The Utah Statesman

Utah State University, Logan, Utah

Week of October 16, 2023

Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

How city council impacts daily life

By Caitlin Keith NEWS EDITOR

E

lections are right around the corner and this year, apart from the 2nd Congressional District special election, most of the elections happening around Utah are local city council elections. But what impact do the local city governments have and why should students care and vote in these elections?

One of the local elections happening this year is the Logan City Council elections, where three seats are open on the council and there are six names on the general elections ballot.

Damon Cann, Utah State University’s political science department head, emphasized how much city government, specifically the city council, impacts each person’s everyday life.

“When folks woke up this morning, they probably at some point turned on a faucet, water showed up in their house. They didn’t really think about how it got there,” Cann said. “They flushed the toilet, the dirty water went away. Then they went out the door to go to work, or to school, and they drove on a road, walked on a sidewalk or rode on a bus. And before you get even just a couple of hours into your day you leave your apartment or house, which was permitted and allowed to be built and exists in a particular zone. Your city government touched you in the first hours of any given day in very important and significant ways.”

The amount of money someone pays for housing

depends on the zoning and permitting in the city. To travel, everyone drives on roads paid for by the municipal government in an area, along with sidewalks and bike trails.

Cann said one major concern among students, especially at USU, is not having enough student housing. He said oftentimes the type of government people learn the most about and understand the most about is the federal government. But the federal government isn’t where people will get help with the issues affecting their everyday lives, such as housing or transportation, and oftentimes neither is the state government.

“Congress can’t do anything to improve housing policy and Cache Valley, the state legislature, they’re not going to build apartments here,” Cann said. “If you want to see more student housing, then the level of government that’s going to address that issue is going to be cities and maybe to a lesser extent the county, but priDESIGN BY Derrick Hawley marily cities.”

Logan City Mayor Holly Daines shared what she sees as the biggest impact a city council has on a city, and that is the financial and budgetary power the council holds. She said budgetary issues are the council’s primary responsibility.

“They approve any finance, I mean, the annual budget, which basically outlines what the annual financial expenditures are, so that’s everything from capital projects, which are bigger items to, you know, just departmental line item budgets,” Daines said. “So they’re very important, because the way things get done in the city is, you know, the budget gets appropriated to solve a problem or to build a building or to, you know, whatever it is.”

The other major responsibility of a city council, according to Daines, is legislative. All laws in a city are created, approved, changed and amended by the city council.

There are things under the power of the city council that affect the lives of students. One of those things is zoning laws.

“So in terms of housing, in neighborhoods surrounding a university, one thing that’s been talked about back and forth over the years, and it’s currently under discussion right now is occupancy limits,” Daines said.

Occupancy limits affect the number of people allowed to live in a rental space, and oftentimes those limits are no more than three unrelated people or one family.

Bike lanes and public transportation, such as buses, are other things dictated by the city council.

Cann said there are a few things that prevent students from voting in the local election where they are living for school. One of those is students remain registered to vote where they are from because their address changes so often in college. One thing Cann said could help with this is same-day registration.

“Now if you go on election day to a voting center and you bring your ID and your materials, you can register on election day,” Cann said. “It’s a little bit less of an issue given the strides we’ve made in making registration available for people in the student phase of life.

Not being registered is not as good of an excuse as it used to be.”

Daines said with the number of people who vote in the Logan City elections, there were 4,564 ballots cast in this year’s general election. If enough students voted then it could have a significant influence on the election.

“So there’s a wide range of issues that have a wide range of levers, pulleys and buttons that municipal governments can push that have implications for students for their quality of life, for their happiness and for their opportunity,” Cann said. “And so students would be wise to come out, learn about that and then cast an informed choice for what they think would be best for them.”

In order for students in Logan to get to know the City Council candidates for the upcoming elections, the Statesman will be holding an elections town hall on Oct. 30 at 12 p.m. This event is taking place on the Hub Stage at the TSC and this event will allow students to ask questions of the candidates and voice their concerns.

For more information on the individual elections happening around the state this election year, visit Vote.Utah.gov The website gives information on voter registration, election dates and how people can vote in their individual local elections.

Caitlin Keith is a senior studying journalism. This fall she has been religiously watching Dancing With the Stars, The Golden Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise.

— c.keith@usu.edu

creating connections with local businesses, campus partners, and the Statewide core team,” Walton wrote in an email to The tah State University’s Brigham City Utah Statesman. statewide region recently gained a Walton first started at USU as a concurnew director of students. Kristen rent enrollment student at Box Elder High Walton was promoted to the position on School. From there, she attended Weber Aug. 17 through a selection process that State University before returning to USU included interviews and a presentation in Brigham City to pursue a degree as a front of an open audience. post-traditional student.

In this position, Walton oversees student “​​I hope to use my experience as a services for the Brigham City, Tremonton post-traditional Statewide student to help and Kaysville campuses. This includes adincoming students navigate the Statewide missions, advising, USUSA, Little Brigham system and take advantage of the myriad Aggies, scholarships, counseling, concurresources that are available to them. I rent enrollment, disability resources, stuknow, on a very personal level, that story is dent life, financial aid, veterans resources an important aspect to consider when conand all other student-facing programs and sidering recruitment and retention efforts,” events.

Walton wrote.

“As DOS, I will also be highly involved Most students that attend statewide in local community engagement—buildcampuses are post-traditional students. ing relationships in the community and Post-traditional students are those who are above the age of 25, care for children or work fulltime while enrolled.

In an email to the Statesman, Emily Davies, USUSA Brigham City Region Vice President, said campuses rely on the director of students to do what is in the best interest of their students and to work with the elected student body representatives. They are the facilitators for successful student life at statewide campuses.

“A Director of Students is important to statewide campuses because they ensure that our voice and interests are being heard at a higher level in the university.

Our needs and concerns differ on statewide campuses, so it is important to have someone who understands that and can advocate for our specific necessities,” Davies wrote.

