President Albrecht Attends Branch Campus Commencement Ceremonies

May 6-7 marks commencement activities on Utah State University's Logan campus, but ceremonies also have been taking place at the university's branch campuses around the state. President Stan Albrecht recently attended ceremonies in Tooele and in Vernal.

Forty-four students took part in the Tooele ceremony that was held Friday, April 29. Utah Gov. Jon Hunstman was on hand for the ceremony.

The Uintah Basin Branch Campus held its ceremony the next day, Saturday, April 30. Former Gov. Norm Bangerter was in attendance and 218 students graduated.

"Some days in the life of a university president are better than others," President Albrecht said to those gathered in both Tooele and in the Uintah Basin. "This is one of those really good days. I am proud to be president of the university that is represented in this ceremony."

President Albrecht also told the graduates that he would repeat the pledge that he made when he was named Utah State University's president. "I will devote whatever energy, talents and abilities it takes to make the university the best it can be — the university whose primary mission is to achieve absolute excellence as it serves you and other students across the state."

Ceremonies were held April 26 in Price, April 28 in Moab and in Blanding April 29. Coming up is a commencement ceremony in Ephraim May 5. Earlier in April, commencement was held in Brigham City April 22.

"I offer sincere congratulations to you today," President Albrecht told the branch campus graduates. "You will join about 3,000 other Utah State University graduates over the next week. We are proud of you and excited by your accomplishments."

In all, 650 degrees were presented to off-campus graduates. In the course of the year more than 14,000 students enrolled in courses that were offered around the state. The contributions of these students are increasingly recognized. For the second year in a row a student from a branch campus was named "Woman of the Year" at the annual Robins Awards. This year's recipient was JaNae Burger, who graduated from the Utah State Brigham City Extension Campus with a degree in family consumer human development. The mother of three children, all under the age of 4, Burger has served on the Brigham City Campus student council for the past two years.

President Albrecht's Remarks (Video clips)
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