Utah State University

Founding and early years (1862–1890)

The territorial legislature believed that a land-grant college under the 1862 Morrill Act would strengthen Utah's bid for statehood. After visiting rural agricultural folk schools in Denmark in 1885, territorial legislator Anthon H. Lund introduced the 1888 bill to establish an agricultural college and experiment station.^: 17–19 Under the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, USU's original mission was to provide education in agriculture, mechanical arts, science, classical studies, military science, later expanding to include degree programs in liberal arts, business, fine arts, education, human services, humanities, veterinary medicine and engineering.

After a period of political debate in which Salt Lake City retained the territorial university, Cache County legislators, backed by Weber County delegates, won a floor fight to locate the agricultural college in Cache Valley.^: 19–20 On March 8, 1888, the Agricultural College of Utah was chartered as the state's land-grant institution.^: 20 The college opened its doors on September 2, 1890, with 14-year-old Vendla Berntson enrolled as its first student.

The new college was chartered to provide instruction in "agriculture, domestic science, and the mechanic arts." Early expansion under President William J. Kerr drew opposition from supporters of the University of Utah, who feared that any expansion at the college would come at the university's expense.^: 40 A 1905 law barred the college from offering courses in engineering, liberal arts, pedagogy, law, or medicine, and in 1907 a bill to merge the two schools passed the state Senate but fell short of the two-thirds majority needed in the House.^{: 66–67 : 42} The legislature gradually lifted these restrictions, and by the 1920s the college had regained broad academic autonomy.

Growth and wartime (1914–1945)

The college launched its statewide Extension Service in 1914, the same year it awarded its first master's degree.^: 78 During World War I, Utah Agricultural College became a training site for the Student Army Training Corps, which prepared students for military service while continuing their studies.^: 95–96

Under President Elmer George Peterson, the college expanded significantly, and its Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program gained national prominence, earning the nickname "West Point of the West." During World War II, Utah State hosted one of the Navy's primary schools for radio technicians in the Electronics Training Program. The school opened in March 1942, graduated about 100 students a month, and closed in August 1944. Utah State's technical and military training programs during World War II helped position the university for later federal research partnerships in electronics and defense, relationships that eventually led to the establishment of the Space Dynamics Laboratory.

Post-war expansion (1946–1980)

After the war, enrollment surged as returning veterans were supported by the GI Bill. Four presidents served between 1945 and 1954, a period historian Robert Parson called “demanding and convulsive.”^: 79 In March 1952, the Board of Trustees requested an outside survey, the Kelly Survey, to ensure the college used state funds efficiently.^: 89 The report, published in January 1953, defined the board's role as setting policy and the president's as running the institution; it criticized the Board.^: 56, 89 Following the report, the Board fired President Louis L. Madsen.^: 56 His firing led to student protests, who felt the Kelly Survey results weren’t implemented.^{: 56 : 97} H. Aldous Dixon took office after President Madsen, “healing the wounds of the tumultuous Madsen presidency,” and was followed in 1954 by President Daryl Chase.^: 51 Partially in response to this tumult, the 1955 Faculty Code created USU’s first Faculty Senate.^: 56

President Chase led Utah State from 1954 to 1968, during a period Parson describes as the institution's transition from college to university.^: 27 In 1957, the institution was renamed Utah State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, soon shortened to Utah State University. Governor George D. Clyde, a former dean of engineering at the college, signed the proclamation.^{: 27–28, 166} Enrollment had reached 4,600 by 1948, declined into the early 1950s, then grew steadily through the '60s. From 1954 through 1968, enrollment increased by more than 250 percent, research funding by 400 percent, and international enrollment by 800 percent. The faculty expanded from 370 to 600 members, and those holding terminal degrees increased from 101 to 283.^: 28

Until 1955, most campus research was conducted at the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station. However, post-World War II research funding became available, and the college formed a Division of Research to apply for funding, mainly from the National Institutes of Health and the Atomic Energy Commission.^: 160 D. Wynne Thorne became the first vice president for research in 1965, and the university opened a series of research units, including the Electrodynamics Laboratory (1959), which engineering professor Doran Baker helped establish, the Ecology Center (1966), and the Center for Research in Aeronomy (1969).^: 160 The Utah Water Research Laboratory, first proposed in 1951, was authorized by the Utah Legislature in 1959 and dedicated in 1965,^: 163 and the Utah State University Research Foundation was organized in 1966.^: 161

