Schools and Sports

Utah State University Announces 2023 Statewide Commencement Dates

by Marcus Jensen, Utah State University

Report: UT Fares Well with Higher-Ed Degree Attainment

by Alex Gonzalez, Utah News Connection

UTAH - Utah is one of the most educated states in the country and has seen significant increases in higher educational attainment between 2019 and 2021, according to a new report.

Lumina Foundation's "Stronger Nation" report found in 2021, more than 61% of Utah adults had some form of postsecondary degree or certification. The state has met Lumina Foundation's goal of having 60% of all Americans hold a credential beyond high school by 2025.

Lumina's report showed certain communities of color continue to lag behind their white counterparts when it comes to the attainment of associate degrees or higher. For 2021, the minority in Utah with the highest attainment percentage was Asians and Pacific Islanders, coming in at just over 52%. They only represent about 3% of the total number of Utah adults with postsecondary education.

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Utah State University (USU) Statewide Campuses is pleased to announce dates for its annual Commencement celebrations for the 2022-23 school year. Beginning on April 20, 2023, USU will hold seven ceremonies across campuses in the state through the end of the month.

UTAH - Utah State University (USU) Statewide Campuses is pleased to announce dates for its annual Commencement celebrations for the 202223 school year. Beginning on April 20, 2023, USU will hold seven ceremonies across campuses in the state through the end of the month. This will be USU’s 136th Commencement since its founding in 1888. USU’s statewide graduates go on to make an impact in their communities as business leaders, teachers, nurses, social workers and more across rural Utah.

“Commencement is the time we look forward to every year,” said Rich Etchberger, interim vice president for Statewide Campuses. “We enjoy gathering throughout our statewide system to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our students as they cross the graduation stage. We can’t wait to honor the 2023 class of Aggie graduates and celebrate this milestone with their families.”

The local ceremonies are scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 20, and end on Saturday, April 29. Graduating students may choose to attend a commencement event at their local campus or at any USU campus across the state.

USU Statewide Campuses Commencement

Dates:

• Thursday, April 20, 2023

- USU Southwest - Beaver High School at 6 p.m.

Friday, April 21, 2023

- USU Brigham CityBox Elder High School at 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 22, 2023

- USU Tooele - Tooele High School at 11 a.m.

• Thursday, April 27, 2023

- USU Moab - HooDoo Moab at 6 p.m.

• Friday, April 28, 2023

- USU Blanding - San Juan High School at 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 29, 2023

- USU Eastern - Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center at 10 a.m.

• Saturday, April 29, 2023

- USU Uintah BasinRoosevelt Junior High School at 4 p.m.

To participate in commencement ceremonies, candidates eligible to graduate must have filed an application for graduation with the Registrar’s Office by Feb. 28, 2023, and qualify for graduation in the Summer 2022, Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 terms.

Graduates will be emailed instructions on how to RSVP for graduation events. Graduates and family members are encouraged to monitor the USU Commencement website for the latest updates on commencement ceremonies. Additional updates can be found at usu.edu/ commencement/schedule/ statewide-campuses.

The Commencement Ceremony on the USU main campus will be May 4, 2023. The ceremony will include the awarding of honorary degrees, announcement of universitywide faculty awards, and

Commencement speeches.

Utah State University’s Statewide Campuses create impact by bettering the lives of the people and places they serve. From career and technical certificates to doctorate degrees, USU offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. With multiple locations across 85,000 square miles, USU can be the hometown university to anyone, no matter where they live. Learn more at statewide. usu.edu.

—Utah State University

David Woolstenhulme, commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education, said although some of the increases in attainment may be accounted for through population migration, their strategic plan has been a driven for the outcomes seen in the report.

"We are proud we are above the 60% threshold for attainment for both degrees and certificates, but at the same time we feel like that needs to be much higher," Woolstenhulme emphasized.

Woolstenhulme explained their goal is to continue significantly improving higher degree attainment over the next 10 years for the Beehive State. He added while graduates may leave the state for a number of reasons, they're doing what they can to ensure degrees and certificates Utahns earn align with the state's workforce demands.

Woolstenhulme noted regardless of one's background, all students need better access to higher education. He added Utah's demographics are changing on a daily basis and certain populations continue to be underserved.

"We need all of us, it makes a better society, it makes a better opportunity for all of us," Woolstenhulme asserted. "We need it to be able to meet the workforce demand, but most importantly we need it because it is the right thing to do that everybody regardless of what your background has an opportunity for higher education."

Woolstenhulme stressed the state has incentivized institutions to make sure their graduates are aligned with workforce areas needed in the state by offering performance funding, but added overall, he is pleased with the structure of higher education in the state.