SUBMITTED PHOTO In 2022, USU’s Kristen Walton, the director of students for USU’s Brigham City Region. Brigham City Center en-

By Alivia Hadfield NEWS REPORTER

U

rolled 588 undergraduate and 98 graduate students. The Brigham City Center offers live broadcasted classes and fully online courses. The center also currently offers 120 undergraduate degrees and 25 graduate degrees.

“I love being able to meet students one-on-one and hear from them—they are bright, dedicated to social justice, and so capable. I can see that the future is in amazing hands and that these students are going to go out into the world and use their educations to do amazing things to benefit others. It is a beautiful thing to help them in my small way,” Walton wrote.

Walton’s future goals for this position include helping incoming statewide students take full advantage of all resources and to be a “safe space” concerning mental health and academics.

One of Walton’s goals is to raise awareness of mental health challenges and to provide students with critical tools to help them through the rough times.

“I want students to feel deeply that their journeys and stories matter, that they are seen and valued, and that they have a system and a team in place to support them and to help them fulfill their dreams.

Above all, I hope to create an atmosphere of belonging for each of my students—a safe space for each of them, academically and otherwise,” Walton wrote.

Alivia is a sophomore at Utah State University and loves everything journalism. When she’s not reading or writing Alivia enjoys food, family, and playing the guitar.

— Alivia.hadfield@usu.edu

Student-run newspaper for Utah State University since 1902.

Reporting online 24/7. Printed weekly during the school year.

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THE BOARD Leah Call managing editor editor@usustatesman.com 435-797-1742 —————— Caitlin Keith news manager news@usustatesman.com —————— Madison Weber sports manager sports@usustatesman.com —————— Avery Truman lifestyles manager life@usustatesman.com —————— Maren Archibald copy editor copyeditor@usustatesman.com —————— Heidi Bingham multimedia editor photo@usustatesman.com —————— For advertising inquiries studentmedia@usu.edu —————— Student Media Office TSC 118 435.797.1775 Cover art by Heidi Bingham

Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Kristen Walton advocates for her students’ mental health

Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

Future RN’s prepared in Blanding program The many hours spent by Dewar’s team mentoring, tutoring and answering questions is a great asset for Blanding’s nursing program.

“Coming across individuals who can seamlessly blend dedication, hard work, and compassion in the classroom is a rare occurrence, yet these qualities define Sue and her team,” Olsen wrote.

By Andie Allen NEWS REPORTER

U

tah State University’s Blanding campus has perfect scores to spare from their successful nursing program.

According to Sue Dewar, USU Blanding’s nursing ​​professional practice assistant professor, in the last two years, they have had a National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, and job placement rates of 100%.

Dewar credits this success to herself and her coworker Emmy Patterson.

“We stay close to all of the students,” Dewar said.

“We are invested in their success, and we don’t give them things to do that don’t help them move to their ultimate goal, which is passing their national boards and being great nurses.”

Kristian Olsen, senior associate vice president for Blanding and Moab campuses, wrote Dewar and Patterson, “are student centered. They want the students to succeed. They believe in their students. And they care deeply about them.”

According to Dewar, coronavirus hit their enrollment numbers hard. On average, there are 15 to 25 students in the program at a time.

For the last two years, each student has finished the program as a registered nurse.

“We are small but mighty,” Dewar said.

This year, half of their students are Native American PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham which makes the pass rate more special to Dewar.

A USU Blanding sign made from various rocks outside of the campus on June 21, 2023.

“I’m very proud because Native students have traditionally not done as well in the program, and since I got Another factor in their success, according to Dewar, is here, they are doing much better,” Dewar said. the absence of busy work in their program.

Dewar said the increase in performance on the NCLEX “They work hard to structure the classes in a way that for Native students is because she and her team focus challenges the students and increases their capacity to on their needs when they are commonly overlooked. learn and understand the nursing profession,” Olsen “We have graduated many Navajo registered nurses, wrote. including our first male Navajo RN this last spring,” “We hold the bar high where we know it matters, Dewar said. but we have flexibility in things we don’t think are as

TE UTAH STA

POLICE

BLOTTER

9/25/23 - The report of a suspicious odor at Merrill-Cazier Library was received by USUPD. The odor was gone by the time USU Public Safety officials arrived. USU Police & Fire Marshals believed it was caused by construction being done near library air intakes.

10/1/23 - A report of a suspicious incident described an object left near dumpsters at the AG Science building. An officer was able to locate the item and determined it contained no threat.

10/4/23 - Police responded to a report of stalking.

The alleged offender has been identified and the affected party was connected to advocate resources.

10/5/23 - USU Police are investigating a vehicle burglary in on-campus parking.

important,” Dewar said.

Dewar dedicates the program to becoming better at studying and test taking which is essential to pass the NCLEX, as it is needed to become an RN, “If you aren’t preparing them for the NCLEX the whole two years, they won’t be ready,” Dewar said.

Students can earn their associate degree in nursing at the Blanding campus and become RNs. If they choose to pursue a Bachelor of Science in nursing, they can take a RN to BSN online course.

Olsen and the USU Blanding community give support to the nursing program that helps ensure the students become great nurses, according to Dewar.

“Kristian Olsen loves nursing and is always in our corner,” Dewar said. “The community clinical sites have been very supportive. Without their help, I don’t think we would be as successful.”

Andie Allen has spent the last four years studying English and journalism at USU since she is too short to be a Disney princess.

— andie.allen@usu.edu

10/5/23 - A report of a stray dog was made to USUPD. The officer searched the area but was unable to find the animal.

10/7/23 - Officers responded to a report of an alcohol offense at Maverik Stadium, located the individuals and issued citations.

10/7/23 - A person reported damage to their bike in the parking lot of the Public Safety building. An officer assisted the bicycle owner in contacting the responsible party and resolving the issue.

area to eat locally. like to grow for their families and our community garSierra Govett, the New den program,” Govett said.

