Aggie Ice Cream Day: Coveted capitol tradition
Utah State University students turned a long-standing tradition into a Utah State Capitol takeover on Tuesday, Feb. 25, delivering cups of Aggie Ice Cream to every corner of Utah’s legislative hub as a gesture of gratitude and connection.
Fifty thousand gallons of Aggie Ice Cream are produced every year, and Utah lawmakers, staff and security personnel lined up to get their fair share as dozens of students from USUSA and the USU Government Relations Council fanned out and hauled coolers through marble halls across the capitol. Utah lawmakers, staff and security personnel lined up for flavors such as Aggie Blue Mint and True Aggie Night. Big Blue, USU mascot, joined the effort, posing for pictures with legislators and visiting kids, adding a playful touch to the day’s outreach.
“For those who’ve never tried Aggie Ice Cream — which blows my mind — we were thrilled to share it,” said USUSA President Matt Richey, who kicked off the day’s reflections from the student perspective. He said many legislators, whether alumni or connected through family, shared a fondness for Utah State.
That spirit of sharing extended to the event’s logistics, led in part by USUSA Student Advocate Vice President Sydney Lyman, senior double-majoring in political science and print journalism.
It was Lyman’s third and final Aggie Ice Cream Day.
“I’ve done this for a few years,” Lyman said. “I remember when I was a freshman, I wore ridiculous five-inch high heels because I had never been in the capitol before, and I was so nervous. On the marble steps, I fell, and this representative came and helped me up, asking, ‘Are you okay?’ It’s kind of silly that that was such a small moment, but it helped me feel my elected officials were watching out for me in such a time of division.”
As students filled the capitol, university leaders offered their takes on the event’s significance.
“It’s a great opportunity for our students to connect with others: community members, legislators, those working in government,” said Interim President Alan L. Smith. He chuckled that Aggie Blue Mint is probably his favorite flavor but that “I’m avoiding sugar this year. It was my New Year’s resolution. I know it’s going to be very difficult today to be handing this out and not eat any of it.”
The ice cream’s distribution grew broader under the supervision of Devin Wiser, vice president of government and external relations at Utah State, who marked his third legislative session.
“It’s an annual tradition to do Aggie Day on the Hill, and the ice cream is an integral part of that,” Wiser said. “We’ve made a real point to spread the love all throughout the capitol. I love the excitement you see on people’s faces when they see us with the big coolers.”
Jennifer Seelig, director of the USU Institute of Government & Politics, served in the Utah House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014 and brought a lawmaker’s lens to the event.
“When the students come up here and we feature Aggie Ice Cream, it allows students at Utah State University to become engaged in the state legislative process,” Seelig said. “It also shows one of the great initiatives we have as an educational institution with our food sciences. It’s a welcoming time — not only for the public staff and elected officials — especially now at the end of the session when things can be very tense and people are exhausted, and ice cream is a nice way to remind us all that we’re human beings.”
The ice cream’s arrival shifted the capitol’s mood as lawmakers embraced the break.
“You’ll see — I’ll call them the green coats and the blue coats — who are generally retired public safety officials that used to work for the State of Utah, and they do a lot of the security,” Seelig said. “These gentlemen just love having the ice cream.”
Gary Service, House public safety committee member, has worked 19 years at the capitol after retiring from Delta Air Lines. Known for sporting fun socks each day — amassing 148 pairs with Jerry Garcia’s among his favorites — he cherished the event’s energy.
“These students bring a burst of energy to our long days,” Service said, noting his love for Aggie Ice Cream Day and the chance to talk with students about their experiences.
Gov. Spencer Cox, 1998 Aggie alumnus, took a moment amid session debates to celebrate the tradition’s milestone.
“This is our favorite day of the session,” Cox said, who signed a declaration in 2022 marking 100 years of Aggie Ice Cream. “It’s almost worth having a legislative session just to get you all here. We love our Aggies. Thank you for bringing ice cream, which everybody loves, but also just thank you for being the very best people.”
Wiser said anticipation ran high for weeks, with people asking all session, “When is Aggie Day on the Hill?” since they knew Feb. 25 meant ice cream.
“The ice cream day is an event that GRC looks forward to every year, so for them to be able to experience the capitol building and meet and talk to our elected officials, it’s a really cool experience,” said GRC executive director William Wright, political science senior who interned at the legislature the previous year.
Wright saw a deeper symbol in the treat.
“When people think of Utah State, I don’t mean to brag, but I think we have some pretty darn good ice cream to be able to go down there and have Aggie Ice Cream be a visual representation of Utah State and what makes Utah State good,” Wright said.
Wiser added it highlighted Utah State’s offerings “literally and figuratively — a great way to get people excited about our other offerings through the ice cream gateway.”
The event fostered more than smiles as students and leaders reflected on its broader impact.
“I’d echo Dr. Seelig when she said it wasn’t about the ice cream,” Lyman said. “To be able to share that and give thanks to our legislators who do so much for us at the university is such a phenomenal experience. We are able to do the good work we do because of the support you give us.” “Aggie Ice Cream Day is a really good opportunity for students involved with the USUSA and especially our statewide individuals that might be feeling disconnected from what goes on up in Logan to get together and discuss ways we can better our communities,” Wright said.
Richey turned to Utah State’s future amidst the changing climate in higher education.
“I might be biased towards Utah State, being its president, but I do believe that Utah State is uniquely equipped to handle the challenges that are coming towards higher education,” Richey said. “I believe that whatever challenges come our way we will not only survive — we will thrive.”
Smith underscored USU’s solid foundation.
“Utah State University is a true gem for the state, responsible for setting the stage for the future of leadership in the state,” Smith said.
Both Seelig and Wiser emphasized internship’s value, encouraging student involvement.
“I owe a lot of my career to doing an internship through the Institute of Government & Politics when I was at Utah State University,” Wiser said. “It really was a launching pad for me, so I just really want to spread that message far and wide to students that they should look around and look at internship opportunities because it can really change your life.”
Smith closed with pride in that outreach’s ripple effect.
“I’d want our students to know that we’re super proud of what they do. They represent us so incredibly well,” Smith said. “I’m proud of every Aggie and want to encourage them to keep pursuing their dreams and making use of Utah State University as a launch pad for them to do bigger and better things throughout their lives.”
With decades of Aggie Ice Cream history in every scoop, the long-standing tradition fused Utah State’s past with its future, proving a simple treat can forge lasting bonds between a university and its lawmakers — one spoonful at a time.