Touring Tooele and Area
Utah State University President Stan Albrecht and First Lady Joyce Albrecht were joined by several deans and vice presidents for a two-day tour of USU's Tooele Branch Campus facilities and Dugway Proving Grounds.
Representing the university were the Albrechts, Vice President and Dean for Extension Jack Payne, interim Provost Noelle Cockett, College of Business Dean Caryn Beck-Dudley and College of Education Dean Carol Strong.
Tooele is the fastest growing county in Utah and the 33rd fastest growing county in the United States. Growth in the area has caused an increased demand for education.
The tour began at Dugway Proving Grounds, DPG, a center for biological and chemical weapons testing and detection. It serves as a training site for first responders to suspected chemical and biological terrorist attacks. President Albrecht and the USU representatives toured the maximum security facilities where chemical and biological weapons detection research is ongoing.
At the conclusion of the tour, President Albrecht and DPG Commander Greg D. Olsen signed a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines a long list of cooperative projects between USU and DPG. Chief among them is Homeland Security training and preparedness and counterterrorism.
President Albrecht also met with 200 community leaders and Aggie Alums at Buddy's, a local restaurant and entertainment center in the Tooele area.
The USU group also toured facilities and learned more about programs at the Tooele Branch Campus, where 30 degrees are offered and more than 300 classes are taught.
"The future of this community is higher education," President Albrecht said. "We want to bring more degrees and classes to Tooele and we want to make sure they are the best quality degrees."
Meetings with public school and civic leaders were also on the agenda. President Albrecht met with the superintendents of the Tooele and Grantsville school districts, as well as with Grantsville mayor Byron Anderson.
The tour concluded at the Firefighters' Museum, where a luncheon was held with USU-Tooele students.
President Albrecht and DPG Commander Greg D. Olsen signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
President Albrecht and group toured Dugway Proving Grounds facilities. (left to right) Jacky Payne, Ann Aust, Kathleen Robinson, Clint Bryant (student), President Albrecht and Dan Martin, a DPG Life Sciences Unit research and adjunct faculty member.
Stan and Joyce Albrecht get a closer look at a botulism early detection device that is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand.
President Albrecht talked with students at the Tooele Branch campus.
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