The physical campus grew with enrollment, from a building value of $8.1 million in 1954 to almost $50 million in 1968, with another $11.5 million under construction that year.^: 28 Utah State opened residence halls for women in 1955, for men in 1958, and two high-rise dormitories in 1964.^: 147 Utah State began building a new library in 1961 in multiple phases, completing construction in 1967, when the building was dedicated. The library was later named for academic vice president Milton R. Merrill.^: 93 The Chase Fine Arts Center was also completed and dedicated in 1967.^: 28 The following year, Utah State completed construction on the 20,000-seat Romney Stadium (now Maverik Stadium) where its football team would play games.^: 132 Two years later, in 1970, Utah State opened its new basketball arena, a more than 10,000-seat venue on the north end of campus.^{: 145–146} Following President Chase's tenure, Glen L. Taggart served as president from 1968 through his retirement in 1979. Highlights of his presidency include efforts to decentralize the university budget to departments, establish tenure and promotion guidelines for faculty, and respond to student unrest diplomatically rather than with force.^{: 25, 150}

Utah State's international work grew out of its agricultural expertise. In 1939, Franklin S. Harris, a former director of the college's Agricultural Experiment Station, became agricultural adviser to Iran and brought two of the college's scientists to survey the country's needs.^: 84 The college signed its first contract with the Iranian government in 1951, and 51 Utah State scientists and advisers served in Iran between 1951 and 1963.^: 84–85 As president, Harris also recruited international students, often arranging tuition waivers and campus jobs; by 1952 the campus had 111 international students, about a fifth of them Iranian.^: 86–87 Under Chase, the university added programs with the Peace Corps and the United States Agency for International Development, including a Bolivia project beginning in 1965 that involved 25 full-time faculty members. In 1967, USU joined the University of California, Davis, and Colorado State University as charter members of what became the Consortium for International Development, which was based on the Logan campus for 20 years.^: 85 By 1977, Iranian students made up nearly 30 percent of the university's international enrollment; after the 1979 hostage crisis, Middle Eastern enrollment fell from 356 students in 1980 to 51 in 1989.^: 89 Iranians made up nearly 30 percent of international students in 1977, but after the Iran hostage crisis, the number of Middle Eastern students at USU fell from 356 in 1980 to 51 in 1989.^: 89

Statewide growth (1980–2010)

The earliest roots of USU's distance education go back to the early 1900s, when USU professors traveled by train from Logan to Burley, Idaho to deliver dairy lectures. In 1967, Utah State established the Uintah Basin Center for Continuing Education in Roosevelt, the forerunner of USU-Uintah Basin. The following year, "flying professors" traveled weekly to teach at USU's various campuses and centers. Traveling from the centers was necessary until Utah State installed satellite systems in 1996. In 2006, University President Stan Albrecht moved Utah State University's Continuing Education unit to the Provost's Office and established the USU Regional Campuses and Distance Education organization. The system grew in 2010 with the addition of USU Eastern to nearly one-half of USU's enrollment.

Recent history (2010–present)

The USU system includes USU Blanding, USU Eastern, multiple regional campuses, several extension and field site locations, 14 statewide research farms, and 29 additional statewide extension offices. In 2012, RCDE completed construction of the Regional Campuses Distance Education (RCDE) Building which houses broadcast classrooms, RCDE offices, and the Utah Education Network.

By the late 20th century, Utah State sought to broaden its national reach beyond its regional mission. Under President George H. Emert (1992–2000), the university's endowment grew from $7 million to $80 million, and research funding reached new highs.

Under President Stan L. Albrecht, Utah State expanded its research partnerships and global collaborations, including initiatives in China, Saudi Arabia, and Peru. The Merrill-Cazier Library opened in 2005, followed by several new research and classroom facilities. In 2010, USU acquired both the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter near Park City and the College of Eastern Utah, extending its statewide reach. In 2012, USU concluded a $400 million fundraising campaign—the largest in its history.

From 2017 to 2023, President Noelle E. Cockett became USU's first female president, expanding statewide programs and research capacity while addressing campus safety and inclusion. She was succeeded by Elizabeth R. Cantwell (2023–2025), whose tenure was marked by fiscal and administrative controversy prior to her departure to lead Washington State University.

Following an interim term under Alan L. Smith, the Utah Board of Higher Education appointed Brad L. Mortensen, former president of Weber State University, as Utah State's 18th president on October 30, 2025. Mortensen's administration, beginning November 10, 2025, has emphasized fiscal accountability, academic restructuring, and statewide access initiatives.

