Utah State University Moab Celebrates 2024 Graduating Class

Utah State University Moab is proud to have celebrated its class of 2024 on Thursday, April 25. The class of 2024 had 44 individuals who completed the requirements for a degree and/or certificate. This year’s class earned 23 undergraduate certificates, 18 associate, nine bachelor’s, six master’s, and one doctorate degree.

“Tonight, we will recognize individuals who have given continued and unceasing support to USU Moab, and of course we will recognize our outstanding graduates, Utah State University’s next generation of alumni,” said Kristian Olsen, senior associate vice president for USU Moab. “Tonight is a celebration of your success in completing your degree or certificate.”

USU Moab celebrated the graduates with a ceremony at HooDoo Moab. Olsen welcomed the graduates and had Professional Practice Assistant Professor Terry Dial introduce the student speaker, Andrea Noyes, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies, specializing in social work.

In her address, Noyes encouraged her fellow graduates to find their own self-worth and not compare or belittle their successes based on anyone else. Having taken 20 years herself to be able to cross the graduation stage, Noyes told her fellow graduates to take pride in their own achievements.

“You have been through a lot of life challenges to arrive at this point in your life and that makes you worth so much more than any letter grades can ever measure,” Noyes said.

Noyes then reminded the cohort that the journey begins at the graduation stage. It does not end there. She told her graduates to never lose sight of their own gifts and talents.

“As you venture forth into the world beyond these hallowed halls, you will encounter new challenges, new opportunities, and new horizons waiting to be explored,” she said. “Embrace these challenges with open arms, for they are the catalysts for growth and the crucibles of character. Never lose sight of your purpose, your passion and your potential to effect positive change in the world.”

Olsen then introduced the keynote speaker, Leticia Bentley, a community advocate and teacher as well as a member of the USU Moab Advisory Council. Bentley began her speech by sharing the story of her mother and the many challenges and lessons that Bentley learned during her childhood in Mexico. She shared her story of becoming a single mother, earning a college degree and moving to Moab with her son after meeting her second husband. She spoke of her struggles to learn English and to get certified as a teacher in Utah, all while balancing working for little pay and needing to make time for her family. Through all this, she recalled the lessons her mother had taught her as a child.

“Success doesn't just come to the smartest or the most talented or the one who has the most money,” Bentley recalled her mother saying. “Many times, it comes to those who just don't quit.”

Bentley applauded the graduates for also not quitting. She then reminded them that the journey is only now beginning. She encouraged them to face life’s obstacles with the same tenacity with which they tackled school.

“There will be difficulties to overcome and problems to solve, but you will find a way to succeed if you just remember that quitting is not part of your vocabulary,” Bentley said. “Because you are warriors, and warriors do not quit.”

USU President Elizabeth R. Cantwell then shared a short message and conferred upon the students their degrees, and the graduates received their diplomas. The celebration concluded with a welcome address from Matthew White, vice president of Advancement and president of the USU Foundation.

Located in the outdoor recreation paradise of Moab and boasting one of the greenest buildings on any USU campus, Utah State University Moab offers students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With programs such as Nursing, Elementary Education, Recreation Resource Management and Social Work, technical education in Health Professions, Automotive and Business, and degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, USU Moab offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at moab.usu.edu.