Proud To Be Pink 5K supports breast cancer awareness
By Katie Smith STATESMAN REPORTER
Running in honor of family and friends who have fought against breast cancer, Logan community members gathered at 9 a.m. in about 45-degree weather to run in the Proud To Be Pink 5K. The race is relatively new to Logan as it started in honor of a breast cancer survivor Shelley Compton.
Shelley Compton was an avid runner — in 2023, as a 12-year cancer survivor, she died due to an autopedestrian accident while out on a run. According to an article in the Herald Journal, published the month of her passing, Compton was largely involved in the community, working in parks and recreation for almost 30 years. As a breast cancer survivor, Compton helped others suffering from breast cancer by organizing support from the community. In addition to this, Compton was also involved in sports programs and giving speeches to sports teams, as well as to the Logan Institute of Religion.
Many participants of the race were either there as a survivor or running in honor of friends and family. Callie Andersen, Julie Andersen and Karen Bowen all showed up ready to walk for their loved ones.
Julie is one participant who fought breast cancer herself. She was accompanied by her family, including Callie, her daughter. Callie said she was there to honor her mom and her battle against breast cancer. The group said they wouldn’t be running but still showing their support by walking the length of the 5K.
While there were not many actively participating in the race, the runners had plenty of support from volunteers and race coordinators. Volunteers from Intermountain Health checked in racers and gave out Intermountain Health and “Proud To Be Pink” swag.
Sorensen said Lee’s Marketplace worked with the city to sponsor the race and provided breakfast muffins at the beginning of the race for participants.
“I like being here to see strangers come together,” Callie said.
Millcreek Coffee’s invitation to round up on purchases to support the American Cancer Society as well as buying their “pink drinks,” where 10% of proceeds will be donated to the society.
The Susan G. Komen foundation provides opportunities to help all over the country. They also provide a way for individuals to start their own fundraiser, as seen on their website. For more information, visit secure.acsevents.org and komen.org.
Katie Smith is a sophomore still exploring her options at Utah State. She is a big country music fan and loves spending her time in Cache Valley’s beautiful natural landscapes.
— katie.smith@usu.edu
In her honor, Logan City holds the 5K each year to spread breast cancer awareness and bring the community together. They also encouraged donations while the race itself was free. This year, the race was held on Oct. 18, starting at Canyon Entrance Park, going up Logan Canyon and coming back in an outand-back course.
As event coordinators waited for runners to check in, it was observed this year’s race did not have the same turnout as the past year. Last year’s 5K had 50 people, with this year reportedly less.
Ben Sorensen, recreation coordinator for the Logan Parks and Recreation Department, told The Utah Statesman he believes this is due to the change of date. In the past, they did the race at the beginning of the month over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints General Conference weekend. In hopes that more people would attend, they moved the race to a later date. Sorensen said because it was Homecoming week at Utah State University, the participation was lower this year.
Those at the race came from different backgrounds with different experiences. However, they were all there in retaliation to breast cancer, showing up to support those who have gone through it.
In preparation for the event, Kylee Stapley, another recreation coordinator for the city, said she and other recreation coordinators worked to promote the race. As the department recreation coordinators, Stapley, Sorenson, Caleb Johnson and Milo McKinnon welcomed participants and encouraged volunteers and racers through the difficult weather.
As October is breast cancer awareness month, the 5K is not the only way support has been shown this month. Other events and organizations in Utah include the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer as well as the Susan G. Komen foundation. Both provide support for those enduring breast cancer and opportunities for the community to get involved and help.
According to their website, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer held a walk on Oct. 11 in Sandy. They also promote other efforts against breast cancer such as
Recreation coordinators for Logan Parks and Recreation Caleb Johnson, Milo McKinnon, Ben Sorensen and Kylee Stapley pose for a photo at the Proud To Be Pink 5K on Oct. 18.
PHOTOS BY Elise Gottling Shirts for the Proud To Be Pink 5k, as seen on Oct. 18.
A sign for the Proud To Be Pink 5K stands at Canyon Entrance Park on Oct. 18.
Logan residents join ‘No Kings’ protest
By Jayke Martin STATESMAN REPORTER
Dressed in bright clothes and inflatable animal costumes or holding handmade signs, a large group of protesters gathered outside the Cache County Historic Courthouse on Oct. 18 for the “No Kings” protest, where participants of all ages met to express their views on local and national leadership.
The protest was part of the national No Kings movement highlighting concerns about concentrated political power and polarization in U.S. politics, specifically during the second administration of President Donald Trump. Local organizers said rallies have been held in cities across the country to promote democracy, accountability and peaceful civic engagement.
At the Logan rally, participants were encouraged to wear bright colors and costumes to symbolize unity and inclusion. The event featured live musical performances and a food drive, with donations collected for the Cache Community Food Pantry. Several families and students joined longtime Logan residents, reflecting the event’s emphasis on inclusivity and community participation.
Dee Zao, a local resident who attended the rally, explained the demonstration represented a mix of causes and communities.
“It’s a bunch of different causes that have come together, protesting for immigrants’ rights, protesting for LGBTQ rights,” Zao said. “It’s all under the banner of showing Trump we don’t support him because he seems to be the focal point for all these different hateful ideas coming together.”
Zao reflected the views of several demonstrators who criticized national leadership, though others focused on broader themes of unity and civic participation.
Attendees said maintaining a peaceful atmosphere was central to the rally, allowing participants to voice their concerns without escalating tensions.
Jewelysa Armstrong is a Logan resident and local vendor who had previously attended the Salt Lake City “Hands Off” protest, a nationwide display against the Trump administration. She said she came to support the rally in her hometown.
