Utah State University USTAR researcher Randy Lewis was a featured speaker at USU’s Sunrise Session where he discussed the various ways spider silk can be used in various technologies. Spider silk has many potential uses including ligament and tendon repair, bulletproof skin, high-tech clothing, parachutes and airbags.

Lewis’ research focuses on the “ancient new” material of natural silks produced by spiders. In his presentation, Lewis gave an overview of his group’s work to reproduce those silks using a variety of different systems, including bacteria, goats, alfalfa and silkworms.
 

“We are working on ways to mass-produce innovative materials that are stronger than steel and stretchier than nylon,” Lewis said.

The innovative research has garnered press attention from around the world and commercial interest from numerous companies.

Upcoming Sunrise Sessions include College of Education and Human Services Researcher Maria Norton on Aug. 9, 2013 and Jon M. Huntsman School of Business researchers Cathy Hartman and Ed Stafford on Nov. 1, 2013.

Sunrise Sessions are sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and are free and open to the public.

Contact: USU Vice President for Research Office, 435-797-1180

ROOT SPORTS™ Rocky Mountain will annually produce and televise approximately 10 football games featuring Mountain West teams, and a minimum of 25 MW intra-conference and non-conference men's basketball games, beginning with the 2013-14 season. All events will be produced and distributed in high definition.

"We are pleased to partner with the Mountain West Conference to bring these games to fans throughout the region," said Patrick Crumb, president of DIRECTV Sports Networks. "The Mountain West offers competitive, compelling match-ups, and we look forward to providing a platform to showcase the conference and its teams."

"Our entire ROOT SPORTS™ Rocky Mountain team is excited to be the regional home of the Mountain West Conference," said David Woodman, general manager of ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain. "With many member institutions located within our network's footprint, these games will be a great addition to our collegiate sports programming for years to come."

"This unique partnership will provide enhanced coverage and promotion for the entire MW membership," said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson. "ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain is an important component in an innovative, multi-platform exposure plan for the future of the league."

About ROOT SPORTS™ Rocky Mountain Region
ROOT SPORTS™ is the home of the Colorado Rockies, Utah Jazz, Mountain West, Big Sky Conference and University of Denver. The network reaches 2.5 million households across nine states and delivers more than 350 live events each year — all of which are available in high definition.

ROOT SPORTS™ is owned and operated by DIRECTV Sports Networks LLC, which operates regional sports networks in the Northwest, Pittsburgh and Rocky Mountain regions. The three networks combined reach 8.9 million households across 18 states and own exclusive programming and distribution partnerships with more than 20 teams and conferences. DIRECTV Sports Networks is a controlled subsidiary of DIRECTV, the world's most popular television service.

About the Mountain West Conference
From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the Mountain West continues to cultivate opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. With the addition of San Jose State University and Utah State University on July 1, 2013, the MW will be comprised of 11 all-sport members and 12 football-playing institutions. Currently, the Mountain West membership includes: the United States Air Force Academy, Boise State University, Colorado State University, Fresno State, University of Hawai`i (football only), University of Nevada, University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, UNLV and University of Wyoming.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

International Learn to Fly Day was established by the Experimental Aircraft Association in 2009 to raise awareness of flying and to encourage current pilots to involve others in aviation.

“We are excited to team up with the other flight schools in Logan for this event,” said Sean Heiner, chief flight instructor at USU. “I encourage all members of the community to visit the airport and see what opportunities are available to become pilots.”

Due to road construction, the Logan-Cache Airport should be accessed by taking Main Street or 600 West to 2500 North. Drivers will be unable to access 2500 North from 1000 West.

The day’s sponsors:

Utah State University

USU Aviation will offer the opportunity to fly in one of USU’s Diamond DA40 Aircraft for 30 minutes with a certified flight instructor. The cost is $70 per aircraft. A portion of the proceeds will benefit USU’s National Intercollegiate Flying Association team. Funds raised will support the team’s travel to the Region I flight competition in October. The aircraft rate allows three individuals, depending on weight, to fly at one time. One person will be in the co-pilot seat for the duration of the flight.

Rollin’ West Barbeque and the USU Campus Store will attend the event and also donate a portion of their proceeds to NIFA.

Free, guided tours will also be available for those who want to learn about the professional pilot and maintenance management degree options at USU. Visitors will experience the USU facilities at the Logan-Cache airport, including the hangars, flight simulator lab and maintenance facilities. USU flights and tours will be offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To schedule, call (435) 797-7091.

Mountain Ridge Helicopters

Mountain Ridge Helicopters will provide 15-minute introductory flights for $75 per person and tour flights for $125 per helicopter. Introductory flights allow one person maximum, and tour flights allow three individuals, depending on weight, to fly at one time. If weather permits, the flight school will host sky divers at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. To schedule an introductory or tour helicopter flight, call (435) 752-3828.

Free, guided tours will be available for those who are interested in helicopters and Mountain America Credit Union will be on-site to discuss financing options for flight training. Pilots from various sectors of the helicopter industry will be at the event to answer questions and discuss the opportunities for prospective pilots.

Leading Edge Aviation

Leading Edge Aviation will offer introductory flights from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $79 per aircraft. The flight school will also have students and flight instructors available to answer questions regarding flight training. To schedule a flight with Leading Edge Aviation, call (435) 752-5955.

Related links:

USU Aviation Technology

USU School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education

USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Contact: Taylor Adams, 435-797-7091, taylor.adams@usu.edu

Really? Absolutely! And organizers of Utah State University’s2013 Physics Day at Lagoon are making the most of their annual rite of spring to teach teens the fun of science is right at their fingertips — even after they leave the thrills and chills of northern Utah’s favorite amusement park.

“Smartphone applications allow users to collect data with electronic protractors, levels, stopwatches, acceleration sensors and more while flying through the air on a rollercoasters or tilt-a-whirl,” says USU graduate student Milo Maughan, organizer of 2013 USU Physics Day, which is Friday, May 17, at Lagoon. “But you can apply these applications to everyday activities, too. It’s a fun and exciting way to practice what you’ve learned in the classroom.”

For the 24th year, Davis County’s überplayground is opening its doors to more than 5,000 aspiring scientists from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada to transform the park into a giant laboratory to explore such basic physics concepts as gravity, projectile motion, centrifugal forces and energy.

Physics Day participants will still zoom through roller coaster loops measuring G-forces with their carefully crafted wrist accelerometers as their predecessors have done for more than two decades. But USU students will also guide them in smart phone applications to try out on rides, along with a new application that allows users to take light filtered through a diffraction grating and display it on a color spectrum.

Along with high-tech gadget fun, Physics Day includes such perennially favorite competitions as bombing a giant bull’s eye with raw eggs in self-designed protective containers from the Sky Ride (nearly 1,000 eggs plunged to their doom last year), vying in robotics grudge matches and displaying ideas for thrilling rides of the future. For the fourth consecutive year, middle and high school teams will compete in an engineering challenge to design and build energy-generating windmills for a chance to advance to the national MESA USA Wind Energy Challenge this summer.

The day also includes the annual Physics Bowl competition, in which nearly 100 hopefuls in three-person teams will vie for more than $120,000 in scholarship awards. Six students in the top two teams will receive full, four-year scholarships to USU, along with two semesters of free textbooks.

USU Physics Day is one of Utah State’s largest and longest-running outreach and recruitment events. Since its inception in 1990, more than 125,000 teens have participated in the yearly gathering.

“What better laboratory to entice young people than an amusement park?” says J.R. Dennison, USU physics professor and a founder of the popular event.

2013 Physics Day sponsors include Idaho National Laboratory, ATK Space Systems, Boeing, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Hill Air Force Base, Lagoon, Micron, Portage Environment, Pasco Scientific, Rocky Mountain NASA Space Grant Consortium, Space Dynamics Laboratory, U.S. Navy, the USU Campus Store (Bookstore), USU College of Science, USU Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Resources and the USU Admissions Office.

Related links

• USU Physics Day at Lagoon
• USU Department of Physics
• USU College of Science

Contact: Milo Maughan, 435-797-2979, physicsdayusu@gmail.com

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu

“In surveys, our students consistently identify Jim as the most highly regarded advisor in our department,” says Dave Liddell, professor and head of USU’s Department of Geology. “He funds his students’ research projects but, more importantly, he provides them with encouragement and unlimited quantities of his time.”

Evans, who joined USU in 1987 and received USU’s 2010 Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students. He teaches a variety of classes, including such introductory and Honors courses as Honors Planet Earth and Energy in the 21st Century, along with graduate offerings in subsurface analyses, petroleum systems, structural analyses of deformed geological materials and mechanics and processes in Earth sciences.

“I have had the great pleasure in teaching students at all levels about the earth and how it works,” Evans says. “I have benefited greatly from working with some of the best graduate students and colleagues a professor could wish for — both in terms of intellectual ability and curiosity about the earth and sciences, an in terms of being outstanding human beings.”

Beyond the classroom, Evans led two groups of students that excelled in the Imperial Barrel Award competition, which is a joint AAPG/AAPG Foundation program.

Evans has published numerous articles on topics ranging from fault mechanics to reservoir integrity and carbon dioxide sequestration. He served as chief editor of the Geological Society of America’s Journal of Structural Geology from 1997 to 2002, and currently serves as editor of the society’s Lithosphere journal.

Evans, who has been an AAPG member since 1998, was recommended for the honor by the AAPG Academic Liaison Committee and approved by the AAPG Foundation Trustees. The foundation was established in 1967 with the primary goal of providing a source of funding for educational, charitable and scientific objectives, which directly and indirectly benefit the geologic profession and the general public.

Related links:

• “USU Geology Students Regional Champs, Advance to International Finals,” Utah State Today
• “Drill, Baby, Drill: USU-led Geothermal Research Project Begins,” Utah State Today
• “Geologist Jim Evans Named 2010 Outstanding Graduate Mentor,” Utah State Today
•  USU Department of Geology
• USU College of Science

Contact: James “Jim” Evans, 435-797-1267, james.evans@usu.edu

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu

The privately-sponsored Best of State Awards were created to recognize the excellence, creativity and contributions of individuals, organizations and businesses in Utah. The program officially recognized Sound Beginnings during an awards gala May 11 in Salt Lake City.

The Sound Beginnings Program provides integrated services that include audiological testing and treatment, speech-language therapy and preschool education. Services are delivered through home visits, center-based toddler groups and preschool class instruction.

The program was founded in 2007 when the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education and the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management at Utah State University teamed up to establish a cutting edge birth to age 5 educational program. It serves the families of children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing who have chosen to communicate through listening and spoken language.

In addition to providing services to children with hearing loss and their families, Sound Beginnings serves as an integrated, interdisciplinary training site for graduate students in audiology, deaf education and speech-language pathology.

“Sound Beginnings’ strength is combining evidence-based educational practices with an interdisciplinary graduate training program,” said Kim Corbin-Lewis, the Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education department head.  “It’s exciting for the faculty, the graduate students and the children and their families.”

Related links:

USU Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education

USU Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Contact: Kim Corbin-Lewis, department head, Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, 435-797-1302, kim.corbin-lewis@usu.edu

Local restaurant Herm’s Inn recently received welcome assistance from Utah State University students Rachelle Messner, Nikol Larsen and Jacoby Knight, who tackled the “dirty job” of waste management as a project for Department of Environment and Society faculty member Roslynn Brian’s Communicating Sustainability class.

“We partnered with Herm’s Inn co-owner and manager Ryan Bird, along with Logan City’s Environmental Department, to evaluate the restaurant’s current recycling program and determine how we could make it more sustainable,” says Messner, an undergraduate environmental studies major.

Bird and his partners have already demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability, she says.

“Herm’s Inn is located in a recently renovated historic building and its management has a complete understanding of food miles and carbon footprint and makes an effort to use local and in-state food sources.”

But a limiting factor for the restaurant, which is located in a residential area, is space.

The students found the existing space for waste occupied by a dumpster receiving twice-weekly city garbage pick-ups, with little room for recycling. They enlisted help from Logan City Environmental Department employees Emily Malik, conservation coordinator, and Jeff Spatig, customer service manager, in conducting a waste audit for the popular eatery.

“Yes, I’m kind of like a ‘garbage detective,’” Spatig says. “When I do an audit, I literally go through an entire dumpster of garbage.”

What Spatig found was a “significant amount” of cardboard, plastics and tin cans the restaurant could recycle and thus reduce the cost and frequency of trash pick-ups and the space needed for garbage.

“We went through the results of the audit and found we could replace the existing dumpster with a smaller one and add recycle containers,” Larsen says. “As we tallied it up, we estimated these changes could save Herm’s Inn more than $200 a month or nearly $2,500 a year.”

In addition, the students determined that, in one year, Herm’s Inn could divert a whopping 16,224 cubic feet of garbage from landfills.

“We were really impressed with the results,” Bird says. “Being able to take these steps fits with our sustainable mission and is welcome news as we approach our first year anniversary.”

To help Herm’s Inn implement the upgraded recycling program, the students are preparing an employee training plan. In addition, the students have designed a custom recycling logo to grace the restaurant’s take-out containers and recycling bins.

“This is a way of showcasing Herm’s Inn’s commitment to sustainability throughout the community and to encourage its customers to pursue similar efforts,” Knight says.