Logan campus

Utah State University's main academic, research, residential, athletic, and innovation campus is located in Logan, Utah, spanning over 600 acres at the mouth of Logan Canyon. The campus sits on a "bench," a shelf-like foothill overlooking Cache Valley to the west, with Mount Logan and the Bear River Range rising sharply to the east.

The campus has more than 100 buildings. Key facilities include Maverik Stadium, the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum,^{: 145–146} Old Main (the university's first building), the Merrill-Cazier Library (304,000 square feet), and the Manon Caine Russell-Kathryn Caine Wanlass Performance Hall.

The Logan City Cemetery divides much of the campus, with the main academic buildings to the south and the innovation and research facilities to the north. The campus also includes residential, recreational, and athletic buildings. To the west and north are located the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum^{: 145–146} and Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Students have full access to the HPER (pronounced "hyper"), Nelson Fieldhouse, and the 117,000-sq-ft ARC (Aggie Recreation Center) exercise facilities, which include basketball courts, indoor rock climbing, gymnastics equipment, two swimming pools, racquetball, squash, and outdoor field space for lacrosse, rugby, soccer, ultimate, and other sports.

With more than 30 of Utah's largest tree species and more than 7,000 trees, Utah State University's Logan campus has earned international recognition as an arboretum, accredited by ArbNet. USU's main campus in Logan, Utah, and the city of Logan have received several accolades, including being named the "Best College Town" for the 2019–2020 school year and "Most Beautiful Campus in Utah." Adjacent to the campus are Logan Canyon and the Cache National Forest, which offer opportunities for hiking, camping, and skiing. Logan Canyon also serves as the main route to Beaver Mountain Ski Resort and Bear Lake. Students often visit these nearby areas for recreational activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, and skiing. The USU Outdoor Recreation Program supports these activities by renting equipment for camping, water sports, mountain sports, and winter sports, as well as providing trail maps and local expertise.

Several notable sites are located on or near campus property. First Dam is a small research reservoir at the mouth of Logan Canyon, where students can paddleboard, kayak, and fish. The Logan Country Club, adjacent to the campus, is home to the university's men's golf team. Additionally, the Utah Water Research Laboratory is a key research facility near Logan Canyon.

In the broader region, students have access to other ski resorts, such as Powder Mountain and Cherry Peak Resort, as well as local golf courses, lakes, and reservoirs, including Hyrum Reservoir at Hyrum State Park. Many students take advantage of Utah's YETI ski pass, which allows limited access to all of Utah's ski resorts. Nearby attractions include Yellowstone National Park, Teton National Park, and Lava Hot Springs.

Panoramic view of the Quad

Statewide campuses and extension

Regional Campuses and Distance Education (RCDE) work to fulfill USU's land-grant mission to increase access to high-quality education throughout Utah. Logan is one of many cities and towns hosting a statewide campus for Utah State. Its campuses include:

• Main Campus: Logan
• Other Residential Campuses: USU Eastern (Price), USU Blanding
• Other Regional Campuses: Brigham City, Kaysville, Moab, Monument Valley, Orem, Roosevelt, Salt Lake City, St. George, Tooele, Tremonton, Vernal

Utah State University has conducted studies and proposed long-term development master plans to the state of Utah, which have been approved in concept to create residential and research campuses at each of its additional campuses throughout the State.

In addition to its main campus in Logan, Utah State operates two separate residential campuses: one in Price (USU Eastern) and another in Blanding, Utah. Located in Price, Utah, the former College of Eastern Utah joined the USU system in 2010 and became Utah State University College of Eastern Utah (USU Eastern). In 2013, the official name was shortened to Utah State University Eastern, as it was officially designated as a campus of Utah State University. USU Eastern is the only campus besides Logan to have an athletics program; and, competes as the Utah State Eastern Utah Golden Eagles.

USU instructional office extension locations are also located in every county in Utah including Beaver, Bicknell, Blanding, Brigham City, Castle Dale, Cedar City, Delta, Ephraim, Heber City, Junction, Kanab, Kaysville, Logan, Moab, Montezuma Creek, Monticello, Monument Valley, Nephi, Orem, Panguitch, Park City, Price, Richfield, Roosevelt, Salt Lake City, St. George, Tooele, Tremonton, Vernal, and Wendover. Courses and degrees are also made available online through online, international, and Distance Education.