“We actually went down to Salt Lake because we didn’t think there would really be a gathering here,” Armstrong said. “When we saw there was, we wanted to add our voices in our own hometown and show that there are more of us here than people might think.”
Other participants said they were surprised and excited by the turnout, noting the diversity of people represented at the rally.
“I think it’s important for people to see that even in smaller towns, there are communities standing up for what they believe in,” Zao said. “I hope people realize that there are large communities that care for them and support them, and hopefully, it can change some people’s minds.”
After gathering at the courthouse, protesters marched down Main Street holding signs and chanting as passing drivers honked in support. Many said they wanted to show that smaller communities can also have a voice in national discussions.
Armstrong and
One protester, who asked to remain anonymous, said attending the event felt like an important act of civic participation.
“Even though this is a red county, it’s still important that we express our First Amendment rights,” the protester said. “It would be more dangerous if we all stayed home and did nothing.”
Throughout the afternoon, speakers and musicians performed on the front steps of the courthouse, encouraging attendees to stay involved in their communities by voting, volunteering and continuing conversations, saying change starts with small actions close to home.
Armstrong said the protest also carried a personal and broader meaning for participants.
“You know, a lot of people say protests aren’t going to do anything,” Armstrong said. “I think it shows a big message to even just the rest of the world that there are people who aren’t okay with what’s going on.”
The protest concluded without incident, with participants emphasizing their goal was to share their voices and encourage civic participation. Attendees shared they hoped the rally would inspire ongoing conversations about leadership and representation within the community.
Jayke Martin is a junior studying journalism with a minor in theater. She loves reading and meeting new people. — jayke.martin@usu.
PHOTO BY Jayke Martin
Jewelysa
her friend Marissa attend the protest with signs they made.
Grounds for Coffee celebrates two years in Logan
By Brook Wood STATESMAN REPORTER
Just off Main Street and Center Street, a local coffee shop recently marked its two-year anniversary in Logan after opening its doors on Oct. 11, 2023. Grounds for Coffee, or GFC, was brought to Logan after the owner of the Ogden 25th Street location took a chance to branch out from the franchise’s home location.
Sadie Smith is the owner of the 25th Street and Logan locations of GFC. Smith has been the owner of the 25th Street location since 2009 and discovered the Logan area after visiting over Labor Day weekend in 2022. The thought of to put in a GFC started in December, but the lease for the space was not signed until May.
“Dear universe, I want to open a Grounds in Logan,” Smith said. “I’m ready for it. I know what I’m asking for.”
Smith remembered the rush of support from the local community when GFC opened in Logan and the time it took to get accustomed to the college environment. Business slows in the summer months in Logan due to students going home during the break, but it gets much busier in Ogden during that time.
“Hitting that two-year mark and seeing that the support did not dwindle below any kind of scary number,” Smith said. “We made it through the summer without losing half of our staff because we learned how to balance that … the first year was spent learning that, and the second year was applying that.”
The shop celebrated the anniversary by putting up birthday streamers and signs and posting a series
of questions on the location’s Instagram story for a chance to win prizes.
Megan Bedell has been at the Logan GFC since it opened, currently working as a shift lead and a barista.
“It was so fun,” Bedell wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. “Some of the baristas put birthday hats on the machines and containers.”
The Instagram stories posed questions such as “How many lattes did we sell this year?” and “How many pounds of espresso did we use this year?” Winners were gifted GFC merch.
Hannah Potter is another barista at GFC who helped originate and coordinate the open mic that occurs every Sunday evening in the shop.
“It was a busy Saturday, and all of our customers were so happy to wish us a happy birthday, although some
of them thought it was one of our birthdays,” Potter wrote in an email to the Statesman. “This is significant because GFC Logan was such a labor of love from my manager, Sadie Smith. She made this amazing shop largely on her own and had a clear vision. “
After this milestone, GFC is looking to expand its food options and open an online ordering system, according to Smith.
“We always focus on integrating local businesses and connecting with the community, so you’ll probably see more local goods popping up in our shop in the future,” Bedell wrote.
Brook Wood is working towards receiving a bachelor’s degree in literature. When they aren’t writing or reading, they enjoy playing the violin in the USU Symphony Orchestra.
— b.wood@usu.edu
PHOTOS BY Jack Burton
Erin Johnson, a barista at Grounds for Coffee, prepares a drink for a customer on Oct. 22.
Merrill-Cazier Library commemorates 20 years of education on Logan campus
By Kenadie Jackson STATESMAN REPORTER
Twenty years ago, the Merrill-Cazier Library opened its doors to the Utah State University Aggies. Today’s executive team is completely made up of faculty members who have been there since the doors first opened in 2005: dean of university libraries Jennifer Duncan, associate dean and department head for collections and discovery Liz Woolcott, associate dean and department head for public services Britt Fagerheim and director of library information technology Todd Hugie. Working their way up, each has seen the vast variety of changes made.
“At the time, they were very focused on making the library a beautiful space where people can come together, collaborate, learn, study, grow,” Duncan said. “The focus of this building is on the people.”
The updated library has a devotion to its outreach and support.
“The essential point of the library is that we support student success,” Duncan said.
The three associate dean positions cover the essentials of what makes up the library: collections, public services and technologies.
“I’ve been a student, I’ve been professional staff, I’ve been faculty and now I am in administration,” Woolcott said. “From a collections perspective, we really heavily invested in electronic resources, so between the time we opened the door and now, we’ve moved a lot of our purchasing into electronic resources so it’s open to all campuses and students, even if they don’t have a primary campus to go to every day. We need to make sure that all of our resources are available to anybody who needs it.”
