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| USU Surpasses Fundraising Goals With $63 Million Raised |
| From July 2023 to June 2024, USU achieved a remarkable fundraising milestone, securing $63 million through 25,845 contributions from 8,249 donors, marking a significant rise in donations since 2018. More than $10.7 million came from donations under $25,000. |
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| Dell Loy Hansen ’82, Honored as Ukraine’s Philanthropist of the Year |
| Over the past several years, Hansen’s organization, Hansen Ukrainian Mission, has been instrumental in transformative efforts that have included housing over 6,000 internally displaced Ukrainians, feeding tens of thousands, and providing employment opportunities to those impacted by war. These initiatives have left a lasting and inspiring impact on Ukraine and its citizens. |
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| Nominate an Aggie |
| Do you know an outstanding alum or friend of Utah State? Help us recognize and honor their achievements by nominating them for a 2025-26 Utah State University award. |
| Awardees will be recognized during Alumni events throughout the year, including Homecoming Week (Fall 2025) and the Founders Day and Old Main Society Celebration (March 2026). |
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| Aggie Family Scholarship from United Way of Eastern Utah Serves the Next Generation of USU Eastern Students |
| In early 2024, a unique opportunity arose, providing the United Way of Eastern Utah with a transformative chance to further its mission. Demonstrating their dedication to helping the community thrive, the UWEU established the Aggie Family Scholarship endowment to assist students at Utah State University Eastern who exhibit a commitment to community service. |
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| From Aggie to Space Scientist: How USU Shaped the Career Trajectory of Physicist Jodie Ream |
| USU alumna, Jodie Ream ’09, now a space physicist specializing in magnetospheric physics and plasma waves at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is always reminded of the profound impact her alma mater had on her career trajectory. Her journey from USU to MIT was shaped by the invaluable experiences she gained through undergraduate research. |
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| USU Ag Graduate Student: Growing Futures and Feeding Communities |
| Driven to expand his knowledge, in July 2020, Noah Langenfeld moved to Utah for a Ph.D. at USU under Bruce Bugbee. His research focuses on optimizing plant nutrition in closed life-support systems, essential for future space missions. Supported by the Apogee Instruments-Campbell Scientific Graduate Fellowship, he can concentrate on his studies without a financial burden. |
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| A Soldier’s Resolve: Jacob Hunsaker’s Dedication to Nursing and Mental Health |
| Jacob Hunsaker ’13, ’15 MFT, a retired U.S. Army Reserve member, applied talk therapy while deployed in Afghanistan. His career at a community health center sparked an interest in medical therapy, leading him to USU’s nursing program, where he graduated with a BSN in 2021. The Jacob Hunsaker Hardship Nursing Fund supports nursing students through AggieFunded. |
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| Spark Ignited at Utah State Leads to International Adventure and Giving Back |
| Bob ’64, ’66 MS, and DeAnn Fehlman’s story is one of resilience and dedication. “Utah State holds a special place in our hearts,” Bob shared, recalling their academic journey. Their creation of the Robert Gustave and DeAnn Frank Fehlman German Lab reflects their deep belief in education’s transformative power. |
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| Paying it Forward to the Next Generation of USU Aggies |
| Raised in a modest family that valued education, Mark Stoddard ’82, followed his parents (also proud Aggies) to USU, where he met his wife, LeAnn. His career transformed rural healthcare, and in gratitude, Mark and LeAnn endowed scholarships and supported nursing and athletics. Mark also joined the USU Foundation Board in 2024. |
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| Rocketing Forward: GAS Team Alum Honors USU Physicist Jan Sojka with Scholarship Endowment |
| Mel Torrie ’97, ’98 MS, CEO of Autonomous Solutions, credits USU’s Get Away Special (GAS) team for shaping his success. To honor longtime adviser Jan J. Sojka, Torrie donated $100,000 to establish the Jan J. Sojka GAS Fellowship Endowment. He hopes this gift inspires fellow alumni to support future students pursuing similar entrepreneurial dreams. |
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| Celebrating Martyn Caldwell: A Memorial Endowment for Future Ecologists at USU |
| The Ecology Center at USU advances ecological research and graduate education. In memory of former Director Martyn Caldwell, who passed away in 2021, USU faculty and alumni established a memorial endowment. Caldwell, a pioneering ecologist, transformed the center’s culture and left a lasting legacy by empowering graduate students and championing independent research. |
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| For more stories about Creating Aggie Impact, visit: https://www.usu.edu/advancement/stories. |
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| Jordan Love ’19 |
| Green Bay Packers star, Love, became the highest paid quarterback in NFL history when he signed a $220 million contract extension with a $75 million signing bonus. |
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| Cameron Maylett ’17, ’19 MBA |
| Maylett, Director of Human Resources & Talent Acquisition at Blue Raven Solar was honored as a recipient of Utah Business Magazine’s HR Achievements Award for an extra-large company. |
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| Andrew Craig ’13 MS, ’17 Ph.D. |
| Craig, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Behavior Analysis Studies, Neuroscience and Physiology at Upstate Medical University, was elected President of the American Psychological Association’s Division 25 (Behavior Analysis). |
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| Chris Dixon ’13 |
| Dixon was named one of Orlando Family Magazine’s Men of the Year. |
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| Amanda Eskeets ’13 |
