Utah State University Uintah Basin Celebrates 2024 Graduating Class

Utah State University Uintah Basin is proud to have celebrated its class of 2024 on April 27. The class of 2024 consists of 137 individuals earning 60 associate, 56 bachelor’s, 29 master’s degrees, and four undergraduate certificates. The graduation ceremony was held at Uintah Conference Center in Vernal.

“We are here to honor the [many] students who will be graduating. They are a diverse group, each with their own journey and are worthy of celebration,” said Don Busenbark, assistant department head of mathematics and statistics, and the emcee of the ceremony.

Busenbark welcomed the graduates and then introduced the student and commencement speaker.

John Michalski, who graduated with a master’s degree in geosciences from the College of Science, then addressed the audience as the student speaker.Michalskibegan his speech recalling the process of being accepted to graduate school, and how, after the many no’s he’d received, he received a yes from USU Uintah Basin. Looking back, he realizes that the no’s were not failures but a process on his journey to yes.

“Life is full of ‘no’s’,” Michalski said. “When you go out into the world and you put your degree to the test and apply for jobs, you may start out with a flood of no’s. And it’s tempting to let that series of no’s pile on and on until you eventually throw up your hands and quit. But when you finally do quit, when you do throw in that towel, you’ll never know if that next attempt, that one last shot, was a yes. And that’s the beauty of it.”

He went on to speak on how the “yes” he got from USU opened up his world to incredible experiences he could only get from USU Uintah Basin. He has gotten to dig up dinosaurs, meet and learn from mentors, and delve into the prehistoric history all around him. He concluded by encouraging his fellow graduates not to try and prove the “haters” wrong, but to prove their fans correct.

“Prove to that employer seeking out the best candidate for a position that you are the perfect match for the job,” he said. “Prove to your coworkers that you are a worthy member of the team, and that your contributions will bring about the best in them as well as yourself. And prove to the family and friends who believed in you, supported you and stood by you when all seemed lost that they were right to have put their faith in you. And before you know it, you’ll be believing in yourself, and accomplishing everything you set your mind to.”

Robert Wagner, current president of Idaho State University and former executive vice president and chief operating officer of USU, then addressed the class as the commencement speaker. Wagner offered graduates five life lessons that have helped him in his journeys as he traveled throughout the state of Utah during his service at USU.

“As you complete this educational journey, I hope you are looking forward to the next journey — whatever that might be,” Wagner said. “I hope and encourage you to pay attention to what you listen to, enjoy the scenery along the way, never forget the importance of good travel companionship, always think of others along the way, and value the transformation that education has made in your life. I congratulate you, the USU Uintah Basin Class of 2024.”

USU President Elizabeth R. Cantwell then provided a short message and conferred upon the students their degrees. Once the graduates received their diplomas, Matthew White, vice president of Advancement and president of the USU Foundation, delivered a welcome address.

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