The Utah Statesman - January 8, 2024 by The Utah Statesman

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News USU’s own version of The Bachelor is coming.

Utah State University, Logan, Utah

Lifestyles Students have access to winter sports through local ski resorts close to Logan, Utah.

Sports

Diana Sabau reflects on the first 90 days on the jobs as USU’s vice president and athletic director.

Week of January 8, 2024

Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 202

A guide to group therapy through CAPS By Malory Rau NEWS REPORTER

he start of a new semester, although exciting, often means the start of new challenges for students. Utah State’s Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, provides a variety of therapy groups to help students throughout their time at USU. As stated on the CAPS website, group therapy provides supportive environments where members can improve social skills and get feedback from others. This upcoming spring semester, CAPS is introducing five new groups: two resident life groups, a compassion focus group, a multicultural group and a student-parent Zoom group. With 14 groups total, CAPS has eight support groups that do not require attendance or a screening to be a member and six therapy groups that do require a screening and commitment to attend. Jill Ferrell, group coordinator and staff psychologist at CAPS, said group therapy declined nationally after the pandemic in 2020. “When COVID hit, group therapy kind of went underground a little bit, and it’s had difficulty coming back because people just didn’t know it was there,” Ferrell said. For those wanting to participate in CAPS group therapy, information on how to get involved is available on the CAPS website. Prospective group members must contact CAPS through the information listed online if they want to attend any group.

Compassion Focus Group Starting in the upcoming spring semester, the compassion-focused therapy group is for those struggling with what is known as treatment-resistant anxiety, a form of anxiety that is non-responsive to treatment. The group is also welcoming to those who struggle with low self-esteem, frequent anger, depression or relational struggles. When meeting, members of this group will focus on compassion and learn about the body’s threat, soothing, and drive systems. “Anxiety tends to sort of melt away in that kind of environment,” Ferrell said. Members of this group, which meets once a week, will receive outside workbooks to continue their studies between sessions.

BIPOC students. The group aims to help students cope with the stresses brought on by discrimination and microaggressions. Although it is classified as a support group, regular attendance is encouraged, and meetings are held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. every Monday. Resident Life Support Groups Also new this year are resident life support groups. The first, called the transition group, aims to help first-year students transition into college life. This includes tackling challenges like leaving home, social connections and academic struggles. The second group is the Resident Assistant, or RA, group. RAs are in charge of a select group of people living in their assigned hall. They often manage roommate conflicts and noise complaints. The RA group focuses on resolving conflicts and managing the responsibilities of being an RA while being a student. There are three resident life therapists whose offices are located in the resident halls, and both groups meet from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Dungeons & Dragons Group The popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D, is an activity for friends of all ages. First used to provide a structure for individuals with autism, the game eventually became popular in group therapy. Using characters and storytelling helps individuals learn socialization skills and confront challenges PHOTO BY Malory Rau Dungeons and Dragons figurines used for CAPS’ table top role-playing therapy group. that apply to their everyday lives. “These kinds of game interactions help build connections and help build these pieces of interest, Student-Parent Zoom Group hobbies and activities,” said CAPS intern and co-facilitaThe student-parent support group is new this semester tor Kyle Brasil. “We see they help people just by playing and is aimed specifically at students who have children. the game.” This is more common in Utah State’s statewide campusThe group had four members in the fall semester and es, thus CAPS uses Zoom to hold this support group. has room for more. Co-facilitators set up gameplay and Ferrell explained the need for the group came from assume the role of dungeon masters for the session. those undergoing the struggle of being a parent, espeThere is pre- and post-game discussion as well as side cially a single parent, while also juggling school. The chats throughout gameplay. group strives to provide an environment that encouragThe group also emphasizes goal-setting for its memes academic success among parents. Zoom meetings are bers. These are often goals that apply to members’ real held on Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. lives that can be achieved or improved through gameplay. Multicultural Student Support Group “I think this kind of group meets a lot of student Returning after a short period of absence, the mulneeds of feeling connected, introducing or giving conticultural student support group is for Black and nection to a hobby or an interest, and also a chance to Indigenous people and people of color, or BIPOC. try on new skins, literally, through your character and The purpose of the group is for members to share to experiment in a safe place,” Brasil said. experiences and converse about shared challenges as

Mindfulness Group The mindfulness group is a therapy group in which four to six participants go through a four to five-week course on meditation. Participants learn skills such as how to do body scans and have self-compassion. This group is meant to provide a structure for students who want to practice being mindful and hold themselves accountable to their goals regarding mindfulness.

