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Utah State University 2015 The Greats

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You know what's GREAT about ideas? Anyone can have one. They can come anytime, from anywhere, right out of the blue, in ways we least expect. In 1888, land was set aside to found what would become Utah State University. What started as a small-town college tucked away in the Northern Utah mountains has grown into "Idea Central" — a thriving research university known and respected around the world. In the years since its founding, the university has celebrated many greats — great students, great faculty, great researchers, great administrators — who are leading the world to a better smarter future. Read below for a series of “Utah State Greats” from 2013 and the past several years.

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Utah StateUniversity 2015

The Greats

ThePower toChange for Good

Utah StateUniversity 2015

The Greats

ThePower toChange for Good

1. Enhancing USU’s Statewide Reach/ Regional Campus Growth 2. Logan Campus Transformation3. Teaching, Research and Service 4. The Campaign for Utah State University 5. Achievements in Athletics6. Global Reach

W ith the promise of a new year’s beginning, it is time, once again,

to reflect on all that was GREAT for Utah State University in 2015. PRESIDENT STAN L. ALBRECHT celebrated ten years of education, innovation and growth at the university, and since taking the helm in February 2005 he has seen the university through many changes and successes,most notably:

Change for GoodThe Power to

Seeing the Value in Higher Education, USU a Star in Rankings

#3 highest-ranked public university in the West for lowest tuition in “America’s Top Colleges”

#8 best public national university for graduates with the least debt

#12 “Best College Town in America”

#8 in the nation among public colleges of education for total research dollars received, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

#21 public university in the nation in “National Universities Rankings 2015” by Washington Monthly

#7 safest college campus in the United States

(U.S. News and World Report “Best Online Graduate Education Programs,” “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” January 2015)

(U.S. News & World Report, “Least Debt, Best Colleges,” 2015 edition)

(Niche,“2015 Best College Towns,” June 2015)

(U.S. News and World Report, “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” 2016 edition)

(Washington Monthly, “National University Rankings,” 2015 edition)

(College Factual, Feb. 2015)

USU 2015 “Year of Water”

The calendar “Year of Water” may be ending, but here at USU the work is never done. The university will

continue to ADDRESS GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGES with the same fierce dedication it has for the past 127 years. The university’s engineers, hydrologists, agron-omists, sociologists, climate scientists, educators and other researchers are still the foremost voices on issues related to water in the state and beyond. Their passion and understanding of this precious resource drives cutting-edge research and pushes them, as well as their students, to develop solutions to problems across the water spectrum.

As Utah’s land-grant institution, it is the mission of Utah State University to serve the public through learning, discovery and engagement. As the Year of Water draws to a close, the university promises to continue its efforts to provide SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO WATER CHALLENGES within Utah, as well as around the world. USU is the state’s source for water expertise — with a future to lead.

Utah Water Research Laboratory Celebrates

50 Years USU’S UTAH WATER RESEARCH LABORATORY celebrated 50 years in 2015 and has been a leader in applied research aimed at solving current and future interdisciplinary water-related challenges here in Utah and around the globe. The tradition continues today, with internationally renowned UWRL faculty and their students en-gaged in CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH benefiting all 29 Utah counties, sev-eral states and historically more than 70 countries.

By continually expanding its presence across the state, USU provides Utah students access to higher education by breaking through traditional geographic boundaries. USU’s Statewide

Reach/Regional Campus Growth

1. Enhancing

RICH ETCHBERGER, a wildlife science professor at USU’s Uintah Basin campus in Vernal, was

named the 2015 Carnegie Professor of the Year for the state of Utah by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Etchberger created the wildlife science program at UBC when he arrived in 1995.

“I motivate my students to grasp the opportunities to change their lives, to earn a degree and to contribute to their community,” Etchberger said. “I have been extremely fortunate to work with an amazing bunch of undergraduate students over the past 20 years.”

Etchberger is the university’s 14th faculty member to receive the prestigious educational honor.

USU-Uintah Basin Professor Rich Etchberger is Utah’s Carnegie Professor of the Year

USU Online Ranks Above the Rest

Blanding Campus Native American Rocket Team Competes Nationally

#13 ranked online bachelor’s degree and graduate education program in the country (U.S. News and World Report “Best Online Graduate Education Programs,”

“Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” January 2015)

#12 ranked online bachelor’s program for veterans in the country (U.S. News and World Report “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans,” May 2015)

#2 public university in “2016 Most Affordable Online Graduate Schools for Master’s Degrees” (CollegeChoice.net, November 2015)

Utah State University Eastern engineering students

successfully competed in the nation’s largest high-

powered rocket competition for Native American

college students in Wisconsin in May. The students,

guided by their professor JARED BERRETT, a USU

Eastern engineering faculty advisor, brought with

them three rockets they designed, built and launched.