On the bottom floor of the library is USU Special
Collections & Archives, which is open to every student for their research. Students may also look on its website to see the online sources available to them at library.usu.edu/archives.
“Over the past 20 years, we’ve really continually shifted spaces in the library as needs of students changed, as the coursework changed, as faculty research has changed. We’ve adapted the building, really, to match what the needs are on campus,” Fagerheim said.
Fagerheim is over the public service resources in the library.
“We have a faculty librarian who works specifically within the Innovation Hub, and that’s a position that I wouldn’t have even envisioned when the library opened,” Fagerheim said. “Twenty years ago, most of the research assignments were writing papers, and now we have a very burgeoning digital scholarship initiative.”
The Innovation Hub has been open for over a year now and is located in room 158 in the south atrium of the library.
“At that time — 20 years ago — we were coming into the world of the internet, where our resources were becoming electronic. It was really driven by print books, print journals — you needed to come into the library to do your research — all of those things,” Duncan said. “Over these 20 years, we see the library, really, kind of as a duality between our physical building and the online environment we provide. We have a front door: the one students come into our building and use. We also have a website. Our website’s a totally different ‘front door.’”
The library opened at a time before everyone had a phone or computer. Apple released the first iPod in 2001, Myspace launched in 2003, Facebook was introduced in 2004 and the first iPhone was released in 2008. In 20 years, these technologies rapidly grew.
“This technology age has moved so fast compared to the industrial revolution and other revolutions that have happened. We needed the support from our upper administration, which fully supported the library and the move in this direction,” Hugie said.
According to the executive team of librarians, the library is only growing more electronically, and the spaces are growing more for student collaboration and in-person resource utilization.
“I would encourage students — if they hear the messages that libraries are becoming outdated, that that’s not true. Libraries aren’t going away, and we’re becoming more and more important in this technology world,” Hugie said. “I would encourage them to come and use our resources. We spend millions of dollars a year just in the library providing resources and research information for our students. If I were a student today, I would spend some of my time and my education learning about libraries and how they can help me in my career and how they can help me learn and be a better citizen.”
According to Duncan, as the library continues, the staff is looking forward to the changes in technology and seeing just how much a library can grow with the people.
Kenadie Jackson is majoring in journalism and communications and minoring in marketing design. She is from Draper and loves anything active and outdoors. Watch out for her name to be Kenadie Ferraro in November when she marries her best friend.
— kenadie.jackson@usu.edu
PHOTOS BY Dane Johnson
Four people are seen sitting in a collaborative area on the first floor of the Merrill-Cazier Library on Oct. 21.
Jacob Moore: Mr. USU 2025
By Essence Barnes STATESMAN REPORTER
The cheers and applause of hundreds of Aggies filled the Newel & Jean Daines Concert Hall on Oct. 16 during this year’s Mr. USU Pageant.
The event, a Utah State University Homecoming week tradition, is organized annually by the USUSA Traditions Committee and invites representatives from each college to come and compete for the Mr. USU crown.
2025 Mr. USU winner Jacob Moore, who competed as Mr. Business, said he didn’t expect to walk away with the crown — he just wanted to make sure everyone had fun. “I didn’t expect to win,” Moore said. “I was mainly there to have a good time, and I wanted everybody in the crowd to have a good time too.”
The night began with an introduction to this year’s judges, among them being last year’s Mr. USU Henry Silva.
“We were looking for someone who could be charismatic but also authentic and who could have an impactful reaction on the audience,” Silva said. “That’s how we choose the new Mr. USU.”
Competitors from the business, agriculture, arts and sciences, engineering and education colleges – as well as from campus organizations such as Greek life, athletics, residence life and campus involvement — opened the event with a group dance to some of Pitbull’s greatest hits.
“We practiced the group dance for like four hours a week, sometimes more,” Moore said. “I didn’t know any of the guys before, and now we’re like a little family.”
According to Silva and Moore, preparing for the group dance alongside their competitors was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.
“When we do the rehearsals for the group dance, we develop those close ties,” Silva said. “You could see that connection they had built up on stage.”
They then moved into the talent portion of the evening, filled with various portrayals of talent in singing, dancing, drawing and even hobby horsing.
Silva said watching this year’s performances as a judge was a “surreal” experience, one that made it hard to keep his composure.
“Some performances were so amazing that I could not hold in my excitement,” Silva said. “That was the hard part about being a judge — to not show too much emotion.”
Silva said he saw parts of himself in Moore’s performance, especially in the boldness and creativity that engaged the audience.
“I saw that he was brave and bold, and he broke the walls with interaction with the audience,” Silva said. “I did that a little bit with my performance last year, but he raised the bar.”
Moore’s winning performance blended charisma, dance and audience participation, a combination that caught the attention of judges and spectators alike. Drawing inspiration from social media videos and his background in swing dancing, Moore choreographed his entire routine in just two and a half weeks.
“I went swing dancing for the first time in high school,” Moore said. “Then I actually took a class here at Utah State, and that’s where I learned a lot of the lifts and the
moves. I wanted it to look nice and organized like a show, and I wanted to get the audience involved too. The more the audience would scream, the better.”
Despite his experience as a performer, Moore said the moments before the show were still nerve-wracking.
“I really like being in front of people and entertaining people,” Moore said. “I don’t get super nervous about these things, but I was feeling it right before, and I had to really hype myself up.”
Moore said one of his most memorable moments of the night came when he walked the stage arm in arm with his grandmother during the formal wear and questionnaire section of the event.
“One of the highlights definitely was walking out with my grandma,” Moore said. “She was super excited. After I won, she was shook.”