USU operates several centers and field sites statewide, including 14 research farms. Its agricultural and equine sites include the Bastian Agricultural Center in South Jordan, which offers equestrian and agricultural education and event facilities, and the Sam Skaggs Family Equine Education Center in Wellsville, which houses instruction and research in equine sciences. Its gardens include the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville, with teaching gardens, extension classrooms, an amphitheater and wetlands, and the Ogden Botanical Gardens in Ogden. USU also offers research and education programs at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, a nonprofit with botanical gardens, an arboretum and museums. Its aviation and flight technology programs are based at Logan-Cache Airport, where the university keeps its aircraft. In Park City, the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter includes a 1,200-acre (4.9 km²) land trust and a 10,000-square-foot (930 m²) education center focused on wetlands, wildlife and sustainability, which is LEED Platinum certified.

Sustainability

The university signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007, pledging carbon neutrality by 2050. In 2019, the Faculty Senate passed a non-binding resolution calling for deeper emissions reductions, and the university formed a greenhouse gas reduction committee in response. USU embarked on a project that was 95% complete in 2021 to replacing old light fixtures with more energy-efficient LED bulbs at all of its campuses, which led to saving almost 6 million kilowatt hours and 3,500 metric tons of carbon emissions, annually. USU's Office of Sustainability was elevated under the Office of the President in 2023.

The Decarbonization Master Plan (2022) established a roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions on the Logan campus by 2040. The plan recommends converting the campus's central steam system to low-temperature hydronic heating, installing domestic-water heat pumps in 75 buildings, and expanding solar generation to 8.4 MW by 2040. In 2026, USU completed more than 2 MW of new solar capacity at seven locations, including its first large-scale battery storage system at the Uintah Basin campus in Vernal. According to the FY 2023 Greenhouse Gas Inventory, USU's total emissions were 106,126 metric tons of CO₂e, a 3 percent decline from 2008. All new construction at Utah State is built to LEED Silver standards or higher. As of 2025, the university operates 22 LEED-certified buildings emphasizing energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and water conservation.

Initiatives under its 2020 Landscape Resiliency and Drought Plan and Stormwater Management Plan include drought-tolerant plantings, irrigation audits, bioswales, and stormwater capture systems across the Logan campus. Irrigation is managed via a weather-responsive central control system that draws primarily from the Cache Highline Water Association canal. USU Extension's Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping (CWEL) extends these practices statewide through workshops, design research, and the Water Check residential efficiency program.

Colleges and schools

As of July 1, 2025, Utah State University is organized into six academic colleges and schools, plus the School of Graduate Studies, that collectively oversee the university's teaching, research, and statewide outreach missions. In 1903, the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University) organized six schools: Agriculture, Military Science, Agricultural Engineering and Mechanical Arts, Home Economics, General Science, and Commerce. By 1923, the institution had expanded to seven academic colleges—Agriculture, Home Economics, Military Science, Agricultural Engineering, Commerce and Business Administration, Mechanic Arts, and General Science. A School of Education was created in 1927, and the School of General Science was reorganized into the School of Basic Arts and Sciences.^: 5

In April 2025, USU announced a major academic reorganization in response to state-mandated budget reductions and Utah House Bill 265. The plan merged five existing colleges into two new colleges and reduced administrative overhead, with program adjustments to follow. The new colleges became official on July 1, 2025, with Joe Ward named dean of Arts & Sciences and Derek McLean serving as the inaugural dean of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Implementation of the new structure took effect July 1, 2025, and the reorganized colleges are reflected below. Prior to July 1, 2025, USU's colleges included the Caine College of the Arts, the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, the College of Science, the College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences, and the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources as separate entities.

College of Arts & Sciences

The College of Arts & Sciences integrates programs from the former Caine College of the Arts, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHaSS), and College of Science, aligning with "Letters and Science" models at peer institutions. It comprises departments for (a) the humanities, social sciences, and social work; (b) the natural, physical, and mathematical sciences; and (c) music, theatre, and art and design.

College of Engineering

The College of Engineering grants undergraduate degrees in six engineering disciplines—biological, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, and mechanical—and graduate degrees in aerospace, composites/structures, space systems, and engineering education. The college has close ties to the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), which employs about 155 students on technical projects. Research facilities and outreach in the college include the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL), one of the oldest and largest university-based water research facilities in the United States. The college also sponsors an annual trebuchet pumpkin-toss and Engineers Without Borders chapter activities.

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

USU's Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (founded in 1927) offers programs in psychology, special education, human development and family studies, communicative disorders and deaf education, kinesiology, and rehabilitation. The college includes the APA-accredited Department of Psychology and the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM). The college also houses the USU Family Life Center which provides housing and financial counseling and includes a marriage and family therapy clinic. Its marriage and family therapy clinic, formerly in the Family Life Center, moved to the Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence in 2018.

Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

Main article: Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

Founded in 1889 (renamed in 2007 after a $26M gift from Jon Huntsman Sr.), the Huntsman School was Utah's first business college. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in management, accounting, economics, finance, and management information systems (MIS), among others, and houses the Shingo Institute (home of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence).

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

Created by merging the former College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences (CAAS) with the Quinney College of Natural Resources (QCNR), the college advances land-grant missions in agricultural production, food systems, natural resources stewardship, ecology, and environmental science. The College also houses USU's Aviation and Flight Technology programs and operates a fleet of aircraft at the nearby Logan-Cache Airport, in addition to being one of the few public colleges in the nation to own and operate its own jet simulators.

Admissions

Undergraduate admissions statistics
2025 entering classChange vs. 2020
Admit rate	92.1% ( +1.1)
Yield rate	23.5% ( −7.9)
Test scores middle 50%[i]
SAT Total	1090–1310 (among 11% of FTFs)
SAT EBRW	540–670
SAT Math	530–650
ACT Composite	20–27 (among 72% of FTFs)
High school GPA[ii]
Top 10%	22%
Top 25%	45%
Top 50%	74%
Average	3.6
2025 data among students who chose to submit Percentages among students whose school ranked

In fall 2025, Utah State received 21,235 applications for first-time freshman enrollment; 19,562 (92.1%) were accepted, and 4,594 freshmen enrolled, yielding a yield rate of 23.5%. The freshman retention rate is 74.5%, with 52.5% graduating within six years (fall 2018 cohort). Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Utah State. First-year applicants are evaluated on high school GPA; ACT or SAT scores are recommended for academic scholarships.

Rankings and reputation

In 2026, Washington Monthly, which ranks colleges on their contribution to the public good using access, affordability, outcomes, and public service promotion, placed Utah State 102nd among 1,504 four-year colleges nationally, 34th in the West, and highest among Utah's public universities. In 2021, the Council on Undergraduate Research recognized Utah State for excellence in undergraduate research programs. In 2026, U.S. News & World Report ranked USU 17th nationally for "Best Online Bachelor's Programs." Forbes ranked the university No. 275 in its Top Colleges 2027 list, No. 179 among research universities and No. 65 in the West.

Libraries

The Merrill–Cazier Library opened in September 2005. The building integrated the Cazier Science and Technology Library with a 189,000-square-foot (17,600 m²) expansion, replacing the 74-year-old Merrill Library. Because the Utah Legislature approved the project as replacement space, the new library could not add square footage. The library is named for Milton R. Merrill, former Utah State University vice president, and Stanford Cazier, former Utah State University president. The original library was built in 1930 and was later enclosed by a larger building, constructed in phases beginning in 1961 and dedicated in 1967.^: 93

An automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) is integral to the building and supports many years of collection development.is integral to the building and supports many years of collection development. The BARN (Borrower's Automated Retrieval Network) was named after Utah State University's status as an agricultural school. The BARN stores all of the Merrill–Cazier Library's bound journals, over 200,000 less frequently used books, and most of the microform. The S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney Natural Resources Research Library, a 7,000-square-foot branch funded by the Quinney Foundation, opened in 1992 to serve the natural resources programs, and USU Eastern maintains libraries on its Price and Blanding campuses.

Research

Utah State University is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". In fiscal year 2024, the National Science Foundation ranked Utah State 80th nationally and 55th among public institutions in research and development expenditures ($451 million), and 10th nationally in engineering research and development expenditures ($356 million).

Utah State has more than 50 research institutes and centers. Notable research centers based at USU include the Space Dynamics Laboratory, Bingham Energy Research Center, Center for Integrated BioSystems, Center for Growth and Opportunity, Center for Anticipatory Intelligence, Energy Dynamics Laboratory, The Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center, Utah Water Research Laboratory, Center for High Performance Computing, Ecology Center, Utah Climate Center, Center for Advanced Nutrition, Thanksgiving Point, Center for the School of the Future, National Aquatic Monitoring Center, Ogden Botanical Center, Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, Intermountain Center for River Rehabilitation and Restoration, Bastian Agricultural Center (South Jordan), Mountain West Center for Regional Studies, National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management, The Shingo Institute, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air, and Utah Botanical Center.

The Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air, established in 2021 with a $7 million gift, publishes an annual report on the state's natural resources for the governor and legislature. It is also part of the Great Salt Lake Strike Team, which brings together researchers from USU and the University of Utah with state agency staff.

As of 2011^[update], Utah State had sent more student experiments into space than any other university. In 2024, Utah State became a member of the U.S. Space Command Academic Engagement Enterprise.

