other top-tier journals. Crooks’ contributions have been recognized by the National Science Foundation and Simons Foundation, marking him as an outstanding junior career mathematician in his field.

“Each of us has intuitive notions of symmetry; for example, those exhibited by a butterfly lying on a table,” Crooks says. “At the same time, it is difficult to make such notions precise and actionable. I find my research meaningful because it realizes intuitive symmetries in clear, mathematical terms, with a view to elucidating structures in quantum physics.”

Valencia, associate professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, has been nominated in recognition of his distinguished research profile in early modern Spanish studies.

As president of the Society for Renaissance and Baroque Hispanic Poetry from 2022-2025 and an invited plenary speaker at the 2026 triennial conference of the Asociación Internacional Siglo de Oro (AISO) conference in Buenos Aires, he occupies a leading role in the field’s most prestigious scholarly societies.

Valencia’s record of publications in top-tier journals, including Hispanic Review and Modern Language Notes, his widely acclaimed monograph The Melancholy Void, his invited lectures at institutions including the University of Oxford, Paris-Nanterre and Milan, and his competitive research fellowships collectively attest to his international reputation, scholarly authority and transformative impact on Hispanic studies.

"In my research, I explore how the women and men of the 16th- and 17th-century Hispanic world forged ways of making and reading poetry thoroughly inflected by distinctly early modern understandings of gender, sexuality and the materiality of the body,” says Valencia, who joined USU’s faculty in 2015. “My research is meaningful to me because it contributes to our collective understanding of the mentality of a period different from ours, and perhaps it may also contribute to lyric theory and the larger critique of sexual violence and patriarchy.”

Both faculty members are actively involved in mentoring undergraduates and graduate students, equipping them with skills and knowledge for career success beyond their USU journeys.

Valencia and Crooks are featured speakers in ArtSci’s “Faculty in Focus” lecture series. Valencia will speak from 12:30-1:30 p.m. April 1 in ESLC 245D. Crooks will speak from 12:30-1:30 p.m. April 10, also in ESLC 245D. All are welcome.

Radishes germinate quickly and are simple to care for, making them an ideal crop for introducing kids to gardening.

Using an inexpensive kitchen thermometer to gauge soil temperature is the best way to know when to start planting radishes. The minimum soil temperature is 40 degrees F, though they prefer temperatures closer to 55 degrees F. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, and they should emerge in 5 to 10 days. Once the seedlings appear, thin them so plants are spaced 1 to 3 inches apart, depending on the variety and size you want.

Radishes are ready to harvest in 25 to 55 days, based on the variety. Salad-style radishes mature quickly, while daikon and kimchi types take longer to develop.

Radishes are nutritious. They are low in calories and rich in potassium, vitamin C, folate, and fiber. When radishes are roasted or cooked, their sharp flavor softens and becomes more earthy. They can also be blended with potatoes to thicken soup, improving the balance and texture. Radishes pair well with potatoes, onions, garlic and leeks.

Easy Roasted Radishes

Recipe by Taun Beddes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch radishes (about 1 pound).
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Optional: 2 cloves garlic (or garlic powder), thyme or rosemary.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Trim and halve larger radishes so they cook evenly.
3. Toss radishes with olive oil, salt, pepper and optional garlic or herbs.
4. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. Roast for 18 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until lightly browned and tender.

Optional finish: Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese before serving.

Banks, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from USU, visited the Merrill-Cazier Library on Feb. 11 to share how her education had shaped a career and given her the courage — and trust in her own abilities — to strike out as an author of YA fiction.

Her message to students was clear. Professional journeys rarely unfold exactly as planned, and the skills developed in college can open new doors in unexpected ways.

“I think the traditional straight line from university to job has been a myth for a lot of people,” Banks said. “My own path went from librarian to graphic designer to bookstore owner to writer published by Penguin Random House. It certainly wasn’t the career I envisioned when I graduated.”

She credited her success to the durable skills she built at USU: critical reading, analytical thinking, persuasive writing, research and meeting deadlines. Those skills, she said, helped her navigate multiple career changes and ultimately publish her debut novel in December 2025.

“I’m a 63-year-old who just published her first novel with a ‘Big 5’ publishing house,” Banks said. “I hope one of the things the students took away is knowing that not all of us get this career thing sorted on the first try or three, and that’s normal.”

During her author talk, Banks discussed why she wrote “The Uninvited,” a folkloric vampire novel that subverts familiar tropes. As a teen, she loved vampire fiction. As an adult revisiting the genre, she reconsidered the messages embedded in those books.

“I wanted to flip that story,” she said. “I wanted readers to see a smart, capable girl reject her assigned role as victim and seize control of her life.”

Banks’ new spin on the vampire tale took hold with students in Professor Christine Cooper-Rompato’s ENGL 4340: Studies in Fiction course, which is focused on vampire literature this semester.

“Vampires can be so many things — a figure of horror, a stand-in for people's anxieties and fears, the protagonist of a romance novel and even the Count on Sesame Street. I think students have grown up with vampire stories and find them very compelling,” Cooper-Rompato said. “The students in my class have been particularly interested in gender roles in vampire stories and also issues of consent — there's just so much to talk about.”

During the event, Cooper-Rompato’s students took turns asking the alum-turned-author about everything from finding inspiration, dealing with writer’s block, securing a publisher and deciding how to approach a subject as broad as vampires in the first place.

In turn, Banks reflected on the experiences at USU that shaped her writing. She pointed to time spent reading deeply in English and history courses, a study abroad in Aix-en-Provence through the university’s French program, and skills honed in graduate school.

“My book wouldn’t exist without my experiences in France,” she said. “The research skills I learned in graduate school help me craft compelling narratives that feel true because they’re built on a scaffolding of careful, attentive research.”

Students said hearing from an alum who forged her own path made their ambitions feel attainable.

“I just really love being able to see the success stories of other students,” said Morgan Calderón-Boase, a history major pursuing a museum studies certificate. “I took the archives management course last semester, and a lot of it was … learning how to interpret materials in collections. It's a really important skill to be able to read and write well.”

Erin Watson, a creative writing major with minors in film studies and physics, said the visit was motivating.

“It’s always very inspiring to see someone who does what I do and made it,” Watson said. “So, it was just really cool to hear someone who actually has a published book talk about something that I dream of doing.”

Banks encouraged the aspiring writers to write stories they are excited about, seek trusted critique partners and remember that publishing is often a numbers game. She emphasized the importance of revision.

“Drafting can be demoralizing,” she said. “Once the words are written down, no matter how bad they are, editing and revising will make them better. It’s that knowledge that lets me keep writing.”

Her return to campus underscored the value alumni bring to current students — not only as examples of success, but as reminders that growth often happens along roads less traveled. For students with creative and professional dreams, insights from those who have navigated change can be both practical and empowering.

To learn more about “The Uninvited” by Nancy Banks, visit https://www.bankswrites.com.

The event will be at 6 p.m. March 25 in the Central Instruction Building, room 101, and is in conjunction with America250 Utah, an initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Miller’s presentation, “Legacy in the Balance: Utah’s Mighty 5 and the Economic Impact of National Parks,” will explore the role national parks play in shaping local and regional economies. With Utah’s “Mighty 5” attracting millions of visitors each year and generating billions of dollars in economic activity, the parks have become a driving force for tourism, job creation and business growth throughout the state.

At the same time, this success raises an important question: How do we balance economic opportunity with the original mission of the National Park System to preserve America’s most treasured landscapes for future generations?

Miller’s talk will examine how communities can benefit from the economic influence of nearby parks while maintaining the commitment to conservation and stewardship that defines them.

Miller serves as the executive director of the Southeastern Entrepreneurial Network and director of the Economic Development Center at USU Eastern, as well as a professional practice associate professor in marketing and strategy. His work focuses on strengthening rural communities across southeastern Utah by helping them leverage tourism, entrepreneurship and public lands to create sustainable economic growth.

This presentation will provide insights for students, business leaders, outdoor enthusiasts and community members interested in the future of Utah’s public lands and rural economies.

The event is free and open to the public.

Special Collections & Archives at Utah State University Libraries will host a series of public talks by folklorist Derek Piotr and archivist Joe Kinzer across three Cache Valley locations March 19-21. The presentation series, “When Archives Talk to Each Other: Folk Song, Memory and Intermountain Song Trails,” is free and open to students, faculty and the public.

Drawing on materials from Piotr’s Fieldwork Archive and USU’s Fife Folklore Archives — founded by collectors Austin and Alta Fife — the talks trace how folk songs travel across regions and generations, and how community-submitted recordings speak back to earlier documentation efforts.

The presentations will consider how independent and institutional archives can collaborate to support shared stewardship, ethical reuse and community-centered approaches to memory and sound. Field recordings, community-submitted songs and archival materials will also be on display.

The event is hosted by Special Collections & Archives at USU Libraries in collaboration with the Derek Piotr Fieldwork Archive, with support from USU Libraries, the Utah Humanities Council, and the Utah Historical Society. No registration is required.

Talk Dates and Locations

• 6 p.m. March 19, Logan
• 1:30 p.m. March 20, Merrill-Cazier Library, Room
• 11 a.m. March 21, Smithfield

The Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape spans 2.77 million acres and brings together the U.S. Departments of War, Agriculture and Interior alongside state and local partners. With such a large scope and numerous partners, it can be challenging to grasp the goals of the partnership and the funding opportunities provided. The storymap closes that gap, using interactive maps and visualizations to show exactly how declining lake levels, military readiness and regional ecosystems intersect.

“The Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape unifies the conservation and defense work already underway in Utah — and bridges the gaps where collaboration is needed most,” said Marisa Weinberg, Great Sale Lake Sentinel Landscape coordinator. “This framework is entirely unprecedented in our state. Bringing together military and conservation interests at this scale holds tremendous potential to protect both national security and our essential natural resources.”

Shoreline maps document how receding water creates dust events that reduce visibility for Hill Air Force Base flight operations. Population growth maps show urban encroachment on military installations. Wildlife migration corridors, air quality monitoring stations and historic wildfire footprints are all mapped within the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape’s boundary.

“We’re interested in the Sentinel Landscape program for its ecological impacts. The uniqueness

of the partnership is its acknowledgement of the intersection between national defense and ecology,” said Anna McEntire, managing director of ILWA. “The connections are concrete and consequential.”

Designated in 2024, the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape addresses four interconnected goals:

• Sustaining military and community resilience by mitigating incompatible development.
• Enhancing water resources to protect the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.
• Mitigating catastrophic wildfire through fuel management and collaboration.
• Protecting crucial wildlife habitat that supports compatible military land use.

The storymap also highlights progress already underway: four new PM10 air quality monitors have been deployed near the lake, and multiple ongoing projects are supporting both military operations and surrounding communities.

The storymap is publicly accessible at https://tinyurl.com/gslslstorymap.

The redesign simplifies instructions into four clear categories:

• Evacuate.
• Secure.
• Lockdown.
• Shelter-in-Place.

These changes are intended to help students, faculty and visitors make quick decisions during high-stress emergencies, and align directly with USU’s updated protective-action options.

Coordinated Statewide Drills

As part of these updates, USU will conduct secure functional exercises at every statewide facility. These drills focus on real-world threats and provide practical experience for employees and leaders at all locations.

“When an emergency happens, people don’t have time to interpret complex instructions — they need clear, direct guidance they can act on immediately,” said Scott Davis, USU director of Emergency Management. “By conducting secure drills across all statewide locations, we’re giving our employees and leaders hands-on experience they’ve never had before.”

Implementation and Resources

USU’s division of Emergency Management will work with leaders at all campuses and centers during the next several months to ensure proper implementation, staff training and campus-specific planning.

Additional training resources are available on the USU Emergency Management website.

At the time of this publication, some of the following bills have yet to be signed by Gov. Spencer Cox. More information about specific programs will come in the coming weeks.

Employee Compensation

The Utah Legislature approved a 2.5% discretionary salary increase for higher education employees. University officials are still determining the breakdown between cost-of-living increases and flex funding and will share that information after conversations with faculty senate, staff employee association leadership and university administrators.

The compensation increase was appropriated at the traditional 75/25 match rate for degree-granting institutions. This means the state provides 75% of the funding for salary increases, and institutions like USU must fund the remaining 25% with a tuition increase or another source of funding.

During his town hall on March 6, USU President Brad Mortensen said the pay increase implementation is being discussed and more information will be provided over the next month, with the increases going into effect on July 1.

Funding Highlights

As noted by Mortensen in his email to faculty and staff on Monday, thanks to partnerships throughout the state, USU received several one-time and ongoing funding allocations from the Utah Legislature. This funding will go to many areas of need that will strengthen USU’s mission and ability to support students, university stakeholders, and the state and local community. These include:

• $1.8 million of funding for performance in access to higher education, timely completion and the percentage of high-yield degrees earned.
• Approval of nearly $29 million in dedicated funds for a re-scoped renovation and expansion of the historic Animal Science Building and $165,000 in ongoing funding for building operations.
• $750,000 in one-time and $750,000 in ongoing funding for the Center for Civic Excellence.
• $150,000 in one-time and $150,000 in ongoing funding for the Analytics Solutions Center to create a public dashboard visualizing the risk of federal fund reductions.
• $1.5 million in one-time and $500,000 in ongoing funds to establish an odometry lab and proof-of-concept for communications-based train control on a light rail vehicle line. The goal of this project is to determine the best and most appropriate signaling system for current and future transit operations in the Salt Lake Valley, and to promote a center of excellence at Utah State University for such systems.
• $50,900 in ongoing funding for operation and maintenance of USU’s new hazardous waste facility to support research.
• $1.9 million in one-time and $650K in reallocated ongoing funds for the new Forest Restoration Institute to expand its role and work with the state’s Watershed Restoration Initiative to fund watershed and forest restoration projects.
• $200,000 in ongoing funds for the Rural Business & Agricultural E-Commerce Accelerator.
• $85,000 in ongoing funds for the Utah Marriage Commission, operated by USU Extension.
• $695,300 in ongoing funds for the Utah FFA Association, operated by QANR’s applied sciences, technology and education department.
• $250,000 in one-time funds for a study on impacts of geothermal energy development.
• $300,000 in one-time funds for the Bear River Agricultural Education & Resource Center.
• $200,000 in one-time funds to address the rise in extreme behavioral issues in Utah elementary schools via the extreme behaviors intervention trial program in the department of social work.
• $200,000 in one-time funds to study the teacher academy model in the USU Center for the School of the Future. The study will focus on enhancements to K-12 teacher preparation, effects on educator retention within the first five years of employment, effects on K-12 student achievement, and increased teacher skills and capacity due to participation in the academy.

In addition to these USU specific allocations, the Utah Board of Higher Education also received several allocations that help USU. These include:

• $50 million in one-time funding to create a pilot state-level grant program for higher education research funding.
• $15 million in one-time funding to secure, develop, and support a dedicated artificial intelligence research data center, which shall serve as a shared research resource available to public institutions of higher education and researchers throughout the state.
• $3 million in one-time funding for an energy, artificial intelligence, and deep tech workforce accelerator.
• $4.5 million in one-time funding to pilot evidence-based policy grants for education and workforce programs.

Also, prior to the conclusion of the legislative session, the Utah Legislative Executive Appropriations Committee issued final approval for USU to receive the remaining 70% of funding for USU’s Strategic Reinvestment Plan.

Legislation Highlights

The Utah Legislature passed several bills and actions that affect USU and higher education in the state. A list of many of these bills is below. Formal summaries of all bills can be found on the USHE website.

House Bills

• HB 84 — Concealed Firearms on Campus
• HB 204 — Student Belief Accommodation
• HB 219 — Civic Amendments
• HB 352 – Regional Changes
• HB 353 — Credit Transfer
• HB 373 — Higher Ed Innovation
• HB 520 — Student Housing Impact Study

Senate Bills

• SB 152 — Public and Higher Ed Collaboration
• SB 193 — State Holiday Amendments
• SB 216 — Performance and Enrollment Funding
• SB 240 — Board of Trustees Responsibilities
• SB 268 — U.S. History and the Role of Religion
• SB 295 — Intellectual Diversity in Education

To see a complete list and summary of legislation that affects higher education, visit ushe.edu/2026-legislative-update-week-7.

The DeLaval Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the dairy industry through work in production, manufacturing, marketing or youth development, and recipients must be both active in the field and have at least 10 years of dairy extension experience with an educational or public institution at the time of nomination.

Wilson says he considers the award a great honor.

“What I am especially gratified about is that it would never have been possible without many great collaborations,” he says. “The Utah dairy producers, Utah dairy veterinarians, other members of the Utah dairy industry, and numerous colleagues including students as well as faculty at Utah State University helped make this possible.”

“Dr. Wilson’s recognition with the ADSA award is an exceedingly fitting testament to the monumental impact his extension activities have had for both dairy production veterinarians and dairy producers at the state, regional, and national level over the course of his 20-year career as Dairy Extension Veterinarian at Utah State University," says Dr. Dirk Vanderwall, dean of Utah State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Wilson, who has been a member of the ADSA since 1990, started his teaching career at Michigan State University. He estimates he has taught approximately 1,000 veterinary students over 38 years, between Michigan State, Cornell University and Utah State University. He has taught dairy and animal science to undergraduates and graduate students, and served as a mentor for MS and Ph.D. students in veterinary medicine, dairy science and food science.

Wilson’s extension and research work is primarily focused on mastitis and milk quality but also includes bovine immunology, stray voltage, mycoplasma and other diseases, and abnormalities in cloned cattle, sheep and goats. He is a state board member of the Utah Veterinary Medical Association.

Since 2006 when he joined Utah State, Wilson has contributed to and planned extension outreach workshops and conferences in the Intermountain West. He also planned and conducted three stateside survey projects using repeated samplings of bulk tank milk for detection of Mycoplasma spp., Johne’s disease, and Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus (BVD). Each of these projects was accompanied by a farm visit follow-up program to help individual farms reduce or eliminate any diseases, if detected.

In 2024, Wilson was active in statewide planning and implementation of dairy herd control programs for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1 when HPAI was detected in dairy herds in Utah.

