Aggie Nation,
 
Since being named Interim Athletics Director in November, I have focused on serving our student-athletes at the highest level. Your generous support allows them to thrive in the classroom, in the community and on the field of competition. Our staff is committed to moving the vision of the Athletics Department and Utah State University forward in a progressive way.   
 
The landscape surrounding college athletics is changing at a rapid pace, and for Utah State Athletics to continue to remain competitive in the Mountain West, we must evolve and grow, too. I want to give you an update on some of our long-term department goals and ways that you can get involved.
 
Last fiscal year we ended with 1,844 Aggies Unlimited Members – those who contribute to USU Athletics through philanthropic donations and priority seating requirements – which set an all-time high for the department. We've set a goal to reach 5,000 members by the year 2026. In setting this goal, we restructured our Aggies Unlimited program and created a more robust model. These changes provide opportunities and benefits for those who make charitable donations and ticket purchases. In this process we are asking Aggies to give what they can, as a donation of any size impacts the experience of our student-athletes. For more information regarding the restructured Championship Giving and Seating Fund, please visit aggiesunlimited.com.
 
We will also continue to focus on upgrading athletic facilities with an eye toward enhancing the game day experience. We are collaborating with Event Services, Parking Services and other departments on campus with the objective to make each game day a success. You may have noticed construction in the south end zone of Maverik Stadium. The project scope is to provide bathrooms in the southeast area of the concourse and widening the walkways for easier pedestrian flow. In addition, we are conducting a full-scale review of each of our athletics facilities with long-term needs and project prioritization over the next 5 to 10 years.
 
I recently met with The HURD committee to have an open dialogue about the direction of what is the greatest student section in the nation. As you know, The HURD is a lifeline for Aggie Athletics. Having our students in attendance to cheer on our teams gives our events an enhanced energy that is undeniably extraordinary! We are seeing that energy in the Spectrum again this season, which is what "Spectrum Magic" is all about.
 
We recently announced a new contract with our multimedia partners, Learfield. Without getting too bogged down with details, I can say this contract will bring over $10 million of new funding into the department over the next several years. This, along with other revenue enhancing initiatives, will continue to keep us competitive with other Mountain West institutions.
 
We have an amazing group of coaches and staff at Utah State and our incredible student-athletes are doing the work to be competitive in the classroom and in their competitions. In one way or another, we all have a connection to Utah State. That passion is at the core of what it means to be an Aggie. Please join us in helping our continued growth. We know there is always room for improvement. As your Interim Athletics Director, my objective is to be transparent and responsive – we are committed to you. I will continue to update you on what is happening in Aggie Athletics and welcome your feedback. You can reach me at https://utahstateaggies.com/AskTheAD
 
Thank you and Go Aggies!
 
Best,
 
Jerry Bovee
Interim Athletics Director | Utah State University