Roots community garden The only barrier blocking expansion is land. The coordinator, emphasized buyprogram currently works out of a greenhouse in ing local food is the biggest Taylorsville and is looking for more land in the surform of impact Americanrounding area. born citizens can have on the Senior lecturer Rachel Broadbent works with students lives of refugees in the area. in this greenhouse by teaching them how to grow seedShe also did not hesitate to lings. note the benefits of the pro“Basically, it gives the students real life hands-on gram come from far more opportunity to be growing seedlings, for somebody to than just the compensation actually be using,” Broadbent said. received from the produce.

Due to scheduling, the farmers and students do not “There’s a lot of more see much overlap on their time in the greenhouse, intangible benefits from all but the work both parties do also goes to local food of these things,” Govett said. pantries due to a partnership with Community Action “You know, like a sense of Services. community and kind of psyThe partnership between New Roots and the univerchosocial and mental health sity is still in its infancy. Vernon was asked what he benefits and physical benefits hopes the future of this partnership entails. from being outside and work“I think it’d be pretty cool if some of the refugees ing in the dirt and kind of ended up being students in our program — that would PHOTOs BY Heidi Bingham having somewhere to go.” be kind of nice,” Vernon said.

The Salt Lake Center Teaching Greenhouse located at USU Salt Lakes campus on June 20, 2023.

Govett also explained how having a connection with the

By Malory Rau land helps to serve as a sense of home for those looking NEWS REPORTER to put roots down here in Utah. tah has resettled over 15,000 refugees since “It can take a while to feel like it’s actually home Malory Rau is a soph1995, and today, Utah State University Salt when they’ve had to leave what was their home, and omore studying Social Lake Campus is actively working with the so like a connection with the land feels like ownership Media, Public Relations, and resettlement program by providing hands-on experiover some piece of their new home,” Govett said. “And Marketing. When not skateence for refugees and students through their partneralso economic empowerment for those who are selling boarding with friends she is ship with the New Roots program. their produce.” usually thrifting, reading, or New Roots is a horticulture program that helps UtahThe majority of refugees New Roots currently sees seeing the latest movie. bound refugees grow and sell produce. This could be a are from African countries, as well as some Asian counmeans to make a living or to sustain themselves. tries. The difference in culture, languages and even — m.rau@usu.edu This program is managed under the International food can be a difficult transition. New Roots works to Rescue Committee, or IRC. The IRC is responsible for provide one comfort from home: vegetables. settling refugees when they arrive in the U.S. “We do have farmers markets, where it’s bringing in David Vernon, associate vice president of USU’s a lot of other refugees and new American customers Wasatch Region, shared insight on how coming to the who are very excited to be able to purchase vegetaU.S. and making a living is not an easy feat for refubles again that are familiar to them,” Govett said. gees.

New Roots also works with Utah’s food stamps “You’ve got refugees who may have had a profession program SNAP, which stands for the Supplemental in their country of origin and then they come here and Nutrition Assistance Program. The New Roots farmthen we don’t have those jobs or they don’t have the ers market, which is held from June to mid-October, right certification for those jobs,” Vernon said. participates in what is referred to as cash matching This is where New Roots comes in. The program has for those who use their SNAP cards. This makes it only one requirement: be a refugee. With USU’s partpossible for those on food stamps to eat local as well. nership, the refugees are being taught how to grow and USU’s partnership with New Roots has been going sell produce. For many of them, this is the first step to on for the last three years. Made possible by grant building a livelihood in the U.S. funds and a greenhouse located in Taylorsville, the The program currently has 45 refugees, who in the University’s horticulture program works with New program are referred to as farmers. Some of the farmRoots and teaches students how to grow produce. The ers depend on the program for an income by selling work the students do directly impacts the farmers of their produce at farmers markets or to grocery compaNew Roots. nies such as Whole Foods. Other farmers look at the The word about New Roots has gotten out and there program for extra income on top of their day jobs. are now talks of expanding the program.

These farmers can also sell their produce to a pro“We have a lot of interest in our program, which is gram called Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA. incredible. We have a lot of people who would just Plants located inside USU Salt Lake City’s Teaching Greenhouse on June 20, 2023.

This program is a way for residents of the surrounding

U

Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Farming helps refugees resettle in Utah

Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

New paleontology certificate coming to USU

By Sydney Lyman NEWS REPORTER

I

n northeast Utah, a town sits perched amongst colorful, layered rock cliffs. This town, Vernal, is home to Utah State University’s Uintah Basin campus and is visited by renowned paleontologists and geologists who come to experience Utah’s affectionately named “Dinosaurland” and to teach.

One such paleontologist is Benjamin Burger, a professor at Utah State’s Uintah Basin Campus who teaches classes in geoscience. Burger stated it is a combination of Utah’s unique environment and plentiful sedimentary deposits that creates a perfect environment for the preservation of fossils in eastern Utah.

“We’re up on what we geologically call the craton, especially in eastern Utah. Basically, we’re towards the center of the continent. So, a lot of that sedimentary rock has been deposited and preserved,” Burger said.

“Particularly, the Uintah mountain ranges have allowed a lot of those layers of rock to be pushed up from depth so we can actually study them on the surface.”

Utah in general, but especially Vernal is a desert environment, and therefore very exposed. Burger says this is helpful for studying the rock record and the fossils within it.

“It’s easy to study here because you don’t have to try to figure out what’s going on because everything’s kind of exposed, and you can see it at the surface,” Burger said.

Though eastern Utah has phenomenal conditions for fossil preservation, Chloe Danos, the head of Recruitment and Outreach on USU’s Logan campus, says fossil formation is still quite the puzzle.

Danos helps explains a concept in paleontology called preservation bias. An organism must beat a lot of odds such as decomposition and improper burial to become a fossil. Following becoming a fossil, it then must be exposed for a short enough period of time to retain its significant details before erosion takes its toll, but long enough for scientist to discover it.

“This thing had to die and not get eaten by other things. That way, you have the whole critter. Then it had to die in a convenient spot, and things just don’t die in convenient spots because there aren’t that many convenient spots. Then, that convenient spot had to be really convenient for a long time,” Danos said. “They then have to be buried deep enough that they get preserved, and they don’t decompose. Then, organic matter gets replaced with all sorts of cool minerals through groundwater.”