“A lot of great people in the Idaho and Colorado dairy industries were integral to this as well,” Wilson says. “I will treasure forever the relationships with all of those that helped with our accomplishments in dairy cattle health and milk quality. This award also reflects on Utah State University, the Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences Department, and the USU College of Veterinary Medicine. My eternal gratitude to all of them.”

Wilson will be presented with the award at the annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 21-24.

The course was intentionally designed as an intersection of academia and industry. Built around five real management dilemmas from Bywater’s career, students were challenged to analyze complex ethical decisions under pressure and learn where financial, legal and reputational consequences collided.

“Bringing together my academic foundations and structure and combining it with David’s industry knowledge and experience created an opportunity for students to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application,” Ferguson said. “Students found real value in this merger and I found it to be a growth opportunity as well. David is not just a great businessman, but he is someone who has a real heart for students, which made it possible for us to work together to work up this experience.”

For Bywater, teaching at the Huntsman School represents a full-circle moment. A Cache Valley native who attended Utah State early in his academic journey, he originally thought he would pursue a doctorate and become a professor. While working as a head teaching assistant in the economics department, he noticed that the most effective professors were those who had meaningful industry experience.

“They could connect the dots,” he said. “I love theory. But what I really value is, What does it mean?”

That insight led him into consulting and eventually executive leadership. After decades of running companies, he returned to the classroom this year with a clear purpose: to bridge theory and practice.

“The classroom is more than a classroom,” he said. “It’s where you put yourself to learn.”

Rather than hypothetical case studies, students examined real situations Bywater experienced throughout his career: a failing health care division losing $500,000 per month; 20,000 unprocessed claims destroyed to conceal performance gaps; a multi-million-dollar contract compromised by improper bidding information; a CEO opportunity built on false financial disclosures; and a public company navigating SEC scrutiny and executive instability.

“These weren’t clean decisions,” Bywater said. “They were situations where you’re boxed in and there’s no obvious right answer.”

Each case required students to weigh financial consequences, legal exposure, employee impact and long-term reputational risk. Throughout the course, Bywater emphasized that ethical leadership is a long game.

“You might have a great 30-month career,” he said. “But you won’t have a great 30-year career if you don’t win the right way.”

Over the seven-week course, he returned to two guiding principles: Celebrate the “genius of the end rather than the tyranny of the now,” and always be able to face “the man in the mirror.”

“Every day I’ve got to look at that mirror and say, am I square with this person? Is the way that they’re acting and behaving and leading something that I’m super comfortable with everyone watching?” he said. “I love to win. But the end has to be that I win, and I win the right way.”

That philosophy was reinforced by Tessa White, known as The Job Doctor and current chair of the USU Board of Trustees, who worked alongside Bywater during a critical period in one of his companies.

“David taught me more about how to lead than any other leader I’ve worked with,” White said. “He showed up to lead our company when we were weeks away from not being able to make payroll. Our exec team had change fatigue and didn’t trust each other or the company. He made a commitment to unwavering truth telling. He led with full transparency and it built trust rather than break it. Five years later, he sold the company for $5.4 billion in one of the most successful acquisitions in Blackstone history. He is an uncommon leader in the best of ways.”

For Bywater, success in the classroom won’t be measured at the end of a semester.

“I hope 10 years from now they run into me and say, ‘That class mattered,’” he said. “That it helped them find their moral center and gave them courage when it counted.”

Managerial Ethics 3400 reinforces a central Huntsman principle: business performance and ethical leadership are not competing priorities. The course will be offered again this fall.

Dear Utah State Family,

Thank you to everyone who joined me for a town hall on Friday, either in person or online. The town hall recording and the slide deck I used for the presentation are available on my website. I appreciate the questions and engagement from faculty and staff across our campuses. I know this is a busy time of year, with the town hall falling right before spring break, and I’m grateful for the work each of you continues to do to support our students and our institution.

I’ll briefly recap a few of the topics we discussed.

Employee and Student Surveys

We recently conducted a short check-in survey with employees and students. I appreciate the time many of you took to share your perspectives. If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey yet, please take a few minutes to share your feedback.

Among employees who have completed the survey so far, 71% reported feeling positive about the university’s direction, a meaningful improvement from the previous survey. At the same time, many of you shared continued concerns about workload, staffing pressures, and compensation. Those concerns remain an important part of our ongoing conversations and planning.

Student responses were also encouraging: 83% reported feeling that someone at the university cares about them, and nearly nine out of 10 said they feel respected at USU. At the same time, many students described experiencing stress or pressure, which reinforces the importance of the work we are doing to support student success and wellbeing.

Legislative Session and University Funding

The legislative session concluded on Friday, March 6. Several items from the session will support work already underway at Utah State. You’ll see a complete breakdown of funding and impacts from the legislative session in the next issue of Utah State Today. Here are the funding highlights:

• Performance funding awarded for performance in timely completion and high-yield degrees and some recovery of our access dollars.
• New and ongoing funding for the Center for Civic Excellence.
• Ongoing funding for the Analytics Solutions Center to create a public dashboard visualizing the risk of federal fund reductions.
• One-time and ongoing funds to establish an odometry lab and proof-of-concept for communications-based train control on a light rail vehicle line.
• O&M funding for our new hazardous waste facility that supports research.
• One-time and ongoing funds for the new Forest Restoration Institute.
• Ongoing funds for the Rural Business & Agricultural E-Commerce Accelerator.
• Ongoing funds for the Utah Marriage Commission, operated by USU Extension.
• Ongoing funds for the Future Farmers of America Association, operated by Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources.
• One-time funds for a study on impacts of geothermal energy development.
• One-time funds for the Bear River Agricultural Education & Resource Center.
• One-time funds to address the rise in extreme behavioral issues in Utah elementary schools (to Department of Social Work).
• One-time funds to study the teacher academy model in the USU Center for the School of the Future.
• Approval of dedicated funds for a re-scoped renovation and expansion of the historic Animal Science Building and O&M funding for building operations.

In the town hall, we also discussed broader system-wide investments in research and innovation that will benefit Utah’s universities and strengthen our ability to contribute to the state’s economic future. Visit the town hall webpage on my website for more details.

The state approved a 2.5% discretionary salary increase for employees; however, this does not mean everyone will get a 2.5% increase. We are still determining the breakdown between cost-of-living increases and flex funding and will share that information after conversations with faculty senate, staff employee association leadership, and university administrators. As is typical in Utah, the state funds 75% of that increase, and universities must cover the remaining 25%. At USU, that match is typically supported through tuition increases.

Audit Response and Institutional Processes

The legislative audit identified areas where our purchasing procedures and financial oversight processes could be strengthened. Over the past several months we have already begun addressing those recommendations by revising policies, improving training, strengthening governance processes, and clarifying roles and accountability. These efforts will continue as we work to ensure strong stewardship of university resources.

Strategic Planning and Institutional Direction

We also discussed the early stages of our strategic planning work with our four guiding priority areas:

• Utah statewide impact.
• Student success and value.
• Discovery with purpose.
• Civic-mindedness.

We have identified executive leads for each of our implementation teams and will pull together the teams for initial meetings prior to the end of the semester. These teams will include representation from across the university system and will begin shaping how these priorities translate into concrete strategies and actions.

Looking Ahead

In the coming weeks and months we will continue work on several areas discussed during the town hall, including:

• Finalizing compensation and benefit adjustments for the coming year. I will send you more information once our plan is finalized.
• Moving forward with and finalizing several key leadership searches.
• Refining our budget model.
• Advancing our strategic priorities through implementation teams.
• Maintaining our focus on students and our land-grant research mission.

Thank you again for your dedication to Utah State University and for the work you do every day to support our students and communities. I look forward to continuing our conversations and seeing you at our commencement activities next month.

Best,

brad

Drew Giel noticed that passion and drive as soon as he got onto campus, working as a graduate assistant for the Intramural Department at Campus Recreation. Working to turn that passion into something bigger, Utah will host its first-ever statewide Intramural tournament, the State of Utah Hoops Classic, on March 20-21 at the University of Utah.

Having previously spent his undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, working with their Intramural program, Giel got to learn about the state of Wisconsin’s large-scale Intramural tournament.

“It’s a really cool event and a unique thing that Intramural teams get to experience,” Giel said. “Our goal this year is to get things off the ground here in Utah and hopefully turn it into something that happens year after year.”

A collaboration with the University of Utah, Weber State and Utah Valley University, the tournament has become a joint effort of planning, marketing and executing the overall vision. The hope for the tournament is to allow competitive Intramural teams from around the Mountain West to compete against one another, while also using the event to develop student officials at a higher level.

An additional unique aspect of the event is that it will serve as the Unified Sports state championship.

“We’re excited to tie in Unified Sports and allow them to have a special end-of-year tournament as well,” Giel said.

If students are interested in learning more or putting together a team, registration is open until March 19 for men’s, women’s and unified divisions. Drew Giel can be contacted at drew.giel@usu.edu.

Established to reflect Simmons’ lifelong commitment to education, the scholarship is now carried forward in a deeply meaningful way — through the generosity of one of its own recipients, alumna Shauna LaBeau.

After receiving Simmons’ scholarship as a student, LaBeau made a promise to one day give back. Now, through her personal contributions and her employer’s matching program, she is helping ensure that Simmons’ legacy continues to support future Aggies.

Helen L. Simmons: A Lifetime of Learning and Service

Raised on a dairy farm in Lewiston, Utah, Helen Lower Simmons learned early the value of perseverance, education and community. She enrolled at Utah State in 1948 and graduated in 1952 with a degree in home economics education and a minor in journalism — at a time when women were still a minority in many classrooms.

After graduation, Simmons taught home economics and journalism at Logan High School, launching a career rooted in teaching and mentorship. Over the decades, she and her husband, John R. Simmons, remained deeply engaged in university life, civic service and church leadership. Together, they strongly believed in giving back to the institution that had shaped their lives.

That belief led them to establish the Helen L. Simmons Endowment in 1997, creating lasting support for students in the College of Education and Human Services.

“When we came back from serving our mission, my husband said, ‘We need to do our part now,’” Simmons said. “It was our turn to help the next generation.”

Seeing former recipients like LaBeau now contribute to the same fund has been especially meaningful.

“It shows great citizenship and appreciation,” Simmons said. “She was touched by that scholarship years ago, and now she’s in a position to help the next generation. I think it’s marvelous. I’m honored that she’s giving in my name. I love Utah State.”

For Simmons, the scholarship is about more than financial support — it is about sustaining opportunity.

“I think about all the beautiful things and opportunities we’ve had here,” Simmons said. “From academics to athletics to Aggie Ice Cream — it all connects me to this university. I want to help the next generation and encourage others to give.”

Shauna LaBeau: Paying It Forward with Purpose

When LaBeau received the Helen L. Simmons Scholarship in 2006-07, she was an undergraduate majoring in family, consumer, and human development. Like many students, she was balancing coursework, campus involvement, and part-time work.

The $750 scholarship helped cover books and tuition — and eased the daily pressure of making ends meet.

“It helped me be less stressed and have a better college experience,” LaBeau said. “I could focus more on being a teaching assistant, holding office hours, and helping my professors. It enriched everything.”

That support proved especially important as she prepared to serve a church mission after graduation and later return for graduate study. She went on to earn her master’s degree in instructional technology and learning sciences in 2015 and built a career focused on education, financial literacy and community service.

Early in her career, LaBeau worked with Utah State Extension on grant-funded programs that taught financial literacy to refugees and immigrants in partnership with libraries and community organizations. Eventually, she joined Fidelity Investments, where she now works in wealth management.

But long before she was in a position to give back, LaBeau had made a personal commitment.

“When I met Helen at the scholarship banquet, I heard her life story and saw how much she loved education and Utah State,” LaBeau said. “I decided then that when I was financially able, I wanted to give back to her scholarship.”

Years later, she followed through and discovered she could multiply her impact through Fidelity’s employee matching program.

“Taking advantage of employer matching opportunities at work allows my gift to go even further for students,” LaBeau said.

Rather than starting her own endowment, LaBeau chose to invest directly in Helen’s established fund.

“My contribution has a bigger impact immediately,” she said. “If I started my own, it would take years to build. This way, I’m creating the greatest impact possible, sooner rather than later.”

Each year, LaBeau continues to give — often in honor of Helen’s birthday — and strengthen the endowment that once supported her.

“Helen is truly one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met,” LaBeau said. “She’s such a light. Meeting her and learning from her life has inspired me to keep giving.”

A Full Circle of Impact

Today, the Helen L. Simmons Endowment represents something rare and powerful: a scholarship that has come full circle. A donor who believed in students. A recipient who was changed by that support. And an alumna who now helps lift the next generation.

For Simmons, that continuity is the ultimate reward.

“It shows her love for education,” Simmons said of LaBeau. “And it shows that what we started is still helping students grow.”

For LaBeau, giving back is both a matter of gratitude and responsibility.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without the support I received,” LaBeau said. “This is my way of saying thank you and making sure other students have the same chance.”

Together, Simmons and LaBeau demonstrate how generosity, when passed from one generation to the next, can transform lives — and ensure that the promise of Utah State University continues far into the future.

Student access and success remain at the heart of Utah State University’s mission. Your support of scholarships, programs, and student-focused initiatives provides the resources and opportunities Aggies need to thrive — on campus and far beyond it. Create Your Aggie Impact by investing in the student-centered area that inspires you most and help shape the future, one Aggie at a time.

• Consider taking soil samples to determine fertilizer needs.
• Plant seeds of cool-season vegetables (peas, lettuce, and radishes) as soon as the soil is workable.
• Consider planting peas in the garden every 2-3 weeks (until early May) to extend the harvest.
• If you didn’t do it in the fall, add organic matter to the vegetable garden to help build and amend soil.
• Avoid compacted soil in the garden by not tilling when wet or saturated.
• Consider backyard composting or vermiculture (composting with worms).
• If storing bulbs, check their condition to ensure they are firm. Remove any soft or rotten bulbs.
• If available, plant bare-root trees and shrubs. Keep the exposed roots moist until planted.
• Remove protective trunk wrap and burlap from trees after the snow has melted.
• Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, fritillaria, and crocus.
• Plant cold-hardy pansies and primroses.
• Subscribe to Utah Pests IPM Advisories for timely tips on controlling pests in your yard and garden.
• Learn how to prune berries and fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, cherries, plums, and apricots.
• Attend a USU Extension-sponsored pruning demonstration near you. Contact your local county Extension office for information.
• Apply horticulture oils at bud break (delayed dormant) in fruit trees to control overwintering insect pests.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicides in late March to mid-April to control annual weeds in the lawn, such as crabgrass and spurge.
• Sharpen lawn mower blades to prepare for the mowing season. Set mower height at 2 1/2 to 3 inches, and mow at this height all summer.
• Consider including a native fruiting species in the landscape, such as chokecherry, elderberry, serviceberry, or currant.

Pests and Problems

• Download the Utah Home Orchard Pest Management Guide.
• Learn about damping-off, a fungal disease that affects new seedlings.
• Take control measures during bud break for aspen leaf spot, which may be prevalent during cool, wet springs.
• Take control measures during bud break for anthracnose, also prevalent during cool, wet springs.
• Control rust mites in apple and pear trees after leaves have emerged and expanded to 1/2 inch.
• Apply dormant oil to pears when leaf buds swell. This smothers eggs of the pear psylla that are laid on buds by overwintering adults.
• Further gardening information can be found at garden.usu.edu. Here you will find fruit, vegetable and herb growing guides, as well as information on soil, lawn, yard, tree, shrub and flower care. In addition are monthly tips, the basics of gardening, information on events, classes and more.

An internal awards ceremony for students, faculty and staff will begin 3 p.m. March 25 in the Taggart Student Center. Awardees in several categories will then go on to represent ArtSci at the university-wide awards ceremony on April 1.

The awards announced earlier this year celebrate faculty, staff and students whose teaching, mentorship and scholastic achievements define ArtSci as the college prepares to hold its first awards ceremony following its formation in July 2025. The new structure merged the former Caine College of the Arts, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and four departments from the former College of Science. To ensure all disciplines were represented after the merger, ArtSci was granted a special exception to nominate multiple recipients across several categories this year.

Award Winners

ArtSci Teacher of the Year

Andreas Malmendier, Mathematics & Statistics and Sydney O’Shay, Communication & Media.

ArtSci Researcher of the Year

Peter Crooks, Mathematics & Statistics and Felipe Valencia, World Languages & Cultures.

ArtSci Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

Amanda Katz, History, Cultures & Ideas and Elsa Pérez, World Languages & Cultures.

ArtSci Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Holly Murdock, Art + Design and Dorothy Wallis, Social Work.

ArtSci Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

Sarah O’Neill, World Languages & Cultures and Moria Robinson, Biology.

ArtSci Faculty Service Award

Cathy Rushworth, Biology and Jennifer Sinor, English.

ArtSci Faculty Community-Engaged Award

Jayne Gold, Theatre Arts and Stacia Ryder, School of Social Sciences.

ArtSci Cazier Lifetime Achievement Award

D. Andy Anderson, Biology and Jim Powell, Mathematics & Statistics.

ArtSci Distinction in Creativity

Sasha Kasman Laude, Music.

ArtSci Lecturer of the Year

Dustin Crawford, English and Nicholas Pardikes, Biology.

ArtSci Professional Practice/Clinical Faculty of the Year

Angela Montague, School of Social Sciences and Lydia Semler, Theatre Arts

ArtSci Professional Advisor of the Year

Cyrita Green, Social Work.

ArtSci Staff Excellence Award

Carmell Burns, Social Work; James Coburn, Physics; Carol Hatch, English and Cindy Weatbrook, Chemistry & Biochemistry.

ArtSci Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year

Mufti Ahmed, School of Social Sciences and Jesse Brown, Chemistry.

ArtSci Master’s Student Researcher of the Year

Haley Fisher, Chemistry and Tori Strausser, Biology.

ArtSci Undergraduate Researcher of the Year

Ella Stott, English and Trace Taylor, Physics.

ArtSci Graduate Student Instructor of the Year

Cara Haderlie, Technical Communication & Rhetoric and Gavin Munson, Biology.