That night, Silva also performed his dance and song mash-up talent that won him the crown last year as a final goodbye. He said his goal for this year’s show was to make his own performance feel like “a celebration” as he passed the crown on to his successor.
“For me, it felt like a goodbye, but I wanted to leave this goodbye as a good memory,” Silva said. “It was a way to say ‘I’m passing the crown, but I want to make this a celebration of my experience and his experience as well.’”
Silva said the advice he has for this year’s Mr. USU moving forward is to keep being authentic.
“Be true to yourself,” Silva said. “There’s nothing you can do to control what people think about you or feel about you. I think the responsibility for Mr. USU is just to stay true to who he is because people chose him for being himself.”
Now that he holds the title, Moore said he hopes to stay involved on campus and give back to the community that supported him.
“I think I’m going to try to be more involved, whether that’s with the Traditions Committee, USUSA or just events on campus,” Moore said. “Winning makes me feel proud to be a student at USU.”
Essence Barnes is a third-year student who enjoys reading, writing and storytelling.
— essence.barnes@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Alyssa Cook
Jacob Moore bows after being crowned Mr. USU 2025 on Oct. 16 in the Daines Concert Hall.
Aggies give back: A Day of Giving
By Mia Nielsen STATESMAN REPORTER
Every Homecoming week, Utah State University celebrates A Day of Giving, a 24-hour fundraising event that brings together students, alumni and donors to support programs across campus.
“It’s Aggies supporting Aggies,” said Jake Russell, traditions executive with the USU Student Alumni Association.
Jonathan Young, USU director of annual giving, helps organize the event every year. He believes the money raised during the fundraiser can have a big impact on students’ lives. Donors can provide funding for scholarships and student support in many different programs. This year, the nursing program received a $100,000 donation for a scholarship fund.
“That same donor donated the same amount last year,” Young said. “Right there — that’s a huge impact just to the nursing students.”
In the past, Young said, donors could give to any area of the university, which was exciting but overwhelming. Now, each college promotes a specific scholarship or student fund to encourage more focused giving while still giving donors flexibility to donate to the areas they are most passionate about.
“We’re promoting certain areas, and that could benefit students, but we’re not going to stop a donor from giving somewhere they want to give,” Young said. This year, members of the SAA passed out snacks outside the TSC to raise awareness for the fundraiser and money for the Aggie First Scholars Program, which provides scholarships to first-generation college students.
SAA has participated in A Day of Giving since the start, and students can also promote the fundraiser by signing up to be advocates. Advocates don’t have to donate. Instead, they can share a link to the donation platform to help spread awareness.
“Through that link, donors give, and they can see how much money they generate themselves as a student, which is pretty cool,” Young said.
In the future, he hopes to expand the student advocacy program and build a new student giving program, which would recognize students who donate each year with a philanthropy cord at graduation.
Young believes the goal of the SAA goes beyond fundraising.
“The main reason the Student Alumni Association is there is to educate students so that when they graduate and they remember seeing Day of Giving stuff, maybe they’ll be reminded to make a gift and give back again to the institution that most likely gave to them through scholarships,” Young said.
Bethany Lloyd is the director of Homecoming and A-Week with SAA.
“The Student Alumni Association focuses on creating lifelong Aggies. We work really hard to keep traditions going and have everyone get involved,” Lloyd said. “We do a lot of things with alumni, networking and getting people the links that they need to succeed past college.”
Young believes donors give because of the experience and connections the university provides.
“You hear often that we are the Aggie family, and it’s true,” he said. “[Donors] want to see the university succeed.”
He emphasized the most effective way to grow A Day of Giving is through participation across campus.
“The most important thing that a college can do is promote the day,” he said. “Day of Giving isn’t about the dollars. It’s about the impact we can have in someone’s life. In my job, I typically don’t say that I’m a fund raiser. I’m a dream maker because what we do here at the university provides that opportunity to fulfill someone’s dream, whether that be through a donation or a program.”
Mia Nielsen is a sophomore studying plant science and journalism. When she’s not writing, she enjoys live music, driving up Logan Canyon and daydreaming about moving to Spain.
Jasmine Radio: serving you curated mixes every Thursday at 10 a.m. on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM. Join the hosts Karina Ramirez and Destanie Chavira as they pick through a wide range of genres tuned right to the mood. Peace. Love. Radio.
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
Students visit the A Day of Giving tent in the rain outside the TSC on Oct. 16.
Talking Trees connect students to nature
By Sam Isaacson STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
Do trees have different personalities? The Talking Trees Project at USU says they do, and through this project, students have the opportunity to get to know 13 different trees around campus.
Each tree has a phone number linked to it so students can text and hold a conversation with them. There is also a wishing tree that allows students to leave their wishes as notes for the tree. The talking tree’s website has a map that students can use to find the trees.
BY
Rayna Becker, coordinator for the project, said its inspiration came from another university’s project.
“The Talking Trees Project is based on a research project from a university in Canada,” Becker said. “Miles Becker, the USU Extension urban forester, found the project and wanted to try it here. We did change the program a little bit because we really wanted to create a personality for each of these trees, and they didn’t talk too much about doing that in their research project.”
Becker said part of the motivation behind this program was to find ways to help people connect with nature.
“Me, Miles and quite a few of the people involved are just really passionate about the trees on campus and trees in general, and we think they add a lot of value to the community,” Becker said. “We just wanted to create a reason for people to stop and interact with the trees a little more and to recognize these amazing species and trees that we have on campus.”
Becker said they felt this program would be a fun way to help students engage with the trees on campus.