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Malory Rau is a sophomore studying social media, public relations and marketing. When not skateboarding with friends, she is usually thrifting, reading or seeing the latest movie. — m.rau@usu.edu

By Aubrey Holdaway NEWS REPORTER

tudents who are planning to run for elected positions within the Utah State University Student Association for the 2024 school year can declare their candidacy starting Jan. 8. New USUSA officers are elected every year, and there are various positions on the executive leadership board, Logan executive council, statewide campuses executive council and academic senate. According to the election website, USUSA officers play a key role in the USU experience. Their responsibilities include “Managing student fee funds to plan events and improve campus; Collaborating with students and listening to their concerns; Voicing student interests to faculty members, administrators, policymakers, and other community leaders.” Although USUSA positions are important to student life, elections can be seen as a nuisance to the general student population. Current student advocate vice president Tyson Packer understands why. “Students get very sick of being bothered, which is natural,” Packer said. “But I think it’s really important that students understand why we have elections.” USUSA elections exist to empower students to shape the environment in which they study and work. “These are the positions that are the biggest springboard for change at the university. When students want something to change — like parking issues or testing center waiting times — those problems are fixed by student officers coming up with solutions,” Packer said. Colin Hastings, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences senator and senate pro tempore, shared the same sentiment. “USUSA is the voice of the students,” Hastings said. “Student officers will take your concerns to the right people, work through it and try to get it solved. We act as the mediator between faculty and students.” By participating in these elections, students ensure their concerns, ranging from mental health support and diversity initiatives to sustainability efforts and academic enhancements, are heard and addressed by the administrators in power. “Votes do matter,” Packer said. “They are how things are changed and implemented.” Students take charge of their university experience by voting, but they can also do so by running for office themselves.

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“I’ve loved helping and meeting new people there and being able to be a student voice,” Hastings said. “I see USUSA as something that can be really big in the future, and I think we can work within the university to become an even bigger voice for students.” Hastings is going to be running for office again this year, this time for executive vice president. “Running for student government is challenging and stressful, but running is an amazing experience whether you win or not,” Hastings said. “You learn a lot about the university and get to connect with a lot of different people.” Hastings encouraged anyone who is considering running for office. “If you’re thinking about it, just do it. Make sure you have an understanding of the position you’re running for, learn about the process and do your due diligence. There’s no downside to running,” Hastings said. Candidacy declarations will be open from Jan. 8 to Jan. 29. Self-enrollment can be done by enrolling in the elections Canvas course. Information on how to take part in USUSA elections and/or run for office can be found at usu.edu/involvement/elections. Questions or concerns about candidacy

declaration can be submitted to elections. ususa@usu.edu. Executive leadership board elections will be held Feb. 28-29. Academic senate and region elections will be held March 4-5.

Aubrey Holdaway is a junior studying print journalism. She loves doing anything outside, the band Pinegrove, and listening to hours of true crime podcasts in an effort to become invincible. —a.holdaway@usu.edu

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Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024

USUSA candidacy filing opens

Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 202

Free activities, healthy brownies at Campus Rec Welcome Week By Ella Stott LIFESTYLES REPORTER

o kick off the new semester, Campus Rec is hosting free events during its Welcome Week from Jan. 8-13. The events cover a variety of different activities, sports and classes students can participate in to learn more about how to take advantage of the opportunities provided by Campus Rec. Tayler Davis, coordinator of fitness and wellness for Campus Rec, has been at USU for three semesters. As a former Chicago resident, she said USU’s environment felt like a home. “If I have to leave my family, I want to go somewhere where it feels like a family,” Davis said. “It just has positive energy, and that’s what I’m about.” Davis said as Campus Rec has become a supportive community for her, she has tried to make it the same for students. Much of this work is done by providing different experiences and tools for students to use. “We do believe that wellness and being active is something different for every person,” Davis said. “Finding the right thing for you is important.” In order to help Aggies learn about the different recreational opportunities at USU, each day of Welcome Week highlights a different aspect of Campus Rec. All of the weekday activities are free, and all skill levels are encouraged to participate. The events Monday through Thursday will be held in the MAC gym in the ARC. Monday’s activity, held from 8:30-9:30 a.m., is yoga. “We have a yoga minor here,” Davis said. “And we have a lot of beginners, so we have people that come who are willing to learn.” On Tuesday, the intramural sports program is tentatively putting on a free throw contest from 5:30-7 p.m. Bailey Adams, assistant director of intramurals and youth sports, said the event is a great way to learn more about the intramurals offered in the spring semester and how to sign up. “I don’t think a lot of folks know about all these one-day tournaments that we do,” Adams said. “We do a sand volleyball tournament, we do a dodgeball tournament, we’ll do cornhole.” There are many intramural opportunities this semester, including basketball. Adams said one of his favorite opportunities is Unified Sports. “Unified Sports is when you get folks with and without intellectual disabilities together to participate in sports and compete,” Adams said. According to Adams, Unified Sports on campus always has a lot of athletes who want to participate, but not enough partners. “We’re just always trying to find more folks to participate,” Adams said. “Once you participate in it, it’s hard not to continue, because it’s so much fun.” All of the information on intramurals and Unified Sports