ArtSci Legacy Award

Henry Greene, Communication & Media and Carlie Prinster, Mathematics & Statistics.

ArtSci Valedictorian

Alexis Lupus, Public Health.

ArtSci Scholar of the Year

Kaitlyn Line, Social Work and Connor Waite, Physics.

ArtSci Kiwanis Award

Jacey Hopkin, Biology.

Student excellence is a primary focus of the upcoming festivities. Alexis Lupus, the ArtSci valedictorian and a public health student, credited her success to her multidisciplinary background.

"I've been involved in both the arts and the sciences throughout my life," Lupus said. "I feel that my dedication to these disciplines has brought me to this moment.”

Other student honorees include physics senior and NASA research assistant Connor Waite and social work student Kaitlyn Line, both recognized as ArtSci Scholar of the Year recipients.

"This recognition is deeply meaningful to me because it recognizes the importance of centering community voices," Line said. "I am honored to be part of a college that values research designed to inform practice and strengthen communities."

The faculty and staff awards celebrate the mentors, researchers and educators who strengthen and inspire the ArtSci community. Cyrita Green received the college’s Professional Advisor of the Year Award and said she was incredibly honored to earn this recognition.

“As an academic advisor, I want students to feel confident in themselves, help them persevere through challenges and support them in their personal exploration towards success. Winning this award reinforces those values and student-centered mission, and I could not be more grateful,” Green said.

Professor Jennifer Sinor was selected for the ArtSci Faculty Service Award.

"Service always begins with gratitude," said Sinor, who serves as the director of graduate studies for English. "For me, service is about relationships and trying to ensure that people feel seen, heard and held."

To bring additional awareness to exceptional teaching, research and creative endeavors in the college, ArtSci launched the “Faculty in Focus" series this spring, which showcases innovation within the college and features several of this year’s awardees. These events can be found on the college events calendar: artsci.usu.edu/calendar.

More information about the college’s award selection process is available at artsci.usu.edu/awards.

This recognition places USU’s among an elite group of equine-assisted service programs nationwide that meet the highest standards for safety, equine welfare and professionalism. USU is now one of only 18 programs in the Intermountain West to hold this accreditation and the second in Utah to earn and maintain its status.

Raising the Bar of Services

Premier Accreditation from PATH Intl. is recognized as the gold standard in equine-assisted services. For participants, families, community partners, health care providers and stakeholders, the designation communicates commitment to best practices in safety, professionalism, equine care and program operations.

“Achieving PAC status elevates our visibility and credibility in a way that opens doors,” said Makenna Pahlke, Cache County equine-assisted services Extension assistant professor. “It signals that USU is committed to evidence-informed, high-quality programming and that our operations meet the same standards as the top equine-assisted service centers in the country.”

This accreditation strengthens USU’s competitiveness for grants and external funding, expanding the program's capacity to further its mission.

Real-World Impact

One example of how PAC status will make a difference is through The Valor Detachment, a mounted drill team for veterans and active-duty service members that raises awareness for military mental health and suicide prevention. Many Valor Detachment participants lease horses from USU’s Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, paying roughly $700 per season. With PAC status, the program can now apply for funding through PATH Intl. and the Wounded Warrior Project to cover these fees

“This makes the team far more accessible,” Pahlke said. “It allows more veterans to participate, increases our presence at events, and strengthens our mission to support mental health awareness and promote suicide prevention.”

The 5-Year Journey

While USU Equine Experience already operated with strong programming and equine welfare practices, accreditation required extensive alignment between university procedures and PATH Intl. practices typically suited to independent nonprofit organizations. Equine program facilities at the USU Animal Science Farm in Wellsville and affiliated with the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville were updated to meet Americans with Disabilities Act expectations, equine welfare benchmarks and public access requirements.

“It wasn’t the hands-on work that challenged us, it was the administrative and structural alignment,” Pahlke said. “But the process ultimately made our program stronger, safer and more sustainable.”

New Opportunities

With PAC status, USU Equine Experience now qualifies for various PATH Intl. grants and scholarships, including:

• Conference scholarships for students and instructors.
• Participant subsidy funds.
• Instructor grants for Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and other certifications.
• Professional development funding.

These opportunities reduce financial barriers and expand opportunities for USU students pursuing careers in equine-assisted services.

USU to Host PATH Intl. Region 10 Conference

USU will host the PATH Intl. Region Conference in August, serving practitioners from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The event brings together instructors, volunteers, students and professionals for workshops and continuing education events.

As the only university in the nation with full-time Extension appointments dedicated to equine-assisted services, USU is positioned to serve as a regional hub for development, outreach and engagement.

USU Equine Experience is a USU Extension program. Its mission is educational and community-based. CEAS programs are recreational and educational in nature. CEAS provides only facility and equine services. Participants seeking clinical services should contact the practitioner directly.

The City of Helper has secured a $580,000 grant through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, paired with a matching contribution from the Houston family for the project, which will transform the historic ballfields into a modern collegiate-level sports complex while preserving the deep baseball heritage that has long been part of Helper’s identity.

For USU Eastern Athletics, the investment represents more than facility upgrades; it strengthens a long-standing partnership between the university and the community.

Jess Brinkerhoff, athletic director for USU Eastern, said the project reflects the power of community vision and collaboration.

“First and foremost, this is a huge credit to Helper City, Mayor Lenise Peterman, and the Houston family,” Brinkerhoff said. “Their vision and generosity are what made this possible. We’re incredibly grateful that USU Eastern is able to continue using Gardner and Heritage Fields and be part of something that means so much to this community.”

Brinkerhoff noted that the improvements will help USU Eastern baseball continue building its program in a location that holds significant historical value.

“For our baseball program, this investment allows us to keep building in a place with deep history,” he said. “We’ve invested a great deal over the last two seasons to help maintain and improve the fields, and we look forward to continuing to care for them and use them the right way for many years to come.”

The upgraded facilities will enhance the experience not only for collegiate athletes but also for local youth and families who use the fields.

“These upgrades benefit not just our student-athletes, but everyone in the community who uses these fields,” Brinkerhoff said. “Our players get to train and compete in a better environment, but just as importantly, youth programs and local families benefit as well.”

He added that improved facilities can play an important role in recruiting future student-athletes.

“In recruiting, it helps when prospects see a community that takes pride in its facilities,” Brinkerhoff said. “Newer and improved facilities allow players to feel more valued and have a better experience. But we always want it to be clear — this is about Helper investing in Helper. We’re just grateful to be part of it as members of the community.”

Helper Mayor Lenise Peterman said the investment is part of a larger vision to strengthen recreation and economic development while honoring the community’s historic connection to baseball.

“This funding will allow us to upgrade playing fields and create a state-of-the-art collegiate sports complex,” Peterman said. “We believe these upgrades will serve as yet another recreational draw to the area, activating economic streams via new guests and visitors. It also plays into our rich baseball heritage, which is something we want to honor and respect as we move into a new phase of activating these fields.”

Community enthusiasm for the project has already been evident.

“Anytime you can upgrade an existing asset, it’s a notch of community pride,” Peterman said. “People are excited about baseball and softball returning in full force. They contributed en masse when we cleaned and painted bleachers, and the feedback about the upgrades has been amazing. The citizens are all-in.”

The success of the project reflects a strong partnership between the City of Helper, community supporters and the state.

Peterman explained that the Houston family played a critical role by providing the matching funds needed to secure the federal grant.

“We approached the Houston family to request a cash donation as the matching funds for the Land and Water Conservation Fund opportunity,” Peterman said. “John Houston graciously agreed to match up to $580,000 so we could possibly double that.”

She also credited the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation for helping guide the application process and USU Eastern coaches for assisting in identifying the most impactful improvements.

“Both Coach Haney and Groves were integral in determining the most necessary field upgrades,” Peterman said. “They did the legwork collecting estimates and evaluating potential vendors for the project.”

Major Upgrades Planned for Both Fields

The funding will bring significant improvements to both Gardner Field and Heritage Field.

At Heritage Field, upgrades will include:

• A new press box.
• Restroom facilities.
• Expanded dugouts.
• Turf outfield for water conservation and reduced maintenance.
• Wind screens.
• ADA-accessible gravel areas.
• Batting cages.

At Gardner Field, improvements will include:

• Restroom upgrades.
• Expanded dugouts.
• Turf infield.
• Relocated fencing inside existing light poles.
• Fence slats replacing wind screens.
• Batting cages.

Peterman said the larger outfield space at Gardner Field may also allow for the addition of two future T-ball fields to support youth programs.

Brinkerhoff said the upgraded facilities will create new opportunities for tournaments, camps and regional events that bring visitors into the community.

“Improved facilities create opportunities for more games, camps and tournaments, which ultimately benefits the entire community,” Brinkerhoff said. “More visitors, more families in town, more business and pride in Helper and for Utah State Eastern baseball and softball.”

Mayor Peterman echoed that sentiment, noting that visiting teams often bring dozens of families who stay overnight and spend locally.

“Visiting teams bring an average of 40 or more people who spend the night, eat locally and hopefully shop on our historic Main Street,” she said.

For USU Eastern, the partnership with Helper represents a shared commitment to preserving the legacy of these historic fields while investing in the future.

“Community partnerships are everything for a place like USU Eastern,” Brinkerhoff said. “We don’t exist in isolation, we’re part of Helper, Price and the communities of Carbon and Emery counties.”

He added that the university remains committed to honoring the fields’ history and ensuring they continue serving the community for generations.

“Our role is simple,” Brinkerhoff said. “We want to be good stewards. We want to continue investing time, effort and resources into maintaining and improving the fields while respecting the history of everyone who has played there before us — and those who will play there in the future.”

“Dealing with identity conflict requires specialized understanding and specific tools to mitigate conflict drivers and rebuild relationships,” says Utah State University conflict transformation professional James Patton. “Violence prevention, violent conflict interventio and recovery each call for distinct approaches. Unfortunately, cycles of conflict can shift from pre-conflict or post-conflict to violent conflict very easily. The capacities that an effective peacebuilder must develop are complex and nuanced.”

Patton, who has pursued a decades-long career in international relations and conflict transformation, recently joined the faculty of the Religious Studies program of USU’s Department of History, Cultures and Ideas, along with the Heravi Peace Institute, as an associate professor of professional practice.

“I’m excited to join USU’s faculty and become involved in a nascent peace institute brimming with expertise in theory and practice,” he says. “Dr. Mehdi Heravi’s hopeful vision provides an excellent and timely opportunity for addressing critical needs in our local, state and national communities, and within the broader world. I’m grateful to be a part of this promising and innovative USU-led initiative.”

Patton’s passion for peace and interest in international relations grew out of an early career experience in South America.

“My undergraduate studies were in studio art and neuroscience, and I worked as a beekeeping extensionist in the Peace Corps,” he says. “After working in Paraguay and spending time in other Latin American countries, I developed language skills and cultural knowledge. During that time, I built relationships with Jesuit liberation theologians and Quaker peacebuilders, which fueled my decision to enter Harvard Divinity School to study the role of religion in social justice.”

Patton decided not to pursue professional ministry but instead headed to the Fletcher School at Tufts University to earn a master’s degree in law and diplomacy.

“I combined knowledge and insights I gained in theological seminary with graduate studies in diplomacy to carve out a career in international relations,” he says.

Patton spent more than 20 years working in governmental and non-governmental leadership roles, including with the U.S. Department of State, USAID and global peacebuilding organizations. His career has included working on critical issues in more than 40 countries across the globe.

During that time, Patton became acquainted and worked with USU faculty members Ravi Gupta and Chad Ford in various capacities.

“They encouraged me to explore an opportunity to join USU and, seeing the developments here, I jumped at the chance to start a new chapter in academia,” he says. “I look forward to diving into compelling issues with students and working with dialogue and interfaith engagement efforts in the local community, as well as drawing in national and international partners.”

All conflict transformation, Patton says, starts with dialogue.

“Dialogue is not ‘talking at,’” he says. “It’s an exchange of needs and understandings that gives us a grounding from which to build something that better serves those from all sides of a conflict. The peacebuilder’s role is to find a way to facilitate a safe and effective dialogue that moves relationships away from harm.”

Quoting renowned Mennonite scholar and peacebuilder John Paul Lederach, Patton says conflict is a natural part of all interpersonal relationships and impossible to eradicate.

“It’s what we do with conflict that makes it constructive or destructive,” he says. “Conflict points us to where we must share insights and experiences that will allow us to deepen understanding and community and develop new and better institutions and relationships around inevitable differences.”

“For those who want to understand the perceptions and attitudes regarding the challenges Utah women and girls face, this 36-page report contains critical data that can help, and we invite the public to review it,” said lead researcher and author Susan Madsen, UWLP founder/director and the USU Extension Professor of Leadership. “This is our third year of data collection and the report addresses data changes compared to the 2023 and 2024 surveys.”

The 83-item survey, administered from Oct. 1 to Nov. 19, 2025, included two samples (representative and convenience) totaling 5,212 Utah participants. The white paper reported on survey items that examined Utahns’ awareness and perceptions of three key areas: finance, higher education attainment and K-12 initiatives.

Finance

Five survey items provide additional insights regarding girls, women and financial literacy, intending to reduce financial vulnerability among Utah women:

1. I am aware of resources that help me achieve financial security.
2. I have used resources to help me achieve financial security.
3. I believe it is valuable for me to understand my personal finances.
4. I can manage my personal finances independently and make informed decisions to improve my financial wellness.
5. It is important for women to be competent and confident with money.

Nearly all respondents (95.4%) agreed on some level that it is important for women to be competent and confident with money, but 15.9% of women disagreed on some level or were neutral when asked about their ability to manage personal finances independently and make informed decisions.

One respondent stated: “Financial literacy needs to be taught and thoroughly understood in high school. Understanding financial literacy could be a determining factor to push young adults to aspire to get upper-level degrees.”

Higher Education Attainment

Because higher education is positively linked with long-term economic, social and physical well-being, earning a post-secondary credential is an important step for every Utah woman. Four survey items provide additional insight to improve enrollment in and completion of programs, certificates and degrees among women:

1. In addition to improving economic opportunity, higher education is also important for intellectual growth, personal development and lifelong societal contributions.
2. College is worth the financial investment.
3. It is important for more Utah women to complete graduate degree programs.
4. It is important for all those considering attending college to apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Nearly three of four respondents (74.4%) agreed that college is worth the financial investment. Respondents with graduate degrees agreed most strongly, followed by individuals with bachelor’s and associate degrees. A similar sentiment emerged regarding the importance of women completing graduate degrees, with 73.8% of respondents agreeing.

The qualitative findings, however, highlighted obstacles for women who would like to complete higher education.

One respondent shared that there is limited access to educational resources for girls, especially in rural areas.

Another stated, “There is an ongoing need for financial aid, grants, and scholarships specifically for women, including those returning to school while raising children.”

K-12 Initiatives

Early education and experiences in school lay a foundation for children’s growth, development, and confidence. These all have an immense impact on how a child views their own potential or imagines the possibilities available to them. This subsequently guides what and how children learn and influences their career paths. Five survey items explore support for initiatives in the K-12 environment that have the potential to positively impact Utah’s girls, women, and their families:

1. It is important for girls in K-12 to have strong math skills for their future careers and life.
2. It is important for girls to complete career and technical education (CTE) pathways in high school.
3. It is as important for girls as it is for boys to take advanced coursework in high school that prepares them for postsecondary opportunities and careers.
4. It is concerning that the Nation’s Report Card math scores for 4th and 8th grade in Utah are lower for girls than they are for boys.
5. Utahns should be concerned about the percentage of children who are chronically absent from school.

Respondents overwhelmingly agreed (91.1%) that advanced coursework in high school is as important for girls as it is for boys. All counties have some level of agreement that girls’ advanced coursework is important, but Cache, Davis, Carbon, Salt Lake and Iron counties have significantly higher levels of agreement, while Daggett, Rich, Morgan, Beaver and Piute counties have lower levels of agreement.

There are likely several reasons for this difference, but it is interesting to consider that Cache, Davis, Carbon, Salt Lake, and Iron counties are home to three of Utah’s public universities/extensions, one community college and three technical colleges (nearly half of Utah System of Higher Education institutions).

Regarding the gap in girls’ and boys’ 4th and 8th-grade math scores, the overall decline in math performance is concerning; however, it is particularly notable that the gap between girls and boys is widest in Utah.

Given that girls have the same potential for learning and access to the same teachers, curriculum and resources, the disparity raises important questions about the factors contributing to their underperformance.

Understanding the underlying causes, including the messages and expectations girls may be receiving, is essential to effectively address and close the gap.

Madsen reiterated that Utah must do better to ensure everyone thrives.

“As Utah decision makers and residents join to find ways to strengthen the impact of girls and women, it is essential that we acknowledge the importance of lifelong learning,” she said. “This is especially true as it relates to a woman’s long-term well-being in every aspect of her life, including her career prospects, confidence as a contributor and leader in her community, and as a thriving retiree. Investing in the education of women and girls through K-12 initiatives, financial literacy, and higher education attainment not only lifts them, but lifts all Utahns.”

April Townsend, research fellow, Utah Women & Leadership Project, is co-author of the report.

Redefining Excellence: Maturity to Mastery offers a bold reexamination of what it truly means for an organization to excel. While many companies equate excellence with meeting performance targets or earning industry recognition, Martyn challenges readers to move beyond traditional measures and embrace a more profound aspiration: the pursuit of mastery. Through a compelling case study of Android Industries — an organization long recognized as a high-performing automotive supplier — Martyn illustrates how even the most successful enterprises must evolve if they hope to build systems and cultures that endure.

Drawing on more than two decades of implementation experience, Martyn introduces the groundbreaking S1 Turnkey Model, a fully integrated system designed to accelerate leader development, elevate organizational capability and create lasting cultural transformation. The case study explores the powerful interplay of mindset, method and mastery, revealing how organizations can redefine excellence by designing systems that inspire purpose, drive innovation, and cultivate behaviors aligned with sustainable, principle-based leadership. Filled with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and insights from global application, Redefining Excellence: Maturity to Mastery provides a roadmap for organizations ready to move from maturity to mastery.

