USU celebrates children and families

From The Utah Statesman, Sept. 15, 2008.

The provost’s office sponsored the first Celebration of Children and Families Friday on the Quad, offering 28 different activities at booths run by every college at USU.

Ann Austin, vice provost of faculty development and diversity, was in charge of the event.

“All of the colleges have at least one act, and they were asked to gear their activities toward children from the ages of three on up to 13,” she said.

“Some of the colleges laughed when I told them it had to be geared for three to 13 year olds, and they said, ‘How do we do that?’ But we consulted with them and told them how it could be done, how to take their specialties and take it down to a three year old level.”

USU Dining Services, the USU Bookstore, the Space Dynamics Lab, the football team and the Merrill-Cazier Library also participated in the event.

“The purpose of today is to kick off the Aggie Care Child Care program. The Aggie Care Child Care program is for the USU community, faculty and students. Aggie Care helps parents find child care for their children, according to the age of the child, the proximity of the day care to the parents work, etc.,” Austin said.

“I’ve been here for 27 years and during that time I raised five children, two of which were born after I came to Utah State, and I just realized how important child care is so you can be professional and carry out your tasks.”

Heather Clawson, freshman majoring in early childhood and elementary education, volunteered to work at the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services’ booth, which offered seven activities, including a dice game and sign language instruction.

“It’s fun,” Clawson said. “I like playing with the little kids. They’re really cute.”

Clawson said she felt activities like the celebration were important because “they involve the community, not just the school.”

Austin said USU is a very atypical school because of its large married population, but there aren’t many activities geared toward families.

“I just think that USU has sort of seen ourselves as part of the typical college crowd, rather than different as per our region, when, in fact, by the time the graduating class comes around, about half of the students are married,” Austin said.

Heather Lorimer, USU alumna whose husband works in USU’s IT department, attended the activity with her family, including her 3-year-old son Noah, who said he liked coloring the food guide pyramid and eating grapes at the USU Bookstore’s booth best.

“Our kids love it, our little boy especially. Every time he sees the Utah State banners he does the Utah State chant, and so he was so excited to come up today,” Lorimer said.

Austin said she was pleased with the way the university’s colleges and departments came together to create the afternoon for families.