Two New Buildings Celebrated in USU’s Regional Campus System

USU EASTERN’S CENTRAL INSTRUCTION BUILDING was dedicated

in October and facilitates the college’s music, theater, visual and fine

arts, communications and criminal justice programs. It was also awarded

“Best of Year” in the small project category in December by Utah

Construction & Design.

USU-BRIGHAM CITY unveiled its new classroom and student services

building in December to benefit Aggies across Utah by hosting classes

through video conferencing to and from other USU locations in the state.

USU Opens Doors of New Aggie Recreation Center to Students

Utah State Begins Production of Biosynthetics for Commercialization

USU opened the doors of the new Aggie Recreation Center in November during a ceremony that included

local and state higher education dignitaries. USU STUDENTS CREATED AND SECURED FUNDING for

the state-of-the-art, 105,000-square-foot building that includes hardwood gym courts, an elevated

indoor track, a multi-activity court, a 4,600-square-foot fitness center, group fitness studios and

student lounges. It also includes USU’s outdoor

programs, a climbing wall, rappelling ledge

and an outdoor recreation rental shop.

USU’s newly constructed BIOPROD-

UCTS SCALE-UP FACILITY on

the university’s Innovation

Campus opened in February

allowing for the production of

COMMERCIAL QUANTITIES

OF SPIDER SILK. Stronger than

Kevlar and more elastic than

nylon, spider silk, until now, could

only be produced in limited quantities.

The USTAR Bioproducts Scale-Up Facility

at USU enables scientists to produce

synthetic spider silk, as well as other

synthetic bioproducts, in quantities that

will be useful for the PRODUCTION OF

REAL-WORLD PRODUCTS.

Funding for the facility was provided by

the Utah Science Technology and Research

(USTAR) initiative.

After years of planning by the university, two newly constructed buildings now have a presence on the USU Logan campus thanks to funding from generous donors, state and federal funding and students.

Logan Campus Transformation

2. Scaling Up —

USU’S MERRILL-CAZIER LIBRARY marked an important milestone in September

2015 — the 10-year anniversary of its opening. Generations of students have studied in USU’s library, beginning in one room in Old Main on up to the current 305,000-square-foot hub of learning it is today.

Happy Birthday Merrill-Cazier Library

USU Names Dean of College of ScienceNew Appointment:

USU named MAURA E. HAGAN of the National Center for Atmospheric Research

in Colorado as the new dean of the College of Science in September. In her new

role, Hagan will work collaboratively with college leadership to foster student

success, promote ongoing faculty development, maintain a culture of educational

assessment and improvement and ensure consistency of science programs and

instruction throughout all USU locations and teaching centers.

USU once again closed the 2014–15 fiscal year with record-breaking research funding, totaling $232 million in sponsored awards. The influx follows a 12 percent increase in research funding to academic colleges, a total of $111 million.Research, Service

3. Teaching,

USU Receives “Innovation and Economic Prosperity” Designation

USU was one of 30 institutions to receive the designation from the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities that acknowledges

universities working with public and private sector partners in their states and regions to SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOP-MENT through a variety of activities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce

development and community development.

• USU undergraduate biochemistry and physics

major KATHRYN “KATIE” SWEET was named as

a 2015 GOLDWATER SCHOLAR in a prestigious

national competition that recognizes outstanding

achievements in science and mathematics.

• Members of USU’s student chapter of the SO-

CIETY OF HISPANIC PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

created a workshop aimed at educating Hispanic

parents in Cache Valley about the college applica-

tion process and financial aid programs available for students.

• Jon M. Huntsman College of Business student GAVIN SALISBURY,

MIS, ‘16, and recent Huntsman MBA alumnus RILEY DUKE, ‘15,

traveled to India to work with the KVM Foundation, which provides

English language and professional skills education to university

students and community members.

• SYDNEY SCHAEFER from the Department of

Health, Physical Education and Recreation in the

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Hu-

man Services received the prestigious NATIONAL

INSTITUTES OF HEALTH’S MENTORED RESEARCH SCIENTIST

DEVELOPMENT AWARD in September for research in the physical

rehabilitation of older adults.