Though fossil formation is a complex process, it does not inhibit research and job demand. Burger says they still find fossils all the time, creating lots of jobs in the realm of geoscience.

“There is this conception out there that there aren’t very many jobs in paleontology, but with a lot of construction, a lot of land management issues, and with a lot of natural resources, they keep discovering new dinosaur bones whenever they’re building a road or things like that,” Burger said. “So there’s a lot of need

USU paleontology expedition to look for fossils in Escalante, Utah.

for people that have that experience.”

USU Geology Department Head Dr. Joel Pederson says the misconception that there aren’t jobs in geology is one of the challenges the geology departments across the nation face.

“Don’t forget that geoscience exists,” Pederson said.

“It’s a real struggle because there are few people who pursue it in college, and so there’s this big unmet demand. I think a lot of people who are into science probably originally loved dinosaurs, or they just loved collecting rocks. If anybody’s out there thinking about geoscience, go for it. It is the funnest, most hybrid applied science out there.”

To remedy this unmet demand for more paleontologists, Burger as well as other USU faculty, have helped create a potential certificate of paleontology. Though the certificate has not been approved, the hope is any student on any campus will be able to add it to their degree once it is launched.

“If you’re interested in paleontology, you have to make a decision, usually early on if you want to major in biology and study the animals or if you want to study geology and focus on the rocks. Oftentimes, what students will do is that they’ll take classes of each,” Burger said.

“So we rolled out this certificate program so that students can then see very briefly what classes they want to take that are found in both disciplines.”

Currently, there isn’t a university in the United States that offers a paleontology degree at an undergraduate level. Burger hopes this certificate will give students an option to choose paleontology earlier on in their careers.

“I have lots of people email me or contact me and say, I want to major in paleontology, and I have to explain.

There’s actually no real place in the United States that offers a pure paleontology program,” Burger said. “But this certificate will allow people to have that opportunity as undergrads and make that decision very early on.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Joel Pederson is hopeful the certificate will be approved by spring and open for students to register in fall semester.

“I think it would launch in the next academic year. So a certificate won’t actually be on the books, you know, in a useful way until at least the summer of 2024,” Pederson said. “It’s probably going to be the beginning of fall, maybe next August.”

Classes like the Natural History of Dinosaurs will continue to be offered, and students on the Uintah Basin and Price campuses can access museums like the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in Vernal, or the Prehistoric Museum housed at USU in Price. Students can also access unique internships and get involved with digs.

Most importantly, students interested in geological sciences should continue to cultivate their sense of curiosity and wonder.

“Always ask questions, and don’t lose your sense of wonder,” Danos said. “I got into geology because I thought storytelling was the most incredible skill you could have. Someone told me that stratigraphy, the layers of rock, were like the pages of Earth’s history textbook. Geology is hard, science is hard, but the best way you can get good at science is by asking questions.”

Sydney is a junior studying political science, journalism and anticipatory intelligence.

When she’s not chasing the latest scoop, you can find Sydney hiking, and turning stress into delicious baked goods.

— sydney.lyman@usu.edu

The fossil that traveled the world

By Jacob Casper LIFESTYLES REPORTER

T

he USU Eastern Prehistoric History Museum is hosting a special exhibit for Dippy the Diplodocus this year. Dippy is a cultural icon who was one of the first dinosaurs to travel the world, going to museums as far away as Russia and as close as Mexico.

Christopher Henderson is the head of exhibits at USU Eastern’s Prehistoric Museum, who was in charge of putting together Dippy’s new exhibit.

“We wanted to focus on this concrete cast that we have of Diplodocus carnegii,” Henderson said. “It is a species of Diplodocus that was discovered in 1899 on paleontological digs, sponsored by Andrew Carnegie.”

Andrew Carnegie was the philanthropist who funded the dig that discovered the Dippy fossil. The paleontology team discovered the fossil north of Medicine Bow, Wyoming in a formation that dates back between 152-154 million years old.

Timothy Riley, the director and curator of archaeology, also helped bring Dippy’s new exhibit to USU Eastern.

“The fossils were recovered from the Morrison Formation, a sequence of Upper Jurassic sedimentary rock which has been one of the richest formations for dinosaur fossils,” Riley wrote in a response.

Carnegie had a dream. He hoped this new discovery of the Diplodocus carnegii could help him reach this dream. He planned to use the fossil to promote world peace.

“He decided he would donate a cast of this Diplodocus to any head of state around the world that requested one,” Henderson said. “He, and the Natural History Museum in Pittsburgh, ended up donating 10 casts of this Diplodocus to 10 countries around the world between 1905 and 1934. It was the first mounted dinosaur that millions and millions of people had ever seen.”

Nowadays, most museums of paleontology have at least one mounted dinosaur cast. Casts are fossils where the bones are completely visible instead of sticking out of rocks. They help accurately convey the massive scale these creatures had.

This exhibit closes at the end of 2024. Over 8000 people have visited Dippy in the past four months.

In 1957, USU Eastern was able to obtain the Utah Fieldhouse Museum’s concrete cast of Dippy from the mold in Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum. After that, the concrete cast was displayed in Vernal, Utah until 1989 when the fossil was taken down.

“We acquired the concrete cast as a transfer from Utah State Parks in 2013 and then spent about 2 years restoring it, (it had been taken down in vernal in 1989 due to disrepair),” Riley wrote. “The long term goal is to remount Dippy somewhere here in Price.”

Max Capacity is considered a “musical charcuterie”, providing a wide variety of music, with interludes and occasional themed episodes. Max grew up in a musical household just outside of Los Angeles, and has spent the last decade writing, producing, and DJing.

Kill Bill SZA PHOTO BY Christopher Henderson The fossil of Dippy is displayed in the USU Easrern Prehistoric History Museum.

Now Dippy has a chance to be back in the spotlight.

After spending so long in the dark, it is ready to amaze a new generation with his story.

“We’ve had this animal in our collections now for almost 10 years without a place to put it up,” Henderson said. “And we thought the story was so interesting and compelling. We wanted to bring the cast out of our collections — put it up in our gallery.”