registration will be at the Tuesday Welcome Week event, as will an opportunity for students to win a free intramural membership. “Those typically cost $25 a semester,” Adams said. “But if you win this, you’ll get one for free and be able to participate in as many intramurals as you’d like.” On Wednesday, there will be High Fitness from 7-8 p.m. “This is really popular in Utah,” Davis said. “We’re not doing well if we don’t put out high fitness.”

PHOTO BY Wyatt Merchant USU students playing basketball at the USU ARC, Dec. 19. 2023.

Also on Wednesday, the nutritionist for Campus Rec will make healthy brownies. Students will get a free sample and discuss whether avocado or sweet potato makes a better alternative. On Thursday from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Zumba will be held in the MAC gym. From 7-9 p.m., there will also be top rope night at the climbing wall in the ARC. Coordinator of outdoor programs Ashley Brown said the

wall can often fill up with people who are bouldering — climbing without a rope — and there isn’t enough room for those who want to top rope. “Top rope night is when we shut down the boulder wall, Brown said. “It helps people who’ve always wanted to top rope, and they can come and try it out.” According to Brown, climbers and their partners have to be certified in belaying in order to top rope, but they have come up with a system for those who don’t have belay certification to still be able to climb on Thursday. “We wanted some sort of event to kind of promote thing for the students,” Brown said. “Just to help new climbers get a little bit more comfortable.” Top rope night will be held every second and fourth Thursday of the month. It’s free, and there will always be experienced instructors there to assist. “We love meeting the new students and kind of seeing them progress with climbing,” Brown said. The only event that costs money during Welcome Week is the snowshoe hike up Logan Canyon on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The $16 cost includes snowshoe rental and transportation. All week, there will be free group fitness classes held at the ARC. This provides students with information about different classes offered in the semester before they buy them. For a full schedule of the free group fitness classes as well as more information about the Welcome Week activities, visit campusrec.usu.edu. The events are also listed on the USU events calendar, which can be accessed at usu.edu/calendar. For more information about Unified Sports, visit usu.edu/campusrec/competitive-sports/unified-sports. “Make sure you bring a friend,” Davis said. “Even if they say, ‘I don’t want to come.’”

Ella Stott is a first-year student studying English and journalism because she hates money. When she’s not writing, she’s watching sitcoms, eating Greek yogurt and admiring Nebraska corn. — ella.stott@usu.edu