USU's undergraduate research program was founded in 1975, making it the second program of its kind in the nation (after MIT). It was named the "Best Undergraduate Research Program in the Nation" by the Council on Undergraduate Research in 2021. Utah State University promotes the OpenCourseWare (OCW) Project (open and free university courses) and developed an open content management system for OCW called eduCommons. Its development was funded in part by a $915,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in 2003. Several universities have adopted eduCommons to create OCW sites.

Space Dynamics Laboratory

Main article: Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), a nonprofit owned by Utah State, is one of 16 University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) of the United States Department of Defense. Long sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency, SDL has been sponsored since 2025 by the Air Force's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration, formalizing its partnership with the Space Force. As of 2026, SDL employed about 1,400 engineers, scientists, and business professionals, including about 155 students.

SDL's projects have included WISE, SABER on the TIMED satellite, SOFIE on the AIM satellite, ICON and OSIRIS-REx. In 2021, Utah State received a $1 billion contract for aerospace research, including "space and nuclear advanced prototypes, experiments and technology," from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the largest contract ever awarded by AFRL.

GASPACS (Get Away Special Passive Attitude Control Satellite) was a NASA-sponsored 1U CubeSat developed entirely by undergraduate members of Utah State University's Get Away Special (GAS) team. The primary mission objective of GASPACS was to deploy a 1-meter inflatable aerodynamic boom to passively stabilize its attitude. GASPACS was the world's first CubeSat to be developed entirely by undergraduate students, and was also the world's first CubeSat to utilize a Raspberry Pi Zero as its flight computer.

Utah Water Research Laboratory

Main article: Utah Water Research Laboratory

The Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) is a research institution at Utah State. It is one of the oldest and largest water research facilities in the United States. In fiscal year 2025, research funding through the UWRL totaled more than $13.3 million.

USTAR

Utah State and the University of Utah were the two university partners in the Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative, a state program established in 2006 aimed at building Utah's high-tech economy. Through USTAR, the state recruited 40 faculty members to the two universities. It invested in research buildings and laboratories on both campuses. USU's USTAR teams researched areas including cardiat arrhythmia, applied nutrition, adaptive lighting, synthetic bio-manufacutring, weather prediction, space weather, veterinary diagnostics, and wireless power transfer. In 2018, the Utah State Legislature removed the university research program from USTAR's statute and transferred responsibility for the researchers and campus research buildings to the universities. In 2019, the Legislature passed S.B. 212, which Governor Gary Herbert signed on March 26, 2019, dissolving USTAR's governing board and ending its grant program.

Housing and dining

Utah State University describes its Logan Campus as Utah's largest public residential campus and reports that about 84 percent of its students live away from home. As of 2023, about a quarter of USU's roughly 20,000 students lived on campus.

Students on campus can eat at two dining halls, The Marketplace and The Junction, as well as the Forum Café in the Merrill-Cazier Library, the full-service Skyroom restaurant, and The Hub food court. On the east edge of campus, Aggie Ice Cream has produced ice cream, cheese products, sandwiches, and soups since 1888.

Since its founding in 1888, USU has had a creamery, with its first location in Old Main. Students studying dairying and domestic arts applied to learn how to make both ice cream and cheeses. In 1921, Gustav Wilster began working with the College of Agriculture. By 1922, students studied dairy technology, fluid milk processing, ice cream manufacture, dairy engineering, cheese manufacture, butter making, dairy facility inspection, and dairy product judging. Students influenced by the program went on to open ice cream businesses including Casper's Ice Cream, Farr's Ice Cream, and Snelgrove's Ice Cream. In 1975, the Nutrition and Food Sciences building was built, where Aggie Ice Cream is housed; a second location opened in USU's Blue Square student housing in 2023.

Along with Aggie Ice Cream, USU owns and operates its chocolate factory, The Aggie Chocolate Factory, through the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The Aggie Chocolate Factory has shops on both the academic and residential campuses in Logan and the athletic stadiums. In winter, the Aggie Chocolate Factory also sells its own hot cocoa; on hot days, it sells "Frozen As"— an iced cocoa drink.

Organizations and student government

USU students are also involved in more than 200 clubs, a student government, four fraternities and three sororities, multiple intramural and club sports, and a student-run radio station.

The Utah State University Student Association (USUSA) represents the university's student body. USUSA is composed of 17 elected student officers and five appointed student officers.

