USU Eastern Unveils Block A

Utah State University Eastern in Price Utah unveiled its Block A as part of USU’s Homecoming celebration in October. The Block A is a replica of the iconic statue in Logan where one becomes a “True Aggie” by kissing at midnight under lighted “A” on Old Main tower under a full moon and during special university events such as Homecoming and “A” Day.

“Since our merger with the College of Eastern Utah in 2010, the reference to Aggies in words or icons on this campus has been limited and we are changing that,” said Gary Straquadine, vice provost at USU Eastern. “The Aggie nickname and the significant statewide impact of the Aggie brand will be promoted here forth, with pride. We will now have an Aggie presence for places and spaces at the USU Eastern campus that will cohabitate with the USU Eastern Eagle.”

The Block A was placed in front of the USU Eastern Athletic Facility where it holds sporting and community events, including graduation.

The Block A was manufactured by the USU Eastern welding program, part of the School of Applied Sciences and Technology in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. Austin Welch led the class in the creation of the “A” with support from fellow USU Eastern welding instructors Mason Winters and Lon Youngberg. Welch took on the task as a class project with six, second-year students actively participating. The class made two Block A’s. One for USU Eastern campus at Price and one for USU Eastern campus at Blanding.

The USU Eastern Block A is almost the exact size of the Block A on the USU Logan campus and was made from 6-inch tube steel and ¾-inch flat plate steel weighing in at nearly 750 pounds.

USU Eastern still has its Gibby Rock, (Rock of Gibraltar), on the east side of the Jennifer Leavitt Student Center, a hold-over from the Class of 1941 and the its former days as the College of Eastern Utah.

Contact: Gary Straquadine, gary.straquadine@usu.edu, 435-613-5294