Dippy has left a lasting impact on the world. Not only was the fossil in national newspapers, he was an inspiration for one of the first animated films.

“Diplodocus are one of the most recognized of all dinosaurs,” Riley wrote. “This is due to several factors, including the large number of recovered specimens and overall size, but mostly due to the efforts of Carnegie highlighted in this exhibit.”

Carnegie wanted to be able to share this creature with as many people as possible. By donating the casts around the world, Carnegie was able to spread the story of Dippy to people that had little knowledge about the magnitude of the discovery.

Read the rest of tatesman.com.

Campus Vampire Weekend

Sincerity is Scary The 1975

The Kiss Of Venus Paul McCartney, Dominic Fike

this story at usus-

Jacob Casper is majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing.

Jacob is an avid card and board game collector.

- a02357545@usu.edu

Feel No Ways Drake

Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Dippy the Dinosaur

Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

The Cheii Show cultivates indigen

By Ella Stott LIFESTYLES REPORTER

T

Begay, host of The Cheii Show, is shown posing in traditional garb.

he Cheii Show, a Q&A web series created and run by USU Blanding student Taylor Cheii Begay, has thousands of followers who tune in to the biweekly broadcast.

The show aims to create a safe and inspirational space for indigenous people while showcasing what correct representation looks like.

Begay, a sophomore majoring in journalism, said his journey toward making the show began with a push from his parents when he was young.

“I come from a very high expectation household on both sides,” Begay said. “They were always telling me how to thrive and how to live in this society.”

With these keys to success in mind, Begay began dreaming of his future and what he wanted to do. Although he didn’t originally realize he wanted to go into journalism, he said his drive and motivation were always there.

“I’d go to school with all these thoughts and dreams and aspirations,” Begay said.

According to Begay, he wanted to share his knowledge with his classmates.

“I would tell my classmates about what my relatives told me,” Begay said.

However, Begay said other students in his school didn’t think the same way as him.

“They didn’t see beyond the reservation, or their school, or their town or their home,” Begay said. “They just saw right here, and so they would make fun of me.”

Although this bullying had an effect on Begay, he said he never let it discourage him from dreaming and looking for success.

There were others in Begay’s life that were faced with personal challenges. One of his closest friends at the time called school his escape from the negativity of his life.

Begay said, despite them growing close, his friend eventually let the negativity consume him and turned his back on the dreams he and Begay had been forming.

“I grew up with this guy all my life, and then to see him go the other way is saddening,” Begay said.

This began a process of him trying to figure out how to prevent negativity from taking over the lives of those around him.

“How do I keep bringing positivity?” Begay said. “How do I keep on educating so more people can be successful — more people can be ambitious?”

His answer to these questions came at a powwow: a social celebration of his Native American community.

“One of the highest responsibilities with our powwows is the emcee,” Begay said. “As an emcee, you have to be a storyteller — you have to be a comedian.”

At this particular powwow, though, Begay said the emcee was an old man who was boring and made the event PHOTOS BY Colleen Benally drag on.

“I told my dad, ‘I bet I can do what that old man’s do-

ing, but I can do it ten times better,’” Begay said. “And my dad kind of looked at me and he said, ‘well, do it.’”

This began a time of research for Begay, as he asked relatives and other members of his tribe about songs, government and how the community works. Then, he expanded and learned information about other tribes.

“Even though I picked up all this knowledge, I forgot the most important part — how to speak in front of an audience,” Begay said.

Begay wasn’t able to do anything with all of the information he’d received until he went on a school trip to San Diego, California for a conference with the United National Indian Tribal Youth, or UNITY.

The Cheii show logo for Begay’s Q&A web series.

GRAPHIC BY Everett L. Moore

“It was just so cool to see all these young people from all different tribes in one location,” Begay said.

At UNITY, one event called for a speaker from his classmates. No one volunteered to do it, but his whole group offered Begay instead.

“They knew I was well traveled and educated,” Begay said. “But I didn’t know how to speak in front of an audience.”

Begay said he accepted the challenge despite feeling pressure to do perfectly. He said, amongst all of his fears, his reminders that this is what he wanted to do helped him proceed.

“This is what I’ve been chasing or building up to,” he said.

Begay was surprised to find he wasn’t just speaking in front of a small workshop like he’d thought. Instead, he was the emcee for one of the main events: the culture night. With an in-person and virtual audience, there were thousands of people listening to him.

“I got on that stage and spoke as best as I could on behalf of the people who asked me to speak,” Begay said. “People said it was so good that they haven’t experienced anything like that.”

The positive feedback Begay got from this performance solidified his dream of being a public speaker and continuing to use education and positivity to represent people.

After the UNITY conference, Begay got a phone call to emcee a pageant. After this, other schools wanted him to emcee their pageants and other events, and his reputation grew.

“I was doing conferences, I was doing workshops, I was doing educational events,” Begay said. “Finally, I got my first chance to emcee one of our powwows.”

Right as everything was coming together for Begay, live events began closing because of the coronavirus, so he had to look for a different way to continue speaking.

He eventually created The Cheii Show, originally as part of the Hot N Greasy Podcast, until he broke off from the group to make it on his own. Now, The Cheii Show is on season 4, with episodes every other Tuesday at 8 p.m.

The reason The Cheii Show isn’t a podcast is because Begay feels it’s important indigenous people are seen as well as heard.

“We as indigenous peoples really don’t have the correct or the appropriate representation in Western media,” Begay said. “We’re not just Western stereotypes. We’re successful in many fields.”

The Cheii Show brings a guest on each week to discuss how to be successful, how to feel inspired and how to overcome stereotypes of and discrimination against Native Americans.

“It’s also an opportunity for our non-Native viewers to take notice of us as Native people and finally see us as people,” Begay said. “We’re dominating, we’re taking over.”

One of the previous guests on Begay’s web series was Hal Eagletail, Northern Plains indigenous cultural consultant and emcee for powwow celebrations for 33 years.

“I’ve traveled the world sharing my Song and dance culture and am a knowledge keeper of our spiritual and traditional medicines,” Eagletail wrote in a response.