“I think Miles was looking for anything that would be a fun way that we could educate the campus population. He really was the catalyst for it, and he just invited me to come help with some of the organization,” Becker said. “I think we both just really liked the idea of giving the campus community a change to connect with some of the really awesome trees. We have so many super old trees, unique trees and state champion big trees.”
Sariah Wallis, an intern for the project, said this program is important because it can help people realize how important nature is.
“I think giving personality to these trees really allows us to connect with them and to start paying attention to what’s happening around us with trees, shrubs and different plants. It helps get us more connected to issues like deforestation and different things like that,” Wallis said. “If we care about these trees, we’re going to care about these bigger problems that our generation are facing currently. I hope that what people learn from this project is that these plants are important and we need to take care of these plants. We can’t just ignore them because if we do, some future generations aren’t going to have the same opportunities that we have.”
Sam Isaacson is senior studying journalism with a double minor in art and psychology. She is passionate about
PHOTO
Claire Ott
Vendla the white oak tree, as seen on Oct. 22.
Blithe Bigelow’s journey to the harp
By Avery Truman STATESMAN EDITOR
Some talented musicians can provide their own melodies, accompaniment and vocals, all by playing one single instrument. It’s not an abomination mash-up instrument from a Dr. Seuss story — it’s the harp.
Blithe Bigelow, a first-year student at Utah State University majoring in international studies and economics, plays the strings known for whimsical tunes and an elegant appearance.
“When I was five years old, we were at this adorable little farmers market in Vermont, and there was a lady there playing a harp, and it was the coolest thing I’d ever
seen,” Bigelow said in an interview with The Utah Statesman. “She ended up being my first harp teacher.”
When she started college, Bigelow jumped on the opportunity to do just what her first harp teacher did and play at a market. Bigelow played during multiple days of the USU Farmers Market, which ran on Wednesdays from September to October.
Celtic tunes mixed with Bigelow’s vocals resounded through stalls of vendors selling jewelry and boba tea. She diversified her sound with a mix of traditional harp melodies and modern renditions of Ed Sheeran songs.
With a new university environment came a new instructor for Bigelow: USU professor and harpist Chilali Hugo.
“I love it because every time I meet somebody, it’s a new challenge to get to know them, get to know how their brain works, get to know what their interests are and then see how I can help,” Hugo said in an interview with the Statesman. Hugo, who has been playing the harp for over 35 years, said many people start young. However, some of her students are brand new to the harp.
“I could have complete beginners — somebody who’s never even read music,” Hugo said. “We’re working on different challenges and really digging deep into music to see what are their individual ideas about the music they’re encountering.”
Hugo said Bigelow is interested in composing her own music to play on her harp.
“It’s good timing with Blithe coming and being interested in that sort of thing because while I don’t write my own music, I do have to think about a lot of the things we’re talking about in lessons,” Hugo said. “What we’ve talked about so far with her pieces is coming up with different patterns.”
Bigelow said her inspirations include her mentors, connecting with others and making people’s day a little better.
“I do a little bit of composing,” Bigelow said. “I’ve played around with advocacy a little bit. Not much but writing songs about the environment, or I did one about the Vietnam War. Different kinds of issues — to explore those through music is also something that I think is super cool.”
Growing up in a household of songs and melodies, Bigelow said she always loved music. Her mother, a fellow musician who supported her young daughter’s interest in the harp, plays guitar and piano.
“Music is such an emotional experience,” Bigelow said. “If you’re feeling really happy one day, or a lot of times when you’re feeling really sad or really angry, I think music is a good way to explore those feelings and really delve deep into them.”
Hugo said when playing music, the brain needs to equally balance what it’s thinking and feeling.
“I think that fits with the university setting,” Hugo said. “The importance of critical thinking and being able to ask the tough questions and hopefully come to some kind of answer.”
Hugo said she hopes her students will be able to trust the answers that feel right to them in showing their individual music expression.
“Music overlaps heavily with poetry and literature and other art forms,” said Dan Bigelow, Blithe’s father. “I just hope that Blithe is able to pay it forward to all the people who have given to her and also do that in a way that keeps her fed musically and enriches her life.”
Dan said the harp is an amazing and pleasant instrument to have in the home, even for those who are beginners.
“I just can’t think of a downside to making music,” Dan said. “It just feels like it’s good for everybody it touches, and so I hope that just continues in whatever way that fits in Blithe’s life.”
Blithe said her advice to new harp players is to avoid overthinking.
“If you want to try something, try it. There’s definitely going to be a time — no matter what instrument it is — where you’re starting to play it, and you’re like, ‘I think I’m going to quit,’” Blithe said. “Push through that to the point where you can make it fun and you can play the things you want to play and bring the emotion into the music and bring the creativity. I think it really makes it all worth it.”
Avery Truman is a senior pursuing environmental studies and geography. When she’s not obsessing over science fiction, she enjoys managing the chaos of the newsroom.
— avery.j.truman@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Alyssa Cook
Blithe Bigelow plays harp during the USU Farmers Market outside of the TSC on Oct. 1.
Community service: An emphasis for Utah State Athletics teams
By Mark Greenwood STATESMAN EDITOR
Community service has taken center stage for Utah State University Athletics. They ranked first in the country in community service and development as of Sept. 12, as measured by the NCAA Community Engagement Impact Challenge.
The Aggies were first in the Division I rankings, ahead of the University of Dayton, Providence College and others. The competition, put on by the NCAA in collaboration with Helper Helper, is designed to encourage studentathletes to serve in the community and also celebrate the impact student-athletes make in their communities.
