Scan the above QR code for a full digital Commencement program.
Commencement Exercises - May 2, 2024
Logan Campus College Convocations - May 2-3, 2024
Statewide Campuses Graduation Ceremonies - April 18-27, 2024
Utah State University is a premier land- and space-grant institution committed to excellence, access, and inclusion. We empower all people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact, and we champion exceptional education, research and discovery, and community contribution.
MESSAGE FROM THE President
Dear Esteemed Graduates,
On this extraordinary day, I extend my warmest congratulations to you, the graduating class of 2024, from Utah State University. As we gather to celebrate your achievements, I am deeply honored to address you for the first time as the President of our esteemed institution.
Your journey to this moment has been marked by dedication, resilience, and a profound commitment to excellence whether you pursued your studies online, on campus, or across our beautiful state. Each of you has played an integral role in advancing our university's mission as a public service institution.
As we look ahead to the future, I am filled with optimism and confidence in your ability to make a meaningful impact in the world. Armed with the knowledge, skills, and values instilled by your education at USU, you are well-equipped to address the challenges of our time with integrity and compassion.
As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, I urge you to embrace the opportunities that come your way and to continue striving for excellence in all that you do. Remember that you are not just graduates of Utah State, but ambassadors of change and champions of the greater good.
Wherever your paths may lead, may you continue to embody the spirit of service and innovation that defines our university.
Congratulations, Class of 2024! Your achievements are a testament to your hard work and determination, and I am honored to celebrate this momentous occasion with you.
With warm regards,
Dr. Elizabeth R. Cantwell President, Utah State University
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY UINTAH BASIN COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
PROCESSIONAL
White Peaks Centennial Pipe Band
WELCOME
Dr. David Law
Interim Associate Vice President, USU Uintah Basin
NATIONAL ANTHEM
Faith Simper Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key
STUDENT SPEAKER
John Michalski
ADDRESS TO GRADUATES
Dr. Robert Wagner President, Idaho State University
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
Dr. Elizabeth R. Cantwell President, USU
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS
Dr. David Law
Interim Associate Vice President, USU Uintah Basin
GREETING TO GRADUATES
Matthew White Vice President of Advancement & President of the USU Foundation
HONOR SONG & RECESSIONAL
Red Spirit Singers
DR. ROBERT WAGNER
PRESIDENT, IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY Commencement Speaker
Dr. Robert W. Wagner became Idaho State University’s (ISU) fourteenth president in January 2024. Dr. Wagner joins ISU after nearly 17 years at Utah State University, serving most recently as executive vice president and chief operating officer and previously as the vice president for academic and instructional services, assistant vice provost, vice provost, executive vice provost, executive director of distance education and dean. Before his time at USU, Dr. Wagner served as a special assistant to the president for the State University of New York at Albany, focusing on government relations and special projects.
Dr. Wagner’s administrative experience includes institutional strategic planning; enrollment management; many aspects of the student life cycle, including recruiting, admissions, financial aid, student orientation, retention, and completion; academic programming and faculty development; cross-institutional collaboration; community engagement; innovation in higher education; fundraising; student achievement; and government, industry and community partnerships. He has served on several national boards, including industry advisory panels and higher education associations, and he served as chair of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network Governing Board. Dr. Wagner's dedication to education originated from applying personalized learning models for students with disabilities within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s educational system.
Dr. Wagner has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University, a master's of public administration from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. in political science (public policy and public law) from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the State University of New York-Albany with an emphasis in university, industry, and government relations. He also earned higher education leadership certificates from Harvard University and Arizona State University-Georgetown University.
Dr. Wagner and his wife, Tracy, are the parents of five adult children and three grandchildren.
JOHN MICHALSKI
Student Speaker
John Michalski was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Growing up he had an almost innate passion for dinosaurs, prehistoric life, and the field of paleontology. It became his dream to become a professional paleontologist. Graduating from Greendale High School in 2017, he would begin working towards a bachelor’s degree in geosciences at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (UWM). He volunteered at the Milwaukee Public Museum as an interpreter of their paleontology exhibits. He also volunteered as a fossil preparator at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, Illinois. In the summer of 2021, John closely worked with UWM’s own paleontologist, Dr. Victoria McCoy, on a research project about fossil plants. This project would be submitted and published in the journal of Paleobotany and Palynology in early 2022. A week before graduating from UWM with his bachelor’s, John visited Utah to tour potential graduate schools, including USU’s Uintah Basin campus. Today, John is graduating with a Master of Science in Geosciences. In his free time, he enjoys creative writing, video making, kayaking, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
