New Student Housing Project Represents Investment in USU Eastern's Future
An architectural rendering shows planned apartment-style student housing at USU Eastern.
A new student housing project at Utah State University Eastern is about much more than adding rooms to campus. For university and community partners, the project represents an investment in Eastern’s future, one that can support enrollment, strengthen the student experience and give more students an opportunity to call Price home.
USU Eastern currently offers several styles of on-campus housing, including traditional residence halls, suites, and apartments. The university’s approach to student housing focuses on creating safe and comfortable living environments that support academic success, leadership, and social connections.
For Carla Saccomano, project manager for the new student housing project, that connection between housing and the future of the campus is what makes the project particularly meaningful.
“What excites me most is seeing an investment being made in the future of USU Eastern and our community,” Saccomano said. “This project is about much more than constructing a new building. It is about creating opportunities for students to come to Price, attend USU Eastern, and have a quality place to call home while they are here.”
The additional housing comes at an important time for Eastern. The university encourages students to secure housing early because housing reservations can fill quickly.
The new three-story student housing facility will provide modern, apartment style living for approximately 95 residents. Plans include both private and shared bedroom spaces paired with shared kitchens, living areas, bathrooms, and laundry amenities. Accessibility, safety, privacy, and student comfort have also been incorporated throughout the design.
Saccomano believes having additional options on campus can help remove a potential barrier as Eastern works to welcome students from throughout Utah and beyond.
“Additional housing gives USU Eastern more opportunity to welcome students from outside our immediate area and provide them with a comfortable, convenient place to live close to campus,” Saccomano said. “We want housing to support enrollment and growth rather than be something that limits those opportunities.”
For Mark Morley, the project also has a personal connection. Morley first attended USU Eastern in 1997 and his own experience as a student helped shape his enthusiasm for what the new housing can provide future generations.
“I love USU Eastern and the opportunities it provides for students,” Morley said. “My own life was positively influenced by my experience as a student here and by living in Price. I’m excited that this project will allow more students to come to Price, attend USU Eastern and have the opportunity to build the same kinds of friendships, memories, and experiences that have meant so much to me.”
There is even a unique connection between Morley’s time as a student and the location of the new project.
“When I first attended USU Eastern in 1997, on-campus housing was limited even then,” Morley said. “I ended up living in a small house that actually stood where the parking lot for this new dorm is located today, so there is something pretty special about seeing new student housing being built on this site.”
Morley said existing on campus housing is full and believes adding modern student housing will provide additional capacity while also becoming an important recruiting tool for prospective students.
Both Morley and Saccomano see the project’s significance extending well beyond enrollment numbers.
College housing is often where some of the most important parts of the student experience happen, including late night study sessions, roommates who become lifelong friends and the first real feeling of belonging to a campus community.
“Some of my fondest memories from USU Eastern are of my roommates and the friendships we formed,” Morley said. “Many of those friendships have lasted throughout my life.”
Saccomano echoed that sentiment.
“A dorm isn't simply a place where students sleep,” she said. “It's where friendships are made, where students study together, support one another and really begin to feel like they are part of the university community.”
That focus aligns closely with Eastern’s existing approach to residence life, which emphasizes engagement, academic success and social connection as central parts of the on-campus living experience.
Kristian Olsen, associate vice president of USU Eastern, said the project represents another important step in the campus’s continued growth.
“This project is an investment in our students and in the future of USU Eastern,” Olsen said. “As we create more opportunities for students to choose Eastern, we also need to make sure they have a place where they can feel at home, build relationships and truly become part of this campus and community. We’re excited about what this new housing will make possible for the next generation of students.”
For Saccomano, the ultimate measure of the project’s success will be what happens inside the building long after construction is complete.
“Ultimately, I hope we're creating more than student housing,” she said. “I hope we're helping create a place where students can build relationships and memories that stay with them long after they leave USU Eastern.”
As the project moves forward, the new residence hall represents more than additional space on campus. For Saccomano, Morley and the many partners involved, it represents confidence in the future of USU Eastern and in the students who will call Price home. The building will eventually be measured in square feet, rooms and beds, but its greater impact may be measured in the friendships formed, memories made and students who discover a place where they belong.
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