By Lacey Cintron LIFESTYLES REPORTER

Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024

Castle Valley’s Archeological Society protects the past

s a child, Pam Miller first found her love of wouldn’t have been found. “CVAS members and the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition archeology inside National Geographic magaOne such example of preservation are Price native Lynn are running stewardship day in Nine Mile Canyon,” zines depicting Egyptian temples and towering Fausset’s murals, painted between 1938 and 1941. The Miller said. “They set up guides and archeologists at difpyramids. paintings depict Carbon County’s early industry. ferent sites that people go to at their own rate, and they “When I got bored, I just looked at National Geograph“Price City has been able to preserve the murals in talk to the people at every site.” ics, and it opened the world to me,” Miller said. “I read Price City Hall,” Miller said. “They were painted by Lynn Heidi Essex is the secretary of CVAS and has been about them moving Ramses II temple from involved with the society for approximately 11 next to the Nile to up above so it wouldn’t years. Essex is a former student of Miller’s. “I flip-flopped on what I wanted to major in ,” be flooded by Aswan Dam. I read that and what I wanted to do,” Essex said. “I stump whole process and became fascinated with Egypt and wanted to become an archaebled upon history and anthropology. Miller was ologist.” my professor and was the one to introduce me o to CVAS. She was encouraging students to go to e After a field trip into southeastern Utah’s sprawling canyonlands, Miller decided to meetings, and so I went to one.” specialize in Utah archeology as a profesEssex values the friendships she has made sor and join the Castle Valley Archaeologduring her time in CVAS. gs ical Society. “Everyone is willing to share their knowledge, Castle Valley’s Archaeological Society and they’re very nice and friendly,” Essex said. is one of six chapters comprising Utah’s “You just can’t meet a better group of people.” Statewide Archaeological Society. MemOrganizations such as CVAS have come into e bers of USAS have been uncovering and conflict with the Bureau of Land Management safeguarding Utah’s abundant archeologiover proposals to build hydrocarbon highways cal heritage for 72 years, a mission that its in Gate Canyon and Nine Mile Canyon that members still closely abide by today. would allow oil tankers to access gas fields. Both CVAS works primarily out of Utah State Miller and Essex argue this move would destroy m University Eastern’s Prehistoric Museum, decades of history located in the canyons. doing surveys and field trips in the can“CVAS and locals felt that cultural resources yons found throughout Carbon County. needed to be protected,” Miller said. “They Miller, formerly an anthropology profesfelt there was a way that if the gas fields were sor at USU Eastern, now serves as a prodeveloped properly and lawfully, that the two fessional adviser for CVAS. She has been programs could exist side by side. It became a involved with CVAS for approximately 40 battle between industry and avocational archaeologists.” - years after moving to Price in 1980. “When I started, I was a volunteer at the Programmatic agreements were signed for Nine prehistoric museum,” Miller said. “When Mile Canyon meant to compromise the needs of I left the museum, I was the assistant both federal agencies and CVAS. However, Miller PHOTO BY Jack Burton suggested the roads were still built without condirector and curator of archeology. I was A fossilized fish hangs on a wall in the USU Geology Museum on Dec 7. essentially the first full time curator of archesideration for proper preservation. Gate Canyon now faces a similar threat. y ology and the first professional archeologist they had at the museum.” Fausset and are really famous murals. CVAS found out CVAS didn’t become an officially recognized society about these local grants and submitted an application to Read the rest of this story at usustatesman.com. until the 1970s, functioning instead as an arrowhead fund a survey of Nine Mile Canyon.” hunting club. CVAS received the grant and began the survey in 1989, “In some of the old newsletters, you could see calls to boosting the popularity of CVAS. Inexperienced volunsay ‘Come meet us at eight o’clock Saturday morning, teers and professional archaeologists alike came together and we’ll go out to the west desert,’” Miller said. “‘We’ll to explore Nine Mile Canyon. look for arrowheads,’ which is basically illegal now, but “We’ve worked for 10 days a year with these volunteers they were doing activities like that.” recording archaeology sites and rock art,” Miller said. The Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 “The first year we had 150 separate volunteers and were would put an end to CVAS’s arrowhead hunting, but running three crews to help supervise. It became a strong would also provide protections for important historical club effort.” sites. The Nine Mile Canyon survey went on for 22 years, Lacey Cintron is majoring in “The state society was regrouping and reorganizing,” ending October 2014. It marks the longest running volpsychology. She loves learning Miller said. “Under these state archaeologists with more unteer survey in the state of Utah, uncovering heaps of about the human mind, sharing professional oversight, the chapter in Price really got culture and history. stories and naps. going and was officially chartered.” CVAS members who were originally a part of the canSince receiving its official charter and help from local yon survey are now involved with the Nine Mile Canyon — a02388032@usu.edu grants, CVAS has been conducting archeological surveys Coalition, working to keep interest up and educate the and preserving important pieces of history that otherwise public about the sites located inside.

Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 202

Local ski resorts give students opportunities for winter sports By Sam Goodman LIFESTYLES REPORTER

ogan is a central location for students to participate in snow sports and stay active during the winter months. USU has two ski resorts close to home: Cherry Peak and Beaver Mountain. Both of these retreats are within an hour’s drive from campus, providing students with a relatively short commute to a mountain of activity. Beaver Mountain is located in the heart of Logan Canyon and since 1939 has offered families and students the chance to ski or snowboard. Travis Seeholzer, the general manager for the resort, has been pivotal in the opening process of Beaver. Utah received record-breaking snowfall last season, and Seeholzer has been proud of how this season has started compared to the previous. “We actually have pretty good snow right now,” Seeholzer said. “I think we are similar to when we opened last year. Other than last year, this is the best coverage we’ve had on an opener for a few years.” Beaver runs solely on natural snow: there’s no “snow-making,” as Seeholzer put it. This makes the opening time difficult to predict. This year, the resort opened to season pass holders on Dec. 15, slightly later than last winter. The resort is a 45-minute drive from campus, and students can buy a discounted season pass for $525. Being a part of the USU snow club can also bring a discounted price to the pass. Seeholzer has worked with Beaver for years and said the resort is special to not only Logan residents, but skiers all over the state. “We are pretty blessed with the way the terrain works there, and I think the overall culture and vibe,” Seeholzer said. “We’re a great ski hill.” The 2022-23 ski season was one for the books, with 13 of the 15 resorts in Utah breaking their own records for amount of snowfall in a season. In addition, 10 of those enjoyed the longest season they’ve ever had, according to Ski Utah. These businesses hope to have a repeat of last year, but with the later snowfall, it may be unlikely. North of Logan lies Cherry Peak, a family-oriented resort near the border of Utah and Idaho that has been operating since 2014. Alicia Lesser, the office manager for Cherry Peak, is in her fifth year working for the resort. “Last year’s opening date was Dec. 8, and our closing date was April 15,” Lesser said. “With the amount of snow we got last year, it was a phenomenal season. Great reviews from everyone.” Cherry Peak has a fluctuating opening day from year to year based on snowfall.

