USU’s Habitat For Humanity partners up with nonprofit corporation

By Natalie Thatcher

In efforts to increase its service opportunities, Utah State University’s Habitat for Humanity club is partnering with Cache Valley’s Neighborhood Nonprofit Housing Corporation.

“The NNHC approached us and asked if we would be interested in working with them,” said Habitat for Humanity president Mike Price. “We have a large volunteer base and they have the service opportunities.”

USU’s Habitat for Humanity club and the NNHC work to build homes for the needy and impoverished in Cache Valley. Both maintain the goal of creating quality and affordable housing opportunities.

“The NNHC buys acres of land and people who fit certain requirements can apply for it,” Price said. “We would be assisting in building houses and working alongside families we are building houses for.”

Price said the club has had difficulty finding service projects this semester , he feels more service opportunities will be available by partnering with the NNHC.

“So far this semester we have just done little projects like raking leaves and gardening,” Price said. “Our volunteers want to start doing the work they signed up for.”

This week, Price and volunteer Casey Williams organized a fundraiser date night in order to earn money to buy tools for the NNHC’s service projects that will begin next semester.  

“Each couple was charged $10 to participate,” Williams said. “We built gingerbread houses and watched a Christmas movie.” 

The fundraiser catered to more than 70 people and exceeded its goal of raising $250.

“It was fun because we got to tie in the Christmas theme and our club’s theme which is building houses,” Williams said. “This week seemed like a good opportunity for a fundraiser event because there isn’t a lot going on besides finals.”

In addition to raising money for the NNHC, Price hoped the fundraiser created student awareness. He encourages people to become a part of Habitat for Humanity.

“Now is a good time to get involved with Habitat for Humanity because there are so many upcoming projects,” Price said. “Students really have the opportunity to help families in need.”

Volunteer Grace Fitzpatrick agreed.

“I am excited to partner up with the Neighborhood Nonprofit Housing Corporation because I am ready to get down to business and do what Habitat for Humanity is all about,” Fitzpatrick said. 

USU clubs decorate a tree

By Natalie Thatcher

This week, clubs and athletic organizations are decorating trees in the Taggart Student Center lounge as part of the yearly Festival of Trees tradition at Utah State University.

“It’s an event that happens every year here on campus,” said traditions director Sloan Bailey. “It gives clubs an opportunity to decorate a tree for families in need.”

Associated Students of Utah State University partners with the Bear River Health Department, a non-profit service organization that provides pre-schooling to under privileged students, Bailey said.

“Bear River gives the trees to students at their school,” Bailey said. “It is up to them to decide which family will get a tree.”

According to Bailey, there are 46 trees available to decorate.

“At the beginning of the month I sent out emails to clubs and organizations,” Bailey said. “The first 46 clubs to respond got a tree.”

Clubs include the Aggie Ski Club, the International Student Council, USU Honors Program, the HURD and all 12 athletic teams.

“It is a good team bonding experience,” said tennis player Mckenzie Davis. “We get to take a break from school and practice to do some service.”

Service center president Jeremy Neff agrees.

“For me Christmas time is about service,” Neff said. “This is just one of many opportunities to serve and get in the Christmas spirit.”

Bailey admits that although a Christmas tree isn’t an essential need, families appreciate the service.

“There are multiple families in Cache Valley that are in need of lots of things at Christmas time,” Bailey said. “And although a decorated Christmas tree might not be number one thing it really does help.”

The trees will be picked up by the Bear River Health Department Saturday morning and distributed to families of its choosing. 

Journalism students aim to make USU an official SPJ chapter

For Utah State University students pursuing a career in journalism after graduation, becoming a member of the Society of Professional Journalism can be a beneficial first step.

“SPJ is a national professional development organization that makes itself known to smaller outlets, such as universities,” said journalism student Lis Stewart. “Its goal is to promote the free flow of information supporting our First Amendment rights.”

According to Stewart, becoming an official chapter of SPJ will create awareness among the journalism community for students who want to further a career in this profession.

“It would attach the SPJ name with us, and let people know we are serious about journalism at USU,” Stewart said.

In addition, SPJ provides exclusive benefits offered only to its members.

“It makes it possible for a group to get news letters and discounted or free admission to conferences,” said journalism student Daniel Smith. “SPJ has resources like lawyers that could offer legal advice incase a journalist has a media law problem.”

However, USU is not recognized as an official chapter.

“Right now we are working with ASUSU, to become a campus club,” said Smith, referring to the Associated Students of Utah State University. “Once we accomplish that then we can go online and apply, which lets SPJ know we are willing to start our chapter.”

Smith admits the process of becoming an official club will take time.

“We are slowly getting there,” Smith said. “Right now it is hard because we are all busy with finals week.”

The club needs 10 official members in order to begin the application process, Smith said. And although many have shown interest the group currently only has seven. 

Journalism department head Ted Pease encourages students to become involved

“Starting a chapter at USU reflects the professional standards we have for our journalism students,” Pease said.

Although Stewart and Smith admit the club’s progress isn’t moving as quickly as they would like, both agree it will move forward.

