Young closes vault at Eastern

This archived article was written by: Daniel Pike

After 34-and-a-half years at USU Eastern, Jan Young, director of academic records and registration, is retiring Dec. 31. In her time here, Young has seen a lot of things come and go: new technologies, new policies and a never-ending stream of new and returning students. And she has loved every minute of it.
Most of what Young’s job deals with admissions, registrations transfers and graduation; however, she also oversees athletic eligibility and has acted as the veteran’s coordinator for the university. She even produced the general catalogues when USU was still CEU. Young said, “My favorite part is helping all the students succeed. That’s why we do what we do here. This institution has helped a lot of people.”
Though Young says that, “it’s time to for me retire,” she explains that Logan has also purchased a new software program that will feed into USU’s Banner program that automates application and admission processes and be handled by admissions counselors in Logan. “I’ve seen a lot of technology come and go in 34 years and this is just part of it. It’s all part of advancement.”
At the end of December, Young will retire and plans to do volunteer work and spend time with her family. She says with a smile, “I’ve never retired before so this is new to me. I’ve worked since I was 15, so this is going to be a big change for me.”
In her time here, Young has seen a lot of students come and go. She has seen what works for students, and what doesn’t. She advises students to, “take responsibility for your own actions. Take your classes seriously and get a degree plan together as soon as you can. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to get to class, do the work and acquire knowledge and skills. At the same time, you can’t blame your faults and failings on others. If you’ve made a mistake, own up to it and move forward.”
Young has seen so much in her time here and has lots to offer in terms of wisdom and advice. She knows the value of education and what a community college can do for a place like Price.
Young said, “This institution has been absolutely invaluable to our community. I think people need to realize how incredibly lucky they are to have an institution like this in such a small city. People should absolutely take full advantage of everything USU Eastern has to offer. This is an amazing place; I’ll miss it when I go.”