PHOTO BY Claire Ott

Gear sits in a rack at Beaver Mountain Ski Resort on Jan. 29, 2023.

“It’s all up to Mother Nature,” Lesser said on Dec. 16. “We do have quite a bit of snow up here, but we’re hoping to get a few more inches before we open up.” Cherry Peak opened for the season on Dec. 27. Just 15 miles from Logan, Cherry Peak prides itself on being family-oriented and more central than Beaver and other surrounding ski resorts. “What I think sets us apart is location,” Lesser said. “It’s not far from anywhere. You don’t have to drive through a canyon to get there.”

Sam Goodman is a junior studying journalism with an emphasis in print. — a02401436@usu.edu

By Cameron Carnes LIFESTYLES REPORTER

tah State University offers over 75 different physical education classes. Ranging from fly fishing to figure skating, each P.E. class gives students an opportunity to gain unique skills and improve their mental and physical health. Heather Simmons is a first-year student. With no previous experience, she decided to take the beginning figure skating class at USU. “I feel like this class has given me the opportunity to kill more than two birds with one stone,” Simmons said. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to figure skate but have never had the money for lessons and gear. This class provides the skates, very skilled coaches, and the rink time needed to grasp all the concepts for the price of $80 in tuition. I have also seen my mental health improve through this class because I am doing something I really like that isn’t academic.” It is common for college students to experience constantly changing mental health related to stress, anxiety and depression. With new environments, social pressures, financial stress, intense learning environments and stress related to each individual’s future, students can become overwhelmed and stop taking care of themselves both physically and mentally. However, many students have found USU P.E. classes provide a way for them to take of themselves while still fulfilling their primary role: being a student. Cole Brighton is a senior majoring in technical engineering. Amongst all the common stressors that senior year brings, Cole has been able to relieve some of that stress through a karate class. “This year has been very stressful because I’m not just prioritizing my classes, but I’ve had to really start to think about finding a job after graduation,” Brighton said. “I first decided to take karate because I thought it would be a cool thing to learn, and I still needed a P.E. credit. But throughout this semester, I have really begun to reap all the benefits that karate gives you. I have really boosted my confidence and have been able to release stress in an unconventional way that I really enjoy.” P.E. classes have also helped students that are navigating even more than school and extracurriculars. Jamie Madsen is a senior majoring in sports entertainment marketing. Madsen also recently became the mother of a little boy. “I was so excited to be a mom, but navigating parenthood and graduation is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Madsen said. “I have often gone

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to classes incredibly exhausted and stayed up late to check the boxes of parenthood while continuing to get my assignments and tests done. My yoga class has benefited me more than I ever thought it would. I have been able to still find peace on a crazy day with a crazy schedule filled with so many different possibilities that felt out of my control. My yoga class has given me a moment of peace and reflection that has highly improved my mental health. I always feel more in control of my life after I leave the class.” According to these students, the variety of unique P.E. classes offered by USU have made the their overall experience better. These classes are an opportunity for students to pick up new skills at a low cost and reduce stress levels. For more information on each P.E. class, visit the USU course catalog.

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Come Sail Away Styx

Cameron Carnes is a journalism and English major. She’s most known for her love for Taylor Swift, Percy Jackson and the beach! — a02420680@usu.edu

