Extensions program connecting with Logan

sites has already begun breaking down communication barriers among specific sites and USU’s main campus, officials say.

Kiersten Hewitt, this year’s ASUSU Extension’s appointed chair, said this new position has already made Extension students feel like they are a part of the university even though some are far away from the Logan campus.

“As a whole, there’s more unity between the extension sites,” Hewitt said. “It’s exciting to see all the sites work with one another.”

In years past, the students elected an ASUSU Extensions vice president, who remained on campus and visited the different sites once or twice a year.

Now, however, Hewitt works at the Brigham City Center and isn’t tied down to campus responsibilities, allowing her to visit other sites, ASUSU Student Advocate Justin Atkinson said.

“This new structure allows for an off-campus chair,” Atkinson said. “In the past, there wasn’t quite as good communication with ASUSU.”

Since Hewitt took over the position, she has been spending a lot of time at the different sites, talking to students about concerns they have. She has also established representatives at almost all of the 29 Extension sites and created a new communication structure and distribution lists.

“Our mission is to extend education to students in the outreach community,” Hewitt said. “To neglect, that is to cut off our life blood.”

Currently, USU has Extension sites from Brigham City all the way down to Moab.

“We have a huge program throughout the state,” said Sam Sturman, director of USU Moab, which has 57 students currently enrolled.

Although on-campus enrollment has decreased this year, enrollment for extension students is steadily increasing by 15 percent each year, Hewitt said.

“[Extensions] seem to be the trend in continuing education,” Atkinson said. “We already have our foot in the door compared to other universities throughout Utah.”

Although they do not have an exact head count for Extension students enrolled full-time, there are between 14,000 and 18,000 students total, Hewitt said.

“There has been a feeling that campus doesn’t care about us and that’s changing,” Hewitt said. “I think the strongest feeling right now is the students do care that they are members of Utah State University.”

-mmackay@cc.usu.edu