The recycling project is just the beginning of Herm’s Inn’s partnership with USU. Student Chloe Bickmore, an intern for USU’s Student Organic Farm, is working with Bird on ideas to keep the restaurant supplied with local food.

The Herm’s Inn project was one of a number of projects conducted by students in Brain’s ENVS 4700 class. Other groups worked with campus entities, a local public school and a local religious congregation on varied sustainability projects.

The purpose of the course, Brain says, is to explore the use of educational and communication strategies to encourage the adoption of sustainable behaviors and to partner with the public in developing ongoing programs that encourage sustainability.

Related links:

• USU Department of Environment and Society
• USU Extension Sustainability
• USU Quinney College of Natural Resources

Contact: Roslynn Brain, 435-797-3313, roslynn.brain@usu.edu

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu

The USU students took the top honors at the 2013 Walmart IT Summit and AIS Student Chapter Leadership Conference. The Association of Information Systems (AIS), the organization that hosted the competition, is a professional group for individuals and organizations that lead the research, teaching, practice and study of information systems worldwide. Teams from 17 universities entered the contest and just six teams in each of four categories made it to the finals.

A team of three Huntsman MIS students, which included Vishal Patel, Dannaea Ward and Eric Schnell, entered the “IT risk identification category” and took first place. They were asked to do a case study for a fictional health care company that was trying to decide if it should store private patient data in an online secure cloud storage system or on a more traditional protected system.

The team took first place on a regional level to qualify for nationals where it was further tested and asked to come up with a more detailed plan to mitigate the risks of its recommendation.

“In the IT risk identification competition we were up against students from Arizona State University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Alabama and Temple University, all of which are ranked among the top 20 MIS programs in the United States,” Ward said. “By placing in both categories we competed in, we were able to gain great recognition for our MIS program. We as Huntsman students take great pride in the education we are receiving and this was the perfect opportunity to show off the skills we have learned.”

The other team of three Huntsman management information systems (MIS) students, which included Gina Baldazzi, Kristen Tenney and Kyle Bell, submitted a training video they created and took second place in the “interactive learning module” category. The video, which a former student, Marielle Sanchez, helped them create before she graduated in 2012, is aimed at helping people learn how to create an “entity relationship diagram,” which Baldazzi described as “the blue prints for a database.” She said they wanted to create something that was not too technical so that even those who are not MIS students could understand it.

David Olsen, who heads the Management Information Systems Department at USU, said it is impressive that the Huntsman students competed so well in this premiere international MIS competition.

“The hallmark of a great MIS student at USU is hard work, productivity and camaraderie,” Olsen said. “Our students were just so determined to bring home awards and I am so proud of them. To see them excel like this when competing against some of the brightest students in the country is gratifying.”

One competition broke students up into new teams made up of a mix of students from various schools. The team Baldazzi was on took second place in that competition.

The Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University seeks to inspire and equip students to become innovative, ethical leaders with refined analytical skills that will help them understand and succeed in the global marketplace. The Huntsman School of Business is one of eight colleges at USU, located in northern Utah. More information on the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business may be found at its website.

Contact and writer: Steve Eaton, 435-797-8640, steve.eaton@usu.edu

The holiday observance was created Oct. 1, 1961, when the U.S. Congress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. The bill was signed into law by U.S. President John F. Kennedy Oct. 1, 1962. The legislation was amended in 1994 when U.S. President Bill Clinton directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15.

Each year the president issues a proclamation in observance of the day. In compliance with that proclamation, Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert has authorized the lowering of the state of Utah’s flag in addition to the flag of the United States of America.

All flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset May 15, 2013.

The training will be held at the Mountain View Tower residence hall on the Logan campus and will last approximately two hours. Several emergency vehicles will be in the area for the afternoon participating in the drill.

Emergency Management wants to remind those who may be in the area that it is just a drill and no further action needs to be taken.

For questions or more information, contact Judy Crockett by email at judy.crockett@usu.edu or by phone at (435) 797-0807.

Related link:
USU Emergency Management

Contact: Judy Crockett, Emergency Management, (435) 797-0807, judy.crockett@usu.edu

Thomsen finished the season batting .387 in conference action and .425 for the season as her overall batting average was the highest of any player in the WAC. This is her second-straight first-team all-WAC honor as she was named a member of the 2012 all-WAC first-team as well. Thomsen, who also earned second-team Easton All-American honors, is the first player in USU history to earn first-team all-conference honors twice in her career.

Froton received her first all-conference honors of her career, as the sophomore collected second-team all-WAC honors for this season’s performance. Froton finished with a .316 batting average in conference action as well as a .304 average overall. Froton also recorded five triples this season, which is tied for the most by any player in the WAC.

New Mexico State’s Staci Rodriguez was named WAC Player of the Year, while San Jose State’s Amanda Pridmore was named WAC Pitcher of the Year. WAC Freshman of the Year was awarded to Louisiana Tech’s Anna Cross, while SJSU’s Peter Turner earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Spartans to the regular season title as well as the No. 1 seed heading into this week’s WAC Tournament in Ruston, La.

New Mexico State led the way with six players on the All-WAC teams, followed by Texas State with five and San Jose State and Louisiana Tech with four each. The complete teams are listed below.

2013 WAC Player of the Year: Staci Rodriguez, New Mexico State

2013 WAC Pitcher of the Year: Amanda Pridmore, San Jose State

2013 WAC Freshman of the Year: Anna Cross, Louisiana Tech

2013 WAC Coach of the Year: Peter Turner, San Jose State

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Contact: Couper Sorenson, 435-840-2007

Hawkins also won the 100m hurdles portion of the heptathlon with a personal-best time of 13.82, which now ranks her seventh in school history for the event. Hawkins continued her career day as she recorded personal-best marks in the 200m with a time of 24.84 and shot put with a toss of 11.34m (37-02.50) to place second and sixth, respectively.

Junior Aubriann Bosen also made the top-six in the heptathlon after the first day’s events with 3,017 points, highlighted by her fourth-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 11.67m (38-03.50). Bosen also placed sixth in the 100m hurdles with a personal-best time of 14.70, while sophomore Cree Phillips Taylor rounded out the top-six finishes for the Aggie women by placing fourth in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.66.

Overall, Utah State combined for 17 personal-best marks during the multi-events on the first day of the league championships as the USU women began defense of their 2012 WAC Outdoor title. Joining Hawkins, Bosen and Taylor in the heptathlon was sophomore McKenzie Johnson, while seniors Sam Hawkins and Tanner Clark competed in the decathlon.

Action continues Thursday [May 9] with the remaining events in the heptathlon and decathlon, starting at 9 a.m. (MT). Fans can follow the action by clicking the "Live Results" link at www.UtahStateAggies.com or by visiting www.WACSports.com. A complete schedule of the meet is also available with times for all events Thursday through Saturday online (www.WACSports.com).

Fans can also Utah State Athletics, including USU track & field and cross country, on Twitter or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

UTAH STATE RESULTS

WAC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

ARLINGTON, TEXAS

MAY 8, 2013

WOMEN:

Heptathlon (after four events) — 1. Chari Hawkins, 3,515 points; 6. Aubriann Bosen, 3,017 points; 9. Cree Phillips Taylor, 2,789 points; 12. McKenzie Johnson, 2,621 points

Hept. 100m Hurdles — 1. Chari Hawkins, 13.82; 4. Cree Phillips Taylor, 14.66; 6. Aubriann Bosen, 14.70; 12. McKenzie Johnson, 15.74

Hept. 200m — 2. Chari Hawkins, 24.84; 8. Cree Phillips Taylor, 25.86; 9. Aubriann Bosen, 26.03; 11. McKenzie Johnson, 26.16

Hept. High Jump — 1. Chari Hawkins, 1.81m (5-11.25)*; 7. Aubriann Bosen, 1.57m (5-01.75); T-11. Cree Phillips Taylor, 1.48m (4-10.25); 14. McKenzie Johnson, 1.45m (4-09.00)

Hept. Shot Put — 4. Aubriann Bosen, 11.67m (38-03.50); 6. Chari Hawkins, 11.34m (37-02.50); 7. McKenzie Johnson, 9.94m (32-07.50); 11. Cree Phillips Taylor, 9.46m (31-00.50

MEN:

Decathlon (after five events) — 9. Sam Hawkins, 3,163 points; 10. Tanner Clark, 2,741 points

Dec. 100m — 10. Sam Hawkins, 11.62; 11. Tanner Clark, 12.32

Dec. 400m — 3. Sam Hawkins, 52.10; 10. Tanner Clark, 56.35

Dec. High Jump — T-7. Sam Hawkins, 1.76m (5-09.25); 9. Tanner Clark, 1.70m (5-07.00)

Dec. Long Jump — 10. Sam Hawkins, 6.00m (19-08.25); 11. Tanner Clark, 5.73m (18-09.75)

Dec. Shot Put — 9. Sam Hawkins, 10.82m (35-06.00); 10. Tanner Clark, 10.76m (35-04.50)

Results

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

An information table will be at the Logan Transit Center from 7:30-9:30 a.m. each weekday providing bike-related prizes for those riding a bike. Free refreshments, riding and safety information, bike registration and free, five-minute bike tune-ups will be provided by Utah State University’s Aggie Blue Bikes Program.

Utah State University will also have an information table on the TSC patio from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. with free health screenings, massages, prizes and healthy snacks.

The Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAC) is sponsoring Bike to School activities at the seven valley high schools. Each school received a promotional package and a $50 check to be utilized by students to advocate biking.

Bear River Charter School will have a bike registration table on Monday, May 13, from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

Helmet stickers will be available at the various information tables throughout the week.  The stickers will be redeemable for discounts at Logan bike shops, restaurants and other retailers during the week.

Organizers encourage everyone to join the fun, leave the car at home, and get a healthy kick out of it.

Sponsors for the week include the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board, Cache Valley Transit District, USU Sustainability Council, Bear River Health Department, USU-Aggie Blue Bikes, J-U-B Engineers Inc., USU Employee Wellness Program, Caffe Ibis and Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Participating retailers include Jack's Pizza, Angie's, Al's Sporting Goods, Sunrise Bicycles, Caffe Ibis, Wimmer's Bicycles, Sportsman, CampSaver, Crumb Brothers, Joyride Bicycles, USU Dining Services and more.

For more information about National Bike to Work Week, see the USU Sustainability website. 

Contact: Paul Rogers, 435-797-0914, p.rogers@aggiemail.usu.edu

Writer: Paige Pagnucco, 435-797-1429, paige.pagnucco@usu.edu

“It is certainly an honor to have been chosen by my peers to chair this prestigious committee,” said Barnes, who began his five-year term in September 2010. “When I think of the colleagues who have served in this capacity, both prior to and during my tenure, I am truly humbled to have this opportunity. I learned so much by watching previous chairs Mike Bobinski, Jeff Hathaway and Gene Smith, and I look forward to working with Ron Wellman and the rest of the committee in the coming year to be fully prepared for this tremendous responsibility.”

Barnes earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fresno State University, where he played basketball for the Bulldogs. He would later play professionally in Germany before coaching at the high school and club levels and serving as a general manager of the Fresno Flames of the World Basketball League. From there, he began a career in athletic administration that includes stops at the University of San Diego, the University of the Pacific, Iowa State University, Humboldt State University, Eastern Washington University and the University of Washington.

He has been in his current role at Utah State for five years. Under Barnes’ leadership, the USU athletics department has seen improvements in development and facilities, while winning 17 Western Athletic Conference championships. The school will join the Mountain West Conference July 1, 2013.

Contact: David Worlock, (317) 917-6120

Jessop will be honored at a dinner May 9 in Salt Lake City.

As the 2013 award recipient, a profile of Jessop was recently published in the Salt Lake Tribune.

“Carol and I are proud of Utah State University and the many great things it does for the state and beyond,” said Jim Laub, president and chief executive officer of Cache Valley Electric. “Under the outstanding leadership of USU President Stan Albrecht and Scott Barnes, they have positioned USU for a dynamic and successful future. Carol and I look at this gift as an investment in Utah State University’s future.”

The 32,000 square-foot building, which will be named the Wayne Estes Center, will be located just to the west of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum where the current Harris Athletics Center sits. The facility will contain a regulation size competition court with chair back seating for 1,400 fans, along with a training room and in-season strength and conditioning area. Office space for both men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball will also be included in the new facility, as well as a locker room and film room for volleyball. Ticketing and concession services will also be available on game days.

Located inside the foyer of the Wayne Estes Center will be a visual tribute of the building’s namesake.

“Jim and Carol have played a critical role in the growth of our athletic enterprise in numerous ways over the years,” said Barnes. “Their most recent lead gift to the Wayne Estes Center is a profoundly generous statement that speaks volumes about their devotion to Utah State University Athletics and our student-athletes. This comes at a pivotal time as we continue to make the climb in preparation for Mountain West competition.”

The facility, which will be built by Okland Construction and designed by VCBO Architecture, is expected to be completed by April, 2014. All funding for the new facility will come from private donations.

