Letter From The Editor: Ready to ‘Meet the Challenge’
By Timothy R. Olsen ’09, ’18 M.B.A.
Allow me to introduce myself. Though born in Southern Utah, I grew up in Cache Valley and am a lifelong Aggie. At the risk of dating myself, one of my earliest memories of USU is watching in rapture as fans pulled down the goalposts in 1993 after the Aggies defeated BYU in football, 58–56, in one of the most memorable games in program history.
Maybe you purchased a one-foot section of that goalpost for $58.56? If so, I’d love to hear your memory of that day.
My family has always been an Aggie family. My Grandma and Grandpa Olsen have been USU season ticket holders for more than 60 years, and my parents for nearly 40. However, despite growing up attending various Aggie events, holding two degrees from Utah State, and having worked for the university for nearly a decade in various capacities, it wasn’t until recently when I moved into this position that I realized how deep those roots go.
In the late 1950s, my grandmother, Norma June Thompson, was a student at USU. She was an editor for the Buzzer, the university’s yearbook, and a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. As the head editor in 1960, she oversaw the creation of that edition of the yearbook. In her editor’s note that year, she shared an appreciation, “To you, for being part of Utah State University … our code, our institution, our way of life.”
I would like to express similar appreciation in this note. Thank you for being part of Utah State University. If you’re reading this, it’s likely because you’re an alumnus, faculty member, staff member, or student. If not through one of those avenues, then maybe you’re part of the Aggie family through simple proximity to our Logan Campus or one of our amazing Statewide Campuses.
Whatever your USU connection, I appreciate your readership and will strive — along with my small and talented team — to continue sharing powerful stories and producing award-winning content that highlight what it means to be part of Utah State University and the Aggie Family — our code, our institution, our way of life.
