LOGAN — Utah State Athletics Hall of Famer and NFL All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner will return to Logan this spring to deliver the keynote address at Utah State University’s 139th commencement ceremony.
Wagner, a 14-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion, will speak to graduates during the event on April 29 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
A native of Ontario, California, Wagner was a four-year starter for the Aggies from 2008 to 2011. He finished his collegiate career tied for the school record with 446 tackles and helped lead USU to its first bowl game appearance in 14 years. Following his time in Logan, Wagner was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He went on to win a Super Bowl in 2014 and has received multiple All-Pro selections.
Off the field, Wagner is noted for his philanthropy. He founded the nonprofit FAST54 and is one of only a handful of players in NFL history to be nominated four times for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
During the ceremony, the university will present honorary degrees to three individuals: Joyce Albrecht, Stan Albrecht and Ara Serjoie.
Stan Albrecht served as USU’s 15th president from 2005 to 2017. A first-generation college student from Fremont, Utah, he oversaw a significant era of expansion for the university, including the construction of new facilities in Logan and at regional campuses. Joyce Albrecht, who served as the university’s first lady, dedicated 45 years to higher education administration. Her fundraising efforts were instrumental in developing the Caine School of the Arts.
Serjoie, a USU alumnus born in Iran, arrived in Logan as an international student in 1993. He has spent three decades in higher education advancement and served on the Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission.
The academic procession and ceremony will begin at 6:15 p.m. Officials announced that a clear-bag policy will be enforced at all Logan commencement events. Bags must be clear and not exceed 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches. Small clutch purses and medical bags are permitted exceptions.
College convocations and hooding ceremonies are scheduled for April 30 and May 2, while statewide campuses will hold ceremonies between April 16 and April 25.