“Both Helper Helper and the NCAA do different challenges throughout the year, three or four times, and they recognize schools who are leading in terms of local community impact and community service,” said Isaiah Jones, associate athletic director of Aggie engagement in an interview with The Utah Statesman. “They take different snapshots throughout the year. They do the early one when school starts, they do another one in December, then they do big challenge during March Madness.” The next update on the challenge leaderboard is anticipated in mid-December.
The challenge measures both student-athlete participation percentage and average hours served per student-athlete. This allows for competition between schools with varying sizes of athletic departments and programs.
“The teams finishing like us, one, two and three — that means that we have 340-plus student-athletes and that over 90% of them are participating in community service,” Jones said.
The community service hours are tracked through a Helper Helper platform that has the roster for each team a school has. This allows for hours to be tracked both by individual athletes as well as by teams. Athletes and teams can also see service opportunities around the valley through the Helper Helper platform.
Though there is some recognition by the NCAA at the conclusion of the competition for the top programs, the primary motivator for the competition is the coaches within the athletics department.
“The coaches really do set the temperature — set the culture,” Jones said. “I don’t think it’s an accident people like Manny [Martins] and soccer or Rob [Neilson] and volleyball or Kristin [White] and gymnastics … they’re all champions.”
Though the Aggies have been involved in the community and the competition in prior years, finishing as high as No. 13 in the competition, there’s a renewed emphasis on that effort this year. This uptick in community involvement largely comes from an increase in engagement from the Utah State Football team. This focus, again, has come from the top down.
“They were about 45% participation in community service prior to [Bronco Mendenhall] getting here, and now they’re closer to 100% of their team is participating in community service,” Jones said. “So, they’re number one, and then our women’s soccer team is really competitive as well.”
Mendenhall has long had a mindset of “culture comes first” in regard to building winning football programs, and he’s been no different during his young tenure at Utah State. Part of building that culture has typically included giving back to the community.
“I’m appreciative to be here. I’m looking forward to being part of the community, not above the community,” Mendenhall said in a press conference earlier in the season. “Currently, it’s the most service hours in all of Division I sports are happening at Utah State, and Utah State Football is leading that charge. What we’re giving back, I think, will end up permeating the community.”
According to the Helper Helper website, the 2024 challenge included 70,034 student-athletes involved in 210,288 community service hours, with an estimated economic impact of $7.04 million nationwide.
The University of Miami won the 2024 competition with 5,331 service hours for an average of approximately 10.9 hours per student-athlete.
With many months remaining in the competition, Utah State is looking to maintain their spot at the top and finish the year as the new champion.
“We’re really pumped to just keep pushing forward,” Jones said.
Mark Greenwood is a junior studying finance. He is in his third year with the Statesman and loves skiing, golfing and watching the Dodgers win championships. — mark.greenwood@usu.edu
PHOTOS BY Elise Gottling
The Utah State Football team celebrates with fans after their win against San Jose State on Oct. 17 at Maverik Stadium.
Utah State Softball reloads for 2026 with familiar bats, revamped pitching staff
By Carson Frost STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
Utah State Softball will enter 2026 looking familiar at the plate and very different everywhere else. The Aggies return one of the nation’s most productive lineups from last season’s 26-26 campaign, but their offseason was built around fixing the one thing that kept them from climbing the Mountain West: pitching.
Head coach Todd Judge said the mandate since May has been simple: get outs without needing eight or nine runs every night.
By his tally, the fall season pointed in the right direction. Utah State went 8-0, outscored opponents roughly 77-14 and posted a team ERA around 2.70 after living between 5.00 and 7.00 the past two springs.
“This is the first time I can say that we’re well rounded in all three spots,” Judge said. “We feel like we could actually win a game by shutting somebody down and not have to hit our way through every weekend.”
That’s a notable shift for a program that broke a string of offensive records in 2025 and ranked top 25 nationally in several batting stats but finished near the bottom of the Mountain West in most pitching categories. The returning core at the plate is intact, with first-team all-conference bats Grace Matej and Kya Pratt headlining a group that also includes steady-hitting third baseman Alex Bunton and veteran slugger Kaylee Erickson.
Pratt will slide into the cleanup spot and has tailored her offseason around that role.
“I think for the offseason, the biggest thing for me right now is strength and speed,” Pratt said. “Knowing my role as a cleanup hitter, I’m trying to clear the bases. I’m not trying to hit for average. Lineup-wise, we have a lot of power, and then we also have speed this year.”
That speed piece is led by Boise State transfer Keely Goushá, who profiles as a true table-setter and showed it in the fall with a run-manufacturing bunt against Montana. First-year outfielder Haylee Lopez will add pressure at the bottom of the order as a left-handed contact runner.
Sophomore center fielder Faith Kroening, a role player last year, flashed a potential breakout with two triples in the exhibition against Montana.
The pitching staff is where the Aggies hope to make their biggest leap. Seniors Rylie Pindel and Emmalyn Brinka return as experienced anchors in the group. Pindel opened the Montana game with four composed innings, living on the corners for four strikeouts and two hits.
The difference this year is variety. First-year Kendall Cochran, one of the southwest’s most touted prep arms, struck out seven in 4.1 innings against the Grizzlies and gives the Aggies a lethal changeup they simply didn’t have last season.
First-year two-way player Jazmin Ramirez brings a riseball look, and left-hander Jordyn Lish adds a different angle in late innings. Senior Carly Limosnero, who helped beat No. 19 Baylor last spring, is working back from injury, while seniors Denay Smith and Sydney Saldaña provide depth.