• NIEL HOLT, director of the Space Dynamics Laboratory, was one

of eight individuals honored in April with the 2015 UTAH GOVER-

NOR’S MEDAL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. An additional

four faculty members are taking home the award in 2016, including

Noelle Cockett, Michelle Baker, Christine Hailey and Paul Hill.

• NATHAN GEER, assistant professor in USU’s

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is

the recipient of a 2015 FACULTY EARLY CAREER

DEVELOPMENT ‘CAREER’ AWARD from the

National Science Foundation.

Items of Note

USU Interfaith Initiative in National SpotlightUSU anthropology and religious studies professor BONNIE

GLASS-COFFIN developed USU’s Interfaith Initiative to “promote positive interaction among people who orient around religion differently.” And the program is gaining national attention as Glass-Coffin was invited by the Huffington Post to write about the initiative and how

it helps others learn about and respect those whose convictions are different than their own.

Multi-Million Project Will Teach Relationship Skills to At-Risk Youth

For nearly 10 years, USU has offered relationship education classes to people throughout Utah. Now, information will be brought to a new audience: at-risk youth. Over a period of five years, more than $7.6 million in funding will bring HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION to youth in juvenile detention facilities, alternative high schools and the Youth in Custody program. BRIAN HIGGINBOTHAM, a professor in Family, Consumer and Human Development in the College of Education and Human Services, and USU’s associate vice president for Extension, will lead the new project that includes instruction, distribution of materials and research.

The generosity and thoughtfulness of USU donors ensures the future success of Utah State University and its students. Utah State University

4. The Campaign for

TWO COMPLEMENTARY EXHIBITIONS featuring artists from the Australian

Western Desert and the American West were on display at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) at USU beginning summer 2015.

“Abstraction and the Dreaming: Aboriginal Paintings from Australia’s Western Desert” (1971-present), featured historic and con-temporary works from private collections, and “Transcendence: Abstraction and Symbolism in the American West” was drawn from NEHMA’s own distinguished art collection.

Works for the Abstraction and the Dreaming exhibition were loaned from collectors JOHN AND BARBARA WILKERSON, New York (John is an alumnus of USU); Dennis Scholl, Miami; Julie Harvey, Idaho; and Stephen Luczo, San Francisco.

USU Names Engineering Building in Honor of Longtime Supporters

Woodbury Corporation Donates $1 Million to USU's Wayne Estes Center

USU's School of Accountancy Announces New Professorship

USU named its FLAGSHIP ENGINEERING CLASSROOM BUILDING in honor of RICHARD

AND MOONYEEN ANDERSON in August. The Andersons are alumni of

USU and have made countless contributions through the years

that have benefited students and the campus community. Their

lifetime giving and most recent financial commitment total

more than $5 million — a level of support that ensures the

long-term success of the Richard and Moonyeen Anderson

Scholarship fund that has helped approximately 100 under-

graduate students complete an engineering degree at USU.

WOODBURY CORPORATION, a real estate development company

headquartered in Salt Lake City, DONATED $1 MILLION to the

Wayne Estes Center, USU’s new athletic center, as part of its

ongoing commitment to strengthening the communities in

which it does business. Woodbury Corporation and USU

have a working relationship that spans more than 25 years.

The School of Accountancy in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

at USU has formed a $1.5 MILLION BONNIE B. AND JAMES H.

QUIGLEY/DELOITTE FOUNDATION PROFESSORSHIP IN

ACCOUNTING thanks to support provided by the Quigleys,

with added support from the Deloitte Foundation. The Quigleys

are USU alums who are appreciative of the quality of education

and opportunities afforded to them during their time at USU.

Lauded Aboriginal Artwork Displayed at USU

Several notable events have changed the face of Aggie Athletics, increasing notoriety and providing a surge of momentum into the next century.

5. Achievements in

Maverik Stadium Announced as Part of New Corporate Partnership

Student-Athlete Graduation Success

Utah State’s football venue is now known as MERLIN OLSEN

FIELD at MAVERIK STADIUM after USU and Maverik, Inc.,

owners of convenience stores throughout the Intermountain

West, jointly announced a long-term naming rights partnership

to its football stadium. Romney Stadium was originally built in 1968 and was named after legen-

dary Utah State football and basketball coach and athletics director E. Lowell ‘Dick’ Romney,

who spent 29 seasons as the Aggies’ athletics director and head football coach from 1919–48.

The USU student athlete Graduation Success Rate stands at 87 PERCENT according to the

NCAA. Among Utah State’s 16 NCAA sponsored sports, two have a 100 percent GSR —

men’s tennis and men’s basketball, both having achieved that metric for eight straight years.