| Centennial Middle School Teacher Eskeets, from the Provo School District, was named the 2024 Utah History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. |
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| Bobby Wagner ’12 |
| Wagner, currently with the Washington Commanders, was named to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024 list, coming in at No. 59. He also opened his own Crumbl Cookies store in Renton, Washington. |
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| Jodi Lunt ’11 |
| Lunt, Executive Director of the Davis Education Foundation, was selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Legacy Award by the Davis Chamber of Commerce. |
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| Richard Nye ’11 Ph.D. |
| Utah Gov. Spencer Cox appointed Nye as his Senior Adviser of Education in July 2024. |
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| Cody Allen ’07 |
| Allen was given the Pogue-Elms Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in August 2024. |
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| Joseph Anderson ’07 |
| Anderson received the Cache Valley Library Association’s 2024 Library Hero Award. |
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| Aaron Barruss ’07, ’08 MBA |
| Barruss was named Vice President of Facilities for Western States Lodging and Management. |
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| Deonne Johnson ’07 |
| Johnson was honored with a ‘40 Over 40’ award by the 40 Over 40 program that supports representation and acknowledges women who are changing lives and making an impact after the age of 40. |
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| Krista Parry ’06 |
| Parry, Chief Development Officer for Visit Salt Lake, was named one of Utah Business Magazine’s 2024 Executive Excellence awardees. |
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| Anne Marie Leavitt McDonald ’04 |
| McDonald, Managing Partner at Mam Capital, was named to Utah Business Magazine’s 2024 list of 30 Women to Watch. |
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| Vanessa Ballam ’03 |
| USU’s Lyric Rep spotlight event honored talented team of Ballam and Stefan Espinosa. |
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| Mitzi Nelson ’03 Med |
| The Wasatch County Library named Wasatch County Library Board member Nelson as the recipient of the Utah Library Association’s 2024 Special Service to Libraries Award. |
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| Jonathan Anderson ’99 |
| Anderson, former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Southern Utah University, has been selected to serve as the next President of Pennsylvania Western University. |
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| Ryan Dent ’99, ’00 MBA |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers selected Dent as Managing Partner of PwC Salt Lake City. |
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| Donna Eddleman ’96 MMS MHR |
| Hendrix College named Eddleman as its new Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. |
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| Jill Anderson ’95 |
| Anderson was honored with a ‘40 Over 40’ award by the 40 Over 40 program that supports representation and acknowledges women who are changing lives and making an impact after the age of 40. |
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| Lauri Kearnes ’94, ’95 MAcc |
| Byrna Technologies Inc., appointed Kearnes as Chief Financial Officer, in July 2024. |
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| Cindy Jones ’90 Med, ’08 Ph.D. |
| Jones, Professor and Director of the Literacy Clinic in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at USU, was recognized by Utah First Lady Abby Cox for her outstanding lifetime achievements at the Honors in Education Gala in August 2024. |
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| Greg Carr ’82 |
| Idaho philanthropist Carr received the Frank and Bethine Church Award for Distinguished Public Service. |
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| Craig Poole ’64, ’67 MS |
| Poole, who coached BYU’s women’s track and field program for 30 years, was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024. |
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| Rod Tueller ’59 |
| Tueller, who served double duty as Utah State’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director, was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024. |
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| October 5: Aggie Tailgate at Boise State |
| Join Aggies and friends for a tailgate before the game. |
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| October 10-11: USU’s A Day of Giving |
| Join fellow Aggies and friends in making a gift to the area of USU that means the most to you throughout this year’s 1,888 minutes of giving! |
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| November 9: Aggie Tailgate at Washington State |
| Join Aggies and friends for a tailgate before the game. |
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| February 26, 2025: Aggie Night with the Utah Jazz |
| Join Aggies for a special USU Alumni night, and watch practice courtside, as the Utah Jazz take on the Sacramento Kings at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Registration opening soon. |
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| Goldenwest Insurance |
| Attention True Aggies: Want a FREE Utah State belt bag? It’s easy! Simply request an auto and home insurance quick quote from Goldenwest Insurance Services, and it’s yours. |
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| USU Announced $30 Million in Recent Gifts at 'Create Your Aggie Impact' Event on the Wasatch Front |
| Utah State and the USU Foundation Board celebrated the resounding success of their ongoing Create Your Aggie Impact campaign during a special event at the Bastian Agricultural Center. Hundreds of millions of dollars has already been raised for a variety of impact initiatives across the university since the campaign began in 2019. |
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| Check out all the pics from past alumni events on our Flickr page and follow us @utahstatealumni so you don’t miss upcoming news and events! |
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