Gift Pushes USU Eastern Past $1 Million Mark

Article Courtesy of Utah State Today 

An aerial view of the USU Eastern campus in Price. A donation by the Sorenson Legacy Foundation supports the Building Vitality Campaign.

A $267,000 donation from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation pushes Utah State University Eastern past the million dollar mark in private funding toward its Building Vitality Campaign.

The significance of this is that USU Eastern can now hand the Utah Legislature complete architectural plans for a new Central Instructional Building when it convenes in January. This will hopefully move the project even higher up on the state building priority list, said USU Eastern Chancellor Joe Peterson.

“We wanted to pay for architectural planning in advance of the upcoming legislative session,” he said. “We have now accomplished that goal.”

The Sorenson Legacy Foundation is known for support of educational initiatives related to arts and the disabled or disadvantaged.

“We’re extremely grateful that the foundation perceived our project’s congruity with the foundation’s values, and the importance of our project for this region,” Peterson said. “Its gift makes the foundation one of the college’s chief partners in extending access to cultural events and educational opportunity.”

It was estimated that it would cost USU Eastern $1.4 million for architectural planning. Last year the state legislature gave the college a kick-start when it allocated $500,000 in planning money for the project. With help from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, USU Eastern was able to raise the additional private funding necessary to not only meet, but exceed its goal, Peterson said.

“The success of our fundraising effort demonstrates in a concrete way that people of good will understand and value USU Eastern in general, and this building project in particular,” he said. “Now, as we seek full funding for construction, it is up to us to explain why this new building is so important to the college and our regional vitality.”

Part of this has to do with curb appeal.

The Building Vitality Campaign is based on the connection between buildings, enrollments and economic vitality in southeast Utah. The logic of the campaign is that to boost economic and cultural vitality in southeast Utah, USU Eastern needs to prepare more people to make economic and cultural contributions, Peterson said.

To prepare more people, the college needs to grow its enrollment numbers. Facilities play an important role in attracting new students because without upgraded or new campus structures, it’s difficult to effectively compete against other campuses in the state, he said.

“This new building will allow the college to improve facilities, attract and enroll more students and have a greater impact on the regional vitality,” Peterson said.
 
http://eastern.usu.edu/price/

A Story of Hope: Three USU students survive in the Philippines

McCall (left), Morgan (center), and Lyssa (right), pose for a photo with their students on October 18th. 

A week ago today, a record breaking Typhoon hit the islands of the Philippines. Three Utah State students were living in Thomas Oppus, Southern Leyte in the Philippines doing their student teaching when the storm hit.

Lyssa Bevan, McCall Eldredge and Morgan Parrish were shaken but unharmed by this storm. 

Leyte was the hardest hit, and thousands are dead in the city of Tacloban. These three women immediately set to work helping where they could.

"Lyssa and the two other students are in a unique position to help," stated Stacie Bevan Cannon, Lyssa's sister.

"All three have come up with this tremendous idea on how to help.  They have no way of getting into the hardest hit areas, however they all have international bank accounts.  They have asked friends and family to spread the word that we are taking monetary donations and depositing it into Lyssa's account. The girls can then withdraw the money and buy much needed supplies (i.e. clothing, food, water and medical supplies) over there, with no shipping costs or transfer fees. Therefore 100% of every donation goes straight to the relief effort."

Lyssa, McCall and Morgan had no way of knowing that their student teaching experiences would turn into an international crisis. But they are making the most of their resources and have become a blessing to the local Filipino.  The school they were living and teaching at, Southern Leyte State University, has been set up as a gathering place for supplies, where helicopters can load up and deliver supplies into the harder hit area of Tacloban (roughly 60 miles away).

"The town they are living in was one of the the very few that had little, to no damage, so stores are still standing and Lyssa, McCall and Morgan can buy supplies. They have been in contact with local church leaders to find out who in the immediate area is in need of assistance and are taking some of their supplies to these families as well," said Stacie. 

"Lyssa served a mission for the LDS church in the Philippines and has a great love for the people there," said Stacie,  "and the Philippine people have been endeared in the hearts of my family and me as well."

Below are three ways YOU can help in the Philippine relief effort.

1. If you would like to donate to Lyssa, McCall and Morgan's relief efforts 

Donations can be mailed to 

Philippine Relief Fund 

c/o Stacie Bevan Cannon (make checks or money orders out to Lyssa Bevan)

P.O. Box 4001

Logan, UT. 84323

    

2. The Beven family business is also accepting donations online for Lyssa's fund.

Through americanrealestaterentals.com or email Stacie Bevan Cannon for more information stacie.cannon811@gmail.com.  

3. Donate to a local church or the Red Cross  

A photo of the island where they are teaching, Taken November 2nd. Five days before the storm.
Photo Courtesy of Facebook, with permission

Lyssa poses for a photo with "Big Blue" on October 29th.

McCall (Top left), Lyssa (Top center), and Morgan (Top right), pose for a photo with Professors at Southern Leyte University on October 18th. 


Update: 
PHILIPPINE RELIEF UPDATE
Lyssa, Morgan and McCall have been able to buy 198 liters of water, 100 kilos of rice, (One kilo of rice is about 2.2 pounds and can typically feed a family.) They have also been able to purchase and donate powdered milk to feed infants, canned goods, biscuits and more.   Southern Leyte State University has allowed the girls to use a van and provided  them with a driver to transport the supplies. They have been in contact with a few different local church leaders who know of more people in need of food and supplies. Lyssa, Morgan and McCall are splitting the supplies they acquire between SLSU (and therefore Tacloban City) and the people in need in their immediate area.
Lyssa's family would like to thank everyone who has donated and made these relief efforts possible.