“The best ice cream in the state of Utah,” makes its way to the Utah Capitol for Aggie Ice Cream Day
Lawmakers stepped out of committee hearings Feb. 19 during the legislative session to see coolers of Aggie Blue Mint and Bull Tracks ice cream carried by smiling Utah State University students through the halls of the Utah State Capitol Building.
Aggie Ice Cream Day, an annual tradition during the legislative session, brings USU students face-to-face with senators, representatives and executive staff through Aggie Ice Cream.
“Aggie Ice Cream Day is arguably the best day on the [Capitol] Hill,” said USUSA President Brandon Sorensen. “As soon as the session starts, elected officials are asking and marking their calendars for it.”
Members of USUSA and the Government Relations Council spent the day walking from office to office throughout the capitol building, delivering ice cream and introducing themselves to lawmakers.
“A lot of universities will set up in the rotunda and have people come to them,” Sorensen said. “We want to go to our elected officials, meet them where they’re at, hand them Aggie Ice Cream and have the opportunity to talk about Utah State.”
Devin Wiser, vice president of government and external affairs at USU, said the tradition has become a highlight of the 45-day legislative session.
Beyond free ice cream, Wiser said the day puts students at the center of conversations about higher education funding and policy.
“They get to come up here and tell their own stories,” Wiser said. “They’re all so impactful and unique that it really moves the legislators.”
Wiser said the goal is for lawmakers to see firsthand how higher education shapes students’ lives.
“I want them to see the effect higher education has on individual students and how their lives can change because of it,” Wiser said. “If they can get even a taste of that along with the taste of the ice cream, that’s a huge win.”
For students like Maddie Widman, a member of the GRC, the day also highlights the university’s agricultural roots.
“We’re an agriculture school,” Widman said. “So, bringing our dairy products to the senate shows that we’re still here as a community.”
Widman said students hope to strengthen relationships with lawmakers while showing they are invested in the legislative process.
“Students care about what’s happening in the legislature, and we want to be involved as much as we can,” Widman said. “I hope they see that we’re a tight-knit community. We care about our agriculture, and we care a lot about Aggie Ice Cream.”
University leaders said the event also reinforces USU’s statewide mission as Utah’s land-grant institution.
Neil Abercrombie, senior adviser to Gov. Spencer Cox and a former USU government relations director, told students their presence carries weight.
“I could speak until I was blue in the face about why lawmakers should invest in Utah State, but when we brought students to Capitol Hill, they were inspired by your story, what you were studying, where you’re from,” Abercrombie said. “You really showcase what Utah State is all about.”
Brad L. Mortensen, president of Utah State University, said the university has felt strong legislative support this session.
“It’s really important to be part of the process,” Mortensen said. “You’re helping us expand our statewide reach and improve our civic engagement.”
As the session enters its final stretch, Wiser said the arrival of students changes the atmosphere in the capitol’s corridors.
“There’s definitely a lowering of the temperature and not just because we’re serving ice cream,” Wiser said. “Students create an element of fun and joy in the capitol.”
By the end of the afternoon, students finished their rounds through the capitol, wrapping up a day of meetings and conversations with lawmakers.
“Ultimately, we have the best ice cream in the state of Utah,” Sorensen said.