OUR VIEW: Nominate Berger for Man of the Year
The Robins awards are coming up, and ASUSU is accepting nominations. Every spring, the university celebrates the best individuals, departments and events among us. Consider nominating Danny Berger for Man of the Year.
We usually don’t make endorsements. We didn’t recommend Romney or Obama. We won’t tell you who to vote for in the upcoming ASUSU elections. If Berger wins Man of the Year, however, it will symbolize victory for all of us.
The student section of the Spectrum is often praised – but sometimes critics say the students’ chants are poor sportsmanship. After Berger’s hospitalization, however, the unity displayed so often in the Spectrum prompted hundreds of students to reach out to Berger and his family. In this instance, Utah State Basketball fans proved the student section – and the solidarity it engenders – can be a force for good.
Berger wasn’t the only student to experience tragedy last year. Students were injured in car accidents. Some lost loved ones. Others had to drop out or defer other dreams due to strained finances. Last year, students were victims of abuse and assault. Some of us fought cancer, HIV or other diseases. Some students took their own lives. In all of these cases, we hope the USU community showed compassion and helped relieve others’ burdens.
Berger symbolizes all of us to whom life lobs lemons. Many of us envy humble optimism Berger has shown throughout his recovery. Two weeks ago, President Albrecht shared a letter from Diane Berger thanking trainer Mike Williams for saving her son’s life. She commended the USU community for reaching out to him. Though we aren’t perfect, though we may not show the same compassion toward every injured or grieving Aggie, we got it right this time. An award for Berger would celebrate not only him, but every classmate who suffers trials with bravery and every neighbor who reaches across the fence. He symbolizes the best in all of us.
Nominating Berger won’t guarantee he gets the award. Any student can nominate others, but ASUSU decides who walks home with Man of the Year. Still, if several people nominate Berger, he might have a better chance.
If you’d like to nominate someone else for Man of the Year, you should. If you know a good candidate for Woman of the Year, the Bill E. Robins Award or any of the other categories, make a nomination. We’ll be paying for the pomp and circumstance of the Robins Awards through student fees, but the more we participate, the more the awards will mean.
To nominate a student or organization, visit http://usu.edu/asusu/robinsawards/nominate.cfm