COLUMN: Campus names hold meaning
Former USU President Stan Cazier passed in March. I feel slightly ashamed to say I didn’t actually know who President Cazier was until I picked up a newspaper and read his obituary. The more I read, the more curious I became. Why had I never heard of this iconic USU figure who the university blossomed under for more than a decade?
As I talked to people around me who knew Cazier, my opinion of him only grew. I was told he wasn’t always the most liked person on campus because he wasn’t afraid to call people out on their mistakes. But for all of those who didn’t appreciate his blunt nature, there were many more who loved the former history professor for his ability to teach lessons in a way few others could. He was extremely humble, I was told, and always willing to lend a hand where needed.
As students, I think we often overlook the names behind some of the most well-known landmarks on campus. Have you ever wondered just who Ray B. West was, why the library is called Merrill-Cazier or what who the inspiration is behind the Taggart Student Center? If you haven’t, you’re certainly not the only one. However, it may be worth an hour or two of your time before you graduate to learn about the people who were instrumental in creating your college and the university as a whole.
One of the families we’ve chosen to shine a light on in this issue is the Needhams, the inspiration behind S.E. Needham Jewelers. I’ve had the pleasure of having a conversation with owner Gene Needham on more than one occasion. Even over the phone, his kindness seems to shine as he never fails to ask me how my day is going. Although they don’t have a building named after them, the Needhams have provided support for hundreds of campus events through the years, from Miss USU to kickball tournaments on the quad.
Reading about what these families have done – and in most cases, done quietly – is incredible. Although we may coin a “True Aggie” as somebody who gets a smooch on the ever-famous Block A, I’d like to suggest another usage. A True Aggie is a person – like Mr. Cazier or Mr. Needham – who is willing to give not only money but a lot of time and support to USU.
We’ve only highlighted a few people in this features’ section of the paper, but we also recognize there are hundreds of others who have helped shape Utah State University. To those whose actions are hid in the history books: You are not forgotten. Whether or not you have a name on a building, you are etched in the basement of Old Main, in the dusty stacks of books at the library and even in old issues of The Statesman. As I’ve glanced through papers from 1980s, I’ve again been reminded of the thousands of people it takes to run a college.
Students, before you step off of campus and on to bigger and better things, take a few minutes to learn about the Aggies who came before you. Visit special archives in the basement of the library and ask to read an old yearbook or newspaper. After all, as author Michael Crichton once said, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.”
– Allee is a senior majoring in journalism and communications and can be reached at allee.evensen@aggiemail.usu.edu