USU beyond Logan

Utah State University has 30 campus locations across the state, offering a variety of academic programs. Some students choose to begin their academic journey at one campus and can complete their degree at others. 

Tyler Elgiar started his college career at Vernal Campus, and decided to get his bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and management. After finishing his degree, he started working with the air quality team at the Bingham Research Center in Vernal and pursued a master’s degree in toxicology at USU. 

“At the end of that degree, I started working with the air quality team at the Bingham Research Center, and my boss convinced me to pursue a master’s degree, and toxicology seemed to fit the bill with air quality and some of the stuff I did previously,” Elgiar said. “The courses that I needed to attend to complete my toxicology degree weren’t being offered at the Vernal campus, so I moved to Logan.” 

Many students, like Elgiar, started pursuing their degree at one of USU’s statewide campuses. Some of them pursue further education beyond a bachelor’s degree, which becomes more difficult for smaller campuses to facilitate.  

However, USU’s statewide system allows students to pursue all degrees by increasing offered courses. 

Seth Lyman, the director of the research center, said moving to a statewide campus is easier when the student has faculty and staff contacts in both places.  

“If it’s just in an academic way, then I know at the statewide campuses, the advisers — the academic advisers — have access to and help students with classes on both campuses,” Lyman said. 

Elgiar said the Vernal campus is small, which allowed him to have close one-on-one meetings with professors. 

“I was able to participate in a variety of different internships, which seems a little easier at the smaller campuses than the main Logan campus,” Elgiar said. 

Now attending graduate school in Logan, Elgiar said being around graduate students and others in his program is a highlight of being on campus.  

Increased online learning has provided more course accessibility for students across the state. However, Elgiar said that some courses were not able to be provided virtually because of the small class sizes at the Vernal campus. 

Elgiar expressed that opportunities created by USU’s expansions helped him to further his education and work towards his goals. 

Elgiar said the ability to have close ties with professors and the internship opportunities available make the statewide campuses a great way to create a solid academic foundation.  

The number of courses available to students through the main campus in Logan allowed Elgiar to pursue his master’s degree through USU and further his education and career. 

“Try to have a solid plan, pick out what classes you know you’re going to need, and make sure that that campus offers them all,” Elgiar said. “If you’re in an undergraduate program, that probably won’t be too big of an issue. Just work hard and keep pushing through.”