“Mike Martyn’s work reflects the very heart of the Shingo Guiding Principles,” said Ken Snyder, Executive Director of the Shingo Institute. “Redefining Excellence: Maturity to Mastery pushes the boundaries of how we understand culture, leadership, and transformation. It offers an essential perspective on what it takes to build organizations that not only perform exceptionally, but also grow, innovate, and endure.”

The author will be formally presented with the award at the Shingo Connect Awards Gala in San Diego, California, on March 19. Shingo Connect includes workshops, site tours, keynotes and sessions focused on achieving organizational excellence. Learn more at http://shingo.org/events.

The case study will be available to purchase soon on the author’s website: https://www.sisucg.com/our-books.

About the Author

Michael Martyn is a leading architect of principle-based transformation and the Founder and President of SISU Consulting Group. He has guided more than 500 organizations across 22 countries and supported 54 sites in achieving Shingo recognition, results that place SISU among the most influential consulting groups in the global excellence community. For nearly 25 years, Michael has helped organizations translate principles into systems, behaviors, experience, and sustained results. His work spans complex manufacturing, healthcare, public agencies, higher education, and large multinational enterprises. Throughout his career, Michael has been recognized for a disciplined, people-focused, and results-driven approach to transformation. His work reflects a deep belief that excellence is achieved when leaders align their philosophy with their behavior, engage their people in daily improvement, and design systems that make purpose, performance, and pride in work possible.

About the Shingo Institute

The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo, one of the world's thought leaders in the Toyota Production System.

Drawing from Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute's Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit https://shingo.org.

This achievement reflects Smith & Nephew Medical Suzhou Limited’s unwavering commitment to principled leadership, disciplined execution and creating a culture centered on creating lasting value for employees, communities and customers.

“Receipt of the Shingo Prize is a globally recognized symbol that an organization has successfully established a culture anchored in principles of enterprise excellence,” said Ken Snyder, executive director of the Shingo Institute. “Smith & Nephew Medical in Suzhou has demonstrated an impressive commitment to building systems and behaviors that consistently deliver results.”

Smith & Nephew, a global medical technology company founded in 1856 and headquartered in London, develops advanced solutions across orthopedics, endoscopy and wound management. The Suzhou site was established in 2007 as the company’s first manufacturing facility in mainland China, representing a significant milestone in Smith & Nephew’s regional growth and global supply network. Smith & Nephew Medical Suzhou Limited plays a central role in manufacturing the company’s advanced wound-care portfolio, including proprietary silicone-based dressings and other patented products, exporting to more than 100 countries. Over nearly two decades, the site has expanded production capacity through multiple plant and line additions while maintaining rigorous quality systems aligned to the strict regulatory demands of the medical device sector. Today, the facility is one of the region’s key medical technology employers and a significant contributor to Suzhou’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

Smith & Nephew Medical Suzhou Limited has earned multiple recognitions that reflect its commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and employee well-being. These include the Suzhou 3A Green Factory designation, provincial-level Intelligent Manufacturing Workshop certification, and successful completion of the 2023 Suzhou Healthy Enterprise assessment, confirming excellence in occupational health management. Grounded in robust management systems, deep employee engagement, and an active culture of continuous improvement, the site’s disciplined approach to problem-solving, respect-centered culture, and consistent delivery of high-quality medical products demonstrate the behaviors expected of Shingo Prize recipients.

The achievement of the Shingo Prize is ultimately made possible by the people who bring principles to life each day. The following testimonials provide additional perspective on the systems, behaviors, and cultural foundations that contributed to this recognition:

Since implementing the Shingo Model at our site, we have observed a profound cultural transformation toward operational excellence characterized by deep respect for every individual, relentless pursuit of continuous improvement, and constant commitment to aligned, purpose-driven objectives. This shift has obviously enhanced organizational performance and strengthened our capacity for long-term, sustainable growth.

Receiving the Shingo Prize is a great honor for Smith & Nephew. It is also an important milestone of our global operational excellence journey. We will take this as a new starting point and continue to deepen organizational transformation, with the determination to pursue perfection and create value for our customers

Cindy Duan, Site Leader

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

The Shingo journey was truly valuable to me. It triggered profound reflections on vision and goal-setting, long-term planning, and the structured application of management and work systems. It greatly enhances the team's understanding and meanwhile takes our sustainable cultural development to the next level.

Wang Lei, Value Stream Director

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

Through the application of the Shingo Model, the Shingo Guiding Principles have been embedded into our daily value stream activities. The culture for continuous improvement and problem-solving has been steadily improved.

May Zhao, Senior Value Stream Manager

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

The Shingo Guiding Principles have strengthened our quality culture and foundation, fostering continuous improvement and the pursuit of perfection. With full Shingo deployment across our site, excellence is no longer just a goal — it has become our daily commitment to delivering the highest quality to our customers.

Shirley Du, Quality Director

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

The Shingo journey helped us shift from transactional work to principle-driven decisions. It strengthened teamwork, cost transparency, and problem-solving. This made our financial processes more reliable and our organization stronger.

Anita Xu, Finance Business Partner

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

Both the Shingo Model deployment and Shingo Challenge are fantastic. They have comprehensively and deeply improved all our business systems and accelerated people mindset and behavior transformation across the entire organization. Furthermore, everyone received recognition from the Shingo examiners, we are truly happy and encouraged.

Shaochuan Xie, Senior Operational Excellence Manager

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

Shingo's system design has been vital to our continuous improvement journey. Since adopting the Shingo Model, we've consistently optimized processes by aligning systems with ideal behaviors, enabling our teams to achieve outstanding results.

Lyn Wang, Senior Operational Excellence Engineer

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

Through learning the Shingo Model and applying the Shingo Guiding Principles to daily management, we have engaged employees in improvement activities and driven the team to achieve a higher level of operational excellence.

Lixiu Shan, Production Supervisor

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

As a frontline employee representative, participating in Shingo improvement initiative and assessment has brought profound changes to my mindset and work practices.

Shuangfeng Pan, Operator

Smith & Nephew Medical (Suzhou) Limited

Achieving the Shingo Prize marks a defining milestone for Smith & Nephew Medical Suzhou Limited and reinforces the organization’s broader commitment to people-centered, principle-driven excellence. As a Shingo recipient, the Suzhou team will continue to set industry-leading standards, share best practices across Smith & Nephew’s global operations, and inspire continued innovation in patient safety, product quality and value creation.

Representatives of Smith & Nephew Suzhou Limited will be formally presented with the Shingo Prize at the Awards Gala during Shingo Connect in San Diego, California, on March 19. Shingo Connect includes workshops, site tours, keynotes and sessions focused on achieving organizational excellence. To learn more about the event, visit www.shingo.org/events.

About the Shingo Institute

The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo, one of the world's thought leaders in the Toyota Production System.

Drawing from Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute's Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit https://shingo.org.

The journey of a plastic bottle is a well-worn tale. Bought from a convenience store or snatched from a cafeteria, this little petroleum-based container is quickly emptied and thrown away, but its travels don’t end there.

Plastic in its myriad forms travels from trash bin to landfill, often skipping that journey altogether to land on the side of the road or in a stream. Wherever its final resting place, it is neither final nor resting. Weathering from wind and water and sun exposure slowly break down plastic into microplastics and eventually nanoplastics, leaching chemicals into water, soil and air.

Plastics aren’t sustainable, but use over decades have woven them into society. As long as people use plastics, they will always be breaking down and turning into the tiny particles that harm the health of both the environment and humans. This means solutions are needed not only to clean up the microplastic problem already upon us but also to find new alternatives to the toxic chemicals involved in production.

Generation

One of the ways plastics degrade and break down into harmful micro- and nanoplastics is through exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. UV light can make plastic brittle or yellowed and more prone to breaking or leaching chemicals. To prevent this, plastics constantly exposed to the sun, like a car’s headlights or dashboard, have additives mixed in. These UV stabilizers keep those headlights looking new for years, but when they do eventually break down into the environment, they can impact human health.

“Plastics aren’t sustainable, but the plastic additives that are in use are also not sustainable,” said assistant professor Kyle Moor. As plastics break down, the UV stabilizers enter soils and surface waters and then can disrupt human endocrine systems and harm natural ecosystems. To address this problem in plastic creation, Moor is looking for safer alternatives for these additives.

Moor’s alternative takes a leaf out of the plant book. Plants, like car headlights, are exposed to UV light, and they have protection of their own in the form of flavones. Like the molecule quercetin in parsley, these flavones protect the plant from UV damage, and Moor believes they can be used in plastic production.

“The idea is we can replace those more harmful chemicals with ones that are found in plants that we consume through our diet already,” Moor said.

Using lasers to simulate UV exposure, Moor and his team are exploring how flavone chemistry controls its ability to act as a UV stabilizer.

Moor said sustainable chemistry as the idea behind all of his work.

“As we’re looking toward these new solutions, they need to be grounded in sustainable chemistry concepts to make sure we’re not impacting the environment or human health by these new materials or new additives we might be using,” he said.

Transport

As assistant professor Yiming Su said, “Plastics are everywhere.” They’re in our kitchen utensils and our favorite sweaters. They form containers and tools and grocery store packaging. And once they’re out in the environment, broken down into tiny plastic particles, they can start to pop up in unexpected places.

Su’s work on plastic focuses on its transport through water and soil, particularly the pieces that are too small to be filtered out. These are called nanoplastics, and they are less than one micron in size.

Su said we don’t really know the significance of plastic particles to human health, but the things attached to the plastics, like additives, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or heavy metals, can and do have health effects. This highlights the motivation to study the movement of plastics through our water, soil, and air.

For example, the pipes that bring water to a city can be either metal-based or plastic-based PVC pipe. In a joint study with professor Steve Barfuss, Su looked for the release of nanoplastics from PVC walls as water rushed through them, simulating the drinking water supply system. Anything larger than 20 microns can be effectively removed during drinking water treatment, but Su’s process allowed him to detect anything down to 100 nanometers.

His results showed no significant release of microplastics or nanoplastics — good news for PVC in drinking water systems.

But pipes aren’t the only avenue for plastic transport into our homes. Many plastics find their way into irrigation and drinking water systems from wastewater treatment plants. The plastic fibers of our clothing come off in the washing machine; the frayed edges of our plastic cooking utensils scour away in the dishwasher.

“Most of that will be removed in the sludge,” Su said, speaking of the wastewater treatment process, “but there is still quite a bit of plastic in the effluent after treatment.”

Wastewater effluent can be used as an irrigation water source downstream. To study how the microplastics in wastewater effluent can impact crops, Su and his students are growing lettuce in the lab.

Nanoplastics, which, again, are smaller than a single micron, can be taken up by plants. To simulate this, Su created nanoplastics and plated them with palladium as a tracer. Then he grew lettuce with the recycled water used on agriculture fields. After a month of exposure, he and his student analyzed the lettuce for palladium to see how much plastic the lettuce absorbed.

Su said he sees more nanoplastics in older leaves, so a preventative action for consumers is to strip those outer, older leaves before preparing food. He is also researching biochar as a possible soil amendment to keep nanoplastics in the soil and out of the plants. His research shows promising results with significantly lower nanoplastic levels in lettuce with biochar added to the soil.

Throughout his research, Su emphasized the importance of using precise and innovative methods to find the tiny plastic particles escaping treatment and working their way into our food and water.

Getting his research to the public to inform action is a core part of Su’s work. After a study detecting nanoplastic particles on the shores of Bear Lake in Utah, the Bear Lake community came together to host a plastic collecting event to lower the amount of microplastics released at the popular recreation spot. These are the kinds of outcomes Su hopes come from his projects, and he looks forward to future action on plastic pollution.

Degradation

Assistant professor Joanna (Liyuan) Hou started her research on plastics seven years ago on the heels of the New York City plastic bag ban. She saw how plastics broke down into microplastics and persisted in the environment, never degrading entirely. Hou didn’t see any way to end the story of plastics because we as humans are always using them.

“So how can we deal with it?” she asked.

With her expertise in environmental engineering and microbes, Hou started to look at the communities of microbes on microplastics in wastewater, surface water, ocean water, and soil to understand their role in biodegradation.

Wastewater in particular holds interest because of how the presence of microplastics can affect treatment. Hou saw that some pathogens and microbes could escape treatment by hiding under microplastics, using them like an umbrella.

“I felt this is important to look at,” Hou said. “Who is escaping and taking a ride?”

By identifying the specific microbes escaping treatment and how microplastics affect their fate, we can control harmful microbes in wastewater. But not all microbes are harmful. “Different microbes can actually provide benefits,” Hou said.

One of Hou’s many microbe-microplastic interaction projects involves a graduate student using machine learning to identify microbes that can actually degrade plastic.

“I’m trying to understand which microbes are on microplastics, what their role is, and how we can use the benefits of their metabolism pathways to make plastic finally biodegradable,” Hou said.

She and her team collected data from published papers about plastic-associated biofilms and analyzed them to look for plastic-degrading bacteria. They used three representative studies for wastewater, three for surface water, and three for ocean water to understand the diversity of microbes in different environments.

After comparison, they noticed consistent potential plastic-degrading bacteria had the highest concentrations in wastewater.

Plastic-degrading bacteria are linked with certain non-plastic-degrading bacteria, meaning that the different types help each other survive on the surface of plastics. When the plastic degraders chew the long polymers into short pieces, they leave behind organic matter byproducts for non-plastic degraders to use as an energy source, turning the whole piece of plastic into CO2 and leaving behind an empty dinner plate.

These bacteria, already at work, can be used to help the plastic pollution problem.

“If we can see more plastic-degrading bacteria, maybe in the future we can take advantage by isolating those bacteria from wastewater to do the degradation,” Hou said.

Alongside Hou’s microbial solutions, Moor is also working on projects at the tail of plastic pollution, exploring the role of UV light exposure in plastic degradation, specifically the fate of agricultural mulch films after season-long UV light exposure.

Mulch films are the long black plastic sheets laid on the fields of specialty crops like strawberries. New biodegradable mulch films are designed to replace polyethylene films (made of the same material found in grocery store bags) that release micro- and nanoplastics into soils. The new mulch films are intended to be tilled into the soil at the end of the growing season to naturally degrade, but Moor wants to see how season-long UV light exposure impacts the breakdown process. UV light generates a complex mixture of dissolved organics from plastic or plastic additives that could affect soil microorganisms, nearby surface waters from runoff, or the crops themselves.

Both Moor and Hou hope that, through research, we can solve the problem and finally give the plastic degradation story a period.

Not a Never-Ending Story

Plastics are pervasive and invasive in their impact on the environment. Every stage of the life cycle of a piece of plastic requires research to improve the design and disposal processes and mitigate negative effects.

The professors at the Utah Water Research Lab are acutely aware of the cycle and are working to break it.

Different applications for plastics require different solutions to the pollution problem, but the start is to reduce and reuse. From personal decisions to state action to national and global efforts, each step taken, each new discovery, is a step toward a sustainable future.

The Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning recently introduced the new degree to offer a practical, hands-on pathway for technology-driven design and planning professions. While traditional programs emphasize theory and licensure, this one instead focuses on building expertise in 3D modeling, digital map-building and design projects built with emerging tools like artificial intelligence.

When Phoebe Pollock discovered her passion for the technical side of design, she pivoted to the new major. Now, using Unreal Engine (the game engine behind Fortnite), Pollock is working on a process to turn accurate map data into 3D models that you can see and explore — for a theoretical restoration of the Kennecott copper mine site, among other projects — and documenting the work for other professionals interested in her process. Seeing her designs come to life in 3D rendering was a major draw, she said.

“I can open up the planning process for people, making it so much more real than a flat drawing of roads and trees,” she said. “This kind of planning is more accessible to more kinds of people, and the process works better because they understand what a space is before it is under construction.”

Pollock’s technical proficiency and project management skills have already led to an offer for a full-time job following graduation.

Stuart Johnson, also in the first cohort, switched to the major when he realized the attractive balance it offered between his technical strengths and passion for design and creativity. His current projects include developing a Python-based tool to build predictive maps of elk habitat, and an AI model for automating the detection of trees in urban areas — needed for city planning and cumbersome to do by hand.

Johnson also parlayed the internship into employment after graduation.

"I’ve gotten a great foundation at USU — a broad understanding of how these tools serve modern design and the skills to pivot to whatever comes next as the field changes,” Johnson said.

The strong collaborative culture of the department helped both of these students build a suite of soft skills especially attractive to employers, they said — things like organizational skills, collaboration, big-picture planning and incorporating feedback with good grace.

The new program is an alternative academic entry point for students interested in the highly competitive field of landscape architecture, according to Keith Christensen, LAEP department head.

“Opening multiple pathways for students with diverse career goals makes us stronger as a department,” he said. “And meeting the growing demand for technical skills in this rapidly evolving field benefits the broader industry.”

That demand continues to grow as businesses adopt digital environments in a variety of fields. In the program, students learn to model everything from road networks to HVAC systems to land-use plans.

“Employers want graduates who can work confidently with these digital tools as soon as they start, to create accurate and useful products — and back them up with the work skills that allow them to be successful in a team,” Christensen said. “This degree delivers on those skills.”

And it’s still not too late for cities and towns to join the partnership this year, said Courtney Flint, project leader and professor of environment and society at Utah State University.

The project is a collaboration between researchers and city and town leaders. The goal is to help local leaders keep a finger on the pulse of resident wellbeing, to support the community planning processes with insights about financial and programmatic decisions.

Community partners for the survey that’s coming in March and April range from small towns like Bluff, Springdale, Mayfield, Castle Dale and Uintah City to larger cities like West Jordan, West Valley City, Sandy and Ogden. More than 80 communities in Utah have partnered with the project since 2019.

USU students and faculty administer the survey and provide reports back to leadership of participating cities and towns. Cities advertise the survey and recruit participants. Funding for the survey is provided by the Utah League of Cities and Towns.

These partnerships are the key to the long-running success of the project, Flint said.

“It’s a strong example of USU’s land grant mission to put our capacities in tandem with needs of Utah communities,” she said. “The survey captures unique local experiences about growth and development and identifies shared perspectives across the state, such as the importance of safety and security and physical and mental health.”