“When asked for my suggestion for a name for this new facility, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to recognize Wayne Estes and the legacy he left,” Laub said. “Merlin Olsen, the greatest football player in school history, recently had the football field named in his honor and Wayne is the greatest basketball player in school history, so it just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Wayne Estes was an All-American basketball player for Utah State University from 1963 to 1965 and still ranks as the third-leading scorer in Utah State history with 2,001 points and the fourth-leading rebounder (893). He holds school records for career points per game (26.7), free throws made in a career (469), consecutive 10-point games (64), points in a season (821), points per game in a season (33.7), points in a game (52) and rebounds in a game (28).

On the night of Feb. 8, 1965, Estes played the last game of his college career against the University of Denver in the Nelson Fieldhouse on the USU campus. Estes, who scored the second-most points in a single-game in school history that night with 48 (trailing his school-record 52 points set a year earlier) eclipsed the 2,000 point mark with his final basket of the game to give him 2,001 points for his career.

After the game, Estes and some friends stopped at the scene of a car accident near campus. While crossing the street, Estes brushed against a downed high power line and was fatally electrocuted.

“As the years have gone by since that fateful day in 1965, when Wayne was accidently electrocuted, I have noticed that many of Utah State’s younger fans are not aware of Estes and his history, his greatness, or his impact on the community,” Laub said. “By suggesting that this facility be named in his honor, it will allow past generations to remember him and future generations to honor him.”

Estes would have likely been a high draft pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1965 as he was the second-leading scorer in the nation at 33.7 points per game, just behind Rick Barry.

Estes was posthumously given All-American honors by the Associated Press and also earned a posthumous consensus Second Team All-American distinction. In 1967, Estes was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“I had two idols as a young boy in the 1960s — Mickey Mantle and Wayne Estes,” Laub said. “Like most young boys, I was impressionable and tried to emulate Wayne. I will always remember how hard he worked to be the best he could and also how humble he was with his success. Estes had a huge impact on me during these years, and it is an honor to his legacy that this new facility will bear his name.”

This project is the latest in a series of recent athletic facility improvements at Utah State. In 2008, construction was completed on the 69,000 square foot Jim & Carol Laub Athletics-Academics Complex. In 2009, USU opened the Steve Mothersell Athletics Hall of Honor as well as its new off-court basketball facilities, which include the Nate and Heather Wickizer men’s basketball and MerLynn Pitcher women’s basketball locker rooms. In 2010, USU opened the Dr. Randall and Julianne Stockham Student-Athlete Academic Hall of Honor. In 2011, a new synthetic turf was installed in the Stan Laub Indoor Training Center, while new AstroTurf was installed on Merlin Olsen Field inside Romney Stadium in 2012. And in 2013, USU will complete construction on its new 26,000 square foot strength and conditioning center.

For more information on the Wayne Estes Center or to pledge a gift, contact the USU Athletics Department at (435) 797-1850.

Wayne Estes Center Renderings

What select Utah State coaches are saying about the new Wayne Estes Center

Stew Morrill, Utah State Head Men’s Basketball Coach

“This facility is very important for multiple sports at Utah State. For men’s basketball, it is a much-needed facility to accommodate our program going forward in the Mountain West Conference. It gives us greater flexibility in developing our players thru both regular practice as well as individual workouts. In addition, we will be adding office space that we have desperately needed. Both from a playing a recruiting standpoint, this is a great upgrade for Utah State Basketball.”

Jerry Finkbeiner, Utah State Head Women’s Basketball Coach

“I am very excited about the basketball practice facility/volleyball competition site for what it brings to our recruiting and for what it brings to our logistical challenges with practices times. Upon accepting the job last year, one of the keys that I saw in the growth of women's basketball at Utah State is the facility growth and what it means in all areas of building a program.”

Grayson DuBose, Utah State Head Women’s Volleyball Coach

“We are very excited for our program to have this amazing facility and it will definitely help with the growth of our volleyball team. Recruits want to see that you are moving forward as a program and this will go a long way to show them and their families that Utah State is committed to having a first- class athletics program.”

Contact: Doug Hoffman, assistant athletics director for media relations, (435) 797-3714, doug.hoffman@usu.edu

“I hope that you want to change the world,” Denson said. “Make it a better place.”

While speaking to Utah State University’s graduating class of 2013, Denson told the students to include options after graduation, to stay open to new ideas and opportunities and to make the best of it. He encouraged the students to be lifelong learners and to follow their passions to achieve personal success and fulfillment.

“You’re smart, smarter than any generation before you,” Denson said. “But you’re not wise. Wisdom comes with time. Respect it.”

Denson reflected that moving abroad and adapting to a foreign culture for his career was one of the greatest learning opportunities of his life. He said that he finally learned there was more than one way to solve a problem, more than one way to create an opportunity and more than one way to communicate a message.

“I hope you take the time to figure out your passion and that you follow it,” Denson said. “Build your life and career around it. If you are lucky, they will become the same.”

Denson spoke in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum during USU’s 126th Commencement Ceremony. He presented the commencement address and received an honorary doctorate during the program. Three other prominent individuals also received honorary doctorates: Samuel Alba, retired United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Utah; Orrin Hatch, Utah senator and the most senior Republican in the United States Senate; and Mathana Santiwat, president of Bangkok University in Thailand.

USU graduates for the class of 2013 included 3,633 bachelor’s, 821 master’s, 93 doctorate’s and five educational specialists.

As president of the Nike Brand Denson is responsible for leading the strategy of the world’s most distinctive, authentic and connected brand in sports.

Denson oversees all aspects of the global direction for the company’s consumer categories, including actions sports, basketball, football (soccer), men’s training, running, sportswear and women’s training, as well as the Jordan Brand and Nike Golf.

His career at Nike spans more than 30 years. After graduating from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1978 Denson started as an assistant store manager of “The Athletics Department,” Nike’s first retail store in Portland, Ore., in 1979. He quickly moved up the ranks and has held many positions over the years, including time as vice president of United States and European sales and as general manager of Nike USA.


An innovator in developing sales and distribution strategies, Denson has been a driving force in Nike’s global growth as the company has expanded into approximately 190 countries. In particular, he pioneered Nike’s growth in China, India and Brazil,. In fiscal year 2012, Nike Brand revenues surpassed $21 billion, a growth of 16 percent.

An avid Aggie fan, Denson was instrumental in unveiling Utah State’s new athletic logo in the spring of 2012. The university worked with Nike in collaboration on a 15-month re-branding campaign that was made possible through Denson’s support as well as the longstanding association between Utah State Athletics and Nike.

USU President Stan L. Albrecht addressed the graduating glass and told them how important receiving an education is and how much it will impact their lives.

“For me, as it will be for you, the effect of education is irreversible,” he said.

Visit the USU Commencement website (www.usu.edu/commencement) for more detailed information.

Contact and Writer: Maren Cartwright, 435-797-1355, maren.cartwright@usu.edu

The partnership, funded by SDL through a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement, allows for the joint development of a high-resolution cryogenic optical encoder — an angular position sensor — to be used in conjunction with the laboratory’s large, evacuated Thermal and Optical Research (THOR) chamber. The period of performance is for one year from October 10, 2012.

The encoder will be used to very accurately measure the pointing angle of a large, high precision mirror in a second vacuum chamber connected to THOR.  Using this encoder technology, the Space Dynamics Laboratory expects to reduce uncertainties in the performance and calibration of space-based sensor systems and to increase efficiency of sensor calibrations it performs for NASA and the Department of Defense programs. NASA Goddard’s Doug Leviton invented and patented this encoder technology.

Related links:

Goddard’s Innovative Partnerships Office

Space Dynamics Laboratory

NASA

Source: NASA press release

Contacts at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.: Scott Leonardi, 301-286-4698, robert.s.leonardi@nasa.gov; Cynthia O’Carroll, 301-286-4787, cynthia.m.ocarroll@nasa.gov

“We are thrilled to have Mike remain on staff and move into the position of head athletics trainer,” said Barnes. “Mike has been a valued employee during his many years at USU and brings tremendous experience and knowledge with him to this position. It’s a great fit.”

Williams has spent the past 14 years as an assistant athletics trainer at Utah State, working primarily with the men’s basketball program, while providing support for USU’s other 15 NCAA Division I programs.

Williams, who was named the 2012-13 Athletic Trainer of the Year in the state of Utah, was also presented the Heartsaver Hero Award by the American Heart Association this winter as he began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) on men’s basketball player Danny Berger after he collapsed unexpectedly during a USU practice on Dec. 4, 2012.

Williams was also honored at the 2013 USU Robins Awards as he received the Gerald R. Sherratt Award, which is given to a member of the university who has displayed superior leadership skills and abilities as well as unsurpassed dedication and service to others.

“I want to thank Scott Barnes and Utah State University for the support and opportunity to be the head athletics trainer,” said Williams. “I also want to thank Dale Mildenberger for his guidance and leadership over the past 14 years and I aspire to live up to the standard he has set in this position. The support USU Athletics receives is second to none and I am honored to be associated with everyone in the athletics department from the coaches and student-athletes, to all of its administrators.”

Prior to working at Utah State, Williams also worked for Intermountain Health Care in Logan as an athletic trainer and served as the head athletic trainer for the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).

Williams began his athletic training career at Utah State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 1996. He then attended the University of Idaho and graduated with a master’s of science degree in sports administration in 1997.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714

Bartlett becomes the sixth Utah State football player from the 2012 Western Athletic Conference championship team to move on to the NFL. Cornerback Will Davis was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round (93rd pick) of the 2013 NFL Draft and running back Kerwynn Williams was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round (230th pick), while wide receiver Matt Austin signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks, defensive lineman Al Lapuaho signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams and wide receiver Chuck Jacobss igned a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bartlett, a 6-2, 248-pounder from Blue Springs, Mo., (Blue Springs South HS) earned honorable mention all-WAC honors in 2012 as he finished the season with 38 receptions for 272 yards (20.9 ypg) and five touchdown catches, which ranked tied for first on the team. Overall, his five touchdown receptions ranked first in the WAC among tight ends, while his 38 receptions ranked second and his 272 receiving yards ranked third. As a senior, Bartlett caught touchdown passes in four-straight games, which was the longest streak for a Utah State player since 2005.

During his four years at Utah State, Bartlett played in 43 games and caught 63 passes for 581 yards (9.2 ypr) and eight touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2010, he caught five passes for a career-high 121 yards against Nevada, including a career-long 63-yard catch, for USU's only 100-yard receiving outing that season. As a senior in 2012, he caught a career-high eight passes for 47 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown reception against Utah.

Fans can follow the Aggie football program on Twitter. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Robinson comes to Utah State with both extensive playing and coaching credentials. She has been the head coach of Murray State College in Tishomingo, Okla., since 2009. The Lady Aggies had an overall record of 79-37 under her watch.

“I have known Crystal as a coach and opposing player relationship probably over 20 years ago,” said Finkbeiner. “Crystal is probably the best female basketball player I have ever seen at the college level. And through the years, she has an outstanding resume of experience as player and also as a coach, both at home at the college level, and the WNBA level and internationally in Italy and Russia. Her resume just says ‘been there done that.’ So we are looking forward to her expertise on our staff, her recruiting contacts and everything that comes with Crystal Robinson.”

Robinson had a storied collegiate career at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Okla. She was an NAIA All-American from 1994-96 along with earning Player of the Year honors as a senior in 1996. Robinson was named NAIA National Championship Tournament MVP two-straight seasons after leading the Lady Savages to back-to-back second-place finishes.

She averaged 27.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game during her final two collegiate seasons. Robinson scored a career-high 65 points in a single game during the 1995-96 season at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

She went on to play in both the American Basketball League (ABL) and the Women’'s National Basketball Association (WNBA). In the ABL, she was named Rookie of the Year in 1999, playing for the Colorado Xplosion. In the WNBA, Robinson played for both the New York Liberty (1999-2005) and the Washington Mystics (2006-07). The Mystics advanced to the WNBA quarterfinals in 2006.

Internationally, Robinson also had extensive experience, earning a FIBA Euro Cup Championship in 2006. She played in the Israeli League Championship and was a finalist for the Israeli Cup Championship in 2005. Robinson was also an Italian League all-star in 2002.

She began her coaching career as an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics in 2005. Her focus with the Mystics was player development, strength and conditioning, as well camps and clinics. She then returned to the Sooner state as the head coach at McAlester High School in McAlester, Okla. She led the Buffaloes to the 2010 5A State Championship.

Her next coaching move was to Tishomingo as the Murray State College head coach in 2009.

She graduated with a degree in health and physical education. Robinson was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

She replaces Robert Donaldson who left Utah State to pursue other professional endeavors. She joins current assistant coaches Stu Sells and Micah Thompson, rounding out Finkbeiner’s coaching staff. The Aggies ended the 2012-13 season with an 18-14 in Finkbeiner’s first season. USU had a 10-4 conference record and advanced to the Women’s Basketball Invitational.

Fans can follow USU women’s basketball and Utah State athletics on Twitter as well as on Facebook.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

When you talk about leaving a legacy, you think of people who have completely devoted themselves to their career and their community. Though he may hate to admit it, Mildenberger has done just that.

What started as a job just to get his feet in the door turned into not only a career, but also a lifestyle.

“When I took the job, I never counted on staying that long,” Mildenberger said. “I never counted on liking it when I took it. I was 25 years old and taking a Division I job, who knew where that could lead. It has been a fantastic personal and professional platform for me. I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve had some opportunities to leave and have chosen not to.”

