USU Uintah Basin Campus

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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.

A wonderful and amazing thing is happening in Vernal. It will have a tremendous impact on not only the Uintah Basin but also on the entire state of Utah.

Utah State University is constructing an exciting new Uintah Basin campus that will make higher education much more accessible to a larger portion of the state's population. It will also impact the area by way of economic development, image and culture.

I had a fine visit with Dr. Robert T. Behunin, assistant to the president for special projects at Utah State University. Dr. Behunin showed me renderings and master plans of the new campus, which will encompass 138 acres of prime land. The first building is now under construction, and there will eventually be many more.

The university has raised $80 million thus far. Mineral leases and federal oil and gas lease revenues will also assist with the funding, and a wide-reaching private sector development effort has been launched. The Robert H. Williams Family has been very supportive and has made a sizeable donation to the campus effort.

I drove out to the site and saw the work being accomplished on the infrastructure. "Aggie Boulevard" will be a major arterial roadway through the campus. The construction site was a beehive of activity, and it was obvious to me that this will be a beautiful location for this coveted campus.

Robert tells me that the USU's Uintah Basin location will provide one student body, one purpose and one campus for the community. The most advanced interactive video and conferencing technology will be incorporated, and the university will offer 18 bachelor's degrees, seven master's degrees and one doctorate degree.

It will be exciting to watch the development of this outstanding educational effort.

For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.