These officers typically oversee a specific area of responsibility outlined in each officer's charter. USUSA officers' duties can range from managing campus events and activities to promoting and advocating for particular initiatives at the Utah State Legislature. Officers are elected each spring.

The USUSA received significant attention during the 2016–2017 school year when the organization declared a mental health crisis at Utah State University. The legislation (written by USUSA Student Body President Ashley Waddoups, USUSA Student Advocate Vice President Matthew Clewett, and USUSA Graduate Studies Senator Ty Aller) sought to raise awareness of significant wait times for students to utilize CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) at Utah State as well as the increasing number of students who were suffering from mental health-related illnesses. After a successful lobbying campaign, the USUSA was able to influence the Utah State Legislature to pass a resolution declaring a mental health crisis at all Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions. The resolution was subsequently signed by Utah Governor Gary Herbert in March 2017.

In 1970, Utah State student Sue Brown and Director of Student Activities Val R. Christensen created one of the nation's first service organizations. VOICE, Volunteer Organization for Involvement in the Community and Environment, worked to improve the environment and social issues in Cache Valley. VOICE became The Val R. Christensen Service Center in 1999 in honor of Dr. Christensen's efforts and support of the organization. As of 2020, students were involved in more than 20 service organizations.

Traditions

Well-known student traditions include the rite of passage of becoming a True Aggie, which requires a student to kiss someone who is already a True Aggie on top of the Block "A." Two students may also become True Aggies together on Homecoming night or A-Day. In 2011, USU broke the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most couples kissing at the same place at the same time. Nearby the Block "A" is the lighted "A" atop the Old Main tower, which shines white throughout the entire valley and blue on nights when a varsity sport has picked up a victory, or other special events have occurred on campus.

Utah State has a history of various traditions, including its two fight songs ("Hail the Utah Aggies" and "The Scotsman") and a range of chants, such as "I Believe." The Scotsman is particularly notable for the unified standing and hand motions performed by students and fans. Other traditions and events for students are sponsored by USU, the HURD, and the Student Association and held throughout the year and include Homecoming and "The Howl," a Halloween celebration. Other annual student events include the Luminary Processional, which welcomes new students each fall, and The End of Year Bash, a concert on campus that culminates at the end of the academic year each April. The college's first motto, "Labor is Life," appeared on its seal from the 1890s until 1957.^{: 49 : 141–142} In 1958 the university adopted the motto "The State Is Our Campus" to reflect its statewide extension mission, and its current seal surrounds the Old Main tower with the words research, teaching, and service.^: 142

Given USU's history and traditions as a land-grant school with an original charter for, in part, military sciences, Utah State hosts an Air Force ROTC unit, and its students can also join Army ROTC. ROTC members wear uniforms or field attire as the color guard at home athletic events. ROTC members also attend every home football game on the field and in the stadium. Wearing field attire, ROTC members perform push-ups and fire a 75mm howitzer cannon at the initial kickoff and after each Aggie score. Utah State ROTC cadet activity and presence both on and off the field is especially present at events surrounding Veteran's Day and during athletic events when the Aggies play the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons. During certain home and away games, USU's mascot, Big Blue, will also don military field attire. Utah State's ROTC cadets also participate in other opportunities and events both on and off campus, including at the annual USU homecoming parade in Logan.

USU's Big Blue mascot appears at home and away games, as well as in the greater Logan and Utah communities. Big Blue is a member of the Spirit Squad and performs dance routines and acrobatic stunts. Historically, the mascot was a live white bull painted blue for games; in 1976, the bull was named GUS, an acronym for "Go Utah State." By historical accounts, an attempt to protect the new basketball court by fitting the bull with rubber boots was a disaster. The live bull was later retired, and a costumed Big Blue first appeared in 1987. Former Big Blue Kenn Solomon went on to become Rocky, the Denver Nuggets' original mascot, in 1990. For years, the student Big Blue led the football team onto the field riding a blue motorcycle; beginning with the 2025 season, riders from the USU rodeo team on horseback have led the team's entrance. Around Veterans Day and when USU competes against the Air Force Academy, Big Blue will also wear military field attire. Tryouts are held for the role; once selected, the student's identity is kept confidential until a formal "de-masking."

In October 2026, Utah State unveiled a new live mascot named Thistle, a shaggy-coated Highland steer. Two steer siblings born in April 2026, Thistle 1 and Thistle 2, will begin attending university events beginning in fall 2027.

Media

Journals based at or historically hosted by the university include Utah Science; Western Historical Quarterly, the journal of the Western History Association, which was edited at Utah State from its founding in 1969 until 2016; and Western American Literature, which moved to the University of Nebraska Press after Utah State ended its funding in 2013. The Utah State University Press publishes works in composition studies, folklore, Mormon history, Native American studies, nature and environment, and western history.