And after a while, time starts to add up.

“Every Tuesday turned into 38 years,” Mildenberger said. “You were still here one Tuesday which turned into another Tuesday and sooner or later there were 38 years of Tuesdays.”

As an athletic trainer, you are interacting with countless people on a daily basis. From student-athletes to coaches to the athletic trainers, being enthusiastic and happy around the people you are working with is a must. Mildenberger says that is what he will miss the most.

“I’ll miss the interaction with the athletic trainers and the student-athletes,” he said. “Athletic training is a people business. We’re taking care of highly-motivated, highly-skilled student-athletes. You have to work with great people to get that job done.”

Nate Wickizer played basketball for the Aggies from 1992 to 1995. Now the Chief Operating Officer of Cache Valley Electric, he looks back fondly on the days of interacting with Mildenberger.

“I was with him a lot during the years I played basketball at Utah State,” Wickizer said. “He prepared us to play when we had injuries. He took care of us when we traveled. He was in charge of everything from the flights to the rental cars, the food and meal money, all the preparation. He was kind of the man. I had as much interaction during my years at USU with him as I had with anyone.”

Wickizer is just one of easily thousands of people whose lives have been touched by Mildenberger. After 38 years in Cache Valley, he knows and works with a lot of people. Many of the athletes and trainers he has worked with have gone on to have highly successful careers of their own.

Jim Thornton started his career at Utah State as a student trainer. Now the head trainer at Clarion University as well as the president of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, he is quick to credit his success to Mildenberger.

“From my standpoint, if you measure the effect that Dale had on me and my success, I’d say his career was definitely a successful one,” Thornton said. “He has left a legacy in me as an athletic trainer. He has affected my career and my life in a way that I can never repay. I only pray that I can have that sort of effect on my students.”

Now 25 years into his own career, Thornton cites Mildenberger as his drive and motivation to teach his own student trainers how to work with athletes.

“I’m about as far up the ladder as I can go in our organization, but I still feel that I need to continue to try and improve things so that Dale is not disappointed,” Thornton said. “You don’t ever want to seem like you’ve stopped trying to get better or trying to make him proud of you. I’ve spent my entire professional life trying to make sure that what I did was working toward an approval from Dale. You spend a lot of time making sure that you try to do what you know Dale would want you to do.”

Thornton has tried to instill Mildenberger’s teachings into his classroom and training.

“You’re supposed to be better than your mentor, that’s kind of the way it goes,” Thornton said. “You hope that you can contribute and be better. In Dale’s case, that would be very, very difficult. He has influenced the work ethic, sense of responsibility and sense of giving back to tons of students to the extent that very few of us could say we could repay him.”

Mike Williams also started his career as a student trainer under Mildenberger. He returned to Logan after graduate school and after 14 years as an assistant trainer at Utah State, Williams is set to take over the program after Mildenberger retires.

“Pretty much 90 percent of what I know in sports medicine I learned from him,” Williams said. “He’s been instrumental in a lot of careers, whether that be in student-athletes or athletic trainers.”

As an athletic trainer, it is important to gain the respect and attention of the various coaches you work with along with the student-athletes.

Current USU men’s basketball coach Stew Morrill has that respect for Mildenberger.

“In the 15 years I have been at Utah State, Dale has been a constant source of professionalism, mixed with plenty of wisdom and humor,” Morrill said. “‘Mildy’ has made sure the student-athletes at Utah State were given the best care possible, while also earning respect from everyone involved in athletics. Dale is a friend and we will miss seeing him on an everyday basis because of his character and his wonderful ability to make us laugh.”

Mildenberger came to Utah State at a time when the university was not as widely recognized as it is now. Funding was limited; facilities were small and less than impressive.

Bob Carlson spent 19 years as the head wrestling coach at Utah State after a stellar career of his own. Additionally, he spent 12 years as an assistant athletics director before moving to Clarion University as an associate athletics director. On staff when Mildenberger was hired, the two have been close friends ever since.

“It’s a great place to work, but at times it was frustrating,” Carlson said. “We never had the facilities or the money that some of the bigger schools had. It was hard to stay there. He could have gone to some of the big-time programs but chose to stay. It grows on you. Cache Valley is a special place to be.”

At the start of Mildenberger’s tenure, he had a small office, which doubled as the athletic training center. Now, with a nationally recognized athletic training program, student-athletes have a large portion of the Jim and Carol Laub Athletics-Academics Complex devoted to them. The sports medicine complex is named after none other than Mildenberger.

“He went through a lot of the bad times and is now reaping the benefits,” Carlson said. “He went through a lot of coaches and athletic directors who all had their own philosophy. No matter what was going on, Dale was helping us with everything. He was involved and that makes him a special kind of person.”

Mildenberger’s philosophy of involvement has played a vital role in the success he has seen. Each former athlete or athletic employee acknowledged its importance and the encouragement of such they received from Mildenberger before setting out on their own.

“One of the things he learned from his mentor was that if you want to be in on the decisions, you’d better be in the room where they make the decisions,” Williams said. “He’s just an active guy. He’s in the Rotary Club, the Country Club, that’s just his personality. Regardless of what profession he chose, he would be the guy in the middle of things, wanting to be involved in the decisions.”

Just before his graduation from Utah State, Thornton and Mildenberger went to Colorado to teach a first-aid class. On the return trip to Logan, Thornton told Mildenberger he would be leaving for graduate school and asked for some final advice.

“Without even taking a breath, he told me to be involved,” Thornton said. “He followed it up saying that anyone can stand outside in the hallway and gripe and moan about what isn’t being done, or what’s wrong with things. To make a difference, you have to get in the room and you have to be involved. It takes someone saying they’re going to be involved and not stop working and making things better. Dale is still doing that now.”

Carlson said that is why Mildenberger has had such a successful and impactful career at Utah State.

“In order to succeed you have to take part,” Carlson said. “That’s one of Dale’s strengths. He had a good head on his shoulders and an idea of how it should be done. He’s been a great addition to the program there.”

That dedication and involvement led Mildenberger to be more than just an athletic trainer.

“He is someone who just worked hard and was always engaged,” Wickizer said “He’s done so much more for the school than most people really know. Yes, being the head trainer is unbelievably important, but he’s gone well beyond that in his roles in the athletic department.”

As he readies to take over Mildenberger’s position, Williams recognizes the large shoes he has to fill.

“It’s going to be hard, no matter what happens,” Williams said. “He’s so well known both in the community and in the world of athletic training. He’s going to be hard to replace. The good part is that he’ll still be in Logan. We’re still going to be calling him, we’re still going to be using him, we’re still going to take advantage of that training that someone like him can offer. We’re going to tap into that.”

Mildenberger is pleased with his 38-year career at Utah State and rightfully so.

“It’s more than just a job,” Mildenberger said. “I’ve stayed because I’ve chosen to stay. I felt like I had a better chance of solving problems here rather than trade them for problems elsewhere. Utah State is an incredible professional platform. It is an incredible institution. On a national scope, Utah State is very respected, not only academically, but athletically.”

As the longest-tenured USU athletics employee, Mildenberger will officially retire May 1. There is no question in anyone’s mind that he will leave behind a legacy both inside and outside of the training room.

“I’m very proud of the progress we’ve made as an institution and as a sports medicine program,” Mildenberger said. “It’s been a very fulfilling experience. It’s more than a job, it’s what I do. It’s going to be an interesting transition to not do this anymore, but it’s time.”

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Contact: Doug Hoffman, (435) 797-3714
Writer: Megan Allen, USU Athletic Media Relations

Each week, the editor selects a story that has been published in The Utah Statesman or The Hard News Café (or both) for inclusion in Utah State Today.

With both student-produced publications scaling back for the summer, the Student Life section will take a break.

The editor of Utah State Today wishes the student writers well. Good luck to those completing summer internships at any number of the region’s newspapers and media outlets. Thanks for the great copy this year.

Patrick Williams, editor

Utah State Today

Throughout the day, visitors can explore the evolution of the traditional comic strip and black and white comedy films, then look to the present with modern, viral videos. Children can create their own comic strips while learning about the healing benefits of laughter, event organizers said.

“Humor and laughter are universal human traits,” said Prairie Fox, a museum assistant. “But each culture has different experiences and ideas that are seen as funny. We are excited to show patrons some of the many ways that humor is seen around the world.”

In addition to the Saturdays at the Museum activity series with its 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hours, community members and USU students alike can visit the museum during its standard operating hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Museum of Anthropology will be open during commencement activities May 4.

Funding for Saturday events is provided by a grant from the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services. More information about the IMLS is available online.

The USU Museum of Anthropology can be found on the USU campus in the south turret of the historic Old Main building, Room 252. Admission is free. For Saturday activities, free parking is available in the adjacent lot, south of the building.

For more information about museum events, call museum staff at (435) 797-7545 or visit the museum website.

The Museum of Anthropology is part of the Anthropology Program at USU in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Related links:

• USU Anthropology Program
• USU Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology
• USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Source: Museum of Anthropology

Contact: USU Museum of Anthropology, (435) 797-7545, anthro.museum@usu.edu

Two sessions are presented May 8. The first runs 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is held in the USU Taggart Student Center, Room 336 on the Logan campus. Those attending are encouraged to bring a lunch.

A second session is held that evening from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 493 N. 700 East, Logan (at the bottom of Old Main Hill). The longer evening session allows for more discussion.

The programs are free and registration is not required.

Financial Planning for Women is a monthly educational seminar that meets the second Wednesday (except August and December) of the month. FPW is on social media. It has a new blog with information and updates. It is also on Facebook.

Related link:

Financial Planning for Women

As many students and faculty leave campus to complete research, field work or to take summer breaks, Utah State Today will transition to its summer schedule.

During the academic year, a weekly email is sent noting the week’s top stories and announcements. During the summer, items will be posted to the website on a regular basis, and an email will be sent if needed in addition to the regular, planned distributions on the first and third Thursday of the month.

To submit items to Utah State Today, contact its editor, Patrick Williams, patrick.williams@usu.edu.

Items are posted to the Utah State Today website on a regular basis, so check in often.

Have a great summer.

“I went with my USU colleagues to Salt Lake City and gave a presentation to the legislature to obtain base funding for the center. This funding meant that the UCC has been able to set up an IT infrastructure of more than 70 weather stations located throughout the state to help famers and orchardists manage their agriculture,” said Gillies.

The data produced from these systems helps farmers increase productivity and management of their crops, such as preventing harm in situations like overnight freezing.

“They can now monitor when the temperature has reached a critical low point and assess the need to start the burners and fans in order to prevent freezing of fruit buds or flowers. In the past they didn’t have this timely information and were required to start and run the burners longer than was perhaps needed,” said Gillies.

It can cost up to $15,000 an hour to run the burners and fans. The systems implemented by the center have saved the famers from unnecessary hours running the burners and profit loss.

Gillies gave his Inaugural Lecture Series presentation March 27, the 13th and final lecture of this academic year’s installment. His lecture, “PHinally Done,” described the educational system in Scotland and his career path that led him to USU.

“Depending how well you performed on a test at age 11 in Scotland decided which tier and career path you pursued. I was fortunate to have been able to pursue a university path,” said Gillies.

Before coming to the United States, Gillies spent time in medical school, took a one-year sabbatical as president of the Glasgow University Athletic Club and also spent time serving in the Royal Navy.

“Opportunities came up and I took advantage of them every chance I could,” said Gillies.

After serving as a research associate at Pennsylvania State University, Gillies came to Logan, Utah, because of various prospects that USU offered as well, as well as the advantage of the outdoor opportunities.

Since taking the post as director of the Utah Climate Center at USU, Gillies’ research has been focused on climate diagnostics. His research team has discovered key findings in climate.

“The sea surface temperature in the western Pacific affects the northern Utah precipitation regime. Discovering the tropical correlations was an important step towards understanding the mechanisms that drive Utah’s precipitation regime,” said Gillies.

This discovery was instrumental in the ability to better understand the persistent inversions that plague northern Utah.

“The nasty inversions are also in part driven from the western Pacific,” said Gillies. “The most recent discovery has been that inversions are modulated by an oscillation in the north Atlantic that cause them to reset every six years.”

Gillies also recently published with his colleagues, a paper on the impact of the changing climate in Utah.

“In the paper we analyzed 50 or 60 years’ worth of climate data which show a decline in snowfall but a tendency towards an intensification of northern Utah’s precipitation that is increasingly coming in the form as rain.” said Gillies.

Gillies looks to continue to bring the Utah Climate Center into the national spotlight, and collaborate with other professors around USU.

“USU has a lot of really good scientists and there are many opportunities to collaborate with faculty in other disciplines to address the consequences of climate change both here in Utah, the USA and the world,” said Gillies.

Related link:

Utah Climate Center

Contact: Robert Gillies, (435) 760-8023, Robert.Gillies@usu.edu

Writer: Writer: Jaron Dunford, 920-246-2863, jaron.dunford@gmail.com

The Heisman Trophy, presented annually since 1935, is the most prestigious award in sports. It is named after famed college football coach John W. Heisman. The 2013 winner will be announced in New York City Saturday, Dec. 14.

