At its core, soda is a drink with carbonated water and flavoring, but in Utah, soda has become a cultural phenomenon. With “dirty soda” shops located in most Utah towns and expanding outside of the state, to the Utah State Aggie, soda may be more than just a means of hydration. Thus, when USU’s 3.5 million dollar Pepsi contract came to an end this June, the university decided to enter into a ten-year contract with Coke.
According to a previous Statesman article, the plan was to write in USU’s contract that there had to be funding for these programs before the soda contract bidding even began, but the university had a change of mind.
“The scholarship, which was tied to university housing, is going away with the end of the Pepsi contract. The university’s needs are often changing, and some scholarships like the Aggie Start Smart will occasionally phase out as those needs and demands change,” said Logan Wilbur, news director of University Marketing and Communications in an email to the Statesman.
Ashlynn Smith, USUSA Student Events executive
This is not the only loss Pepsi is taking this year. According to outlets such as CNN, MSN and the New York Post, Pepsi is no longer America’s number two soda and has been technically surpassed by Dr. Pepper. Students located in Logan will be trading in their Pepsi products such as Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7UP, Aquafina and Mug Root Beer for Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Barq’s and Minute Maid in all locations except the TSC Quickstop, where products of both brands will be sold. It may surprise current students to know this is not the first time they will be able to find both brands on the Logan campus — having both brands in the Quickstop was the norm until the Pepsi contract was signed in 2013, making USU a Pepsi campus for the last ten years. Coke was not originally chosen back in 2013 because it would not fund the Aggie Smart Start nor the Aggies Thrive programs. Pepsi would annually pay a sum of $50,000 towards these programs.
director, shared how the new contract will affect Student Events.
“Coke is more willing to sponsor events, and it’ll help us attract more audiences and create more incentive to get people to come,” Smith said. “Plus, who doesn’t love a good Diet Coke?”
The contract also has a special section carved out to allow the university to enter into another contract with Red Bull. This separate contract will allow both Red Bull and Coke to support Utah State Athletics.
There have been Coke vending machines placed in the TSC already. As the replacement of 80 vending machines takes place across campus, students can expect to see the signature red color all over campus by the time they arrive for the fall semester.
Josie Packer, USUSA Activities director and Diet Coke enthusiast, is avidly awaiting when she gets to see the red vending machines on campus.
“Sometimes you’re on campus and you’re like, ‘Geez, I could go for a Diet Coke,’ and then you remember there is no Diet Coke. Diet Coke doesn’t exist. But wait, now it does,” Packer said. “I hope it doesn’t make me feed my addiction or anything because I don’t want
to be addicted to soda — I think that’s embarrassing. However, I do think it will be nice.”
USU and BYU, although rivals in sports, will now share a commonality via soda. BYU ended its decades-long anti-caffeine policy in 2017 with the addition of Coke products to its campus. USU and BYU are the only two Coke-declared colleges in the state.
Pepsi has not suffered a complete loss: it has been the chosen brand of the University of Utah since 2017, as well as Southern Utah University since 2020. All other Utah colleges do not have an officially declared soda brand.
Malory Rau is not an avid soda drinker, but if she had to trade her iced coffee for a soda it would be her childhood favorite, Sprite.
- m.rau@usu.edu
By Essence Barnes STATESMAN REPORTER
Due to increased interest among students in mitigating the worsening effects of climate change, universities such as Utah State are responding with more degrees, programs and departments related to climate and environmental sciences. USU has a wide variety of departments under these fields, such as Environment and Society or Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, all intended to teach students how to make careers out of their passions for addressing climate change.
Casey Olson is a graduate of the climate science program at USU and is pursuing his graduate climate science degree. Olson found his passion for climate science as a first-year student, and he is working with the Utah Climate Center.
“The climate program here at Utah State started in 2017, and we’re only one of a few across the country that are specifically looking at climate science,” Olson said.
According to Olson, the program is always changing to meet growing demands for climate and environmental science resources.
“We’re about to make a shift in the program to have different emphases,” Olson said. “For example, if you wanted to go more into law, you could have a climate science bachelor’s with some law
classes, or you could do climate insurance.”
The program is always expanding to incorporate new subcategories under the umbrella of climate science for students who may be interested in pursuing more niche careers within the subject.