You Got It Roy Orbison

Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024

Students relieve stress through P.E. classes

Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 202

A Reality dating show coming to USU By Sydney Lyman NEWS REPORTER

uring fall semester, a group of roommates gathered, searching desperately for something to watch. That was when they stumbled upon “The Golden Bachelor.” What started as a binge-watching obsession became a campus romance revolution when the roommates realized they could produce their own Utah State University version of the hit reality show — starring their friends. One of the show’s producers, Luke Lehnhof, described the apartment’s obsession with the show. “We started watching ‘The Bachelor’ in our apartment, and we just got super into it,” Lehnhof said. Another one of the show’s producers, Scott Holmstead, told the story of how a roommate bonding show quickly turned into a full-scale production. “As an apartment full of dudes, none of us had really watched ‘The Bachelor” before,” Holmstead said. “But we saw an ad for ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and just thought, ‘How hard could that be to do here?’” That was when Lehnhof and Holmstead got to work, printing out fliers with two of their friends’ faces on them, prompting women interested in meeting their friends to text them. Lehnhof said they put the fliers anywhere they could. “We put them everywhere: all over campus, in our apartment, other apartments, anywhere we could find,” Lehnhof said. The fliers advertised the faces of two bachelors, Aiden Horrocks and Dallin Anderson. The fliers plastered with their faces described Horrocks as “a charismatic gentleman looking for love” and Anderson as “a flirtatious gentleman looking for love.” Unlike the reality TV show, where a group of women compete for the heart of one bachelor, the group plans to have two bachelors. Horrocks said he thinks having two bachelors is fun, even though they may fall for the same girl. “If I was a viewer just watching and I saw that these two guys are obviously into the same girl, that is hilarious,” Horrocks said. “Honestly, that would be phenomenal. I think it thickens the plot.” Anderson said he wouldn’t consider doing a show like ‘The Bachelor” on his own. He said being one of two bachelors has helped ease the awkwardness. “Since you know, there’s both of us doing it, it’s like, ‘Oh OK, so whatever happens, happens, like we’re both in this together,’” Anderson said. “As far as making our dating life public, I’m not too uncomfortable with that. I just think it’s mostly fun, and it’s exciting.” Pretty soon, the show had a cast of 28 women. As of Dec. 12, Lehnhof and Holmstead had finished filming one episode and plan to film more. Lehnhof said filming has been postponed till after Christmas break. “Starting in the spring is when we’ll get episodes coming out more,” Lehnhof said. Holmstead said viewers can expect a good time when watching the show.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY Heidi Bingham

“There won’t be any shortage of drama or laughs or anything of that nature,” Holmstead said. “Everybody’s pretty on board with the whole idea of it, so it should be a pretty fun time.” Typically, the prize for winning the show is an engagement ring and a promise of spending forever together. Though the two bachelors aren’t ruling out that possibility, the producers of the show said they have a different prize in mind. “On our fliers, we said we would give you a $20 gift card, and that was a big deal,” Lehnhof said. “After we put that on there, people were like, ‘Yeah, of course we want that.’” Lehnhof said though he was aware of other college parodies of the reality show like “Provo’s Most Eligible,” a Brigham Young University spinoff, he isn’t trying to model USU’s show after it. “Watching the Provo’s one, I feel like we can do it better. I think we can make it funnier,” Lehnhof said. Holmstead agreed, stating viewers can expect USU’s show to be better than BYU’s.

“If some other college kids at BYU of all places can do that, we can do it 10 times better,” Holmstead said. “We can do something more funny and put a little more effort and make it our own.” The producers said viewers can expect more updates soon and can follow their Instagram, @USUbachelor_2023, to get the latest updates on the show’s release. Sydney is a junior studying political science, journalism and anticipatory intelligence. When she’s not chasing the latest scoop, you can find Sydney hiking amd turning stress into delicious baked goods. — sydney.lyman@usu.edu

Provo Airport, and Hill Air Force Base. These airports are categorized in their own air space. Most larger airports are Class B or C, while the height that airplanes normally fly at is in Class A. The COA was put into effect Nov. 15 and will be valid until Nov. 14, 2025.

Meilani Muir is a first year student who currently has no idea what she wants to do with her future, but is open to suggestions. She loves puppies, english, music, and everything in between. —meilani.muir@usu.edu

One of the two drones owned by USU is flown near the Utah Water Research Laboratory on Dec. 5, 2023. By Meilani Muir NEWS REPORTER

o protect them from collision with manned aircraft, consumer drones are not legally allowed to fly above 400 feet. However, AggieAir has recently applied for and been granted a Certificate of Authorization by the Federal Aviation Administration. AggieAir does contract work to fly drones over places, taking pictures and collecting all sorts of different data to research an area. “AggieAir is a remote sensing sort of platform that allows us to go capture high resolution imagery relatively quickly,” said Ian Gowing, the service center manager. The COA allows AggieAir to fly in Class G airspace within the state of Utah. Class G airspace is anywhere up to 1,199 feet that is not in restricted airspace. The new boundaries set by the COA open up opportunities for AggieAir. Because their drones can fly higher, they can now get pictures of even larger areas, making it simpler and faster to get their contracts finished. “Prior to this approval, AggieAir would be required to submit a COA request to the FAA and wait up to 90 days for a response. If denied, the time would restart,”