“We are hoping to be an official recognized chapter of SPJ by next fall,” Stewart said.  

For USU's Cru Club, a new mission statement

This month, members of Utah State University’s Cru Club initiated a new mission statement in order to better fulfill its goal of connecting people to Jesus Christ.

“We are part of a larger international organization that makes itself known to students on campus,” said student intern Ryan Toth. “We promote Christianity but are not a part of a particular denomination.”

Until recently the club’s mission statement was “to turn students into Christ laborers.” Now, it is to “Love God. Love people. Make disciples.”

“People in our group didn’t seem excited about the previous mission statement,” said Cru leader Will Shugart who initiated the change. “It wasn’t working to accomplish our goal and it didn’t seem to set the tone.”

Although Shugart has been in favor of a new mission statement since he became an official member two semesters ago, he said the change was unintentional.

“We weren’t trying to change it,” Shugart said. “I was just talking to one of the staff members and during our conversation the new mission statement just came up.”

According to Shugart, the previous mission statement was difficult for USU students to understand.

“I have been encouraging members to create a simple mission statement to explain what Cru is all about at Utah State,” Shugart said.  “Students who are not involved with Cru weren’t grabbing on to it like we wanted them to.”

Cru leader Jordan Hartman hopes the new mission statement will motivate students to act on what they believe.

“We believe a lot in fellowship and basically coming together and sharing the word of Christ,” Hartman said. “Hopefully now students will better understand what we are about and as a result want to become involved with Cru.”

ASUSU responds to student complaints

ASUSU responds to student complaints

 There are no desks in the Kent Concert Hall.

But that hasn’t stopped Utah State University leaders from scheduling the finals of thousands of students there.

Senior, Josh Anderson is trying to change that.

In response to complaints, the Associated Students of Utah State University is joining Anderson in his petition for a new testing center on campus.

“We want to address any student concerns and give students an opportunity for their voice to be heard,” said USU student president Christian Thrapp. “If it is a big enough concern the university needs to make a change.”

According to student advocate Christian Orr, many students are frustrated about taking their finals in Kent.

“Students feel because they are paying to attend a university, the university should offer proper seating,” Orr said.

An on-campus testing center would decrease academic stress and provide students with a central location to take tests, Orr said.

In addition, the testing center would allow students to take their exams at any time during finals week.

“Students have several finals during a week and sometimes they are scheduled too close together,” Orr said. “A testing center would give students a span of time to take their test.”

The Student Fee Board has previously discussed the idea, but Orr said this is the first time it has been brought to the attention of USU’s executive committee.

“The science department introduced the idea last spring but they didn’t communicate it through the proper channels,” Orr said. “The department took it to the fee board, which is a non-academic board, and since this is an issue of academics the idea was shot down.”

This time around, members of ASUSU are making sure student voices are heard by the correct officials. However, Orr questioned whether or not building a testing center will be more of a benefit or financial burden for students.

“I am hesitant because I don’t want to place a big financial commitment on the student body,” Orr said. “But if it is a genuine large-scale need and there is a way to fund it without dramatically hitting the student pockets, then I am all for it.”

Although the idea of a new testing center is ultimately an administrative decision, Thrapp believes students can have an influence.

“If student voices are heard they can help convince,” Thrapp said. “The petition currently has 323 signatures.” If we get enough students and faculty involved there is a possibly we can make it happen.”

Still, the approval process and construction of the testing center will take time.

“There is a lot that goes into this decision because the administration will decide whether it is a true need or want,” Thrapp said. “I think next fall is when they will start to really take it seriously and decide where they are going to build it and if they are going to build it.”

USU’s Fledgling dance crew seeks recognition

After becoming an official club more than a year ago, Utah State University’s My Bad Crew presidents want to be taken seriously as a street style dance team.

My Bad Crew, founded by presidents Joey Guerts and Brett George, is one of three dance teams in USU’s Caine College of the Arts.

The club started in an attempt to make the USU dance program stronger and provide an alternative style of dance to the already hip-hop and lyrical teams.

“We saw that other colleges have a lot of up and coming talent and at USU we don’t have a very good dance program,” George said. “In order to stay competitive and attract better dancers we needed to create our own team.”

However their amateur status makes it difficult to gain recognition.

“We are the new team and we don’t want to be known as the little brother anymore,” Guerts said. “We want to show we are just as capable.”

Because the team is more established this year Guerts and George are now focusing on increasing the clubs notoriety. They hope to attract the attention of current and future USU students who in most cases only recognize the Velociti and Full Circle dance teams.

“We have accomplished our first goal which was to start our own club,” Guerts said. “Now the one thing we don’t have is credibility because we haven’t been around as long as the other dance teams.”

In addition to performing at multiple school functions, George hopes to gain recognition from the club’s music videos.

“Every semester we film showpiece videos and hire a professional filmographer who posts them to YouTube,” George said. “We have gotten a few hundred hits which is nothing too great, but it is a start.”

Both George and Guerts admit achieving greater recognition takes time. They hope the club will continue to develop over the years. 

“Our goal is to keep it going as long as we can,” George said. “We are keeping our eyes out for someone we can pass the torch to.”