JLSC elevator traps 17 student leaders

This archived article was written by: Emma Rowley

Most people would assume that the student leaders on the USU Eastern campus are the responsible ones.
They provide tours, organize fundraisers and plan events. However on Oct. 15, 17 not-so-responsible student leaders found themselves stuck between floors on the elevator in the Jennifer Leavitt Student Center.
Not only were they extremely cramped, they were all wearing USU Eastern sweaters they had received earlier in the evening.
“We all tried to remain calm, but after we got out, I panicked pretty badly,” said SUN Center leader MaKayla Chadwick. The student leaders had met for “Mini Catalyst,” a leadership-training night, and were wrapping up with a game called Witness Protection Program. The point of the game was to find and hide with the witness, similar to the game Sardines. However, when everyone hid in the elevator, the Witness Protection Program became a prison for the 17 students.
Two RA’s unscrewed the escape hatch on the ceiling of the elevator. Then Kristen Olsen, Terry Johnson and the Price City fire chief helped pull people out of the escape hatch and out onto the second floor. Everyone was shook up and sweaty, but okay. It seemed like the students were trapped in the elevator for hours, but it turned out to be only 30 minutes.