“Last year, every change kind of looked the same: down ball, right-handed,” Judge said. “Now it’s down, changeup, upspin and a lefty. Get to the last six outs and we can actually close without needing four more runs.”
The middle infield — vacated by all-conference shortstop Ariel Fifita — has been rebuilt around versatility and range. Judge stockpiled shortstops and will sort the best combinations. Kate Vance, Ramirez and Goushá can all handle short, though the staff likes Goushá’s athleticism at second base, where range is at a premium in softball.
Erickson and Kenzee Olsen are options at first base, and Ramirez can swing to the corners if needed. The Montana game offered a snapshot of both promise and polish still required: sharp turns and run prevention most of the day but three infield errors as the new pairings learned each other.
In the 9-6 win in the Montana exhibition, the Aggies showed what their offensive balance could look like, manufacturing runs with bunts and steals while still showing power. Pratt and Bunton each homered, Matej doubled in a run and Utah State’s pitching allowed just four hits through seven innings.
Diversification matters, Judge said, when the ball isn’t flying at altitude or when opponents sit on power.
“Last year, we had one gear, and that one gear was doubles, home runs and trying to outscore the other opponent,” Judge said. “When you are stuck offensively, and then you’re not driving the ball in the park, you need to change gears and show another way of winning.”
USU’s 2026 schedule has not yet been officially released, but Judge hinted it will be the program’s toughest slate yet. The nonconference lineup is expected to feature several Power Four opponents and nationally ranked teams, giving the Aggies a chance to test themselves early and often.
“I didn’t come to try and go play the Group of Five type teams,” Judge said. “I want to play the best teams in the country and see how we match up.”
The first-year infielder Vance, a former top 10 national recruit and transfer from Arizona, has leaned into the
program’s intense workload and expects to be full speed by February after powering through an ankle injury during the fall.
“Every Sunday, we have weights at 6 a.m., and then we go to our hitting, and then we go practice, and then we have conditioning,” Vance said. “Not every school is doing this. This program is being built the right way, and it’s definitely going to pay off in the long run.”
Pratt put the goal line in plain terms.
“I definitely want to win the Mountain West,” she said, noting recent springs that started hot and faded late. “We need to know how to finish.”
Judge went a step further. After breaking through to the conference tournament last year and notching multiple ranked wins, he framed 2026 as the program’s next rung.
“To make the Mountain West tournament is a given now,” Judge said. “If we don’t make the NCAA tournament, it would be a failure in my mind.”
The Aggies know what they can do with the bats. Now, for the first time in years, they may have the pitching, lineup flexibility and speed to match.
Carson Frost is a transfer student from Denver studying journalism. He loves writing, making music, hitting the gym and taking road trips.
— carson.frost@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Alyssa Cook
Utah State Softball does “The Scotsman” cheer with fans after winning their game against Montana on Oct. 18 at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field.
Aggies open preseason play with win over Seattle
By Rory McNeill STATESMAN REPORTER
The Utah State University Men’s Basketball team began preseason play with an exhibition game against Seattle University on Oct. 18. The Aggies took care of business, defeating the Red Hawks 88-76.
Despite the commanding win, this game was largely used by the Aggies as an opportunity to experiment with the team and learn more about how the new group can play together.
“It’s really not about the score. Who really cares about what the score looks like?” said head coach Jerrod Calhoun.
“What does our team look like? Do we look like a team? Are we organized? Are we disciplined? Are we playing together?”
Despite the experimental game plan, the Aggies were still able to put together a convincing win, highlighted by multiple standout performances.
USU jumped out to an early lead following back-to-back layups from junior wing Tucker Anderson, as well as a strong defensive start by the Aggies, forcing two turnovers in the first three minutes.
The Red Hawks rallied after the slow start, nailing back-to-back threes after a
streak of layups, helping them jump out in front 9 to 8.
Following Seattle’s run, Calhoun called a timeout to help the team regroup. After the timeout, the Aggies went on a 17-2 run to jump out to a 16-point lead. From that point on, the Aggies did not lose the lead.
The Red Hawks were able to put together some solid runs to reel the score back in. Midway through the first half, they went on a scoring run to bring the score to 25-27 but were unable to steal the lead. They made another solid push at the end of the half but were still down eight as the team returned to the locker room.
The second half was a similar story: the Aggies held a firm lead for the entirety of the half. Transfer guard Kolby King came to life in the second half. After not scoring in the first half, he scored 11 points on 60% percent shooting, as well as going 6 for 6 from the free throw line.
To finish the afternoon, an extra 10-minute period was played to allow the teams to get more experience.
The Aggies fielded a court of mainly freshmen, helping them to get a feel for college ball.
Despite the impressive performance from the Aggies, the coaching staff felt they left some room for improvement, especially in the turnover differential.
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
MJ Collins Jr., 2, leaps past a Seattle defender to score at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Oct. 18.
Rory McNeill is a sophomore studying mechanical engineering. He loves Aggie sports, skiing and writing music.
Column: Study abroad, a college journey worth taking
By Asher Schroader STATESMAN COLUMNIST
Aggies have a storied history of international studies, with our earliest ventures dating back to the 1930s. The Encyclopedic History of Utah State University records that in the midst of the Great Depression, USU sent its very first students abroad, traveling to Bolivia and Iran to study local expertise in irrigation and disease resistance.
Since USU established its Office of Global Engagement in 1980, thousands of unique opportunities to take one’s educational pursuits beyond the United States have left many Aggies asking, “Why should I study abroad?”
Living in another part of the world presents students with the opportunity to expand their global and interpersonal understandings. American students can accustom themselves with social and cultural norms of the countries they visit. This is not an exclusive experience but one shared by foreign students who make the trip to Utah.