Keeton, who is one of 19 quarterbacks on the watch list, joins Fresno State senior quarterback Derek Carr, Nevada junior quarterback Cody Fajardo and San Jose State senior quarterback David Fales as players from the Mountain West to make the list.

“Chuckie has earned every right to be included in preseason campaigns, polls and watch lists for every award a quarterback can be,” said USU Head Coach Matt Wells. “He’s earned that right based on his play for the last two years. He’s earned it by his win-loss record as a quarterback, he’s earned it by his stats, his leadership — everything he does for our program inside the building and outside the building. He’s earned every right to be included in every category that anybody wants to talk about in the country.”

Keeton, a 6-2, 200 pound quarterback from Houston, Texas, earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors as a sophomore after ranking 17th nationally in total offense, 18th in passing efficiency and 29th in passing.

During the 2012 season, Keeton set single-season school records for touchdown passes, passing yards, completions and completion percentage, while tying the single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 121 yards at Louisiana Tech.

Along with earning first-team all-league honors as a sophomore, Keeton was also named the WAC’s Offensive Player of the Week four times. During the course of the season he had at least two touchdown passes in 10 games and rushed for a touchdown in eight games. He threw for at least 300 yards three times in the last five games of the season and five times overall.

In all, Keeton concluded his sophomore season completing 275-of-407 passes for 3,373 yards with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran the ball 129 times for 619 yards with eight touchdowns.

The 2013 Heismanpundit/CBSSports.com Heisman Trophy Watch List (post-spring edition)

(in alphabetical order)

Ameer Abdullah, Jr., RB, Nebraska

David Ash, Jr., QB, Texas

Blake Bell, Jr., QB, Oklahoma

Tajh Boyd, Sr., QB, Clemson

Teddy Bridgewater, Jr., QB, Louisville

Ka’deem Carey, Jr., RB, Arizona

Derek Carr, Sr., QB, Fresno State

Jadeveon Clowney, Jr., DE, South Carolina

Stefon Diggs, So., WR, Maryland

Cody Fajardo, Jr., QB, Nevada

David Fales, Sr., QB, San Jose State

Devin Gardner, Jr., QB, Michigan

Everett Golson, So., QB, Notre Dame

Todd Gurley, So., RB, Georgia

Kevin Hogan, So., QB, Stanford

Brett Hundley, So., QB, UCLA

Duke Johnson, So., RB, Miami

Chuckie Keeton, Jr., QB, Utah State

Marqise Lee, Jr., WR, USC

Jordan Lynch, Sr., QB, Northern Illinois

Johnny Manziel, So., QB, Texas A&M

Marcus Mariota, So., QB, Oregon

Venric Mark, Sr., RB, Northwestern

Taylor Martinez, Sr., QB, Nebraska

AJ McCarron, Sr., QB, Alabama

Aaron Murray, Sr., QB, Georgia

Braxton Miller, Jr., QB, Ohio State

Lache Seastrunk, Jr., RB, Baylor

De’Anthony Thomas, Jr., RB, Oregon

TJ Yeldon, So., RB, Alabama

Contact: Doug Hoffman, (435) 797-3714

While in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Blackmore has amassed many awards, including the 2013 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Senior Faculty Medal, the Landscape Architecture Foundation Fellowship, LAEP’s Olmsted Scholar for 2012-13, Utah Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Honor Award and USU’s Honors Program 2013 Joyce Kinkead Outstanding Honors Scholar Award. And, she was presented the Undergraduate Student Contribution to the Field of Theory or Practice for 2012-13.

She has also spent much of her undergraduate career pursuing research in the field and has had her research presented at the University of Texas at Austin.

For all of her accomplishments, Blackmore remains humble.

“Hard work and perseverance pays off,” said Blackmore. “I’m not smart at all. I just don’t give up easily.”

Blackmore gives credit for her accomplishments to the faculty in the department.

“It’s been my teachers all along,” she said. “I’ve had Dr. Bo Yang, who’s taken me under his wing and taught me so much. And then there’s Sean Michael, our department head. He once said, ‘Identify the pattern and break it.’ It’s been that principle that’s helped me be successful here.”

The LAEP program introduces students to landscape architecture through hands on design in the studio. In her classes, Blackmore has drafted designs for locations that include Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City and Parks and Trails in Brigham City.

After graduation Blackmore plans to stay in the Intermountain West.

“I want to work for a few years and then go back to graduate school,” she said.

Although she’s still narrowing down what she hopes to study, Blackmore is considering pursuing a career in water quality and conservation issues.

“I hope to increase green infrastructure in the West… If we want to continue to exist and have water resources in the future, we’re going to have to improve how we use it,” Blackmore said.

Blackmore thinks that USU has prepared her well for her future in landscape architecture and encourages students to look into a career in the field.

“I think that our department is setting us on a very good path to be successful,” she said. “Any individual who is interested in making a difference should definitely consider landscape architecture.”

Related links:

USU Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department

USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Contact: Tiffany Adams, 435-797-7406, tiffany.adams@usu.edu

Bugbee and his colleagues have been studying microalgae for several years. The initial studies sought to grow algae to produce fuel, specifically jet fuel.

During their research, the group discovered that microalgae has a unique property: it produces healthy cooking oils. For many years, hydrogenated soybean oil has been used in food products, because it is inexpensive. However hydrogenated soybean oil contains trans fats that increase the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

Currently, soybean oil is being replaced with palm oil, a healthier alternative. However, obtaining these oils from tropical palm has significant environmental costs, while the use of microalgae is a healthy alternative without that cost.

“The goal is to make algae a new kind of agricultural commodity,” Bugbee said. “Give farmers another option for a crop.”

Microalgae don’t compete with crops for water, because it can be grown in salt water. In Utah, salt water is plentiful with large sources found in the Great Salt Lake and saline aquifers. Microalgae can also be grown in desert, rocky and arid areas and can be harvested every seven days.

Bugbee estimates microalgae can produce three times more oil per acre than most other oil-producing crops, but the current cost of microalgae production is also about three times higher. He said it’s a big investment per acre, because it is grown in tanks that require aeration and continuous mixing.

Additionally, Bugbee said one challenge of growing the algae is getting the good stuff to grow and keeping the disease out. Bugbee said several private companies started producing algae but most of them went out of business, because it was harder than they expected.

“Some say it will never get there,” Bugbee said.

However, Bugbee is hopeful.

“This is what universities do,” he said. “We take on the really hard projects that private companies don’t have the patience for.”

Currently, Bugbee said the research team is continuing to refine procedures and processes to make the operation more efficient and affordable.

Related links:

USU Department of Plants, Soils and Climate

USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Contact: Bruce Bugbee, 435-797-2765, bruce.bugbee@usu.edu

The Fujiwara scholarship is presented annually to a student with a 3.3 GPA or higher who has completed all English courses in Level IV of USU’s Intensive English Language Institute and has been accepted by an undergraduate department on campus. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of intercultural involvement, academic scholarship and financial need.

Osamu Fujiwara was an alumnus of USU who came to Logan to study in the 1950s before the Intensive English Language Institute was established, according to its current director Ann Roemer. George Meyer, a professor in the language department at that time, mentored the Japanese students, who knew little English.

After graduating from USU, Fujiwara was employed by the Shell Oil Company in Japan. He retired from his position as CEO of the Monsanto Chemical Company in Japan in 2003 and now resides in Tokyo.

“Because Mr.Fujiwara worked in the USU dairy barn and the university cafeteria, he is aware of the financial difficulties facing many international students,” Roemer said. “He gives his scholarship in honor of George Meyer, former international student advisor, and Glenda Cole, former director of IELI, for their outstanding leadership and enthusiasm in supporting international students at USU.” 

Related links:

USU Intensive English Language Institute

USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Source: USU Intensive English Language Institute

Contact: Ann Roemer, (435) 797-2051

Heather Larson, a horticulture major in the Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, later moving to North Ogden where she attended high school. She began her collegiate career at the University of Utah studying chemistry.

“I didn’t love the school, didn’t love my major,” Larson said. “It was interesting, and I was good at it, but I wasn’t loving it.”

Unsure of what degree she should pursue, Larson took a leave of absence from school. During that time, she got married and started gardening, a passion that led her to pursue a degree in horticulture.

“I was thinking I could maybe see this as a future, so I did some research and decided to come [to USU],” Larson said.

Chosen as CAAS’s valedictorian, she and the top scholars from USU’s seven additional colleges were asked to prepare and deliver a commencement address. Presented to the other valedictorians and several faculty members, the group voted on the best address given, selecting Larson.

Larson said finding a topic for her speech was daunting because the university has such a diverse group.

“I decided to focus on what we share in common,” she said.

Larson will give two speeches on graduation day. The first speech will be given at the university’s 126th commencement ceremony in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum May 4 at 9:30 a.m. The second will be given to CAAS graduates along with their friends and families in the Kent Concert Hall the same day at 2 p.m.

Larson said her advice for new students is to get to know the faculty, because they have experience and the best guidance.

“It’s just a warm and friendly school,” Larson said. “The faculty are so much more friendly. I feel like they reach out to the students. You don’t necessarily have to reach out to them to have them notice you at all.”

Excited to take the next step, Larson is unsure what job she wants to pursue but is interested in getting into the greenhouse industry, teaching or being involved with Extension.

Related links:

USU Department of Plants, Soils and Climate

USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Writer: McCarty Hatfield, mccarty.hatfield@usu.edu

Contact: Heather Larson, 801-458-4574, emillimeo@hotmail.com

Denson, a USU alum, will present the commencement address and will also receive an honorary doctorate with three other prominent individuals during the Saturday events. Those receiving honorary doctorates are Samuel Alba, retired United States magistrate judge and current lawyer; Charlie Denson, president of Nike Brand; Orrin Hatch, Utah senator; and Mathana Santiwat, president of Bangkok University.

Visit the commencement websitefor more detailed information.

USU Commencement Statistics (Spring 2013)

Graduate Commencement and Hooding Ceremony: Friday, May 3, 1:30 p.m., Dee Glen Smith Spectrum

Graduation (Undergraduate): Saturday, May 4, 9:30 a.m., Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Procession begins on Quad at 9 a.m.

Individual college convocations (all Saturday, May 4):
Agriculture and Applied Sciences: 2 p.m., Kent Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center
Caine College of the Arts: 4 p.m., Kent Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center
Jon M. Huntsman School of Business: 4 p.m., Dee Glen Smith Spectrum
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services: noon, Dee Glen Smith Spectrum
Engineering: noon, Kent Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center
Humanities and Social Sciences: 2 p.m., Dee Glen Smith Spectrum
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources: noon, Morgan Theatre, Chase Fine Arts Center
Science: noon, Evan N. Stevenson Ballroom, Taggart Student Center

Numbers of Degrees: 4,552
Bachelor’s: 3,633
Master’s: 821
Doctorate: 93
Education Specialist’s: 5

Gender of graduates (undergrad):
Female: 2,360
Male: 1,801

Annual undergraduate resident tuition/fees (24 credits):
2012-13: $5,556

Geographic origin (undergrad):
Foreign countries: 26 (Top 3: China, 160; Hong Kong; 28, Dominican Republic; 11)
U.S. states: 46

Ethnicity (undergrad):
American Indian/Alaskan native: 27
Asian/Pacific Islander: 21
Asian: 126
Black, non-Hispanic: 46
White, non-Hispanic: 3,340
Hispanic: 181
Not Specified: 383
Multicultural: 26

Most popular degrees (top 10) (undergrad):

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education (393)
Economics (256)
Interdisciplinary Studies (173)
Elementary Education (148)
Human Movement Science (131)
Family, Consumer and Human Development (122)
Business (114)
Psychology (114)
Accounting (110)

English (95)

Commencement Speaker: Charlie Denson, president of Nike Brand and USU alum

Honorary Degree Recipients:
Samuel Alba, retired United States magistrate judge and current lawyer, Doctor of Humane Letters
Charlie Denson, president of Nike Brand, Doctor of Business
Orrin Hatch, Utah senator, Doctor of Humane Letters
Mathana Santiwat, president of Bangkok University, Doctor of Business

Student Speaker: Heather Ann Larson, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Valedictorians:
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences: Heather Ann Larson, escorted by Larry Rupp
Caine College of the Arts: Andrea Louise Decker Moreno, escorted by Cindy Dewey
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services: Katherine Faun Lovendale, escorted by Barbara Fiechtl
College of Engineering: Ruth Anne Miller, escorted by Thomas Fronk
College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Anna Maria Guadarrama Estrada, escorted by J.P. Spicer-Escalante
Jon. M. Huntsman School of Business: Zachary John Maxfield, escorted by Paul Fjelsted
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources: Chelsea DeMarco, escorted by Fee Busby
College of Science: Brian Joshua Sanders, escorted by Sean Johnson

D. Wynne Thorne Research Award: John Neely, Caine College of the Arts

International Professor of the Year Award: DeeVon Bailey, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Eldon J. Gardner Teaching Award: Marlene Israelsen, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Distinguished Teaching Awards:
Caine College of the Arts: Mike Christiansen
College of Engineering: Robert Spall
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services: Julie Gast
College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Patricia M. Gantt
Jon M. Huntsman School of Business: Daniel Holland
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources: David Koons
College of Science: Frank Messina

E. G. Peterson Extension Award: Charles W. Gay, Extension

Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award: Mimi Recker, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Department Teaching Excellence Award: Department of Economics and Finance, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

Contact: Maren Cartwright, 435-797-1355, maren.cartwright@usu.edu

During the past two seasons, Utah State has had 14 football games broadcast on the ESPN family of networks consisting of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN Regional TV, including back-to-back appearances in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Aggies and Spartans have played one another 35 times dating back to 1940, which is USU’s seventh-oldest rivalry. Of the 35 meetings between the two schools, 23 have been as league foes as both were members of the Big West Conference from 1978-92 and the Western Athletic Conference from 2005-12. USU won the last meeting against the Spartans in San Jose in 2012, 49-27. San Jose State ended its 2012 season with a 29-20 win against Bowling Green in the Military Bowl.

