Teaching & Learning

Dreams in the Making: USU-SLCC Partnership Propels Outdoor Product Design Innovators

By Shelby Ruud Jarman |

Video by Megan Anstine, College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences Multimedia

Over the Thanksgiving break from classes, Brenna Utley was hard at work — sewing on the very same machine she learned to use as a child.

“They just don’t make sewing machines like they used to,” she says as she works on her school project: a shirt designed for mountain biking that uses NASA technology to track the wearer’s stats in real-time.

As a student in the Utah State University Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program, Utley’s projects often blend innovation, creativity and functionality. It’s a big jump from the pajama pants that were her first project on the sewing machine at age 7, but the foundational sewing skills remain the same.

Her dad was her first sewing teacher, back when Utley was too small to reach the sewing machine’s pedal when it was set up on the table. Instead, they sat on the floor, side by side, stitching together pajama pants without a pattern — just creativity, teamwork and love.

“My parents had all daughters, and I think it was important to them that they raised us with the opportunities to explore each of our talents and learn skills that would make us more independent and successful,” she said.

Along with practical skills like sewing, her parents emphasized environmentalism and a love for nature. With a plant nursery right in her backyard and the Wasatch Mountains always a short drive away, Utley grew up with a strong affinity for the outdoors.

That’s why the OPDD program at USU originally caught her eye.

“I thought it was the perfect mix of being creative and in the outdoors,” Utley said.

The OPDD program prepares students to create innovative, sustainable products for the sports, outdoor and active industries. It combines design, engineering, sustainability and business, teaching students to develop ideas, communicate through sketches and digital tools, and turn designs into prototypes through hands-on projects.

Utley was exploring her options but wasn’t quite ready to move away from the Salt Lake Valley she had called home her entire life. She reached out to academic advisers at USU and got the inside scoop — a partnership was in the works between the Salt Lake Community College Fashion Institute and Utah State’s OPDD program. If she started classes at SLCC, she would finish just as the new partnership was expected to launch.

“It all lined up perfectly,” she said.

The new transfer agreement allows students who complete two years at SLCC’s Fashion Institute to apply to USU’s Outdoor Product Design and Development program after submitting a portfolio and being accepted into the program. SLCC students who are accepted can then graduate with a bachelor’s degree after two years of study at USU.

“We’re really excited to work more closely with Salt Lake Community College,” said Chase Anderson, OPDD industry relations manager. “Both programs share a passion for teaching students the art of product creation and design management. It’s incredibly rewarding to see this partnership create opportunities for students like Brenna.”

The partnership has been a game-changer for SLCC students who previously had to look out of state to continue their education — often losing hard-earned credits that couldn’t transfer.

Utley found a lot to love about her time at SLCC. The small class sizes fostered close relationships with other students and professors.

“At SLCC Fashion Institute, we have intentionally designed small classes where the students get the most support from their faculty,” said Mojdeh Sakaki, SLCC Fashion Institute program manager. “Needless to say, our curriculum is solid, and the aim is to prepare students to be ready for the workforce.”

Perhaps the best benefit was the emphasis on sewing skills — skills Utley had learned at home but continued to develop during her time at SLCC and now give her an advantage in her OPDD classes.

“In all my group projects, I’m the one who can handle the patterning and sewing,” Utley said. “Having that background means I can whip up prototypes really quickly.”

Now at USU, she has access to the many resources and industry connections offered by the OPDD program. Guided by an advisory board of leading companies in the outdoor recreation industry, the program ensures that students gain real-world experience and build networks that will help them succeed after graduation.

“It feels like the program really sets you up well for the industry and helps you build connections along the way so you can eventually get a job,” she said.

Looking ahead, Utley envisions a career as a technical designer of outdoor products and dreams of one day starting her own outdoor clothing business. Inspired by her upbringing and family's emphasis on environmental stewardship, she is committed to making the outdoors accessible to everyone.

“I think everybody should be able to have that healthy relationship with nature,” she said. “I want to create products that encourage others to build their own connections to the outdoors.”

Outdoor Product Design and Development student Brenna Utley is among the first students who transferred credits and experience from the Salt Lake Community College Fashion Institute and is well on the way to a career in the growing outdoor products industry. (Photo Credit: USU/Bronson Teichert)

WRITER

Shelby Ruud Jarman
Writer
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
208-705-2282
shelby.ruud@usu.edu

CONTACT

Chase Anderson
Industry Relations Manager
Outdoor Product Design & Development
385-350-5503
chase.anderson@usu.edu


TOPICS

Student Success 338stories Hands-on Learning 240stories Design 88stories Outdoor 86stories Partnerships 67stories

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