Since entering the workforce with a climate science degree, Olson said he witnessed the increased demand among students and the job market for climate science career opportunities.
“The need is there, and there are lots of different needs right now,” Olson said. “With a changing climate, there is an increase from all sectors of the economy, as well as political interest.”
Though Olson’s life in the professional field of climate science has had its challenges due to funding and ever-changing political tides, it has also been rewarding.
“Being in this field helps you have a sense of purpose,” Olson said. “I’m contributing to this science that is really important to coming generations.”
Kelly Kopp is a professor under the Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate at USU and has been working in natural resource sciences since she was an undergraduate.
In her life as a professor, Kopp said she has seen student interest in environmental and climate-related studies increase, and she believes it is much higher today than it was when she was an undergraduate.
“I think this is because the risks we face due to climate change are truly global and scientists have been ringing the alarm for many years,” Kopp wrote in a message to The Statesman.
Kopp said she believes the demand for jobs relating to climate and environmental science has been increasing, and it will continue to do so as the climate change problem develops.
“We will always need to think about the environment and climate because they are our life support systems,” Kopp wrote. “If we, as a species, do not learn how to manage and live in our natural systems in sustainable ways we simply will not go on.”
Kopp said these climate jobs are not only helping tackle climate change but are influencing the basic qualities of life systems, which will always need to be kept properly maintained.
“Do we want clean air and water? Do we want to live as healthfully as possible? Do we want to support other living creatures and systems? I believe we do,” Kopp wrote.
Essence Barnes is a student who can’t come to terms with deciding a major. She enjoys reading, writing and spending money she doesn’t have on coffee.
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June 24, 2024
Logan Hammer, a Utah State University pole vaulter, is currently competing in the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials in track and field. These trials started
June 21 and will end June 30.
Hammer, a rising junior studying bioveterinary sciences from Nampa, ID, has pole vaulted for USU for two seasons, ending this last season setting a school record with 5.62 meters and winning the title of Mountain West Outdoor and Indoor champion for pole vault.
Hammer spoke of his excitement to compete in the Olympic trials, calling it a “dream come true.”
“It’s essentially me and all the people I’ve looked up to since I was 15 in this sport,” Hammer said. “It’s a once, maybe twice-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Hammer said he was excited to represent USU in the trials, and Artie Gulden, USU’s director of track & field and cross country, agreed.
It’s a once, maybe twice-in-a-lifetime experience.
— Logan Hammer
Hammer said his goal going into the trials was to have fun and try to relax enough to get “in the zone.”
“One of my biggest difficulties was learning how to relax,” Hammer said. “During training, we didn’t change much. We just focused on getting the fine tuning down.”
Pole vaulting is a very technical sport, according to Hammer. He shared an example that if an athlete jumps just a
few inches too early, they won’t get a high enough jump. However, if they jump too late, they might crash into the bar. He said that there’s a lot to getting consistently excellent jumps.
“It’s about getting my foot down and my hands up,” Hammer said. “I need to do what I know how to do.”
In his first day at the trials, Hammer cleared a 5.4-meter jump on his first attempt, tying for 20th place.
“To get 20th at the Olympic trials as a sophomore is incredible,” Gulden said. “Logan should be very proud of his performance.”
and patience his loved ones and coaches showed on the bad days, not just the days he’s winning championships and setting records.
“They loved me even through struggles,” Hammer said. “My coach was super patient.”
Hammer shared his gratitude for the support Utah State has given him. He also said the plan now is to keep working while celebrating the victories he’s achieved this season and taking it one jump at a time.
“The main thing was to set that goal and work towards it,” Hammer said. “I’m focused on enjoying the moment. Taking it bar by bar.”
“We are super proud and excited that Logan will have the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Trials,” Gulden said. “This experience should be the cherry on top of his fantastic season, both for him and our jumps coach Erik Rasmussen.”
Hammer said he couldn’t do what he does without the support of those who love him, namely his fiancée, Emily, and his family
“They’ve always been there to support me,” Hammer said. “My fiance and family show up to my meets.”
He also said one thing that truly helped him was the love
Ashley Dorius is a sophomore studying journalism. She loves cherry Coke and hates long layovers. She would be devestated if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce broke up. — ashley.dorius@usu.edu