Today's announcement [April 23] is the first under a new agreement with ESPN as the second MW national television rights holder for Conference-controlled football games. CBS Sports Network remains the primary rights holder for the Mountain West.

Other games involving Mountain West teams that will be televised by one of the ESPN Networks include Air Force at Boise State Friday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m. MT (ESPN); Boise State at Fresno State Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN); Nevada at San Diego State Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN); Air Force at New Mexico Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. MT (ESPNU); UNLV at Air Force Thursday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPNU); and Navy at San Jose State Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN2).

Between the two networks, up to 44 football games will be televised this year on their various platforms. Broadcast details for the Mountain West package on CBS Sports Network, as well as additional telecasts on the ESPN networks, will be announced at a later date.

Beginning in the fall of 2013, MW football membership will include Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming in the Mountain Division and Fresno State, Hawai`i, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State and UNLV in the West Division.

Utah State will open the 2013 season Thursday, Aug. 29, at Utah and play its first Mountain West game the following weekend at Air Force Saturday, Sept.7. USU's first home game of the 2013 campaign will be Saturday, Sept. 14, against Weber State, while its first home Mountain West game will be Saturday, Oct. 12, against Boise State.

Fans can follow the Aggie football program on Twitter. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

2013 UTAH STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Home Games in CAPS * — Mountain West game

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.

Students Propose Recycling System for USU Cafés

By  Dawn Otterby in The Hard News Café, Friday, April 19, 2013

A group of Utah State University students is waiting for approval from USU Dining Services before implementing a recycling system in three campus cafés.

John Papageorgiou, Shayna Marcure, Rob Gentillon, Eden Williams, Lindsey Mortensen, Morgan Jacobsen, and Ryan Yelinski teamed up with Dining Services after discovering a lot of campus waste was caused by poor communication, lack of understanding and an overall poor recycling system.

“It’s a beautiful campus and we’re trashing it and we shouldn’t,” said Williams about the excess waste.

The seven students divided into smaller groups and observed three campus cafés.

Papageorgiou, Gentillon and Marcure surveyed 81 customers from the Artist Block Café and Bakery (ABC). Out the students surveyed 93 percent wanted to see more sustainable practices being used on campus, and 54 percent of students said they always recycle when it is an option.

“Sustainability is important because what you appreciate, appreciates,” Papageorgiou said.

“It’s clear that sustainability is important to students, or at least to those who frequent ABC,” Gentillon said. “What we are trying to do is make recycling and other sustainable practices more easy and convenient for all students. That’s the first step in raising awareness throughout USU.”

Williams and Mortensen worked with Luke’s Café on the Quad. They discovered the café produced about ten bags of trash each day. The girls then posted temporary labels on the recycling bins in the café. The signs reduced the amount of trash by about three bags each day.

Yelinski and Jacobsen said they found similar results while working with the Quadside Café.

Using information they’d collected, the students drafted a sustainability commitment that aims to increase recycling, decrease the use of Styrofoam and improve sustainability. They presented their proposal to Alan Anderson, the director of USU Dining Services and a member of USU’s sustainability council, and are hoping for his approval and autograph.

NW

Robins Awards: Nutrition Science Major Given Highest Honor

By Tmera Bradley, staff writer, in The Utah Statesman, Tuesday, April 23, 2013

It was an evening celebrating a 65-year old tradition. The stage in the TSC Ballroom sparkled with formal gowns and the reflective glass of shiny triangular trophies. USU students and faculty were recognized for their achievements at this year’s annual Robins Awards on Friday night.

University President Stan Albrecht awarded the highest honor, the Bill E. Robins Memorial Award, to nutrition science major Matthew Petersen.

“It’s an award that is given to a student who has contributed four years of their time here at Utah State serving others and being involved in leadership positions and getting good grades,” said Traditions Director Sloan Bailey. “So overall, it’s probably the biggest award of the night.”

Petersen has been on the dean’s list for seven semesters. He has been involved in many programs during his time at college including USU Honors, USU Athletics Tutoring, Pre-med Club, Best Buddies and Undergraduate Research Fellows Program.

“My biggest achievement has definitely been being involved in undergraduate research,” Petersen said. “It’s offered me opportunities to represent the university across the nation and in the world as well as bringing research to Utah State.”

Petersen said he is currently researching patient’s views on healthcare and nutrition. His studies include collecting data through interviews and surveys from local medical patients and comparing the results against national data to find out how Cache Valley differs from the rest of the country.

Bill E. Robins was a member of Sigma Nu and USU’s student body president in 1949. He envisioned the plan for what the Taggart Student Center is today. Robins and his wife Geraldine died in a plane crash in 1954, leaving behind their one-year old son. Robin’s fraternity started the fund, dedicating it to the memory and legacy Robins left behind.

Other awards given at the ceremony include Organization of the Year to the Huntsman Scholars, Achievement of the Year to Helicon West and the Val R. Christensen Service Award to Kyle Niedrich.

Woman of the Year was awarded to Kristin Ladd, a graduate student working toward a master of arts degree in American studies, while economics and finance major Steven Gould won Man of the Year. The candidates for these awards are nominated by fellow students.

“I think it’s a really important event at Utah State just because it recognizes faculty, staff students for all of their hard work and dedication to the school,” Bailey said. “Just to become a finalist is such a big deal within itself. It’s just a really great way to recognize everyone for all that they do.”

Along with recognizing students and faculty in academic categories, the ceremony also awarded students in the arts and athletics departments. Vocalist and musician Elizabeth Nelson won Talent of the Year, while Natalie Norris of soccer and Kerwynn Williams of football received awards as Female and Male Athletes of the Year.

“It was a great evening,” Bailey said. “It was really great to see so many faculty and advisors and students and staff come out and support their fellow members in such a great way.”

Peterson said he felt lucky to be a finalist for the top award with his fellow nominees Christian Orr, Trevor Lund and Erik Mikkelsen.

“It was unbelievable,” Petersen said. “It’s an honor to be recognized for four years of accomplishment, four biggest years of my life, and to be recognized for the things I’ve done. I was up with some incredible people, and so I was honored to be in their presence.”

The winners from each category were awarded on stage with a glass trophy as a symbol of their achievement.

“Oh, it is going to have a place of honor on my mantle,” Petersen said. “As soon as I get a mantle.”

– tmera.bradley@aggiemail.usu.edu

The Jim Bridger Challenge is a fundraising opportunity for the Utah State detachment of the Army ROTC. The intent is to build community awareness and support of the ROTC while promoting fitness in a fun, competitive atmosphere.

Community members are encouraged to form a team and compete against the USU cadets. The challenge will include several Army-centered events, including a knife throw, ‘Wounded Soldier Carry,’ rope bridges and a ruck march.

Participants should arrive at the ROTC building before 12:30 p.m. Any media who wish to attend are asked to report by noon where they will be escorted to the various areas of competition.

Contact: Major Matthew T. Badell, USU Army ROTC, (435) 797-7058

“Along with the contribution of Byron Stripling, the ensemble’s performance will bring the deep artistry and toe-tapping entertainment for which the Wind Orchestra is known,” said Thomas Rohrer, director of bands and associate professor in the Caine College of the Arts.

The concert features Stripling, a trumpeter, and guest artist who has spend a week at USU teaching master classes and performing with the students, including an earlier concert with the USU Big Bands. Stripling is the artistic director of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra in Ohio, leads a quartet and performs with artists around the world. He also played Louis Armstrong in the musical Satchmo: America’s Musical Legend. Stripling began playing the trumpet at the age of 10 and also sang for his father, a classical singer and choir director.

The Wind Orchestra will perform works composed in the past 50 years, including Blue Lake Overture by John Chance, Armenian Dances by Alfred Reed and Symphony No. 3 by Vittorio Giannini.

“Giannini’s work is recognized as one of the four most significant works for band,” said Rohrer.

Other pieces to be performed are Sea Blue Circuitry by Mason Bates and Time Travels by Robert Thurston. These two were written in the last two years, with Bates’ piece premiering in 2011 and Thurston’s piece was composed for the United States Air Force Band.

“‘Time Travels’ is a free-form caprice juxtaposing catchy melodies, triadic harmonies, maximum contrast and virtuosic technique for all instruments,” said Rohrer.

The Wind Orchestra performance April 26 is free and open to the public. For more information on the performance see the Caine College’s Production Services website.

Related links:

• USU Bands
• USU Music Department
• Caine College of the Arts Production Services
• Caine College of the Arts

Writer: Kara Rindlisbacher, 435-797-9203, kara.rindlisbacher@usu.edu

Contact: Denise Albiston, 435-797-1500, denise.albiston@usu.edu

The Asian-American Student Council will perform dances at 1 p.m. at the museum, and patrons can try origami and calligraphy activities throughout the day.

The Museum of Anthropology will also unveil its new “World Music” teaching trunk and present a temporary music exhibit. Kids can play with the new instruments in the trunk and explore traditional music from around the world.

“Our World Music teaching trunk is a favorite of kids since there are so many fun and interesting instruments to play,” said museum assistant Prairie Fox. “Most children love making music and we get to help them do that and teach them something too.”

In addition to the Saturdays at the Museum activity series with its 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hours, community members and USU students alike can visit the museum during its standard operating hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Funding for Saturday events is provided by a grant from the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services. More information about the IMLS is available online.

The USU Museum of Anthropology can be found on the USU campus in the south turret of the historic Old Main building, Room 252. Admission is free. For Saturday activities, free parking is available in the adjacent lot, south of the building.

For more information about museum events, call museum staff at (435) 797-7545 or visit the museum website.

The Museum of Anthropology is part of the Anthropology Program at USU in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Related links:

• USU Anthropology Program
• USU Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology
• USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Source: Museum of Anthropology

Contact: USU Museum of Anthropology, (435) 797-7545, anthro.museum@usu.edu

Related link:

Financial Planning for Women

Korry Hintze, Robert Ward and Abby Benninghoff, faculty members in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, conduct laboratory studies on a regular basis involving mice and controlled diets. 

By collaborating, they realized the control diets usually administered to mice were providing biased results. 

“Base diets that everyone uses are optimized for nutrition,” said Hintze. “I’ve always thought it’s not realistic… [to test] on a diet that’s already perfect.” 

The researchers designed a diet that took the core components of American diets as recorded by national registries and applied them to mouse diets.

“We basically made a mouse diet that models what Americans eat…we call it the ‘Total Western Diet,’” Hintze said.

This diet, through their studies, was shown to produce more accurate results of what the average American experiences when changing diets. Hintze in particular proved and disproved some myths around diet change such as adding broccoli or green tea.  

Hintze also used the Total Western Diet to discover correlations to colon cancer.  He found that “the average American diet is horrible in terms of colon cancer.” In fact, Hintze said that mice on the Total Western Diet generated three times as much cancer as the base diet.

“You can just see the results, [the colon is] just filled with tumors,” Hintze said.

Hintze, Ward and Benninghoff will publish their research findings sometime in spring 2013. 

According to Hintze, if their paper is accepted it would change the standard testing methods for all laboratory tests conducted in the United States and help scientists better identify and treat diseases related to the American diet. 

Related links:

USU Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences Department

USU College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Contact: Korry Hintze, (435) 797-2124, korry.hintze@usu.edu

Writer: Tiffany Adams, (435) 797-7406, tiffany.adams@usu.edu

The never-before-seen skeleton is of one of the largest armored dinosaurs ever found. Bristling with spikes, Peloroplites cedrimontanus was well defended against predators looking for a quick lunch. Its name means “armored monster from the Cedar Mountain,” in reference to the formation from which the bones were found.

Peloroplites adds to a growing number of ankylosaur dinosaurs from Utah.

“There are more species of ankylosaurs in Utah than in any other state,” said Kenneth Carpenter, USU Eastern Museum director and dinosaur paleontologist. “Only Mongolia and China have us beat.”

The skeleton was pieced together from bones excavated by staff and volunteers from the USU Prehistoric Museum. Dinosaurs thrived in central Utah during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 110 million years ago, Carpenter said.

The four-legged, slow moving titan was discovered in the Cedar Mountain Formation south of Price, at the north end of the San Rafael Swell. It weighed around five tons, or four Mini Coopers combined. The skeletal remains that were found at the site include bones of most parts of the body, except for the hind foot, Carpenter said.

Peloroplites had small teeth, which show it was a plant eater. Its body was encased in armor bones that formed in the skin much like on the back of alligators. The armor includes long spines along the sides of the body for defense. This provided protection against the T rex-sized carnivorous dinosaurs of the time called Acrocanthosaurus. This monster is 23 feet long, 6 1/2 feet tall and 6 3/4 feet wide at the hips, Carpenter said.