Seth Atkinson, city administrator in Nephi, said he has appreciated the nuanced perspective survey results have offered.

"It’s valuable data on how city services are viewed,” he said, “what residents find important and how the city can improve.”

The town of Springdale has also benefited, said Tom Dansie, community development director, because the survey highlights areas of particular concern for residents.

“It’s a powerful tool that helps communities understand what is working well and what can be improved,” he said. “It helps us direct more attention and resources to these areas in an effort to improve overall wellbeing in the community.”

This year’s survey includes a new questions to better understand experiences among individuals with disabilities, made possible by collaboration with Ty Aller and Heather Kelley from the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice at USU.

More can be learned at the project website. Questions about the Utah Wellbeing Survey can be directed to courtney.flint@usu.edu.

For more than 26 years, this event has brought together students from USU and the University of Utah to share their research with Utah’s legislators and other leaders. Students have the chance to share the impact of their research, as well as the importance of continued state support for their work.

Undergraduate students were selected from each university to participate in this year’s event, with more than 20 students representing USU. Among those were psychology students Sophia Baumann, Tyler Hansen, Jacey Hopkin, Hannah Jensen, Eva Jones, Emily Kuehl, Jared Vance and Kenzie Wachtel. Collectively, their projects reflected broad interests from mental health to wildlife conservation to social behaviors.

“We are incredibly proud of our undergraduate students in psychology who presented their research at Research on Capitol Hill,” said Executive Associate Dean Shawn Whiteman. “Their passion for understanding human behavior — combined with their commitment to improving health and well-being through creative inquiry and scientific rigor — truly reflects the very best of our college. We celebrate the tremendous dedication of both our students and their faculty advisors, and we look forward with great excitement to the many ways these students will continue to enrich lives and strengthen our communities in the years ahead.”

Understanding the Importance of Social Connectedness on Mental Health

Seniors Sophia Baumann, Hannah Jensen and Eva Jones are contributing to mental health research at USU by emphasizing the role human connection and social connectedness play in shaping mental well-being. The students are specifically looking at how lower levels of socially connectedness in radicalized groups may make them more vulnerable to extreme ideologies, including misogyny.

“Loneliness and isolation can really affect a person’s mental health, and sometimes that can make them more open to extreme ideologies, including misogyny, and these ideals can lead to prejudice and even violence,” Jones said. “We want to understand these patterns so we can find ways to better support people and their mental health.”

Jones said recognizing the signs of isolation and loneliness is essential to promoting better mental health among individuals.

“Our research shows why early prevention matters,” she said. “When we help people feel more connected, we can reduce the risk of potentially harmful behaviors and hopefully improve overall mental health.”

The students are conducting their research under the guidance of faculty mentor Jennifer Grewe, associate professor of psychology. “Eva, Hannah and Sophia are great examples of what is possible through undergraduate research experiences,” Grewe said. “It is incredible to see that an idea from a classroom developed into a reality and ultimately became work they are sharing with a much broader audience and communities.”

Exploring how Human Perceptions Influence Wildlife Conservation

Jacey Hopkin, a recent graduate of psychology at USU, is tackling real-world environmental challenges through her research on wildlife conservation. Her work explores how people’s attitudes and behaviors toward animals shape the ways they choose to help protect them and their environment — offering insights that can strengthen the design of conservation programs.

“Education programs about conservation are important, but they don’t always increase public support because they don’t change the beliefs people already have,” Hopkin said. “That’s why it’s important to understand people’s perceptions of animals and how these perceptions influence conservation efforts.”

Hopkin’s research examines how people perceive different animals by having participants rate each one’s friendliness and intelligence using photos. Participants also ranked the animals they believed deserved the most conservation support. Hopkins found that an animal’s perceived friendliness and intelligence strongly shape the level of attention and conservation support it receives.

Hopkin chose this project because of her passion for wildlife and her desire to improve the way conservation programs are designed and implemented.

“A lot of conservation work doesn’t have the impact it should have, but I hope my efforts can help strengthen these programs so we can better protect the environment,” she said.

Hopkin’s faculty mentor, Kerry Jordan, professor of psychology, said that Jacey’s creative, interdisciplinary thinking has fueled this project.

“Jacey has made connections between the fields of cognitive psychology, conservation, ecology and social psychology I never otherwise would have thought to investigate,” Jordan said. “She is equally interested in and dedicated to discovering how research can impact policy.”

Exploring the Economic Demand for Energy Drinks

Tyler Hansen, a recent psychology graduate from USU, is exploring the economic demand for energy drinks and how willing people are to buy them even with a price increase.

To better understand the demand for energy drinks, Hansen conducted a study that measured the amount lab animals were willing to “pay” (ie., the amount of effort they exerted) to obtain energy drinks. The results showed that the demand for energy drinks remains high even as the “cost” (ie., the amount of effort) increases. Hansen also said that having more experience with energy drinks leads to an even greater demand.

Hansen has been working on this research with the support of his faculty mentor, Amy Odum, professor of psychology.

“Tyler is an enthusiastic and fun colleague to work with,” Odum said. “His work is important in examining the economic demand for energy drinks. This research produces a strong base for us to examine how energy drink consumption may impact well-being, such as future likelihood of vaping and drinking.”

Examining Impulse Control and Its Application in K-12 Schools

Senior Emily Kuehnl is examining Pavlovian conditioning — a learning process where one thing in the environment becomes associated with another, so that it triggers a learned reaction — as part of her research on self-control and how it can be applied to K-12 classrooms.

At Research on Capitol Hill, Kuehnl presented two experiments that explored this idea — one working with lab animals and one working with kindergarten children. The experiment with kindergarteners tested whether certain signals — like choosing a delayed larger reward instead of an immediate smaller reward — could help children practice better self-control.

Kuehnl said the results show how certain learned signals can encourage children to pause and choose better long-term options instead of acting on immediate urges. She explained that these strategies could be used in K-12 classrooms to support students’ developing self-control.

“Our early results show that impulsive behavior can actually be changed,” Kuehnl said. “If schools can adapt and integrate interventions like the ones we’re testing in these experiments, they could play a crucial role in supporting students and preventing impulsive choices that negatively affect people’s lives.”

Kuehnl has conducted her research as part of her undergraduate research assistantship in the Behavioral Economics Lab at USU, led by Greg Madden, professor of psychology.

“Emily has emerged within the lab as one to the most dedicated, inquisitive, and hard-working student research assistants,” Madden said. “She was eager to lead an investigation and has done excellent work, seeing the project through to a successful conclusion.”

Showing How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Supports Mental Health in Diverse Groups

Jared Vance, a senior studying psychology, is examining how well Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) works for people from different backgrounds, including diverse racial and ethnic communities and individuals living with disabilities.

ACT is a type of therapy that teaches people to notice and accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. It helps them focus on what matters most to them and make choices that match their personal values, even when things feel difficult.

To explore ACT’s effectiveness, Vance combined several smaller studies into one large analysis. This allowed him to look at how ACT affects common mental health conditions — such as anxiety, depression and overall well-being — across different groups. Vance’s research shows that ACT is an effective treatment for diverse populations, including racial and ethnically diverse individuals and people with disabilities, and was linked to decreasing anxiety and depression.

“My interest in Latinx communities and other diverse groups played a big part in choosing this project,” Vance said. “I was also drawn to it because of my background with ACT, which sparked a deeper curiosity about its impact. I hope this work helps support and guide how ACT is used with diverse populations in the future.”

Jared has conducted his research with the support of his faculty mentor Melanie Domenech Rodríguez, professor of psychology.

“Jared is a self-starter,” she said. “He was willing to learn advanced meta-analysis methods independently while remaining connected to obtain the needed guidance to succeed. He’s a bright, capable and committed scholar.”

Investigating How Oxytocin Shapes Self-Control

Kenzie Wachtel, a senior double majoring in psychology and biology, is diving deep into the brain chemical oxytocin — a hormone known for helping people feel trust, connection and emotional bonding. Wachtel’s research specifically focuses on how oxytocin may help with decision-making and self-control.

Wachtel conducted experiments that tested lab animals’ patience and decision-making. The animals had to choose between a small reward right away or a larger one if they waited. Wachtel said the more self-controlled animals had more oxytocin receptors, which suggests that oxytocin could be an important player inself-control and how people experience rewards.

Wachtel’s curiosity about oxytocin and its role in behavior grew after working closely with Sara Freeman, an associate professor of neurobiology at USU and Wachtel’s faculty mentor for this project. Wachtel has spent the last two years pushing this research forward.

“We’re still running new experiments,” Wachtel said, “but our work highlights a potentially overlooked role for oxytocin in shaping how rewarding something feels. The connection between oxytocin and reward really underscores how essential our social bonds are.”

Freeman added: “Kenzie pioneered a collaboration between Greg Madden’s Behavioral Economics Lab, which focuses on understanding impulsive behavior, and my lab, which studies oxytocin receptors in the brains of various mammalian species. Kenzie brought us together for this unique collaboration and has been operating at the level of a master’s student from the very start.”

To learn how undergraduate students can become involved with research through the Research on Capitol Hill event, visit the Office of Research website.

The initiative centered around a 12-year-old cancer patient with a passion for both art and footwear.

During planning for their annual cancer awareness game, athletics staff connected with a local patient named Xander Gunnell and aligned the effort with Coaches vs. Cancer week, a nationwide effort supported by the NCAA.

Xander designed a custom pair of shoes, and Art + Design students painted his design onto shoes for him and for the Utah State men’s basketball coaching staff, who wore them during two games.

“After hearing about Xander’s story and the project, students were eager to help,” said Art + Design Department Head Kathy Puzey. “It surprisingly took much more time and effort than expected, but they stuck with it and helped get it across the finish line.”

According to Puzey, initiatives like this align closely with the department’s core values.

“We are always happy to be involved and collaborate on community outreach projects such as this,” she said. “It’s an important part of our department’s mission.”

Tyler Thompson, general manager for Utah State Athletics, said that in the week leading up to the game Xander and his family attended practices, met players and coaches and shared their story.

During one practice, the team surprised him with his custom pair. On game day, he joined the team in the locker room before tipoff and was surprised to see the entire coaching staff wearing shoes with his design.

“He lit up,” Thompson said. “Seeing a 12-year-old put the pieces together like that was awesome.”

After wearing the shoes for two games, the coaches decided to auction them rather than keep them.

“The coaches said, ‘Hey, we love these shoes, but we don't feel like it's right for us to keep them,’” Thompson said. “‘We want to auction them off and then take the proceeds from that auction and give them back to Xander and his family for future treatment, medical expenses, anything that they could use that money for.’”

This auction generated about $2,500 in additional support for Xander’s family.

“Our students are excited that the shoes they painted have been auctioned off to supportive individuals, but more importantly, that the funds raised are going back to support Xander and his family,” Puzey said. “That’s the good stuff.”

To learn more about the Department of Art + Design and Utah State Athletics, including future events and initiatives, visit their websites.

Munson, who is pursuing a master’s degree in biology with an emphasis in ecology and evolution, says his goal has always been to help others learn and see the world differently. While many graduate students focus primarily on research, Munson says teaching has long been his driving force.

“I’m here because I want to be a teacher,” he said. “Research is important, but for me it’s part of becoming the best educator I can be.”

Munson grew up in Cedar City, Utah, and graduated from high school early in 2015 after completing three years. He enrolled at Southern Utah University, initially majoring in accounting before switching to pre-med with plans to pursue radiology. It was not until his final year, when he enrolled in an entomology course, that his path changed.

A field trip spent catching insects with a butterfly net sparked what he described as an immediate connection to the natural world. While at SUU, mentorship from Professor William Heyborne, dean of the College of Natural Resources, solidified his interest in ecology and organismal biology. Munson shifted away from medicine and immersed himself in field research, including turtle ecology projects and insect studies.

“I realized I cared more about helping people understand the world than chasing a paycheck,” he said.

Now at USU, Munson studies a specific group of aphids with faculty mentor Carol von Dohlen, using genetics, morphology and ecology to examine whether what is currently classified as a single species may in fact represent two distinct species. He hopes to publish findings that could formally recognize a new species and revive a historical scientific name previously set aside.

Outside the lab, Munson is deeply involved in campus leadership and outreach. He serves as president of the Biology Graduate Student Association and previously worked as outreach coordinator for the university’s entomology club. With fellow students, Munson frequently travels with insect specimens to local schools and community events. He volunteers regularly with USU’s Science Unwrapped public outreach program.

He is also an advocate for the Center for Empowering Teaching Excellence, known as ETE, where he participates in pedagogy workshops and learning circles focused on improving instruction.

For Munson, outreach is a form of public education. He said not everyone has access to higher education, and he believes scientific knowledge should be shared widely, especially with underserved communities.

“Everyone deserves access to education,” he said. “College isn’t feasible for everyone, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have access to knowledge.”

Munson also brings a personal perspective to his work. A father of a 3-year-old son, he says parenting reshaped how he thinks about curiosity, learning and resilience. Whether catching insects together or navigating the challenges of raising a toddler, he sees daily reminders of why education matters.

After completing his master’s degree, Munson plans to pursue a doctorate and follow the traditional professorship route, with a focus on teaching undergraduate students. He said he is also open to teaching at the high school level if that is where he can make the greatest impact.

His advice to future graduate students is simple: Pursue what makes you genuinely happy and lean into challenges rather than avoiding them.

“Attack the hard things,” he said. “That’s where the growth happens.”

“At our Founders Day and Old Main Society Celebration, we honor extraordinary individuals whose generosity and dedication have left an indelible mark on Utah State, their communities and the world,” said USU Vice President for Advancement and President of the USU Foundation Matt White.

This year’s Old Main Society Award honorees are Kent and Donna Alder, recipients of the Spirit of Old Main Award, and Ned M. Weinshenker, recipient of the Emeriti Old Main Award.

The Founders Day Alumni Awards will recognize Paul A.S. Wiebel, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Jill W. Anderson, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.

Please join Utah State University to celebrate 138 years of Aggie pride and the remarkable individuals who continue to shape the institution’s legacy.

For more information, visit https://www.usu.edu/advancement/oldmainsociety/foundersday.

Old Main Society Awards

The Old Main Society was established in 1967 to recognize those seeking to continue the tradition of excellence at Utah State University by providing generous gifts that enhance funding from the state, research grants and other sources. The event celebrates Old Main Society members, both old and new, whose generosity ensures the future success of Utah State University and the students it serves.

This year’s festivities will include a reception welcoming 153 new members into the Old Main Society, joining more than 2,300 fellow Aggies. The university will also recognize 181 current members who will move up to new giving levels.

Spirit of Old Main

Kent and Donna Alder

Kent and Donna Alder exemplify the Spirit of Old Main through a lifetime of devotion to education, family and selfless service — strengthening Utah State University with both visionary leadership and steadfast, behind-the-scenes commitment. Together, they have advanced USU in ways that are deeply personal, widely felt and enduring.

A Logan native, Kent Alder ’74, ’80 earned degrees in finance and accounting from Utah State’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. He carried the Aggie work ethic into an extraordinary career in the technology and manufacturing sectors, where he became known for steady leadership, disciplined execution and principled decision-making. As the founding president and CEO of TTM Technologies, Kent guided the company through transformational growth, including a major expansion that elevated TTM into a global leader in printed circuit board manufacturing. Throughout his career — spanning leadership roles at Lundahl Astro Circuits, ElectroStar, Tyco’s Printed Circuit Group and other industry innovators — Kent has demonstrated how technical excellence and integrity can shape organizations and create opportunities for others.

The Alders’ story is not defined by professional achievement alone. Donna Alder, born and raised in Logan, met Kent in high school, and after their marriage in 1973, they built a home centered on faith, family and shared sacrifice. Donna’s leadership has been expressed through service — six children joined the family in nine years. Supporting their pursuits and creating a solid foundation enabled their family and community commitments to flourish. She has served in leadership roles in her church, been active in school communities through PTA and fundraising efforts, contributed her time to charitable causes and served on the board of CAPSA (Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse), reflecting a deep commitment to lifting and protecting others.

For decades, Utah State has been a constant thread in their family life. The Alders have attended many Aggie games — often with a full family section in tow — and have also embraced the university’s cultural and academic life through concerts, plays, lectures and campus events. Their love for USU has become a family legacy; even now, it’s common to find 20 to 25 members of the Alder family cheering together at football and basketball games, passing the tradition to their 17 grandchildren, one great-grandchild and beyond.

Their loyalty has also taken the form of meaningful philanthropy and leadership support, including significant giving to USU Athletics, the Huntsman School of Business and other areas that strengthen the student experience. They have been thoughtful stewards of impact, motivated not by recognition but by a desire for their children and grandchildren to see — and feel — how a university can shape lives.

Emeriti Old Main

Ned M. Weinshenker

Ned M. Weinshenker is a distinguished chemist, entrepreneur, educator and longtime supporter of Utah State University whose career spans more than six decades across academia, industry and government. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Weinshenker discovered his passion for chemistry at the age of 7, a curiosity that would shape a life dedicated to scientific discovery, innovation and mentorship.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Weinshenker pursued a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by postdoctoral work at Harvard University under Nobel Laureate E.J. Corey. After a short stint as an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Maryland, he began his varied journey in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, serving in senior management and executive roles at Silicon Valley startups, venture capital firms and medical device companies. In 1993 he moved to Utah to become the president and CEO of Salt Lake City-based IOMED, leading the company through a successful initial public offering in 1998, and later guided MantiCore Pharmaceuticals and Pharmadigm, Inc., as CEO. He is currently COO and a board member of iVeena Delivery Systems, Inc., a Salt Lake City startup company focused on ophthalmic therapies.

In 2006, Weinshenker joined Utah State University as vice president for Strategic Ventures and Economic Development. In this role, he led four key initiatives: technology commercialization, the USU Innovation Campus, the Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative, and the Business Accelerator. His tenure was marked by the construction of the USTAR research facility, the administration of major infrastructure grants, and the creation of USU’s first business incubator, helping bridge the gap between research and commercialization while fostering entrepreneurship throughout the region. He later served as executive director and technology commercialization advisor for USU’s Innovation Campus and has continued as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, mentoring students and advancing research, including collaborative work on CRISPR technology for potential use in cancer treatment.