Virginie Reali, a senior lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of World Languages and Cultures, was an exchange student who traveled from her native home in Grenoble, France to the University of California. She said it was one of her richest experiences.
“I got to discover a new way to look at grad studies, and I got to encounter a system that allows their grad students to start teaching,” Reali said in an interview with The Utah Statesman.
Reali actively encourages her students to study abroad, occasionally starting her classes with presentations lead by a peer adviser. She believes experiences like her own are beneficial to the development of a student’s character.
“They realize that they can do more than they thought they could,” Reali said. “It is amazing to see those students — to see the difference even from one month. I have students who developed a sense of self, a sense of confidence, and it’s beautiful to see.”
“Boosting Career and Employability Outcomes Through Multiple Learning Abroad Experiences,” a research article published in Sage Journals, students are more likely to find and keep a long-term career, receiving higher salaries than the average professional in their field.
But for all the betterment studying abroad may provide, there exists multiple barriers to entry. The American Council on Education found despite the fact that nearly half of students polled wished to partake in a study abroad program, less than 5% of them ended up doing so. The largest “hard” barrier tends to be cost, but solutions for affording a trip are more plentiful than one might expect.
“They didn’t speak any English at all,” Glasser said. According to Glasser, her host sister was also learning a new language, and the two were more similar than she thought.
“You know, they’re there to guide you,” Glasser said. “They really respect you, and they want to get to know you on a deeper level, and I really felt that.”
Meyja McArthur, a junior majoring in anthropology, felt that alongside visits to Angkor Wat and discussions of the Cambodian genocide, her studies in Phnom Penh taught her more about herself and her place in the world.
“[I gained] more compassion and empathy and understanding, and also, in a way, appreciation of my own country, to a degree, of what I have access to,” she said.
She also remarked on her experiences with everyday Cambodians, reflecting on what she learned from them and how she as an American may have impacted their lives as well.
“They were very friendly, and pretty funny, too. I really enjoyed interacting with our guide. It was a nice awakening of just how awesome these people are, and they’ve been through so much, and how they react to adversity, and how I can also approach that in my own life,” McArthur said. “Hopefully, the experience they had with someone coming from the United States was a little more positive than others they’ve had before.”
It is far from a secret that as of recent years, global tensions have been worsening. As war, economic downturn and many other challenges test the strength of our institutions and threaten to drive us further apart, we should strive to see the humanity we share with others. Studying abroad is a life-changing reminder that as a people, we are strongest when we work together, sharing our talents across borders and opening our minds to those different from our own.
Beyond the personal benefits, studying abroad also heightens career prospects, providing graduates with an edge in an already competitive job market.
Monika Galvydis, USU’s director of study abroad, said she has seen these abilities change students who enter her office.
“Personally, I think it’s amazing,” Galvydis said. “Professionally, it gives them a lot to talk about in an interview. There’s some really great studies that kind of show this cycle — that a student goes abroad, they gain new skills and then they have something to put on their resumes.”
One such study found even taking a short program can increase skills associated with employability amongst university graduates. Students who study abroad are more than twice as likely to report improvements in critical abilities such as communication, adaptation, quick learning and decision-making. According to
Through partner organizations such as ISEP Study Abroad, students can find housing and meals at the cost of their home institution. Existing costs are not increased, and financial aid can be applied towards foreign studies. Various scholarships are open for students pursuing fields or skills in critical demand, like IT or foreign languages.
Allee Stakebake, a senior majoring in Chinese, said the process of applying for her three-month trip to Taiwan was easy, ranking the difficulty on a scale from one to 10, with one being very easy and 10 being very difficult. “[T]he Taiwanese school’s part of it was probably like one, two,” she said. “The USU side of it [was] probably a four.”
This leaves “soft” barriers, like social, emotional and cultural anxieties students may carry about being a stranger in a different country.
Study abroad adviser Jillian Glasser said when she first sought out courses in Japan at age 16, she was worried she’d struggle to connect with the local community.
Asher Schroader is a junior majoring in creative writing. Aside from his work as The Utah Statesman’s columnist, he is passionate about his novel projects, learning French and engaging in social and political action.
ARTWORK BY Asher Schroader
Aggies Play Boise State
Claire Ott is a journalism major with an environmental studies minor. She enjoys being outdoors, biking, hiking, climbing, fishing and snowboarding. She loves working as a photographer for The Utah Statesman and all the places it sends her.
— a02339922@usu.edu@usu.edu
Editor’s note: Letter to the Editor and Guest Column submission instructions are available at usustatesman.com.
By Nicki Frey
USU Extension Wildlife Specialist here. I am glad that students and faculty across campus are enjoying our squirrels and finding fun ways to interact with local wildlife. Unfortunately, the feeder stations may love red squirrels to death. Quite literally. People may be taking your tables away because they are trying to do what is best for the squirrels. But there is a compromise.
Squirrels really shouldn’t be fed, but if they are it should only be food that they could find in the natural surrounding environment. And only for a short period of time so that they don’t get used to being fed and forget to go forage for
food for the winter. Native foods include pine, spruce and fir seeds, and berries. Squirrels don’t just disappear when the snow falls. They stay right here on campus, and take long winter naps, waking to eat food that they stored in the fall (when they weren’t being fed corn and peanuts) and going back to sleep again. If you have been feeding them all fall, and then take the food away just when they need it the most, they might starve. I would say take the tables away now, to give them time to forage naturally and store food before it snows. Bring them back in the spring, providing healthy native food options.
— nicki.frey@usu.edu
Last week’s solution:
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.
By Alyssa Cook