Paleontologists are currently studying several other dinosaur skeletons that were found at the same site, including one with a long neck and long arms and bones of a flying reptile.

Related links:

Prehistoric Museum

Utah State University Eastern

Contact: Dr. Kenneth Carpenter, 435-613-5752; ken.carpenter@usu.edu

Writer: Christine K. Trease, 435-613-5757; Christine.trease@usu.edu

“In three short years our college is prospering on both the national and international levels,” said Craig Jessop, dean of the CCA. “This is only possible with the hard work, dedication and perseverance of our great students, faculty, staff and the donors who have been so instrumental in making all of the successes recognized this evening possible.”

Mike Christiansen, professor of guitar in the Department of Music, was awarded Teacher of the Year. Christiansen was also chosen as Utah’s 2012 Carnegie Professor of the Year, a prestigious award to honor outstanding undergraduate educators across the nation.

“Mike is one of the most highly respected music educators in America,” said USU President Stan L. Albrecht. “His caring for his students has made him one of Utah State University’s most beloved faculty members.”

Christiansen has taught guitar at USU for 40 years, instructing more than 8,000 students. He has also published many works on guitar technique and developed a guitar program from the ground up for the university.

“It’s been an amazing year,” said Christiansen. “Receiving those awards was great, but the real reward was reading the letters that came in from colleagues and students nominating me for Teacher of the Year and Carnegie Professor of the Year.”

John Neely, professor of ceramics in the Department of Art and Design was awarded the D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. This is the first time this award has been given to a fine artist in the history of the university.

“I am both pleased and honored,” said Neely. “In an era when research productivity is often measured in dollars secured in external grants and contracts, it is particularly gratifying to have had my efforts assessed on a different kind of scale and as a consequence, to have been named the first recipient from the arts.”

Widely recognized as an expert in the technology of clay, glaze and kiln firing, Neely is considered both an artist and a scientist. His innovative research and published results have changed the way hundreds of potters on four continents create their work.

“Throughout his career, John has contributed a body of physical work and knowledge that has made a significant impact on the world of ceramic art,” said Albrecht. “As he’s poured history, chemistry and engineering into his art, he’s put USU on the map as a place of innovation and exploration.”

Eight students received the A-Pin, one of the oldest awards at Utah State University, for earning straight A’s through two consecutive semesters. The Legacy of Utah State Award was given to Kaitlyn McDonald, a student in the Department of Theatre Arts. McDonald has 18 credits of upper-division classes, has two part-time jobs and also finds time to do volunteer work.

Machaela Burt, a student in the Department of Theatre Arts, was awarded Scholar of the Year. She has consistently excellent both in academic achievement and research, and has developed projects that benefit the department, university and community. Burt also finds time to mentor incoming students among her other commitments.

The Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year was awarded to Kathy Puzey, assistant professor of printmaking in the Department of Art and Design. Because of her dedication to students and their research, new methods of printmaking are learned through self-driven research and experiments.

This year’s ceremony included a new award, called the Champion of the Arts, and was presented to Provost Raymond T. and Andrea Coward. The Provost and his wife, together with USU President Stan Albrecht, provided the support for the college’s creation and development.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to work for a true leader and mentor,” said Jessop. “I have never met a more effective, intelligent and talented administrator and it has been a joy to know someone who ensures change, enabling others to fulfill their dreams in higher education.”

A complete list of awards:

A-Pin Recipients

Alysse Bailey, Stevie LaDawn Dutson, Lauren Ashley Henrie, Krista Jackson, Sara Mason, Ellyn Thornton, Trevor Dane Vincent, Christy Ivie

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Fellow

Kyle McKenna

Undergraduate Researcher of the Year

Millie Struve

Legacy of Utah State Award

Kaitlyn McDonald

Valedictorian

Andrea Decker Moreno

Scholar of the Year

Machaela Burt

Outstanding Employee of the Year (Professional)

Joyce Albrecht

Outstanding Employee of the Year (Classified)

Janet Hancock

Graduate Instructor of the Year

Louis Reilly

Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Kathy Puzey

Scholar/Creative Artist of the Year

Jason Nicholson

Teacher of the Year

Michael Christiansen

International Professor of the Year

Sylvia Munsen

D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award

John Neely

Carnegie Professor of the Year

Michael Christiansen

Related link:

• USU Caine College of the Arts
• USU Department of Art and Design
• Interior Design Program
• USU Music Department
• USU Theatre Arts Department

Writer: Kara Rindlisbacher, 435-797-9203, kara.rindlisbacher@usu.edu

Contact: Denise Albiston, 435-797-1500, denise.albiston@usu.edu

“It was a life changing experience for me,” said Nathan Smith, technology director for the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. “I’m not sure what there is about the experience, but we connected very deeply.”

Smith has had previous experience teaching instructional technology to international audiences. He worked with two groups of teaching fellows who came to Utah State through the Teaching Excellence and Achievement program, offered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. It is implemented by IREX, an international nonprofit organization.

Smith’s work with the TEA program led to his latest experience in Jordan. The Jordan and Lebanon Alumni Professional Development Training was for fellows who had participated in either the TEA or the International Leaders in Education Program (also offered through the U.S. Department of State).

TEA alumni recommended him, said Jessica Anduiza, program officer with the education programs division of IREX.

“He did amazing,” Anduiza said. “He really engaged the participants and took them through. He kept it in mind that it’s not about the cool technology, it’s about using technology to achieve your learning objectives.”

He also created a website so that participants could refer to the resources he shared with them.

The participants included 31 alumni of the two programs who live in Jordan and Lebanon. The teaching fellows also brought invited guests, who were mostly school administrators. The educators focused on similar issues as their counterparts in the United States, Smith said. They wanted to move away from a lecture-based, “sage on the stage” model and engage students in real-world problem solving. Conference-goers added a lot to the discussion because they brought their own classroom experiences with them.

“It was a chance for us to connect and reconnect and show our support for their continued growth,” Anduiza said. “We hope we’ve also supported their ability to connect with each other as they work to improve their teaching skills, classroom management, whatever they’re striving to do in their classroom.”

An underlying goal is to expose educators from outside the United States to the real America. 

“I think for a lot of these folks, their only lens on America is the media, and what they see on the movies and TV isn’t a very accurate picture,” Smith said. “And we have the same lens on their country.”

If the goal was to leave a favorable impression, it worked.

“Everybody I met was so kind and gracious,” he said. “I was told by many of them, ‘Come back to Jordan and my home will be your home.’”

Related link:

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services 

Contact: Nathan Smith, 435-797-1484, nathan.smith@usu.edu

Writer:  JoLynne Lyon, 435-797-1463, jolynne.lyon@usu.edu

Utah State University undergraduates recently contributed to a National Science Foundation-funded project aimed at examining and analyzing amphibian habitat fragmentation across the country. Using data from the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program and GIS landscape layers, including the National Land Cover Database and the National Wetland Registry, students in Karen Beard’s Conservation Biology class (WILD 4600) joined researchers from nine other universities selected to participate in the 2013 National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis ‘Toads, Roads and Nodes’ Coordinated Undergraduate Research Project.

“This is a great learning opportunity for our undergraduates,” says Beard, associate professor in the Department of Wildland Resources. “The students learn how to answer a real-world research question, how to collect real data and how to analyze this data.”

Over the course of the project, Beard’s students investigated the presence or absence of varied amphibian species in a designated region, noting changes in such landscape features as forest cover, road density and urbanization.

Two students from the class, George Fawson, a wildlife science major, and Anisha Willey, a conservation and restoration ecology major, accompanied Beard to the project’s culminating session at NCEAS headquarters at the University of California, Santa Barbara April 5-8.

“We were able to put together all the data from all of the states to get a bigger picture,” Willey says. “It was lots of fun meeting people from all over the United States.”

Highlights of the project, she says, were developing new research skills and working on newly collected and under-studied frog data.

“Data collection is a challenge because it’s very tedious,” Willey says. “I learned it takes a lot of time, work and participation from many people for a large-scale project like this to be successful. Repetition is key for success.”

Beard, who previously led her students in a NCEAS project in 2011, says such projects are a huge investment of time but well worth the effort.

“I set aside four-to-five weeks for this project because it’s a great way for students to learn about and experience conservation biology and ecology,” she says. “With our 2011 project, a student participant and I co-authored a scientific paper that’s been accepted for publication. That’s a valuable educational experience for an undergraduate.”

Related links:

• “USU Conservation Biologists Contribute to NSF Invasive Species Study,” Utah State Today
• USU Department of Wildland Resources
• USU Ecology Center
• USU Quinney College of Natural Resources

Contact: Karen Beard, 435-797-8220, Karen.beard@usu.edu

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu

In all, approximately 51 percent of USU’s student athletes earned a 3.2 GPA to qualify for the awards.

The top honoree during the luncheon was senior track athlete Bri Campbell who was named the Whitesides Scholar. Thirteen of the past 23 recipients of the top individual honor have been from track and field, while 19 of the past 22 honorees have been women.

Campbell graduates from Utah State in spring 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and carries a 3.96 cumulative grade point average. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in accounting from USU. Overall, Campbell is a four-time Whitesides Scholar Athlete recipient and a three-time academic all-Western Athletic Conference honoree.

As a student athlete, Campbell has earned second-team all-WAC honors twice during her career. She tied for sixth in the high jump at the 2011 WAC Indoor Championships and finished fourth in the high jump at the 2010 WAC Indoor Championships.

Utah State also handed out team honors and men’s golf was named the top academic team with fewer than 20 members. Women’s soccer was the top academic team with more than 20 members and men’s golf was the most improved academic team.

Brittany Fisher, who was a member of the track and field team, received the Aggie Achievement Award for overcoming life challenges and personal adversity to ultimately excel as a student athlete and obtain a high level of academic achievement at Utah State University.

Admissions officers Jen Caines, Chauntelle Crockett, Patty Ross, Tonya Sorensen, Barbara Walker and Idena Ward were all presented the Meet The Challenge Award, while Jessica Parker was given the Outstanding Tutor Award and Nicholas Lauritzen was given the Outstanding Mentor Award for their work with USU’s student athletes.

The Whitesides honors began in 1953 by former USU athlete, coach and athletics director Joe E. Whitesides.

2013 UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY WHITESIDES SPECIAL HONORS

Whitesides Winner — Bri Campbell

Aggie Achievement Award — Brittany Fisher

Meet The Challenge — Admissions officers (Jen Caines, Chauntelle Crockett, Patty Ross, Tonya Sorenson, Barbara Walker, Idena Ward)

Outstanding Tutor — Jessica Parker

Outstanding Mentor — Nicholas Lauritzen

Top Teams (20-plus members)

1. Soccer

2. Women’s Track

3. Men’s Track

Top Teams (less than 20 members)

1. Men’s Golf

2. Men’s Tennis

3. Gymnastics

Most Improved Teams

1. Men’s Golf

2. Men’s Tennis

3. Gymnastics

*See the full list of Whitesides honorees at the Athletics website.

Contact:  Doug Hoffman, (435) 797-3714

“With the volume of scientific literature hitting the press, it’s hard to keep up what’s state-of-the-art,” says Bialkowski, professor of analytical chemistry in USU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Review articles are a way to keep in touch.”

Bialkowski was recently named editor-in-chief of Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry, a review journal produced by Philadelphia-based publisher Taylor & Francis, Inc. The journal has a five-year impact factor of 3.956, ranking it “9” out of 73 chemistry analytical journals by Thomson Reuters’ 2011 Journal Citation Reports.

Bialkowski has served on the journal’s editorial board for the past 17 years and looks forward to taking the helm. He notes that, during the past decade, the number of review articles, in all scientific disciplines, hasn’t kept up with the exponential increase in scientific research papers.

“More review articles are needed to keep pace with innovations and the rapid evolution of science,” he says. “A broad overview is needed to bring focus to what’s important to science and to society.”

In addition to keeping scientists informed, review articles provide valuable educational tools, Bialkowski says.

“I often use review articles in my classes, especially lab courses, to challenge students with real-world scientific problems,” he says. “I give students an article and ask them to come up with an application and design an experiment to test it.”

Bialkowski says review articles also provide scientists with an archive of sorts to determine if research they’re envisioning has been done before.

“A certain amount of repetition is expected, even welcomed, in science,” he says. “But every investigator benefits from knowing how peers are approaching similar problems.”

Shared knowledge of results isn’t the only benefit, Bialkowski says.

“It’s always extremely helpful to hear about emerging technology and the tools and techniques researchers are using in their approaches,” he says.

In his new post, Bialkowski hopes to broaden the community of authors contributing to the journal.

“Though the journal is international, most of our authors are from North America and Europe,” he says. “I’d like to involve more authors from Asia, South America and other parts of the world.”

China, for example, has a huge scientific research and manufacturing base, Bialkowski says. Involving more authors is also a way of expanding the journal’s readership — another of his goals.

“There’s so much going on in the global scientific community and in analytical chemistry in particular — especially in nanoscience and nanotechnology,” he says. “The journal provides a vehicle to foster innovation and collaboration.”

