SPEAKER SERIES

The Commons: A Brief History of a Powerful Idea (and how it shapes our lives) 

Michael Harris

Jan. 28, 2026 at 6 PM | Central Instruction Building, Room 101 | 1800 E. University Blvd. Price, UT 84501

Question – What quality do “Steamboat Willie,” the Grand Canyon, and your local library all share? They all exist within the “commons” that seek to protect and make available our cultural property that can enhance and enrich all of our lives. From the physical commons such as National Parks or the local city park, to the “public domain” of intellectual property like the works of Shakespeare or the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, to public services like your local library, the “commons” is an idea in political and economic theory that there are things that should be held jointly and governed by “the people” as a benefit to all. This talk will explore the ideas that serve as the foundation that so many of our “best ideas” spring.

Michael W. Harris is Assistant Librarian and Head of Eastern and Statewide Services at Utah State University Eastern. With a background in archives, digital preservation, and research instruction, he holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science and a Ph.D. in Musicology. His publications span film music, media history, and librarianship, and he frequently presents on space planning, assessment, and thirdspace theory. Harris is dedicated to expanding equitable access and strengthening community-centered library services.

An Exploration of Thomas Paine’s Beliefs and the Resulting Influence on His Activism During the American Revolution

Feb. 9, 2026 at 7 PM | In partnership with Weber State University’s Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics and Public Service
Lindquist Hall, Room 101

https://www.weber.edu/History/vikkideakin.html

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American Expansion: The Mountain Men

Tameron Williams

Feb. 12, 2026 at 7 PM | USU Brigham City Auditorium (989 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT.) The lecture can also be viewed online via Zoom at aggie.link/BC_Zoom.

Uncover the adventurous and rugged role mountain men played in shaping the boundaries and legacy of the American West.

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Revolutionary Roots: How the Founding Documents and Westward Expansion Shaped Utah" | Brought to you by Brigham City Museum of Art & History and America250 Utah

• Robert Burch, Executive Director, Sema Hadithi Foundation

• Kerri Clement, Assistant Professor, Weber State University

• Darren Parry, Author and Visiting Professor, University of Utah

• Jami J. Van Huss, Exhibit Curator, Utah Historical Society

Feb. 17, 2026 at 6-7:30 PM | Brigham City Community Center, upstairs from the Museum (24 N 300 W. Brigham City, UT 84302)

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‘The Best Idea We Ever Had': Wallace Stegner and Artistic Traditions of America's National Parks

Michaelann Nelson

Feb. 25, 2026 at 6 PM | Central Instruction Building, Room 101 | 1800 E. University Blvd. Price, UT 84501

In 1955, famed author and Utahn, Wallace Stegner, wrote an impassioned plea to the American people on behalf of Dinosaur National Monument to advocate against a dam that was being proposed on the Green River that would have flooded Dinosaur National Monument. Stegner could not believe that the United States government would violate the sanctity of a national park unit. Stegner was successful in his quest and became an outspoken defender of America's national parks. This talk will focus on some key artists and writers who have played a pivotal role in using their work to help advocate on behalf of America's national parks.

Michaelann Nelson is an English professor at Utah State University Eastern whose research focuses on environmental rhetoric and literature. She has written extensively about environmental issues of the Southwest and is currently working on a book about the environmental rhetoric of Glen Canyon on the Colorado River. In addition to her research, Nelson is an award-winning teacher committed to mentoring student research, cultivating critical thinking, and meaningful community engagement. She also directs the USU Eastern Writing Center

Religion and the American Founding - Keynote Address

Thomas S. Kidd

March 11, 2026 at 7 PM | BYU's Harman Continuing Education Building (HCEB) in Ballrooms A,B,C |
770 East University Parkway, Provo, UT 84602

Dive into the roots of religion and the American founding with a keynote that’ll expand your understanding and improve your citizenship.

Thomas S. Kidd is among the most celebrated scholars of religion and the founding of the United States. He serves as Research Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the John and Sharon Yeats Endowed Chair of Baptist Studies. Dr. Kidd completed a Ph.D. in history at the University of Notre Dame, where he worked with historian of religion George Marsden. He also earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at Clemson University in South Carolina.

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America in Conflict - The Borgstrom Brothers Story

Deborah Borgstrom Long, Lyle Holmgren, & John Maclelain

March 12, 2026 at 7 PM | USU Brigham City Auditorium (989 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT.) The lecture can also be viewed online via Zoom at aggie.link/BC_Zoom.

The Borgstrom family lost four sons during WWII, an ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. This powerful lecture reflects on the human cost of war.

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As part of Utah State University Uintah Basin’s commitment to community engagement through our land-grant mission, the USU Uintah Basin Speaker Series brings meaningful conversations and thought leadership to our region. We are proud to collaborate with America250 Utah for this special event, featuring Charlotte Hansen Terry, Assistant Professor of History at USU Uintah Basin.

March 17, 2026 at 7pm | USU Uintah Basin, Vernal Campus, Large Conference Room (B101)

Charlotte Hansen Terry is an Assistant Professor of History at Utah State University - Uintah Basin campus. Her research focuses on the varied connections between the North American West and Pacific, including the movement of people and ideas and the relationships between religions, empires, and nations in the region. Her current project traces white and Pacific Islander Mormon attempts to define and expand racial, religious, familial, and national belonging in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She is originally from Utah, and is excited to live closer to the Uintah mountains where she has hiked since childhood.

Legacy in the Balance: Utah’s Mighty 5 and the Economic Impact of the National Parks

Doug Miller

March 25, 2026 at 6pm | Central Instruction Building, Room 101 | 1800 E. University Blvd. Price, UT 84501

When the National Park System was established, its purpose was simple yet profound: to preserve America’s most treasured landscapes for future generations. Today, that vision has grown into an economic force, with national parks contributing over $55 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Nowhere is this effect more apparent than in Utah’s “Mighty 5,” which serve millions of visitors, generate billions in revenue, support thousands of workers, and sustain gateway communities across the state. This success, while meaningful, raises an important question: has the powerful economic impact of the parks begun to overshadow their original purpose of preservation? This talk will explore that balance—how the National Park System can fuel growth and opportunity while remaining true to its enduring mission of protecting America’s natural and cultural heritage.

Doug Miller is the Executive Director of the Southeastern Entrepreneurial Network and Director of the Economic Development Center at Utah State University Eastern. A lifelong advocate for rural vitality, he helps communities across southeastern Utah harness their proximity to national parks and public lands for sustainable growth. His work highlights how America’s parks are not only treasures of beauty and conservation but also powerful drivers of entrepreneurship, tourism, and local prosperity.

Civil Rights in America

Donny Constantineau

April 9, 2026 at 7 PM | USU Brigham City Auditorium (989 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT.) The lecture can also be viewed online via Zoom at aggie.link/BC_Zoom.

Few movements define America like the fight for civil rights. This lecture explores how grassroots voices have shaped policy and pushed the nation toward greater equity and justice.

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