USU Uintah Basin Featured in Documentary Series About Vernal

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University Uintah Basin is prominently featured in a new documentary series that highlights the city of Vernal.

Small Town Comeback is a 20-episode series that documents the revitalization of downtown Vernal and how the local community has diversified its economy.

“This documentary series offers a close look at the heart of this small, rural community,” said Becca Summers, director of Small Town Comeback. “Each story explores a challenge the town faces and highlights how local organizations are coming together to address it. The level of collaboration and innovation has been inspiring to witness.”

USU Uintah Basin features heavily in episodes 17, 18 and 19, which were released in March. Jim LaMuth, director of programs at USU Uintah Basin, was heavily involved in the planning process of these episodes. He said the films are powerful examples of how a land-grant institution can be deeply connected to and make a lasting difference in the region it serves.

“Working on these films has been incredibly meaningful,” LaMuth said. “What stands out most is how clearly these films reflect USU’s land-grant mission in the Uintah Basin, demonstrating our commitment to strengthening education, supporting local businesses, advancing research and improving community health.”

Episode 17 focuses on the rise of rural education in the Uinta Basin. The episode covers the newly opened Central Cove Early Learning Center on the USU Uintah Basin campus and the impact this center will have on its students and the community.

Episode 18 examines health care in the Basin, including several minutes focusing on the USU Uintah Basin nursing and social work programs.

The episode shows how USU Uintah Basin allows local residents to train as health care workers and mental health professionals right in Vernal, receive in-person training and then make an impact in their local community.

Episode 19 highlights the resource that Utah State University Uintah Basin is to the local community. With unique programming and centers such as the Bingham Research Center and Bingham Entrepreneurial Center, USU acts as a bridge for education, research and innovation to address real-world problems in the region, support local entrepreneurs and create pathways for economic growth and opportunity.

“It was a fantastic experience partnering with the dedicated staff at USU Uintah Basin,” Summers said. “Their passion for serving their community shines through in everything they do. It was an honor to help tell the story of their innovative programming and the meaningful support they provide to this small town.”

David Law, associate vice president of USU Uintah Basin, said the series tells how USU Uintah Basin fulfills the university’s land-grant mission. He said one of USU Uintah Basin’s top three priorities is to engage with the community in ways that enrich the lives of not only students, but the community at large.

“The Small-Town Comeback series provides various examples of how the teaching, research and service given by our local faculty and staff provide solutions to problems our community faces,” Law said. “While USU Uintah Basin will always be the Uintah Basin’s institute of higher education for our residents pursuing college degrees, the Small-Town Comeback series highlights our commitment to improve the lives of all our residents in the Uintah Basin.”

To view the series in its entirety and to learn more about it, visit smalltowncomeback.com.

Operating campuses in Vernal and Roosevelt for more than 50 years, Utah State University Uintah Basin gives students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university, all in the backdrop of the outdoor oasis that is the Uinta Mountains and Ashley National Forest. With degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees and more than 125 programs available, as well as access to the renowned Bingham Research Center, USU Uintah Basin offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at uintahbasin.usu.edu.