The Utah Statesman (The Statesman) is the primary news outlet serving the student body. It is student-run with a faculty adviser and is funded by a student media fee, which it shares with Aggie Radio, and advertising revenue. The Statesman prints 3,000 copies weekly during the academic year and monthly in the summer, distributed at about 20 locations on and off campus. It won the Society for Professional Journalists' Best Column Writing (2002) and Best Non-Daily Student Paper (2005) awards. The paper was known as Student Life before 1979.

Aggie Radio 92.3 KBLU-LP is an entirely student-run radio station broadcasting to Cache Valley and online. Programming emphasizes local, alternative, and independent music, with live sports via its Learfield IMG College affiliation covering Utah State football and men's and women's basketball throughout the season.

Utah Public Radio (UPR), a service of Utah State University, broadcasts news, information, public affairs, and cultural programming 24/7 across Utah and southern Idaho via six stations and 30 translators. UPR began in 1953 as KVSC, became KUSU-FM in 1961, and is affiliated with National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and American Public Media.

Aggie TV is a free cable lineup (≈110 channels) for on-campus residents. It also produces Crossroads (bulletins/announcements) and Aggie Advantage (local and student video programming).

Varsity athletics

USU competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined in 2026 after competing in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) from 2013 through the spring of 2026, Aggie teams have won 37 conference championships and three national collegiate titles (women's volleyball; softball twice). Golfer Jay Don Blake won the 1980 NCAA individual championship and was NCAA Player of the Year in 1981. Three Aggie football players have been consensus All-Americans: Merlin Olsen (1961), Phil Olsen (1969) and Savon Scarver (2018).

Varsity sports

• Men: football; basketball; cross country; golf; tennis; track & field (indoor and outdoor).
• Women: basketball; cross country; gymnastics; soccer; softball; tennis; track & field (indoor and outdoor); volleyball.

The men's basketball team plays in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, long regarded as one of college basketball's toughest venues. USU's student section, The HURD, has also drawn national attention. During 2008–09, USU rose to #17 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. Under Stew Morrill, USU went 193–13 (.937) at home, made six NCAA tournaments between 2000 and 2010, and amassed one of the nation's top win totals in that span. USU captured the Mountain West regular-season title in 2018–19 and back-to-back tournament titles in 2019 and 2020, and has appeared in five of the last six NCAA tournaments (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026).

USU football competes in the FBS. Under head coach Gary Andersen, USU posted its first 10-win regular season in 2012, won its first Western Athletic Conference football title, and finished ranked in all three major polls. Athletics director Scott Barnes emphasized recruiting, TV coverage, fundraising, facilities, and reorganization during a resource-constrained period—efforts recognized by the 2009 Excellence in Management Cup. Matt Wells succeeded Andersen before the 2013–14 season, and in December 2020, athletics director John Hartwell hired Blake Anderson as USU's 29th head coach. Anderson led USU for three seasons before interim head coach Nate Dreiling guided the program in 2024, and Bronco Mendenhall was named head coach for 2025.

USU was in the WAC from 2005 to 2012; men's teams won WAC titles in football (2012), basketball (2008–2011), indoor track (2008, 2010, 2011), outdoor track (2007, 2009–2011), and cross country (2005–2009, 2011). Women's teams won WAC titles in volleyball (2012), soccer (2008, 2010–2012), cross country (2006, 2008), and indoor/outdoor track (2012). National collegiate titles include women's volleyball (1978) and softball (1980, 1981). As MWC members, the Aggies claimed a football division crown and played in the inaugural MWC Championship Game (2013); men's tennis won the MWC regular season in 2016; regular season and tournament titles in 2017; the tournament in 2018; and another regular season crown in 2024; men's cross country won the league in 2019; volleyball won the regular season in 2021; and men's basketball won the 2019–20 MWC tournament.

Club and intramural sports

USU club teams have won fifteen national titles. Baseball club titles came in 2012 and 2014; rodeo has produced two individual national champions (Garrett Thurston, Trevor Merrill); the handball club has claimed nine national titles among its roster; and the Cycling Club has two individual national championships.

Utah State's Campus Recreation program sponsors more than 20 student-run club sports, among them men's ice hockey, baseball, rugby, lacrosse, rodeo, handball, ultimate, water polo, and esports. Aggie Recreation offers intramural sports to students, faculty, and staff using campus and community facilities.