Eagletail worked in the film industry, collaborating with people such as Stephen Spielberg to showcase lives of Native Americans and their land. He remarked on the importance of indigenous representation.

“I’m working very hard to see our presence in the media,” Eagletail wrote. “I’ll continue to advocate for our up and coming youth in this industry to tell our story.”

After being on the series, Eagletail said he has remained in contact with Begay as a mentor in his life.

“I’ve seen and continue to see a great emcee future in this very talented young man’s future,” Eagletail wrote.

Begay said having guests on his show such as Eagletail is really important in validating the experiences of his viewers.

“It’s important that young people such as myself can

see themselves in a positive way,” Begay said. “So they can be validated into pursuing their dreams or wants no matter what field it is.”

The Cheii Show accommodates its guests by broadcasting where they request it. It’s always available on Facebook and on Instagram Live if requested.

To watch The Cheii Show, go to Taylor Cheii Begay on Facebook or @taylor_cheii_begay on Instagram at 8 p.m. every other Tuesday.

Ella Stott is a freshman 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

Begay works on his Q&A web series, The Cheii Show.

Page 9 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

ous education and representation

Page 10 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

Student-run Eagle keeps USU Price informed

By Lacey Cintron LIFESTYLES REPORTER

C

ollege newspapers across the state publish articles by the students, for the students. These journalists aim to cover all the important stories pertinent to their respective communities. One such paper is Utah State University Eastern’s The Eagle, 158 miles away in Price, Utah.

The Eagle has served USU Eastern for 85 years, back when it was dubbed College of Eastern Utah. The Eagle was founded alongside the school in 1937 where it began as a yearbook and morphed into a fully student-run newspaper.

Jose Briseno, the faculty advisor for The Eagle and assistant coach for USU Eastern’s baseball team, is earning his bachelor’s in journalism at the Price campus.

“Not only has it kept a record of events happening on campus since 1937, but it has also allowed students to fill their creative desires in many different ways,” Briseno wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman.

Publishing The Eagle requires skills beyond writing, like photography, layout design and effective communication skills. Putting all of these elements together into a clean paper is best accomplished by a devoted team and passionate leadership.

“I love that I am able to help students learn journalism,” Briseno wrote. “Print journalism still has a place in the digital world. I love being able to help students advance in what they do and to see them grow. That is one of the more satisfying parts of the job, I love to see my students grow and develop throughout the school year.”

Briseno was first drawn to journalism in fall of 2020, when he did photography for the paper.

“I was interested in taking pictures but learned that the staff was looking for a baseball/softball writer. I grew up playing baseball and thought I would try my hand at sports writing,” Briseno wrote. “I instantly fell in love and decided to pursue journalism as my degree.”

Briseno stuck with the paper and rose to the position of faculty advisor, where he works with The Eagle team to coordinate assignments and design each biweekly edition of the paper.

Journalists like Briseno report on a broad spectrum of news — from the most celebratory to the most devastating.

“Though circumstances aren’t always the best for some of our best stories, we wrote about the tragic passing of one of USU Eastern’s women’s soccer players, Lauren Bradshaw,” Briseno wrote. “I was glad that we were able to cover the event in a way that honored Lauren’s life.

Our next print edition will actually be covering an event this next week that will honor Lauren at the one-year anniversary of her passing.”

The Eagle experienced rapidly shifting leadership before landing on Briseno.

“Our department head, Dr. Susan Polster stepped away from her role as advisor in Spring of 2021. Since her departure, I am the fourth advisor in two years, just because the past advisors had different career opportunities,” Briseno wrote.

The Eagle team has since settled, and with Briseno at the helm they work every week to write and publish stories for the Price community.

Many hands and many minds come together to create each edition, such as editor-in-chief, Wyatt Boyle. Boyle is a third-year journalism and communication major.

“I write, layout, and edit articles for the newspaper.

Pretty standard, textbook stuff,” Boyle wrote. “I’d like to say I do everything, but that’s simply not true. We have tons of talented photographers, podcasters and other writers that do things and cover topics that I can’t.”

Boyle joined The Eagle as a writer in his freshman year at USU Eastern. Boyle largely writes fun, lighthearted stories on top of his editorial duties.

come and hopefully get some good memories out of.”

It isn’t all about pumping out articles and crafting picture-perfect layouts — The Eagle team shared some of the most valuable moments come simply from connecting with fellow writers.

“My favorite part about being on The Eagle is getting to hang out with my advisor Jose, managing editor Bella, Department Head Susan, and our staffers,” Boyle wrote. “I love them all to death, and it’s always fun sitting around our newspaper lab and just getting to talk and laugh with everyone.”

Second-year journalism and communication major Isabella Mohel is the managing editor for The Eagle. She shared a similar sentiment to Boyle.

“Every semester when we get new students, our staff has always been close,” Mohel wrote. “These are my people and this is my safe place. I get to do my favorite hobbies of laying out and writing, with people I enjoy.”

As a managing editor, Mohel is in charge of laying out pages of the paper and making sure it’s ready to be published, printed and distributed to students at USU Eastern and the larger Price community. She also writes for The Eagle.

“I joined The Eagle fall semester of 2022,” Mohel wrote. “I have always had a passion for writing, for as long as I can remember. I write a lot of news stories and it’s hard to pick a favorite because they’re all so different. If I had to choose, I think I would have to choose my article about the missing jet that was released in our last issue.”

Like many collegiate journalists, Mohel got her start in news writing during high school.

“I instantly got on the staff for the high school newspaper,” Mohel wrote. “My advisor of the high school paper was one of my biggest motivators to continue journalism. He always encouraged me and pushed me to be better. He took our whole staff on a field trip to USUE to meet the head of journalism, Dr. Susan Polster. Susan introduced me to the staff and I immediately fell in love with the environment.”

News has grown with each generation, and while most media today is consumed digitally, there are many who PHOTO BY Dalin Grant recall fondly receiving a paper at their doorstep.