Athletics

ONE OF THE GREATEST CHAPTERS in Utah State University men’s basketball

history came to a close in March when HEAD COACH STEW MORRILL (above left) coached his final regular season game on the floor of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The coach, who patrolled the bench for 17 years, retired at the end of the season, marking the end of a men’s basketball dynasty.

During his tenure, Morrill guided the Aggies to 17 STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS, including 12 of the top 13 seasons in school history in terms of wins. His tenure also included a string of 13 consecutive postseason appearances, including eight NCAA tournament bids, four in the NIT and one CIT run that continued all the way to the championship game.

Former USU ASSISTANT COACH TIM DURYEA (above right) was named Morrill’s successor becoming the 18th head men’s basketball coach in 110 years.

Legendary USU Basketball Leader Closes the Book on Coaching

• One of the longest tenured assistant coaches at USU in any sport, STEVE

REEDER, retired in summer after completing his 35th year as the distance

coach for the Aggies’ track and field and cross country programs.

• JOHN HARTWELL was named USU’s new vice president and director of ath-

letics in July, after spending the past three years as the athletics director at Troy

University. Hartwell succeeds Scott Barnes, who had served at USU since 2008.

Aggie Accolades• Utah State head football coach MATT WELLS

was selected as the Coach of the Year in April

at the Fourth Annual Governor’s State of Sport

Awards in Salt Lake City.

• 12 FOOTBALL PLAYERS earned various all-conference accolades,

including linebackers KYLER FACKRELL and NICK VIGIL, who both

garnered first-team honors.

• USU’s CHARI HAWKINS broke her own school record in the heptathlon

during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Finals in June, wrapping up her

illustrious career as an Aggie by recording 5,750 points during the event.

Comings and Goings:

A Utah State University education provides a variety of rich learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. Part of that experience is learning together with people from a wide variety of backgrounds from countries around the globe. 6. Global Reach

USU Signs 2-Year Research Deal with Korean Bio Medical Institute

A new deal was signed by USU researchers that could help bring fresh answers in

the FIGHT AGAINST CANCER, DIABETES and other diseases. Representatives from

the university and USTAR-Endowed Professor of Biological

Engineering FOSTER AGBLEVOR signed an official

research agreement with SORAM Bio-Medicine

Research Institute of Seoul, South Korea.

Theatre Arts Faculty Member Creates International Exhibit

Theatre Arts Professor NANCY HILLS, from the Caine College of the

Arts, travelled to Great Britain to present an exhibit based on her

research of British clothing historian, costume designer, teacher,

conservator and author Janet Arnold (1932–1998). The presenta-

tion featured recreations of Arnold’s gowns that were construct-

ed by USU THEATRE ARTS GRADUATE STUDENTS and modeled

by 11 USU INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS.

USU and NASA Launch Probes into Northern Lights

A NASA Oriole IV suborbital sounding rocket blasted off from

Alaska’s Poker Flat Research Range in January into the Aurora

Borealis carrying SIX RESEARCH PAYLOADS built by the USU’S

SPACE DYNAMICS LABORATORY as part of NASA’s Auroral

Spatial Structures Probe mission. The USU payloads are helping

scientists and satellite operators to better understand the energy

processes during auroral activity in the thermosphere and its effects on satel-

lites as they orbit Earth. Satellite planners and operators are able to better plan

and forecast the state of the thermosphere as they relate to satellite trajectories.

This becomes increasingly valuable information during solar storms when large

amounts of electromagnetic energy interact with Earth’s upper atmosphere.

BRUCE BUGBEE’S job title, director of USU’s Crop Physiology Laboratory, conjures

thoughts of a scientist whose work is firmly rooted in the earth. But for the past 33 years, the majority of Bugbee’s research has focused on how to GROW FOOD IN SPACE.

The book, and now major movie, The Martian makes growing food in space, or more preciselyon Mars, key to the hero’s survival. Bugbee explained some of the finer points of the science of growing plants in space and assisted reporters from around the world on what the story gets right and where it’s more fiction than science in news outlets ranging from the Huffington Post, to the Discovery News Channel, to Popular Mechanics and Business Insider.

USU's Space Crop ExpertSeparates Fact from Fictionon Farming in Space

The Utah State University Greats 2015 is published by the USU Public Relations and Marketing Office,

0500 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah, 84322– 0500, Phone: (435) 797-1351. Copyright 2016.