Beyond academia, Weinshenker has served on numerous boards and councils, including the Utah Technology Council, Cache Entrepreneurial Council, The Leonardo at Library Square (chair), JSK Therapeutics, and the Kickstart Venture Seed Fund. He also spent a year in former Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr.’s administration as Utah’s life sciences cluster director. A passionate advocate for medical research, he was recognized as a 2024 MPN Hero for his work advancing awareness and funding for myeloproliferative neoplasms, a rare blood cancer he was diagnosed with in 2018.

An accomplished photographer and supporter of the arts, Weinshenker has exhibited his work in galleries in Salt Lake City and Logan and chaired the Cache Valley Center for the Arts Board of Trustees. Together with his wife, Gail, they have endowed scholarships at USU in the College of Arts & Sciences, reflecting their enduring commitment to education, innovation and community.

Founders Day Awards

Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Service Awards are given on Founders Day to individuals or couples who have made significant contributions to their community, the university or the world at large.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Paul A. S. Wiebel

Paul Wiebel ’77 stands as a dynamic entrepreneur, community leader and loyal Aggie whose career reflects the resourcefulness and determination that define Utah State University graduates. A visionary in the national food packaging industry and a dedicated philanthropist, Wiebel has built a legacy rooted in innovation, service and family.

Raised in Parsippany, New Jersey, Wiebel grew up in an environment that nurtured both independence and responsibility. As a devoted Boy Scout for more than a decade and a recipient of the Silver Scout rank, he learned early the values of discipline, leadership and community engagement. After completing an associate degree at the County College of Morris, he came west to Utah State University to study marketing and design. It was here — balancing academics, athletics and hands-on work — that Wiebel’s entrepreneurial instincts first took shape, including founding a steeple-painting business and renovating his first home.

After graduating in 1977, Wiebel returned to New Jersey and launched Econo-Pak from the basement of his family home. Building on four generations of family experience in packaging, he transformed the small startup into one of the nation’s premier contract food packaging companies. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Paul expanded Econo-Pak’s operations, introduced advanced production technologies and secured FDA certifications that positioned the company as a trusted partner for major food brands. The company’s flagship operations in Milford, Pennsylvania, near the New Jersey border, marked a significant milestone in this era of growth. During the 2000s, Wiebel owned the Berthoud Pass Ski Area in Colorado, North American Sterilization and Packaging, In-Line Design Floor Graphics and Captive Audience in New Jersey. He also developed the commercial property at 1 Wiebel Plaza, which he continues to own and lease to a regional grocery partner — reflecting his entrepreneurial reach beyond manufacturing.

Even after a brief retirement and the sale of the company, Wiebel’s entrepreneurial drive brought him back. He repurchased Econo-Pak and, through strategic acquisitions and expansion, helped shape a national packaging enterprise. Today, as chairman of the board, he continues to guide the company’s long-term vision while his sons lead day-to-day operations. The goods packaged by Econo-Pak help feed America, and its products can be found in every state.

Wiebel’s commitment to service is equally extraordinary. Through the Wiebel Family Foundation, he has supported local charities, first responders, youth programs, scholarships, addiction-recovery initiatives and holiday-giving efforts across New Jersey. His many civic contributions earned him the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 2019. He has also remained connected to Utah State University — encouraging students, sharing his business expertise and supporting emerging entrepreneurs.

Distinguished Service Award

Jill W. Anderson

Jill W. Anderson ’95 embodies the highest ideals of public service — using her knowledge, initiative and individuality to strengthen both Utah State University and the communities it serves. An alumna of USU’s psychology program, Anderson has devoted more than three decades to ensuring safety, dignity and hope for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across Cache Valley and Northern Utah.

Anderson’s path with CAPSA, a sexual assault and domestic violence support center serving the Cache Valley and Bear Lake area, began in 1993. She started as a volunteer, drawn to the organization’s mission and the urgent needs of individuals and families experiencing abuse. In 1997, she stepped into the role of executive director at a pivotal moment. CAPSA had outgrown its small shelter, and basic operating conditions had become constrained — offices were squeezed onto stairways, and the organization faced possible closure due to building limitations. Anderson recognized that the community needed more than a temporary solution; it needed a lasting, expanded center of refuge, advocacy and prevention.

With determination and steady leadership, she guided a complex multi-year effort of planning, partnerships and fundraising to build a new victim advocacy center. The facility opened in 2002, followed by continued fundraising to complete the shelter. By 2004, CAPSA’s new home provided eight separate rooms, capacity for 32 adults, cribs for infants, family living spaces and multiple kitchens — an expansion that dramatically increased the organization’s ability to protect and support survivors in crisis. Under Anderson’s leadership, CAPSA has continued to grow beyond emergency shelter, strengthening prevention education, developing youth and teen programming focused on healthy relationships and expanding services that help survivors rebuild stable, independent lives.

Anderson’s impact has been recognized statewide and locally. She was named The Herald Journal’s 2013 Cache Valley Resident of the Year, received Utah State University’s Lifetime Achievement Award through the former Center for Women and Gender in 2016, and was cited by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox for exemplary service to survivors — earning the Governor’s Spirit of Service Award. Yet Anderson measures success not in accolades, but in changed lives: survivors who find safety, regain confidence, pursue education and step into leadership — breaking cycles of violence for themselves and their children.

A steadfast partner to Utah State University, Anderson has deepened connections between CAPSA and USU students, faculty and programs, creating pathways for service, learning and collaboration that strengthen both institutions and the broader community.

An anonymous donor pledged $2.5 million over five years, motivated by their belief in the department's vision and its potential to make an immediate impact on coaches and student-athletes as Utah State Athletics begins its inaugural season in the Pac-12 Conference.

"I am deeply grateful for the generosity and the significant impact this gift will have on the future of Utah State Athletics," Walker said. "Our goal is not only to compete in the Pac-12 but to excel. Gifts like this provide crucial support for our coaching staff and student-athletes as they strive for competitive excellence. Utah State needs more dedicated supporters to help us achieve these ambitions."

Read more at UtahStateAggies.com.

Launched as a pilot program in 2025, the summer program allows recent Tooele County high school graduates to enroll in college courses to explore potential career opportunities in criminal justice and — new for 2026 — data science. The program consists of two tracks or three courses across a 7-week session culminating in project-based learning event which combines everything they have learned across all three courses that shows how those skills are applicable to a potential career.

“The USU Tooele Summer Program is an excellent resource for students, primarily because of the direct involvement of faculty in the disciplines, which teaches, mentors and offers real-life learning opportunities to students, making them feel connected, supported and prepared to learn,” said USU Tooele Associate Vice President Jenn Cowburn. “It is an excellent illustration of how faculty involvement and community alliances can directly influence student achievement directly."

Students are also more likely to find success throughout the remainder of their time pursuing a degree with the nine summer credits allowing them to get ahead of their studies. Studies show students who complete at least 30 credits in their first year of college are more than twice as likely to complete a degree on time.

“Student workshops, bootcamps and college prep courses allow freshman entering USU to have an introductory university experience,” said Mike Booth, admissions specialist for USU Tooele. It also provides an opportunity to explore potential degrees and careers and hopefully leads to retaining local high school students for Tooele Valley’s workforce.”

How to participate

• Must be admitted to USU by March 16, 2026.
• Be a new, incoming freshman to USU for Summer 2026.
• Be a resident of Tooele County.
• Graduate from a Tooele County High School.
• Commit to attend USU for at least 2 semesters after receiving the award.
• Complete the FAFSA application and send the completed application to USU.
• Scholarships applications are due by April 1, 2026.

Other students may take the courses, without the scholarship, as space allows.

Students admitted for Fall 2026, or admitted to another USU campus, can email admit@usu.edu to request to change to Summer 2026 at the Tooele Campus.

Located in the valley of the Oquirrh Mountains, Utah State University Tooele offers students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, plus technical education offerings, USU Tooele offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at tooele.usu.edu.

Digital devices can provide innumerable benefits, such as allowing us to work remotely, find our way around town and stay up to date on events. However, overuse of these devices can interfere with daily functioning. Countless research studies show that excessive smartphone use can impact mental health by affecting sleep quality, social interactions and the ability to focus.

What matters more than the screen time itself is how and why we use our phones. For example, passive scrolling, comparing ourselves to others and allowing constant distractions can increase loneliness and decrease productivity. Setting boundaries around phone use can benefit mental, emotional and social health.

Consider putting your smartphone in the “friend zone” starting on March 6 and beyond by trying these tips.

Turn off notifications, including work email when you are home and social media when you are at work. Mental health can be influenced by how connected we feel to our phone, if we feel obligated to monitor it continuously, and even our motivation for using it. Turning off notifications can help us set boundaries, especially between work and home.

Use your phone as a tool. It’s easy to use it to fill time when boredom sets in, but focus on the positive things it can do to make life easier. For example, arrange your phone so that productive apps like email, fitness, maps, and work-related programs are on the home screen. Put apps like social media, shopping, and games into folders or in less accessible places.

Delete apps you haven’t used in a while. Consider removing apps that are only for convenience, such as for shopping or news. You can access these through an internet search, which takes more conscious effort and can make you more intentional about how you spend your time. And there’s also the bonus of freeing up space and data on your phone.

Assess how you use your phone. Is most of your phone time spent scrolling through social media or playing games? If so, consider deleting the apps temporarily. Let others know what you are doing and ask for their support. They may even join you! Sharing your goals with others helps with accountability and motivation.

Set time and physical limits. Have a pre-set time limit, such as 15 minutes during lunch or after completing an assignment. Take your phone out only during those times, and hold yourself accountable to your schedule.

Make a list of alternative things you can do when you feel the impulse to mindlessly scroll on your phone. Instead of texting, try visiting in person or writing a letter. Instead of spending time on social media, read a book, play games with your family, go for a walk, explore nature, work on a project, or serve in your community.

Find strategies that work for you and set attainable goals. If you live with others, create a group challenge, set limits, and devise creative ways to reward positive use.

While not all these strategies may work for you, consider trying at least one. Then note whether you saw any changes in your physical, mental or emotional health, connections with others, or time management. Unplugging isn’t about rejecting technology — it’s about taking charge and using it to help, rather than harm you. You may find that stepping away from your phone, even briefly, opens space for deeper connection and renewed focus — benefits worth carrying forward long after March 7.

Cornaby is one of three finalists for the United States, with the winner advancing to the WorldSkills competition to represent the USA in Shanghai in September. Cornaby has been the top collegiate welder in each of the past two years, winning back-to-back SkillsUSA national competitions.

If he wins the USA Weld Trials, it will be the third consecutive WorldSkills competition to feature a USU Eastern student as the USA representative, after Wyatt Hansen in 2024 and Jordan Packer in 2022.

“I've been working toward the goal of representing the USA at WorldSkills for over two years now,” Cornaby said. “I want to look back knowing I did my best when I could, and my goal is that the week of competing at Worlds will feel like any other training week that I do leading up to it.”

The competition will last about 18 hours. Cornaby has been training unceasingly for the competition, working to refine his craft and take steps to improve each day. He averages about 65 hours of practice each week. Austin Welch, one of his mentors at USU Eastern, says that the dedication it takes to be prepared and competitive at the international level is something few people are capable of.

“It takes years,” said Welch, an associate professor of welding. “Ben is operating now at a level of confidence that is attainable only after the amount of preparation he’s put into this. This allows Ben to execute his game plan and keep performing even when things in the competition go wrong or unforeseen changes come up.”

The USA Weld Trials are nothing new for Cornaby, as he was the second-place finisher in 2024 behind his fellow USU comrade Wyatt Hansen. Since then, Cornaby has continued to seek daily improvement. He understands the abilities that his fellow competitors will have and the hours, months and years that have been put into their own plans.

“Knowing that I am one of three competitors nationwide makes me think about the time and effort the other two competitors must have had to sacrifice to get to where they are today,” Cornaby said. “We can all relate to each other in that regard, and we are some of the few that understand what it takes to get to this level. Now that I've had the chance to meet and get to know them a little better, I respect them as fellow competitors and what they stand for. I can tell that each of us has an instructor who cares about us as people and invests in our future.”

Cornaby says staying mentally sharp will be the biggest challenge of the 18-hour competition. While welding comes naturally to him at this point because of the time he has put into it, the need to consistently be self-critical of the work and continually chasing perfection is the hardest part. He hopes to represent everyone who has helped him make it this far.

“If I earn the WorldSkills spot, it would give me immense satisfaction and gratitude to represent all the people who have helped me and pushed me to get to this level,” he said. “I stand on the shoulders of many who believed in me as a person and gave me the confidence to keep pushing my limits. My instructors at USU Eastern are truly world class, and incredible human beings. I owe much of my success to them. It would also be an honor to represent my parents, who have supported me through all my decisions in life.”

The USA Weld Trials will be Feb. 28-March 6 in Huntsville, Alabama. To learn more, visit aws.org/community-and-events/competitions.

Located in picturesque Price, Utah State University Eastern provides the best of both worlds for students­ — the personalized attention and small student-to-faculty ratio of a small-town college, with the educational opportunities and resources of a large university. USU Eastern boasts student government opportunities, clubs and programs like theater, choir and the award-winning student newspaper “The Eagle,” as well as its own athletic program. USU Eastern provides personal or professional development training, technical education in Health Professions, Technical Careers and Business, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees and certificates of proficiency. Learn more at eastern.usu.edu.

Wolverine isn't your average pup. He was donated to USU through a federal program as a certified explosives-detection dog. Before arriving in Logan, Wolverine served overseas in support of the United States government. Adding Wolverine to the mix gives the university and community at large a second K-9 with expertisein explosives-detection, along with Zoomer.

The work of these K-9 units goes beyond USU's Logan campus, providing support to law enforcement agencies across Cache County.

Wolverine is partnered with Detective Mitch Blackham, who has spent years working with detector dogs both in the U.S. and abroad. This past November, the duo officially cleared their certifications through VLK and American Working Dog, meaning they are ready for duty.

"Wolverine has recently transitioned from serving overseas to protecting our Aggie community," said Detective Mitch Blackham. "Highly disciplined and focused, Wolverine's calm demeanor and sharp training make him a trusted asset in maintaining a secure campus environment, and we couldn't be prouder to have him on patrol."

K-9 Sage is USUPD's certified crisis response and community outreach K-9. Sage plays a vital role in supporting student wellness, crisis response, and relationship-building across campus. Her calm and friendly presence helps ease stress, provides comfort during difficult moments, and promotes the department's approachable and service-minded culture.

K-9 Zoomer is USUPD's certified explosives detection K-9, partnered with Lieutenant Scott Murray. Zoomer is trained to detect a wide range of explosive material and supports the safety of the university through proactive security sweeps, threat response, and presence at large-scale campus events.

With three dogs on the force, it's important for the community to know how to interact with each. Because Wolverine and Zoomer have high-stakes jobs involving explosives detection, they are working dogs only; please give them space and do not try petting them. However, if you see Sage around campus, she's the exception. Sage is always excited for a hand on her head and is more than happy to shake paws with anyone she meets.

Utah State University President Brad Mortensen will provide a town hall on March 6, 2026, to update the university community on the Utah Legislative Session, next steps after the release of the USU performance audit and the state’s full funding of the university’s strategic reinvestment plan. Mortensen will also provide time to answer questions at the end.

How to Join the Town Hall

March 6 | 2:30-3:30 p.m.

• In person at the Taggart Student Center Ballroom on the Logan Campus.
• Register to join on Zoom.

Community members are encouraged to submit questions ahead of time, and President Mortensen will address as many as possible during his presentation.

Paper & Clay Exhibition

Feb. 9 through March 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tippetts & Eccles Galleries

Paper & Clay is a national juried exhibition open to all current undergraduate and graduate printmaking and ceramic students across the country. This year’s exhibition showcases 70 exceptional contemporary student works from over 20 various academic institutions. This year’s juror is ceramic artist Kevin Snipes.

Music Department Showcase

March 2, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

Join faculty and students of the Music Department in a chamber music Showcase recital. Featuring a piano trio by Dvorak, horn solo by Chabrier, two Baroque songs for voice and theorbo, a flute and oboe piano trio by Madeline Dring, a set of songs for voice and guitar by Walton, Brahms’s Violin Sonata, and a saxophone, trumpet piano trio by York.

Piano Music of Chopin - Piano Area Recital

March 3, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

USU piano students present an all-Chopin program featuring his miraculous set of miniatures, the 24 Preludes — composed in every major and minor key — as well as other works by Chopin.

Guitar, Bass, & Drums Festival

March 4, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

Featured artists are the Goldings/Bernstein/Stewart Organ Trio and the David Wong Trio.

USU Spanish Club

March 5, 12, 19, & 26, 4:30 p.m.

Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center, Room 270

¿Te gusta hablar español? Join the USU Spanish Club. The club meets weekly to socialize, play games and explore Hispanic culture — all in Spanish. Our goal is to provide a relaxed, inclusive space for casual Spanish conversation, regardless of skill level.

Campbell Organ Festival Masterclass & Concert

March 5, 6 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall

Guest Artist: Kenneth Udy from the University of Utah.

Hymn-Playing Masterclass at 6 p.m. and Concert at 7:30 p.m.

Udy has performed throughout the United States and Europe. He often appears with the Utah Symphony, is a guest recitalist for the daily organ recitals in the Salt Lake Tabernacle and regularly conducts workshops and seminars.

March Building Resilience Online Workshop

March 5, 12, 19 & 26, 6 p.m.

Online/Virtual

Life can be pretty tough sometimes. Why is it that some people can go through really rough times and still bounce back? The difference is that those who bounce back have resilience. Resilience is our ability to adapt successfully in the face of stress, trauma, or adversity and then bounce back to our normal state of functioning and well-being. The good news is that resilience isn't something you're born with or not. The skills of resilience can be learned.

This 4-session Building Resilience Program will provide you with skills to increase resilience during and after stressful life events, improve general well-being and enhance performance in demanding activities such as academics and sports. Research indicates that increased resilience can positively affect school and life outcomes for students, including academic achievement.