“Growing up my grandpa loved getting the newspaper Jose Briseno is the faculty advisor for The Eagle and a studnet at USU Eastern. everyday so I always thought the newspaper was im“I think my best two stories have been ‘Star Wars: The portant and that the people who created the paper were Bad Batch Season 2 Review’ and ‘Guide to Rizz.’ They’re famous,” Mohel wrote. both articles I feel like I could come back and improve Media and news distribution is an ever-evolving meon now, but I’m still proud of them,” Boyle wrote. “I dium, and with each era comes an entirely new set of think the quality and writing of my Bad Batch review rules. At its core, it will always remain a means for peowas extremely high, and it was fun sharing the rizz ple to connect with one another. guide with everyone and seeing their reactions to it.”

Student-run efforts like The Eagle help bridge the gap Lacey Cintron is majoring in between people otherwise isolated. The Eagle keeps Psychology. She loves learning USU Eastern’s 2,100 student body informed. about the human mind, shar“Parents and faculty love flipping through the paper ing stories and naps. and seeing what we’ve written,” Boyle wrote. “We also don’t have any kind of yearbook or other way of recording events, this paper is it. Even if it’s not something that’s valued extremely highly now, it’s something that students and alumni can look back on in the years to

- a02388032@usu.edu

The USU vernal campus on June 21, 2023.

By Ashley Dorius LIFESTYLES REPORTER

O

n Thursday nights from Sept. 21 to Nov 2, people search for a more harmonious way of life through a 7-week Chakra 101 workshop. This course at Utah State University’s Uintah Basin Vernal Campus focuses on internal intuition, unblocking energy and furthering understanding of chakras.

Tessie Bridges, Reiki Master and teacher, is the course’s instructor. Bridges has been part of the Reiki Membership Association since 2013 and has lots of experience and knowledge of chakras.

“Chakra is from Sanskrit, meaning ‘wheel’ or ‘disk.’ I like to explain Chakras as spinning vortexes of energy metaphysically linked to the human body at the spine, from the tailbone to the crown of one’s head,” Bridges wrote in a response.

“Each chakra is a moderator of energy, continually sending and receiving energy,” Bridges wrote.

Bridges also explained what Reiki is and the other words people associate it with.

“My response is Reiki is a Japanese stress reduction and relaxation technique that promotes healing. It is the belief that a life force (unseen) energy flows through all living things and affects a person’s quality of life. Many names, such as Chi in Chinese, Prana in Sanskrit, and biofield in science, are known as this life force energy,” Bridges wrote.

Reiki can do a lot for people in restoring proper energy flow.

“When a person’s energy is low, it is more difficult for the person to deal with stress and more challenging for the body to heal, and thus, you are more susceptible to

PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham

illness. When a person’s energy is high, it can flow without disruptions, making it easier for the body to heal,” Bridges wrote.

Becoming a Reiki Master took a serious amount of time and hard work, but Bridges was dedicated and completed the task.

“When I first became interested in Reiki, classes were not available via Zoom or online. All classes, training, practices, and tests were done in person. Then, a person had to wait a year before moving up to the next level, generally giving Reiki Sessions during that year. A year between each level, four levels total. By the time I received my Master’s level, things had changed, and I did not have to wait a year,” Bridges wrote.

Bridges also went above and beyond, getting certified at many levels. Mastery and training is very important to her.

“I completed my training with Lisa StarAhna at Healing Light Training Center in Utah in 2012 and received my Master’s Certification in the Usui Tibetan Reiki. In 2015, I became a Registered Holy Fire Karuna Reiki® Master.

In 2020, I completed my Holy Fire® III training for Reiki I & II, Reiki Master, and Karuna Reiki®,” Bridges wrote.

Bridges’ extensive knowledge sparked an idea of community outreach. She started the course and used Lisa StarAhna’s book as a guide when she first designed a class. It has since grown as she’s gained experience.

Molly Ellender, the campus engagement program coordinator for the Uintah Basin campuses, shared how the class has taken off.

“USU Uintah Basin has made a strategic goal to offer community education courses as a way to engage not only our students but all members of our service area with our campuses,” Ellender wrote. “We are excited to

have a course with so much interest. Our plan is to offer one to two courses each fall and spring semester. We are working with community members through surveys, Facebook posts, etc., to garner community interest.”

The rewards of this class have been clear to the attendants. Vanessa Liesik, a director of Statewide and USU Online Recruitment for Statewide Campuses and workshop participant, shared what got her interested in the class and what she has learned.

“I have been dealing with a long-standing surgical complication and I have been researching alternative ways to heal and cope. For me, there has been a self-care aspect to learning about the chakras,” Liesik wrote. “I enjoy spending time each week focusing on and learning about one specific area of the body and its corresponding chakra.”

Tiffany Ivie, Business Assistant I on Utah State University’s Uintah Basin Roosevelt Campus, also participates in the course. She shared how beneficial it has been for her to learn about balancing energy.

“To expand my knowledge in this area. I am always looking for natural ways to help bring balance to the stress and anxiety of life,” Ivie wrote. “I believe it is important to have an understanding of how thoughts and feelings can affect our body.”

The attendees also noted how well-organized and accessible Chakra 101 is.

“Tessie is a wonderful teacher. She spends a lot of time each week preparing for the class,” Liesik wrote. “I look forward to attending her class every week because of the atmosphere she provides in the classroom as well as the subject matter she will be teaching. Western medicine is amazing and a modern miracle, but I have appreciated Tessie’s knowledge and teaching me how to tend to my own health, mental state and relations with others.”

Chakras are only sometimes understood by the public.

Still, this class clarifies these complex topics and shows how important it is to be mindful of the body and how physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health are linked.

Read the rest of this story at usustatesman.com.

Ashley Dorius is a freshman studying English with a teaching emphasis. A Nebraska native, she loves exploring old bookstores, quoting New Girl, eating soft pretzels and being a Swiftie.

-ashley.dorius@usu.edu

Page 11 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Chakra 101: Better balanced lives at USU Uintah Basin Vernal Campus

Page 12 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

Brigham City uses trail to promote wellness, commemorate past

By Henry Wright SPORTS REPORTER

Of Utah State University’s 30 different campuses across the state, each has its own unique history and the Brigham City location is no exception.

