Utah State just wants to have fun
Utah State University has not seen an enrollment rate this high since 2016, with nearly 29,000 students in 2024. As the school expands, neighboring businesses and organizations gear up to provide students with the experiences many are searching for.
Dane Cooper, former student-athlete at Snow College, co-founded VCD events with former USU student-athletes Viko Noma’aea and CJ O’Neal over 10 years ago and has seen the engagement, community and spirit of Logan multiply with themed parties, dances and events.
“Utah State is special,” Cooper said. “There are few places like it.”
VCD draws in thousands of students all along the Interstate 15 corridor. An integral part of their work is intertwined with USU students who share the same vision. Cooper spoke of the importance of gaining real-world experience in college and how they are always on the lookout for students who want to get involved on the production side of events.
“I’ve learned when to let other people make decisions, and that has allowed me to see them grow in their positions,” Cooper said.
Chase “Taco” Hoffman is a lead promoter for VCD and serves as a media representative for USU. A Logan native and true USU basketball fan, Hoffman grew up around USU athletics all his life.
“The college experience is about getting out — seeing new things,” Hoffman said. “Don’t sit at home — the canyon is two minutes away — Salt Lake is an hour and a half. Experience what Utah State brings.”
Hoffman is studying business and communications with an entrepreneurship minor. He credited a class taught by Boyd Craig as the catalyst for pushing him to be more proactive with his goals as a person and as an entrepreneur.
“Boyd Craig is my guy. He just gets it. What he taught just puts things into perspective for me,” Hoffman said. “Your mind can do more than you think.”
Hoffman has helped VCD promote and manage many events like the Foam Party, Catastrophe and the GATSBY Party Tour, which ran from Provo through Pocatello, Idaho.
Hoffman said relationships are at the center of what he does.
“I still talk to Craig Smith, who’s at the [University of Utah], and he talks very positively about Utah State and the atmosphere,” Hoffman said. “All these Power Five teams — they just draw kids left and right, and people [are] just putting themselves out there.”
Both Hoffman and Cooper said a lot of the interactions between organizations like this and Utah State students lie in the hands of USU’s student government.
“It does depend on the personality types of the people leading the students at USU,” Cooper said. “Some are more into it, and some aren’t, understandably.”
Mason Fiefia is a Logan DJ who mixes for many VCD events and places, like the Cache Valley Fun Park’s weekly Sk80’s Night.
Fiefia grew up playing the guitar and bass but was always drawn to the production and performance aspects of music.
“What makes a good DJ is being able to read the room,” Fiefia said. “It’s combining math, music and emotional intelligence.”
Fiefia has been with VCD for over 10 years and has seen the growth and enthusiasm first-hand.
“Logan is a small town but a town with so much potential,” Fiefia said. “We have great student life, everybody is involved, everyone goes to the games and people want things to do.”
Following the lockdown in 2020, Fiefia said student life and engagement was slightly muted, but he remarks on students’ persevering desire to connect with their community.
“There is excitement, and people want to go out,” Fiefia said. “If this isn’t your scene, there’s tons to do in Logan. WhySound does a lot of cool shows. There’s Sk80’s Sometimes, it’s just about going out to see.”