This program will introduce you to Mind-Body Bridging, an evidence-based practice that reduces distress and builds resilience. You’ll learn skills to increase awareness of your body, thoughts, and emotions, recognize unhelpful patterns, and reframe experiences to unlock your full potential.

Biology Seminar Series

March 6, 13, 20 & 27, 11:30 a.m.

Distance Education Building, Room 013

Each week, speakers from USU and invited guests will highlight the diversity and wonder of the biological sciences.

The Party - Theatre Immersive Experience

March 6 & 7, 7 p.m.

Caine Home, 691 E. 500 N. Logan, UT

Immersive Theatre Experience where audience members join the charged atmosphere of Cicero’s retirement party hosted by Queen Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, set in the 1950’s. Conceived and directed by visiting artist Stefanie Batten Bland.

An immersive theatre experience set in the lavish home of Cleopatra of the 1950s, where the atmosphere buzzes with excitement and anticipation. Ciscero's retirement party is set to be a grand celebration honoring this revered Roman hero while whispers of unrest creep into conversations—rumors of conspiracies and looming dangers infect the happy home …

Guests of the party mingle through Cleo and Caesar’s home blending into scenes of celebration and conspiracy. Limited invitations available with three sessions per evening (about 45 minutes). Come dressed to impress.

This is an ADA non-compliant building. Stairs and periods of standing will be required.

Saturdays at the Museum: Global Games

March 7, 10 a.m.

Old Main, Anthropology Museum (Room 252)

Join us at the Museum of Anthropology on March 7th from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. for our Saturdays at the Museum event and celebrate our brand new Global Games exhibit. Come learn about how people have played games around the world and throughout time, play recreations of ancient games, and even make your own board game.

Activities for all ages, admission always free.

Utah Public Radio - Lucky Slice Pi Day Event

March 14, 3 p.m.

Lucky Slice Pizza, 37 West Center Street, Logan UT

Celebrate pi day with Utah Public Radio and Lucky Slice Pizza.

Jazz Combos

March 18, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

Join Utah State University’s talented student jazz combos as they bring the stage to life with jazz standards and cutting-edge contemporary tunes. From timeless classics to the latest hits by today’s jazz masters, this concert will elevate this uniquely American artform — jazz.

Craft Talk with Swenson Visiting Writer, Gion Davis

March 19, 10:30 a.m.

Merrill-Cazier Library, Room 101

This year's May Swenson Visiting Writer is Gion Davis, author of the recently published poetry collection Designated Stranger. A working musician as well as a poet, Davis will offer a craft talk that will focus on performance as it relates to poetry.

Nonprofit Career Fair

March 19, 11 a.m.

Taggart Student Center, International Lounge

Join the College of Arts & Sciences to welcome local, statewide, and Utah branches of national nonprofits in a career fair designed to help you learn about internships, career and volunteer opportunities. Free snacks will be provided.

May Swenson Visiting Writer

March 19, 2 p.m.

Merrill-Cazier Library, Room 101

This year's May Swenson Visiting Writer is Gion Davis. Davis will read from his new book, “Designated Stranger,” which the poet Diane Seuss calls an "of-the-moment but timeless Beat-style masterwork. The brilliance of these poems,” she writes, "is inseparable from their bravado and bravery, their eye for the truth and their eye for the truth of glorious details.” There will be a Q&A and book signing after the event.

HPI Tanner Talk: Josefina Alvarez

March 19, 12:30 p.m.

Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center, Carolyn Tanner Irish Pavilion (MHC 201)

Heravi Peace Institute is pleased to welcome Professor Josefina Alvarez as our Tanner speaker for Spring 2026. Josefina Echavarría Álvarez is professor of the practice and the director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM) program at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs. Josefina is also a faculty fellow of the Pulte Institute for Global Development.

The event is open to all. Lunch will be provided.

Parent Connective Free Webinar Series

March 19, 6:30 p.m.

Utah Theatre, 18 West Center Street, Logan UT

The Parent Connective is a collaboration between USU Social Work and the Department of Health to provide local parents with free evidence-based parenting support and increase a sense of community. From January through May 2026, all students, parents, and professionals are invited to attend a free monthly webinar on the third Thursday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Professionals may earn 1 CEU for attending.

Goldmund Quartet - CMSL

March 19, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

Germany's Goldmund Quartet is known to feature "exquisite playing" and "multi- layered homogeneity" (Süddeutsche Zeitung) in its interpretations of the great classical and modern works of the quartet literature. Its inwardness, the unbelievably fine intonation and the phrases worked out down to the smallest detail inspire audiences worldwide. The Quartet is now counted amongst the leading string quartets of the younger generation worldwide.

Continuing Education: Social Work Mini Conference

March 20, 12 p.m.

Online/Virtual

Join the USU Department of Social Work, in collaboration with the Transforming Communities Institute, for our Social Work Mini Conference. This fully virtual, half-day conference offers participants the opportunity to earn up to 4 hours of continuing education, including one hour of ethics and one hour of suicide prevention.

Conference Schedule:

Noon: The Long Haul: Examining Grit and Retention in Social Work Practice, by Denise Rice-Prior, LCSW.

1 p.m.: Advocacy Strategies for Passing Ashley’s Law: A Blueprint for Community Members, by Paula Vigil & Jeff Spears, PhD, MSW.

2 p.m.: Ethics, Power, and Client Self-Determination in Practice, by Jen Evers, LCSW.

3 p.m.: Suicide Prevention, by Eric Hansen, LCSW.

Current USU Department of Social Work students and field instructors qualify for free admission to this event. For information, please reach out to Erin.Jensen@usu.edu.

Science Unwrapped - Why Queen Bees Can Have It All

March 20, 7 p.m.

Eccles Science Learning Center Auditorium, Room 130

Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to Science Unwrapped, the free, public outreach program of USU's College of Arts and Sciences. Our events begin with a brief presentation, and are followed by hands-on learning activities and refreshments. At our March 20 event: All living things, including people, face trade-offs. We only have so much time and energy to accomplish the things we want to do. Animals strive to reproduce, live as long as possible and defend their young, but sometimes they have to give up one or more of these goals. Queen bees, on the other hand, have lots of helpers that enable them to avoid more trade-offs than most other animals, and to accomplish more of what they want to do. USU biologist Karen Kapheim and her graduate students study the fascinating lives of social bees. Karen will tell us about the lives of queen bees, and will share what these creatures can teach us about evolutionary processes.

Reading Series #3: "With You" by Jamie Wilcox

March 20 & 21, 7:30 p.m.

Chase Fine Arts Center, Black Box Theatre

A story of love and friendship that follows three friends over two years in Salt Lake City in the early 2000s. Best friends Georgia and Christopher struggle to create a life in the arts that differs from their shared religious upbringing. Georgia and Dustin fall in love and navigate the messiness of building a life with another person while battling mental health challenges. All three try to support one another while staying true to themselves.

Directed by Jayne Gold.

FREE, no ticket required.

Equivalent movie rating: R.

Content Warning: Themes of self-harm and suicide are explored.

Utah Flute Association Guest Artist Recital, Ali Ryerson

March 21, 4 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Join the Utah Flute Association in their annual convention, hosted at USU for the first time in their 40-year history. Legendary jazz-flutist, Ali Ryerson will be the guest artist and her sponsorship is supported in part by a VASS grant. She will give a recital at 4pm in the Russel Wanlass Performance Hall featuring our very own Braun Khan on bass, a jazz improv workshop, and a flute choir reading session in which she will conduct. There will be other jazz inspired workshops and presentations throughout the day. This event is open to the public and although it is catered to the flute, if you are instrumentalist and would like to participate in the jazz workshops, please bring your instrument.

Jamilyn Manning and Dallas Aksoy Recital

March 22, 4 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Join USU Voice Faculty, Jamilyn Manning and Dallas Aksoy, for a musical celebration of evolution and becoming a masterpiece in motion.

Guest Artist Workshop: Ali Ryerson

March 23, 6:30 p.m.

Chase Fine Arts Center, Room 214.

Open to all students. This workshop is being hosted by legendary jazz-flutist Ali Ryerson who is able to be on campus through the generous support of the VASS and the Utah Flute Association. Bring your instrument for this interactive workshop.

Larry Smith Kicks Band Concert

March 24, 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

The legendary Larry Smith Kicks Band presents its Spring Concert as it “Goes Latin.” This concert will present a full program of Latin Big Band music. The tunes will focus on the compositions and arrangements of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eric Richards, Mark Taylor, Bob Mintzer, Arturo Sandoval, Duke Ellington/Claudio Roditi, Tito Puente, Michel Camilo, Ernesto Durate, and Carlo Walton - from Bossa Nova to Cha Cha to Salsa.

Special guests for this concert will include Latin percussionists Ned and Neo Smith, and include the vocal stylings of Monica and Naomi Fronk. Featured soloists from the band include Nik Clarke, Roger Karen, Skylar Harris, Kelin Gibbons, Jim Schaub, Danny Hankins, Jared Saunders, Greg Wheeler, Brian Baird, Andrew Stonerock and many others. The Latin focus of this performance promises to have music for everyone.

More than two dozen of USU’s brightest undergraduates presented their research at the annual Research on Capitol Hill, showcasing solutions for issues impacting Utah and beyond.

“I’m filled with pride in the work Aggies are doing and humbled by the impact their research is already having,” said USU President Brad Mortensen. “These students reflect Utah State University’s land-grant mission to expand opportunity, advance discovery and serve communities across Utah and beyond. Research on Capitol Hill gives our undergraduates the opportunity to share how they are solving real world problems to make a meaningful difference for our state.”

In total, 27 undergraduates worked with 30 mentors for this year’s research including but not limited to:

• Trace Taylor studying electrical conductivity of materials in space.
• Alicia Buys helping build economic growth for small-business owners in international locations through the SEED Program at the Huntsman School of Business.
• Alta Crane’s research on gene editing chickens to make them more disease resistant.
• Jesse Miller expanding on research from BYU with Walipini greenhouses in Bolivia to extend Utah’s growing season. As part of Miller’s research, he is donating fresh produce grown in the Walipini to USU’s SNAC food pantry, to address student hunger on campus.

“For more than 50 years, USU’s Undergraduate Research Program has strived to help students find, fund and present research that the students feel passionately about,” said Associate Vice President for the Office of Research Alexa Sand. “We’re grateful for the opportunity our students have to share meaningful conversations with Utah’s leaders, including private citizens, the media, legislators and even the governor’s office, highlighting their work and the potential for significant impact on the state.”

About Research on Capitol Hill

Research on Capitol Hill is an annual celebration of undergraduate research and creative pursuits at Utah’s two public research institutions, Utah State University and the University of Utah. Students can show legislators the innovation and impact of their research and how important the state’s support is to continue conducting such exciting work.

Andreas Malmendier is recognized for sustained excellence in teaching, curricular leadership and mentorship in mathematics and statistics.

“We live in a highly technological world, and most people are naturally curious about how things work — whether it’s quantum computing, medical imaging like CT scans, or modern communication technologies,” Malmendier said. “Mathematics is the foundation behind all of these developments, and so a big part of my teaching philosophy is simply to bring those connections into the classroom.”

His top teaching evaluations reflect long-term impact, and he strengthens foundational instruction through major course redesigns.

“My main motivation is always to make courses genuinely useful for students,” he said. “That does not mean simplifying the material or teaching only ‘recipes,’ but building real bridges between mathematics and the fields where it is used, such as physics and engineering.”

He mentors doctoral and master’s students, guides Honors and URCO projects, and supports undergraduates who have earned Goldwater Scholarships, an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and competitive NSA internships.

“Often, the main thing students need is a small nudge,” Malmendier said. “Encouragement to apply, reassurance that they are competitive, and guidance through the process.”

Sydney O’Shay is honored for outstanding, student-centered teaching, innovative course design, and transformative mentorship in communication and media.

“I take great pride in my teaching and being a teacher. I’m a first-generation college student. I grew up in a rural area and grew up in poverty, really, so I always kind of saw education as my way to have a better life,” O’Shay said. “When I went to college, I was really lucky to have some great mentors and educators that helped me along the way, and I just strive to be like them and to be that for my students.”

She has taught nine courses with IDEA scores in the highest national categories and continually refines her instruction.

“Over the years, I’ve really tried to fine-tune my courses to ensure I show students how they can take what they learn and use it in the real world, regardless of where they’re going after their degree,” she said.

Through applied learning, research funding and dedicated mentoring, she supports undergraduate and graduate scholars who earn competitive awards and achieve academic success.

“I try to remain consistent so students see that I’m a whole person and recognize that it’s okay for them to be a whole person,” O’Shay said.

To hear more from these professors, attend their lectures in the ongoing ArtSci Faculty in Focus Series. Malmendier will present on April 17, and O’Shay will present on April 6. Stay tuned to the ArtSci event calendar and visit the website for more information.

Every Patient Counts stands out for its powerful narrative, evidence-based insights and unwavering commitment to demonstrating how leadership behaviors directly impact human lives. Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s health care system, this remarkable true story tells how leaders fundamentally transformed their own behaviors and unlocked the creativity, problem-solving capacity and intrinsic motivation of their teams. By shifting from command-and-control to people-centered approaches, these leaders helped their organizations make measurable and life-saving improvements. Through vivid storytelling and practical application, the book not only documents the journey of these healthcare leaders but also provides actionable tools that challenge readers to reflect on and elevate their own behaviors.

"Every Patient Counts is a compelling example of how principled leadership can transform organizations and save lives,” said Ken Snyder, executive director of the Shingo Institute. “It embodies the ideals of the Shingo Model by demonstrating respect, humility, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement.”

The transformative lessons within these pages have resonated deeply with readers across the healthcare and leadership communities:

Every Patient Counts packs more insights per page than any other book of the many I read on applying lean thinking and practices to healthcare. In addition to learning the ins and outs of introducing lean management to a hospital, the reader benefits from hearing the inspirational story of revolutionizing healthcare delivery where it was desperately needed in Africa. If such improvement is achievable in South Africa, surely it can be anywhere. All that is needed is the knowledge and the will. Kudos to the authors and to the healthcare improvers you will read about in Every Patient Counts. —John Shook, Past Chairman and CEO, Lean Enterprise Institute

When does a journey begin? With first steps, the preparations, the years that preceded even the idea, when frustration grew about “where we are”? Whatever it was, Mr. Dube and his senior staff began their improvement journey when the opportunity came. When Dr. Toussaint met Mr. Dube, he committed to make Catalysis available to sustain and propel the journey to the next level. The Leratong journey story towards improved quality of care is inspiring. A good place to start a journey. But good preparation and support along the way are also necessary. I commend this book to you to inspire you to start or sustain your journey. —Prof. Norman Faull, Chairman, Lean Institute Africa

Treating a patient, much like transforming an organization, requires a situational approach. They have unique backgrounds, attributes, symptoms, and available resources. In Every Patient Counts, Grey Dube and John Toussaint tell us about the remarkably successful transformation of an under resourced hospital in South Africa. This book is for any leader who relates to the mantra, “reach for your mind before reaching for your wallet,” which is to say, it’s for any leader who embraces the kaizen mindset. —Josh Howell, CEO of Lean Enterprise Institute

Every Patient Counts is an enlightening book that catalogues how Lean Management approach was employed to change the organizational culture, qualitatively improve the quality of healthcare, and save lives at Leratong Hospital, in the Gauteng City Region. This book is a historical record of what was achieved in Leratong Hospital under able and phenomenal leadership. It is also an inspiration and leadership manual on how with dedication, the application of lean management can improve the quality of public services and meet the needs of citizens. I also unreservedly commend this book to the public managers, academics, researchers, and students. —David Makhura, Former Premier, Gauteng Province

The work done by Mr. Grey Dube and the Gauteng Department of Health exemplifies transformative leadership and innovation in healthcare, especially in resource-constrained environments. Through the introduction of Lean management principles at Leratong Hospital, they catalyzed a dramatic transformation in patient care and operational efficiency. The significance of this work lies in its scalability and adaptability. The approach not only improved outcomes at Leratong Hospital, it inspired broader systemic changes within Gauteng’s framework. It demonstrated that in underfunded settings imaginative leadership and continuous improvement yield transformative results. This serves as a model for healthcare systems worldwide to emulate. —Lesiba Arnold Malotana, Head of Department, Gauteng department of Health & Wellness

The Shingo Publication Award, one of the most respected honors in the field of organizational excellence, recognizes authors whose work significantly influences leadership and cultural transformation across the globe, which Every Patient Counts delivers with clarity and purpose. By providing leaders with practical tools to strengthen patient-centered mindsets and align beliefs, behaviors, and outcomes, Every Patient Counts advances the worldwide conversation on building sustainable, principle-driven cultures in healthcare.

The authors will be formally presented with the award at the Shingo Connect Awards Gala in San Diego, California, on March 19. Shingo Connect includes workshops, site tours, keynotes, and sessions focused on achieving organizational excellence. Learn more at shingo.org/events. To purchase a copy of Every Patient Counts or other Shingo publications, visit https://shingo.org/books.

About the Authors

Dr. John Toussaint has been a leader in the global Lean health care movement for more than 25 years. An internist and former CEO, he has written or co-authored four books recognized by the Shingo Institute and serves as CEO of Catalysis, a nonprofit education institute that trains healthcare leaders around the world.

Grey Dube spent 40 years in South Africa’s public healthcare sector, including 12 years as CEO of a Gauteng Regional Hospital. He received the 2020 Provincial Service Excellence Award for Innovation, and the hospital achieved numerous accolades under his leadership. A passionate systems designer and coach, he mentors leaders in fundamental behaviors and has shared his expertise at international Lean conferences with Catalysis and the Lean Institute Africa.

Irene Serunye is a former nurse who dedicated 25 of her 40 years in healthcare to clinical practice, education, and management. Her curiosity led her to Lean management, igniting a passion for quality and excellence, and she champions unlocking human potential through coaching. As the CEO’s Lean partner, she pioneered the “buddy system,” driving the adoption of Lean principles with significant organizational impact.