Related links:

Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry

USU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

USU College of Science

Contact: Stephen Bialkowski, 435-797-1907, stephen.bialkowski@usu.edu

Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu

“We have a long tradition of service at Utah State University,” said Albrecht. “Service learning is a huge component of the USU DNA and we are glad to recognize these volunteers.”

Bucknam was especially grateful to present the awards on campus.

“We are excited to honor the recipients in their own community and on their home campus,” said Bucknam.

Sheldon Browning, USU Community Service Coordinator, read a short bio for each award winner that highlighted the work they have done.

“It is important to recognize the work done by the honorees because of the deep and positive impact they have had on so many,” said Browning. “I hope each of the honorees, whose work goes largely unnoticed, feels proud of their contributions to the university and the community.”

This year’s honorees include the following:

Jeremy Nef and Kyle Neidrich are this year’s Civically Engaged Student Award winners.

Nef, student body service vice president at Utah State University, is a volunteer manager who guides 23 volunteer program managers and thousands of student volunteers. Nef has continually demanded innovation by working closely with university staff in the establishment of the USU Campus Service Steering Committee which oversees campus service initiatives and puts community engagement on the forefront of campus priorities.

Neidrich is a consistent, long-term and responsible volunteer in the Val. R. Christensen Service Center and other campus and non-campus organizations. Neidrich’s genuine volunteer spirit is illustrated by his exceeding the required minimum volunteer hours as a Service-Learning Scholar.

Neidrich has also demonstrated the capacity to identify needs and develop programs to meet those needs. He established the officially-recognized celiac awareness and support group at USU known as Aggies Against the Grain. Because of this initiative, individuals on campus — often isolated and overlooked — have been given new and unexpected support resources.

Todd Milovich is this year’s Civically Engaged Staff Member Award winner. Milovich is a highly engaged staff member; coordinating an education outreach program that serves hundreds of USU students and thousands of local elementary students. Milovich created the Uncommon Collective program which, by utilizing USU and local high school student volunteers, provides tutoring to Logan City and Cache County school district students.  He has also created partnerships with Logan City Parks and Recreation, as well as Logan and Cache School Districts, to keep afterschool programs functioning at a high level. Volunteers also organized nine fundraising events that were attended by 1,082 people and raised $3,078 for local charities.

Joyce Kinkead is this year’s Civically Engaged Scholar Award winner. Throughout her tenure at USU, Kinkead has been a practitioner and advocate of community engagement. Kinkead has been a professor with the English department since 1982 and has held several leadership posts, including associate vice president for research. Kinkead continually serves students, both formally and informally, by helping them with their research and finding funding for it. She was recently recognized with a Council on Undergraduate Research Fellows Award for her efforts to promote and advance USU’s undergraduate research program.

Youth Discovery Inc. is this year’s Committed Community Partner Award winner. The program, directed by Carlos Roundy, is a bridge-building organization designed to improve the lives of multicultural youth in Cache Valley. YDI has been instrumental in supporting the creation and expansion of the Utah Conservation Corps’ Bilingual Youth Corps program that engages dozens of local youth every summer in completing vital conservation projects on public lands. YDI has also formed innovative and collaborative partnerships with Logan City School District, Cache County School District, Utah State University, Stokes Nature Center, Latinos in Action, American West Heritage Center and United Way of Cache Valley to ensure multicultural youth can achieve their full potential.

For more information about the Utah Campus Compact Awards, see the organization’s website.

Contact: Alexis M. Bucknam, 801-366-8495, abucknam@utahsbr.edu

Writer: Paige Pagnucco, 435-797-1429, paige.pagnucco@usu.edu

UPR will air a selection of the local interviews recorded in the StoryCorps MobileBooth and create special programs around the project. Segments of select interviews may also air nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition.

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth — an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio — will be parked at the St. George Town Square, W. Tabernacle and South Main Street. Reservations are available now and can be made online at the UPR website (upr.org) or by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406, or at its website (storycorps.org). Additional appointments will be available on May 16, 2013.

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth interviews are conducted between two people who know and care about each other while a trained StoryCorps facilitator guides participants through the interview process. At the end of each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a complimentary CD copy of their interview. With participant permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.

Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient Dave Isay, StoryCorps aims to create a growing portrait of who we are as Americans. By traveling to every corner of the country, StoryCorps currently has one of the largest collections of American voices ever gathered, with interviews collected from nearly 80,000 Americans in all 50 states.

“StoryCorps tells the true American story — that we are a people defined by small acts of courage, kindness and heroism,” Isay said. “Each interview reminds people that their lives matter and will not be forgotten. By strengthening connections between people and building an archive that reflects the rich diversity of American voices, we hope to build StoryCorps into an enduring institution that will touch the lives of every American family.”

Kerry Bringhurst, UPR station manager, and other UPR staff coordinate the site visit to southern Utah as part of the station’s 60th anniversary as Utah’s first public radio station.

“There are stories to be shared that are unique to southern Utah,” Bringhurst said. “A strong pioneer heritage exists. There is a diverse population of long-time residents and sun seeking newcomers, and there are memories to be shared about time spent in the area’s national parks.”

In addition to a traveling MobileBooth, StoryCorps currently operates stationary recording booths in Atlanta, Ga., in partnership with the Atlanta History Center and public radio station WABE-FM, and at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, Calif.

To ensure the diversity of participants, StoryCorps sponsors major initiatives. StoryCorps Historias collects the stories of Latinos throughout the United States and Puerto Rico;  StoryCorps Griot preserves the voices and experiences of African Americans; the Military Voices Initiative honors the voices of post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families; StoryCorps Legacy provides people with serious illnesses and their families the opportunity to record, preserve and share their stories; and the September 11 Initiative honors and remembers the stories of those personally affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

To help offset its operating costs, StoryCorps suggests a donation of at least $25 for each MobileBooth interview. If participants cannot meet the suggested donation, they may participate at no cost to ensure that StoryCorps remains a free public service.

About StoryCorps

StoryCorps’ mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, preserve and share their stories. Each week, millions of Americans listen to StoryCorps’ award-winning broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. StoryCorps has published three books: Listening Is an Act of Love,Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorpsand All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps— all of which are New York Timesbestsellers. For more information, or to listen to stories online, see the StoryCorps website.

About UPR

Utah Public Radio is dedicated to providing a service that enriches the lives of listeners throughout the state of Utah with quality programming designed to inspire the mind, engage the imagination and perpetuate the habit of lifelong learning.  UPR’s network provides locally produced programming, national news, public affairs and cultural entertainment programs.  Through the support of Utah State University and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the station engages in outreach and builds community resources and empowers listeners to become active participants in shaping the future.  For more information, or to listen online, go to the UPR website.

About Dixie Regional Medical Center

Dixie Regional Medical Center is a 245-bed hospital located on two campuses — River Road and 400 East. Located in St. George, Utah, Dixie Regional Medical Center is the major medical referral center for northwestern Arizona, southeastern Nevada and southern Utah. It has been recognized as a Thompson Top 100 Heart Hospital. It partners with the Huntsman Cancer Institute to provide world-class cancer care for patients close to home. It recently expanded its newborn intensive care unit so parents can stay with their struggling child without having to travel. The center also opened the LiVe Well Center, which is a collection of services, including fitness classes, nutrition coaching and personalized medical fitness evaluations.

Source: Utah Public Radio (UPR) / StoryCorps

Contact: Kerry Bringhurst, (435) 797-1352, Kerry.bringhurst@usu.edu

Those receiving honorary degrees are Samuel Alba, retired United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Utah; Charlie Denson, president of Nike Brand; Orrin Hatch, Utah senator and the most senior Republican in the United States Senate; and Mathana Santiwat, president of Bangkok University in Thailand.

The prominent individuals will receive honorary doctorates during the undergraduate ceremony May 4 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan. Denson will be the commencement speaker.

USU President Stan L.Albrecht said honorary degrees are one of the most important ways the university has to recognize people for the commitment and sacrifices they have made to make positive changes in the world.

“All of these individuals have made their marks in a number of ways and in a number of fields, but all of them deserve honor for their passion and determination to serve others,” he said.

SAMUEL ALBA (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Utah State University alum Samuel Alba has had a long and storied career in the law profession. After establishing himself in both the public and private sectors, Alba was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for Utah.

During his time as Magistrate Judge, Alba was extremely well-respected and presided over a large and diverse roster of cases. He served as a Magistrate Judge for 20 years, five of which were spent serving as the Chief Magistrate Judge. Alba was the state of Utah’s first Latino federal judge.

Alba has extensive experience in handling both civil and criminal matters and began his career working with the Federal Public Defenders office in Arizona. He then went on to work with a personal injury and criminal defense firm and later joined the United States Attorney’s Office as a first assistant and chief of the criminal section. Alba followed his time with the U.S. Attorney’s office by returning to private practice where he focused on commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense cases in both state and federal courts. He was then appointed as a Magistrate Judge and after retiring from his appointment in June of 2012, Alba returned to private practice where he is currently a shareholder with Snow, Christensen and Martineau.

A product of an immigrant family that migrated from Mexico to find seasonal work in the United States, Alba’s parents saw to it that he and his siblings were well educated. After settling in the West, Alba attended USU where, in 1969, he graduated with a bachelor’s in political science. He then went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University’s Law School in 1972.

Alba’s prominence and success in the field of law garnered him many accolades over the years. In 2005, the Utah Minority Bar Association honored him as one of the first 50 minority lawyers in Utah and, in 2009, Alba was included in Latinos in Utah, a book recognizing the contributions made by Latinos in the state of Utah. Alba delivered a speech in 2010 on “The Changing Face of Law in Latin America,” as part of USU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Speaker series. In 2013, Alba was named as one of Utah’s Legal Elite in the area of Criminal Law by Utah Business Magazine.

CHARLIE DENSON (Honorary Doctorate Recipient and Commencement Speaker)

As president of the Nike Brand Charlie Denson is responsible for leading the strategy of the world’s most distinctive, authentic and connected brand in sports.

Denson oversees all aspects of the global direction for the company’s consumer categories, including Actions Sports, Basketball, Football (Soccer), Men’s Training, Running, Sportswear and Women’s Training, as well as the Jordan Brand and Nike Golf.

His career at Nike spans more than 30 years. After graduating from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1978, Denson started as an assistant store manager of “The Athletics Department,” Nike’s first retail store in Portland, Ore., in 1979. He quickly moved up the ranks and has held many positions over the years, including time as vice president of United States and European sales and as general manager of Nike USA.

An innovator in developing sales and distribution strategies, Denson has been a driving force in Nike’s global growth as the company has expanded into approximately 190 countries. In particular, he pioneered Nike’s growth in China, India and Brazil. In fiscal year 2012, Nike Brand revenues surpassed $21 billion, a growth of 16 percent.

An avid Aggie fan, he was instrumental in unveiling Utah State’s new athletic logo in the spring of 2012. The university worked with Nike in collaboration on a 15-month re-branding campaign that was made possible through Denson’s support as well as the longstanding association between Utah State Athletics and Nike.

ORRIN HATCH (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch is known for his service, hard work and perseverance. As the senate representative for the state of Utah, Hatch is a leader in developing strong legislation that has impacted the lives of every American.

Now serving his seventh term, Sen. Hatch is the most senior Republican in the United States Senate. He is dedicated to Utah and fights for the ideals that define the state and its people.

His years of experience in the senate have allowed Sen. Hatch to develop several key areas of legislation for Utah and for the United States government. He currently serves on several committees and is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance. He is a member of the Judiciary Committee; the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; and the Joint Committee on Taxation. He also has the honor of serving on the board of directors for the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Sen. Hatch began his career as a lawyer after graduating from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s in history and from the University of Pittsburgh with a Juris Doctorate. He spent 14 years as a lawyer before being elected to the United States Senate in 1977.

MATHANA SANTIWAT (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Growing up in a traditional Thai household in Bangkok, Mathana Santiwat was formally educated at a private Catholic school for her early education and then moved on to a Thai preparatory school.

Santiwat currently serves as Bangkok University’s president and has enjoyed a productive career in higher education in Thailand. After graduating from Thammasat University with an undergraduate degree, Santiwat joined what was then known as Bangkok College. For three years she served as a lecturer’s assistant, where she aided senior students in their advanced accounting class and was the advisor for student activities, while also working as a part time Certified Public Accountant.

Deciding to further her education, Santiwat was given a scholarship from Bangkok College to attend Utah State University where she came in 1976 to earn a master’s in accounting. Her education and experience allowed Santiwat to return to Bangkok College where she was appointed dean of the School of Accounting. After serving as dean for three years, Santiwat was offered another scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Kansas where she studied higher education administration, with business administration as a minor.

On her return to Thailand in 1985, Santiwat resumed her position as dean of the School of Accounting at the newly named Bangkok University. It was a period of rapid growth for the university and Santiwat moved on to become the vice president for planning and development, a position she held for one year. She was then promoted to serve as vice president for academic affairs, a position she held for 19 years until she was appointed as Bangkok University’s president in May of 2007. Throughout her career in higher education, Santiwat has travelled the world as a visiting lecturer.

Santiwat helps women in Thailand, and worldwide, who find themselves victims of violence. She has served on the board for Thai Women Watch and, in 2000, was among the Thailand delegates to attend the annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York.

For more information on USU’s 126th Commencement, visit the commencement website.