PHOTOS BY Heidi Bingham

Aaron Whittle, an assistant professor in the aviation program, wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. “It is very difficult to plan/schedule operations when it may take up to six months or more to get an operation approved.” Now that AggieAir is able to fly operations more rapidly, they can take on contracts more often. As more operations are flown, it allows more students to gain experiences and opportunities that will help launch them into their careers. AggieAir was established in 2006 by Mac McKee, director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory. According to its website, the program “focuses on the development and deployment of new technologies for use in remote sensing research and resource management applications.” One company from California hired AggieAir to gather information on water consumption in their orchard. Based on the data collected, the company was able to use their water supply more efficiently during a drought. There still are some restricted airspaces AggieAir’s drones can’t fly over for the safety of manned aircraft pilots. Most of these are places that have lots of The control panel used to operate one of two drones owned by USU is seen during a planes, including Salt Lake City International Airport, flight on Dec. 5.

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Aggie Air reaches new heights with COA

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Diana Sabau on 90 days in office C Athletic director reflects on life as an Aggie f A: “That was a part of the cornerstone as we were all growing this new collective concept. It was very important for us to grow our presence in the community. It wasn’t just a form of payment, but we were also growing young men and women and producing more soft skills for them to realize the value of different services within the community. If you know and you care and you’re close to something, you exponentially will want to protect it and want to invest in it and want it to be really, really good. As part of this collective, we’re teaching the value of that, and maybe showing them something that they’ve never been exposed to, and hopefully, it grows who they are as an individual,” she said.

By Madison Weber SPORTS REPORTER

ice president and athletics director Diana Sabau assumed her position on Aug. 21, 2023 after the new hire was announced on Aug. 7. In an interview with The Utah Statesman when Sabau was first hired, she expressed the importance of learning before acting. “Before I change anything, I need to listen and learn. There will be a time, hopefully within the first 30, 60, or 90 days, that I’ve listened and learned from our staff, from my colleagues on campus, from students, from student-athletes and from people in the community, so that I can determine what Utah State Athletics needs to keep doing,” she said. Now, 90 days and a full semester of sports later, Sabau is creating change for USU Athletics. Q: What are your initial thoughts on your first semester at Utah State? A: “It has been absolutely fabulous,” Sabau said. “The USU community, and Logan especially, is really kind, really welcoming, and really anxious to share with me their Aggie pride. That is really, really important to me. As I started to run into our fall seasons of sports, I was so overwhelmed with the community support. The HURD is obviously spectacular and how they come out in just hundreds of thousands for games. And so it really showed me quickly that athletics and sports in the community is a cornerstone of pride, and just really a fellowship.” Q: What has it been like working with coaches and seeing the success they’re having? A: “I’m really thankful that we have hired good teachers and good leaders. No one is with our student-athletes more than our coaches and our coaching staff, helping get to that next level,” Sabau said. “It’s really important as part of our goals in athletics now with my leadership is to keep student-athletes here at Utah State, keep them out of the transfer portal. It’s making sure that we have enough resources for our student-athletes and our programs to be successful.” “Something I’m more happy about than winning is our student-athlete’s GPA and our graduation success rate. It’s one of the highest in the Mountain West. And then also really what we’ve done in the community. We’ve done more community service this year through our Student-Athlete Advisory Council than we’ve done since before COVID. I always want to challenge people and push them a little bit farther past their comfort zone, and our student-athletes have really responded,” she said. Q: What has it been like working with the Blue A Collective, and how has that played into those players

PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham Diana Sabau addresses the crowd before the start of the football game against Fresno State on Oct. 13, 2023.

staying? What has contributed to athletes staying at USU? A: “The Blue A Collective is something that everyone is still trying to get their arms around. If someone doesn’t like it here, they can go and transfer and play immediately, which used to not happen. So this whole transfer portal is sucking our student-athletes away from what we’re trying to provide because they think it is perhaps better, bigger, greener grass somewhere else. We had a kickoff event in September for the collective, and now we’re at a good point with donations. But it’s really important, I think, for the community and for others to understand that if we want to keep winning, and be on the trajectory of success that Utah State has been known for and historically proud of, we need that collective to keep growing because if we don’t, our student-athletes will be leaving,” she said. “Utah State has never had an Alston plan. We’ve been actively fundraising and trying to really make sure that we can provide Alston money. If you have that money — which is not taxable to the student-athlete, whereas collective money is taxable — hopefully, that helps more realize the value of staying here as well,” Sabau said. “We’re just a little bit behind, and we have to take some bold steps to catch up.” Q: What difference does it make that they’re not just making money because they’re an athlete, but they’re giving back to the community in exchange for it?