About the Shingo Institute

The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo, one of the world's thought leaders in the Toyota Production System.

Drawing from Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute's Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit https://shingo.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:Mary Price, Events and Marketing DirectorShingo InstitutePhone: +1.435.760.0711Email: mary.price@usu.edu

To elevate the mission of connecting decision makers with high-quality research and data, the institute compiles publicly available data in the online repository. The repository contains large datasets from state and federal agencies paired down and presented in digestible and interactive formats.

The report was presented over breakfast at the Utah State Capitol Building. Legislators, state and community leaders, academic experts and data providers attended the event to hear about data trends, see data visualizations in the report and learn how to access the metrics repository to independently explore datasets.

The 2025 report includes chapters on land, water and air and energy. Featuring datasets ranging from park visitation to electricity generation, the report provides an opportunity to quickly reference the numbers within Utah’s natural resource discussions.

“By working with data providers, the metrics report brings public data together from several state and federal agencies in a unique way” said Brian Steed, executive director of the institute.

One example of data this impactful collaboration is with the Utah Division of Water Quality. The institute publicizes Harmful Algae Bloom data compiled by the division, this data is currently only available in the report. Collaborations between field scientists and data communicators like these increase visibility and understanding of natural resource datasets.

“Our work is about more than research — it’s about connecting people, ideas and data so Utah can proactively address pressing environmental issues,” said Anna McEntire, managing director of the institute.

The full 2025 report is published online and available to the public along with the repository at ilwa.usu.edu/metrics.

Historian Brent M. Rogers will share insights from his new book, “Buffalo Bill and the Mormons,” tracing the intersections between William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and the Latter-day Saints from 1846 through 1917. Cody began his stage career in 1872 and gained early notoriety by performing anti-Mormon dramas. Yet by the early 1900s, he was actively recruiting Latter-day Saints to help build infrastructure and encourage growth in the region surrounding Cody, Wyoming.

Rogers will discuss the trajectory that took America’s most famous celebrity from foe to friend of the Latter-day Saints, while exploring the cultural, political, environmental and economic history of the American West.

The event is free and open to the public.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated an incorrect start time for this event. The event begins at 6 p.m.

This event offers participants the opportunity to engage in both a homemade salsa competition and a salsa dance lesson. Students, faculty and staff are invited to prepare and submit their best homemade salsa for judging, serve as taste testers to determine the winning entry, and/or participate in an instructor-led salsa dance lesson.

Salsa & Salsa fosters community engagement through cultural appreciation, combining culinary creativity with dance instruction in an interactive and welcoming environment.

The event is free and open to the USU community. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP; participants who wish to enter the homemade salsa competition should register online.

In the 2024-25 academic year, USU students achieved an 89 percent pass rate on the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment, an intensive written exam required for teacher licensure in Utah. Even more impressive, 100 percent of its licensed graduates who are looking for jobs find work in the field.

Reading improvement is a key focus for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. A recent Literacy and Reading Symposium prior to the 2026 legislative session focused on ways the state can strengthen literacy and get more kids and adults reading.

“Our kids deserve high expectations and the support to meet them,” Cox said at the event. “This legislative session, we’re choosing literacy and we’re choosing our children.”

The elementary education program at USU is taking an active part in supporting childhood literacy. The program’s proven excellence is the result of a collaborative effort by faculty across the School of Teacher Education and Leadership in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services.

Three faculty members on that team are Jake Downs, Cindy Jones and Parker Fawson, whose roles in reading instruction, research and hands-on training are key to the program’s success in preparing future teachers to support Utah’s children.

Downs, an assistant professor in TEAL, fellow in the Center for the School of the Future, and USU’s designated science of reading professor, brings both research expertise and classroom experience to his work with undergraduate students. A three-time Utah State alumnus, Downs completed his doctorate in 2021 after nearly a decade working in the Cache County School District as an elementary teacher, instructional coach and district literacy coordinator.

His primary focus is elementary reading instruction, particularly preparing pre-service teachers to implement practices that are aligned with the science of reading, a research-based approach to reading instruction that teaches learners to connect sounds to letters while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

“We’re helping support our undergraduates and preparing them to become effective reading instructors right out of the gate,” Downs said. “I feel our students are very, very well prepared for classroom instruction.”

Downs designs coursework to help students see what science of reading instruction looks like in real classrooms by incorporating state-approved science of reading curricula so students can analyze how lessons are structured and how well they align with research.

To complement their classroom instruction, the program also includes valuable practicum experiences in which pre-service teachers can practice their developing skills with real students and under the support and supervision of teachers as they implement science of reading instruction.

“It’s hard to learn in a vacuum,” Downs said. “When students can see first-hand how classrooms work to employ the science of reading, it’s a big deal for them.”

Jones, a professor in TEAL, founded the USU Literacy Clinic in 2013. It provides targeted reading and writing intervention for K-6 students while serving as a hands-on training site for future teachers. The clinic has become the cornerstone of the program’s clinical training in the science of reading.

Jones joined TEAL as a faculty member in 2008 after earning her doctoral degree in literacy education from USU. Over the past 18 years, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses, mentored students, published research and served as interim department head of TEAL from 2020 to 2022.

Since fall 2018, every elementary education student at USU’s Logan campus is required to complete a 45-hour reading practicum in the Literacy Clinic. The experience mirrors the responsibilities of classroom teaching. Pre-service teachers assess students’ reading skills, plan lessons based on those assessments, teach one-on-one sessions with individual elementary-age students, observe and give feedback to peers, receive detailed feedback every week throughout the semester, and seek to employ feedback in subsequent instructional sessions.

“We engage pre-service teachers in a systematic process that reflects their future work as teachers in their own classrooms,” Jones said. “They learn classroom management, how to motivate children, and how to develop and refine reading instruction to accelerate individual students’ learning.”

The Literacy Clinic has expanded into what Jones describes as a microschool focused on literacy, growing from five volunteer tutors per semester to 72, with 16 weekly tutoring sessions with each session serving up to 10 children. Over the past 13 years, more than 1,700 children have received tutoring services in the Literacy Clinic.

Paula Jones enrolled her daughter in the Literacy Clinic two years ago as a first grader.

“She was a good student, but I wanted her to become more interested in books and reading,” Jones said. “Within the first few weeks, I saw a huge difference in my daughter’s behavior. Now she grabs books on her own to read without waiting for me or my husband to read them to her.”

Jones said the clinic was designed to address the realities new teachers face.

“When students graduate and teach in their own classrooms, they will have a wide range of learners with distinctive literacy needs,” she said. “I want to help our USU students be prepared to meet those needs and to be successful reading teachers.”

Elementary education students participate in multiple practicum experiences before and after their semester in the Literacy Clinic. They also make weekly classroom visits to Edith Bowen Laboratory School, an on-campus K-6 public charter school, which has some of the highest K-3 reading outcomes in the state. This enables students to observe classroom instruction that is producing those high-level measured results, and they then debrief later with their professors.

Fawson, an early literacy professor in TEAL, is the executive director of the state-funded Center for the School of the Future in CEHS. In 2020, Fawson and his team launched the Teacher Academy program, which gives pre-service teachers continuous immersion in a school setting. Over a three-semester period, elementary education majors can take advantage of part-time employment in a school where they receive quality mentorship from a teacher in real time. Students in this program receive more than 100 hours of additional practicum experience.

“This is a robust clinically based program,” Fawson said. “The teachers in these schools are mentoring the practicum students in effective instructional routines leading to improvements in student reading performance. We’re infusing their high level of expertise in early reading instruction into the practices of our future teachers.”

Remarkably, USU students, even those who are not participating in the Teacher Academy, receive more than 250 hours in practicum experiences before they begin full-time student teaching prior to graduation.

Downs said that the depth and breadth of practicum experiences in the program gives graduates a strong foundation for their career as teachers.

“They’re still novices — they haven’t been the teacher of record for one day yet — but the foundation is so rich,” he said. “Compared to less robust programs, when our graduates get into the classroom, we believe that they will really take off.”

“We have to do reading right, because it matters so much for kids,” Downs added. “Teachers are the backbone that make that happen, and as an institute of higher education, we are in a unique position to support them.”

“This opens incredible opportunities for USU students to be directly involved with hands-on marine ecology and wildlife science,” said Trisha Atwood, a marine ecologist from the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “They’ll be learning alongside top experts at a world-class facility.”

Through a partnership with USU, the new space will host a wide range of experiences, including research collaborations, tours and on-site classes.

“It’s such a great combination of two important areas of focus — inspiring people, as the aquarium does, to support the environment, and directly supporting it through research and education,” said Ari Fustukjian, vice president of zoological operations and veterinarian at the aquarium.

Students in USU’s new freshwater and marine ecology undergraduate degree program will be able to take advantage of everything from shark behavioral observations to building saltwater tank systems for a variety of marine species. The aquarium also hosts land animals, including an anaconda, clouded leopards and a Komodo dragon.

“You need to learn a host of skills to become a strong scientist,” said Edd Hammill, department head of Watershed Sciences. “Some folks train with a focus on field biology, or choose to be more in the lab. But really good scientists know a bit about both. Through the partnership, students have the best of both educational worlds.”

Combining lab skills and field experiences is a main goal for the USU program, giving students an opportunity for a well-rounded educational foundation, he said. And other partnerships are planned across campus.

• The state-of-the-art teaching facility offers students and researchers access to cutting-edge lab space.
• The Edith Bowen Laboratory School and the aquarium are teaming up on art-integration and place-based projects to inspire young learners through experiential learning and creativity.
• Marine science internships will offer marine-focused experiences on location for USU undergraduate students.
• Aquarium staff will join USU faculty in the field to participate in real-world conservation science work.
• There is potential for student clinical experiences for veterinary medicine students and opportunities for those with a broader interest in zoological medicine.

“Our students already get the chance to collect field data in places like the Great Barrier Reef and the Sea of Cortez — and now much closer to home,” Hammill said. “There are vital questions that can be answered only through these kinds of lab experiments — How will oceanic systems operate in the future? How will changing conditions affect the world?”

For instance, ecology master’s student Katia Quezada Villa is researching how cuttlefish respond to salinity fluctuations caused by increasingly volatile rainstorms and runoff. She’s constructed a complex, custom-built aquarium system in USU’s lab space at the aquarium to work toward that answer.

The education hub features 14 classrooms and advanced labs designed to support innovative, STEAM-focused programming. While the facilities are a resource for higher education and university research, they also serve school-age learners through experiential and place-based projects. In total, this expansion has doubled the aquarium's size, establishing it as the fifth-largest aquarium in the nation.

The Honors Faculty Fellows all participated in an Honors Experiential Learning Collaborative workshop series in fall 2025 and were then selected from a talented pool of strong applicants for this three-year fellowship.

In addition to providing time and funding for faculty to lead honors experiential-learning courses over a three-year period, the goals of establishing this fellowship are to:

• Bring to life the ideas of imaginative and innovative USU faculty.
• Create space for cross-disciplinary pedagogical conversation and collaboration.
• Develop a thoughtful curriculum of applied learning for honors students.
• Empower faculty to build new courses and partnerships that benefit their departments, colleges and campuses.
• Prepare future groups of interested faculty to apply for this three-year Honors Faculty Fellowship.

In support of these goals, each fellow will teach at least one honors course annually, interact regularly with the honors student community and share experiences with each other and the faculty selected to join the fall 2026 Honors Experiential Learning Collaborative. Through this workshop series and fellowship, the University Honors Program will continue to expand and support the robust statewide network of teachers and mentors who share a deep commitment to high-impact applied learning.

“The Honors Faculty Fellows are exceptional teachers and mentors eager to work with honors students and each other to develop scalable experiential-learning opportunities for all USU students,” says Kristine Miller, Professor of English and Executive Director of the Utah State University Honors Program.

According to Provost and Executive Vice President Laurens H. Smith, “This group has the potential to make a very positive impact on student success at USU, now and into the future.”

The following 2026-2029 Honors Faculty Fellows cohort members are also featured, along with their new courses, on University Honors Program website:

College of Arts & Sciences

• Molly Cannon (School of Social Sciences — Logan).
• Susan Grayzel (History, Cultures & Ideas — Logan).
• Amanda Katz (History, Cultures & Ideas — Logan).
• Lucía Sánchez-Gilbert (World Languages & Cultures — Logan).

College of Engineering

• Ryan Berke (Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering — Logan).
• Yang Shi (School of Computing — Logan).
• Elizabeth Vargis (Biological Engineering — Logan).

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services

• Jennifer Grewe (Psychology — Logan).
• Kerry Jordan (Psychology — Logan).
• Gregory Madden (Psychology — Logan).

S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• Sunshine Brosi (Wildland Resources — Eastern/Price).
• Katie Kraus (Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Science — Logan).
• Julie Lamarra (Technology, Design & Technical Education — Logan).

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) officially awarded the Jr. Aggie Academy with accreditation in January. Accreditation from the NAEYC has long been the standard for high-quality early learning programs. This accreditation is the second tier of the NAEYC quality assessment system. The academy received official NAEYC recognition in September.

“Accreditation is something that our center has been working toward for several years now,” said Ciara Walker, director of the Jr. Aggies Academy. “We've taken progressive steps each year and finally were at a point where we felt we could succeed in applying for and being awarded accredited status. This is the biggest accomplishment of our careers, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue our commitment to quality.”

Walker and her assistant director, Kalvina Hanley, have adjusted center policies and operations in order to reach the NAEYC standards. The center has deepened its focus on the learning and development of its students, which has included a new curriculum and better recording practices.

The NAEYC accreditation involves the center showing evidence and competency in the NAEYC’s nine early learning program standards. With this accreditation, the Jr. Aggies Academy is now viewed as one of the best centers in the state.

“There are approximately 505 licensed centers in Utah, and 32 of these have received NAEYC accreditation status,” said Lisa Boyce, professor of Human Development and Family Studies and executive director of the DDE Center for Early Care and Education. “This means the center is among the top 6% of centers in Utah.”

To maintain accreditation, the academy will need to continue to record evidence of annual requirements and provide additional evidence that high-quality practices and policies are in place and being followed.

“A large part of this is staff professional development and using research-based curriculum at all age levels,” Walker said. “It shows that our program prioritizes high-quality learning experiences and continuous improvement.”

Walker also believes that this national accreditation helps families recognize that the program is a high-quality center that is devoted to early childhood learning, education, development and safety.

“It helps families and communities feel comfortable knowing that their children are receiving quality care and education that will prepare them for being successful now and later in life,” she said.

The Jr. Aggies Academy has three different classrooms, ranging from children as young as 6 weeks old to preschool-aged children. All classrooms utilize curriculum tools according to developmentally appropriate practice. The director and lead preschool teacher both have advanced degrees in Early Childhood Education.

For more information on the Jr. Aggies Academy, visit statewide.usu.edu/blanding/daycare. For more information on the NAEYC, visit naeyc.org.

Offering residential campus housing and dining, Utah State University Blanding gives students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university, all while providing award-winning education. With degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, plus technical education offerings in Business, Technical Trades and Health Professions, USU Blanding offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at blanding.usu.edu.

“This scholarship has helped a lot,” Elizabeth said. “It came at the perfect time — just as I’m getting ready to begin student teaching in the spring. I’ve been working full time since I started college, but I won’t be able to continue that as a student teacher. Not having to worry as much about tuition and fees during this time has reduced a huge amount of stress. It’s allowing me to focus fully on my last semester and graduate debt-free. Knowing I can dedicate my time and energy to teaching rather than finances has been life-changing.”

Expendable scholarships, like the Lonnie & Cheryl Smith Scholarship, play a vital role at USU. Unlike endowed scholarships, which provide funding over time, expendable scholarships use the full amount of the gift immediately to support students’ current needs. This immediacy allows students to cover tuition, fees or living expenses during critical points in their education, enabling them to focus on learning, gain hands-on experience and prepare to transition into careers.

Elizabeth’s path to teaching was shaped by her own experiences growing up.

“I grew up in a city with both affluent and underfunded areas,” Elizabeth said. “I saw friends fall behind because they didn’t have access to the resources they needed. That’s why I want to teach in schools where I can make a real difference. I want students to see that education can open doors and change their lives, whether through college, a trade school or other opportunities.”

Elizabeth’s commitment to teaching is reinforced daily through practical experience.

“The secondary education program at USU is seriously the best,” Elizabeth said. “Two semesters of clinical experience have allowed me to learn and grow. It’s incredible to see how far I’ve come — from my very first lesson plans to now, during my last year of teaching. It can be intimidating to stand in front of a classroom, but the growth I’ve seen in myself affirms my confidence and love for teaching.”

Elizabeth’s inspiration also comes from the mentors and professors she’s encountered along the way.

“I’ve had the privilege of learning from professors who have taught across the country and from peers who are just as passionate about education,” Elizabeth said. “Every class, practicum and interaction has reinforced my decision to become a teacher and shown me the impact one dedicated educator can have on students’ lives.”

Looking ahead, Elizabeth plans to begin her teaching career in an inner-city school in Chicago, with hopes of eventually moving further east.

“This scholarship will help me save money for my first year as a teacher, so I can focus on my students instead of worrying about finances,” Elizabeth said. “The first year of teaching is challenging on its own, and this support makes all the difference in helping me start my career strong.”

For Elizabeth, the Lonnie & Cheryl Smith Scholarship represents more than financial assistance — it embodies the encouragement and belief that donors have in the future of Utah State University’s students. Through gifts like these, students are empowered to pursue their passions, serve their communities and carry forward the mission of USU’s Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services: to enrich lives and inspire meaningful change.

“Receiving this scholarship has reminded me that there are people who care about my success and want to see me thrive,” Elizabeth said. “I hope to honor that generosity every day in the classroom by inspiring my students to reach their full potential.”

Every gift to Utah State University has the power to transform a student’s journey. By supporting scholarships, programs, or special-use funds, you can help remove financial barriers and give students the freedom to focus on learning, growing, and achieving their dreams. Expendable scholarships provide immediate impact — funding awards that can be granted the same year or over several years. Create Your Aggie Impact today and help open doors to opportunity for the next generation of Aggies.