The campus resides on land that formerly hosted the Bushnell General Military Hospital and Intermountain Inter-Tribal School. USU has since built a commemorative walking trail and virtual museum to ensure the historical context of the land is not forgotten.

The hospital was built on 295 acres of land and served World War II veterans from across the entire west coast.

It specialized in treating amputees while also seeing soldiers suffering from psychological issues and certain tropical diseases like malaria. Over 10,000 patients were treated at the hospital between 1942 and 1946 before the government closed the hospital.

After the war, the hospital was then transformed into a tribal school. When the school was first opened in 1950 it was referred to as the Intermountain Indian School, but the name was changed in 1974. Before the name change, primarily Navajo students attended but beginning in the 1974-75 school year, students from other tribes attended as well.

Over 20,000 students attended the school during its history before it was closed in 1984 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs due to internal budget cuts and concerns about the school’s distance from the students’ homes.

After the closing of the school some of the buildings were repurposed, but many remained vacant and were a hazard to the community. Former dean and executive director of the Brigham City campus, Tom Lee, was instrumental in helping the university create the walking

trail that resides there today.

“When USU bought the land there were still 18 buildings on the property and they were all in terrible shape,” Lee said. “They had been vacant for 30-plus years and had been broken into and vandalized. They were in such disrepair, it wasn’t feasible to restore them.”

After removing the remaining buildings, the university decided that it still wanted to commemorate the history of both the hospital and the school. Originally, campus leaders discussed building a museum, but realized it was unrealistic. USU librarian Todd Welch had another plan.

“Todd had done projects like this before where you have a virtual museum,” Lee said. “So you have a walking trail, with signage containing links to online information about what was there originally.”

The Brigham City Historic Trail opened on July 13, 2019 to commemorate the school and hospital. It also serves as a place for students to practice mental and physical wellness.

“We hoped that it would be a place that students could enjoy just, you know, having a place to go out and take a walk for 20 minutes as well as just being informative about the history of the area,” Lee said. “A lot of the students at the Brigham campus are not from Brigham City.”

Dan Black, associate vice president at USU Brigham City, attended the ribbon-cutting. In a press release by Utah State Today, Black expressed he was proud to be a part of the event.

“The trail ribbon cutting, in conjunction with the Intermountain Indian School reunion, was a great way to honor the past and remember how the lives of both soldiers and students were shaped on these grounds,” he said.

In the same press release, Lee pointed out how each of the three institutions that existed in the area were dedi-

An informational sign at the beginning of the Brigham City Historic Trail located on the USU Brigham City campus.

cated to improving people’s lives.

“It took courage and persistence for the wounded veterans who came to Bushnell Hospital, and the Native American children and youth who came to IMS, to take advantage of the services, training and education needed to move ahead in their lives,” Lee said.

The trail stretches three-quarters of a mile and includes 20 signs taking participants through the history with QR codes to the virtual museum.

Most importantly the trail represents the relationship USU has with the communities in which all of its campuses reside.

“Brigham City was a great support with getting the new building and developing that site there,” Lee said.

“We want to be good neighbors and good community members.”

Henry Wright is a junior studying political science, American studies and anticipatory intelligence. He loves to travel, watch sports and spend time outdoors.

—henry.wright@usu.edu

The beginning of the Brigham City Historic Trail on October 5, 2023.

PHOTOS BY Heidi Bingham

By Madison Weber SPORTS EDITOR

M

ental and physical fitness go hand in hand when it comes to overall wellness. Across Utah State University’s 30 campus locations, students have access to programs, facilities and activities encouraging mental and physical wellness. From outdoor maps to weight rooms and rentals to virtual coaching, USU students are able to find resources fit for their lifestyles.

Northern Utah

Uintah Basin Roosevelt: A weight and cardio room for students is located in the Classroom Building.

Vernal: Membership fees for the Uintah Recreation Center are covered by student fees. Students can fill out a recreation pass application to gain access to the facility.

Logan: Students have access to weight and cardio rooms through the ARC, the HPER and the Fieldhouse. Campus Recreation offers group fitness classes, nutrition coaching and personal training.

Brigham City: The Bullpen Fitness Center is a free full-circuit gym for students. It includes indoor pickleball and basketball courts, ping pong tables and restrooms with lockers and showers.

Tooele: Free yoga classes are offered on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. in the main building, Room 165.

For more information on other locations, visit usu.edu/aggiewellness/recreation.

A sign on USU Blanding’s campus offering free bicycles for students.

PHOTOS BY Heidi Bingham The ARC center sits at the end of Aggie Boulevard and provides students with a free workout option.

Southeastern Utah

A campus recreation mural located inside the ARC above the basketball courts.

Blanding: The USU Blanding campus offers several physical wellness opportunities including club sports, outdoor rec equipment for rent and camping trips. Current students, faculty and staff have access to the Fitness Center, Aggie Bikes and the SJ Wellness Center.

Central Utah

Statewide

Eastern (Price): Campus Recreation offers outdoor adventures, Aggie Blue Bikes (everyday and mountain bikes) and recreation and student life activities. Trail maps, camping gear, fire pit equipment and river rafting maps and equipment are all available for students.

The Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center (BDAC) has a weight room, cardio machines and racquetball courts. There are physical education courses available for

Campus Recreation provides programs and services including virtual fitness and wellness classes, outdoor programs and competitive sports to all students.

Madison Weber is a senior studying journalism and international studies. When she’s not writing or watching sports, she enjoys animals, good food and time with family.

—madison.weber@usu.edu

Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Aggie wellness across the state

Page 14 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202

S T A T E W I D E S N A P S H O T S

Heidi Bingham is a senior studying journalism with an emphasis in social media and two minors in ASL and marketing. When not behind the camera, you can usually find her reading romance novels or watching Greys Anatomy.

—heidi.bingham@usu.edu

Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.

Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 2023

Last week’s solution:

PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham

Page 16 - The Utah Statesman, October 16, 202