Q: What changes have you implemented or are you beginning to implement because of that learning time? A: “We are out there trying to grow our base in foundational giving, in our donors and in our investments to athletics. We have just started two new funds. One is for the student-athlete experience, and that will cover travel, nutrition, investments in mental health and investments in leadership. We’re a Division I institution, but we’re working with some outdated resources. The other fund is really for technology and innovation so that we can invest in more wearables for our student-athletes, that we can make sure that our scoreboards are functioning and are really state-of-the-art properties. We’re also taking a good look at our student-athlete’s health and wellness. Just really having a holistic overview of that is going to be really important as we move forward,” she said.

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Madison Weber recently graduated with degrees in journalism and international studies. She loves learning, animals, eating good food and spending time with her husband. — madison.weber@usu.edu

PHOTO BY Phil Weber Utah State head coach Blake Anderson, right, and junior quarterback Levi Williams address the audience at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes annual Bowl Breakfast in Boise, Idaho on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. By Madison Weber SPORTS REPORTER

he Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) hosted its annual breakfast as part of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl festivities on Dec. 23. The FCA Idaho’s goal is “To see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.” Bowl breakfasts are held around the country to honor coaches and athletes and to unify followers of Christ. At the Boise Centre, community members, local athletes, FCA members, Aggies and Panthers joined together to share faith experiences. Local FCA huddles are found throughout the country, including at Utah State University. At this year’s event, junior quarterback Levi Williams and head coach Blake Anderson shared messages from their journeys with Christ and how the FCA has impacted them. “FCA has made a huge impact in my life,” Anderson said. “I look at the biggest and toughest times of my life, and there was always somebody affiliated with FCA sitting right next to me through the celebrations of raising trophies to losing my boy and dealing with grief. It’s been amazing how FCA and the people always seem to be exactly where God needs them to be.” Anderson described how he’s seen numerous athletes come to Christ over his coaching career and the impact it has on him and the team. “Levi Williams is a great, great young man,” Anderson said. “As the third-string quarterback, he was one of the most consistent, hardest working, most selfless individuals on our team all year. I think he’ll tell you real quickly that it’s because of his relationship with Christ. It’s shown all season long, and when we needed him most, he stepped up in a huge way to lead us to victory to get us here.”

Williams, along with Georgia State’s placekicker Braeden McAllister, participated in a Q&A discussing their favorite version of potatoes, the best Christmas movie and why they have dedicated their lives to Christ. “Me and Jesus, we’ve been on this ride for a long long time. When I was six years old, that’s when I first accepted Christ in my life,” Williams said. “I always know that Jesus is with me, but there’s some key moments where he’s carried me through some tough stuff. One of the biggest things is to align yourself with people who are walking down the same path. It really does help if you have someone walking down that path and not going somewhere else.” Rocket Ismail participated as the event’s keynote speaker. The Notre Dame wide receiver participated in the 1988 National Championship Team and then went on to play in the CFL, followed by a career in the NFL with the Raiders, Cowboys and Panthers. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019. After an extremely successful career and worldwide fame, Ismail turned his life to Christ and has since become a motivational speaker. During the breakfast, he shared his story of converting from Islam to Christianity at a young age. “There is a difference between success and significance,” Ismail said. “Anyone who has the capacity and chooses to use it to help others reach their full potential and to succeed in reaching their full potential, they are significant.”

PHOTO BY Phil Weber The audience at the FCA Bowl Breakfast is shown on Dec. 22.

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Christian athletes come together for annual FCA Bowl Breakfast

Ismail encouraged the athletes to be peacemakers and examples to others as he shared Matthew 5:9, which says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.” “One of the most valuable assets you can have is inner peace because you’re in a world where turmoil is the standard,” Ismail said. The event featured inspirational videos from FCA employees and young athletes who have participated in the organization’s sports camps. It also highlighted Vonnie Willis and Mike Greif, respectively, as the 2023 Coach of the Year and Dick Rant as the 2023 FCA Idaho Lifetime Achievement recipient. Anderson and Georgia State’s defensive line coach Alan Smith each spoke on the season they’ve had, how FCA has positively impacted their athletes and the excitement they shared for the upcoming matchup the next day. USU and GSU competed for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl trophy on Saturday, Dec. 23 at the conclusion of the 2023 season. The Panthers beat the Aggies 45-22. For a full game recap, visit usustatesman.com Madison Weber recently graduated with degrees in journalism and international studies. She loves learning, animals, eating good food and spending time with her husband. — madison.weber@usu.edu

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Snapshots & Signatures

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I D A H O P O T A T O B O W L

Phil Weber is a recent graduate who majored in journalism with minors in marketing and multimedia. He loves going to the farmers market, walks and eating good food. — phil.weber@usu.edu

Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.

Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024

Last week’s solution:

PHOTO BY Claire Ott

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