EXHIBITS
Where the Sagebrush Grows: A History of USU Homecoming Traditions: The Alumni Association
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The Alumni Association
Founded on March 8, 1888, as the Agricultural College of Utah (ACU)*, USU held its first graduation ceremony on May 31, 1894. Five commencements later, on June 13, 1899, graduates returned to campus to establish the ACU Alumni Association. For nearly 120 years, the association has maintained the connection between former students and their alma mater. They have hosted class reunions, recognized their peers for their accomplishments after their time at USU, and offered valuable support and mentorship to Aggies past and present.[1] It was through their efforts that Homecoming at USU originally came to be.
Alumni were invited to return to campus for the first Homecoming with this announcement in the Alumni Quarterly publication, sent to all registered alumni of USU in 1930.
These tickets were distributed each year to alumni attending Homecoming and ensured that they would be able to participate in all of the excitement.
Lewis Alford Merrill of Richmond, Utah; Anna Beers Petty of Ogden, Utah; and Arthur Patterson Stover of Portland, Oregon, served as the first officers of the ACU Alumni Association in 1899.[2]
In 1953, the Alumni Association arranged for alumni to gather together for networking and socializing at an event called “Old and New Alumni.” Events such as these highlight the important connections between Aggies of all ages.
* The university has changed names several times. Refer to this list for an explanation of naming conventions:
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1888–1929: Agricultural College of Utah (UAC or ACU)
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1929–1957: Utah State Agricultural College (USAC)
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1957–Present: Utah State University (USU)