A remodeled building that served for 100 years as home to the presidents of Utah State University has been dedicated as the David B. Haight Alumni Center.
Named in honor of Elder David B. Haight of the Council of the Twelve, the new alumni center was dedicated July 11.Church, business, legislative, civic and university leaders, as well as family and friends of Elder Haight, attended the ceremony, which was filled with loving tributes to the apostle.
Elder Haight attended USU from 1925 to 1928, graduating in business administration. He received the USU Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978.
President Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve offered the dedicatory prayer. He asked that the center would long be used for righteous purposes and acknowledged it was not constructed to benefit those present but to bless the generations who will come in succeeding years.
Other members of the Council of the Twelve attending the dedication were Elder Russell M. Nelson and Elder James E. Faust. Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy and Aileen Clyde, second counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency and a member of the Utah Board of Regents, were also present.
Much of the funding for the home's renovation came from Utah industrialist Jon M. Huntsman and his wife, Karen, who is also a regent. He is president of the Salt Lake Monument Park Stake. Sister Huntsman is the daughter of Elder Haight.
In 1989, the Huntsmans donated $500,000 to the project. The remainder of the funds for the $1 million project came from contributions by 1,000 USU alumni.
Built in 1891, the home was designed as a model farm house for USU, Utah's land-grant university. But, USU Pres. Stanford Cazier said the building became the home for the first USU president, Jeremiah Sanborn, and was occupied by every USU president until 1983. That year a new presidential home was constructed near the campus.
Pres. Cazier, who said thousands of guests have been received in the home in its first 100 years, explained that the David B. Haight Alumni Center will serve as the university's official reception center.
With the remodeling, a new wing for a reception area and banquet hall was added so the home can handle more visitors, Pres. Cazier said. The remodeling was designed to blend the new wing with the old home. The building is listed on the National Historic Register.
The USU president said, "Elder Haight and his good wife, Ruby, exemplify in their lives the characteristics and aspirations of this university."
Karen Huntsman related how USU and Logan have always remained special to her father. On family vacations the family would sing the university's song and Elder Haight would toot the horn, she recalled. She said her father also always kept a box of chocolates from The Bluebird, a Logan cafe, on the closet shelf of his California home.
Pres. Huntsman referred to his father-in-law as "his dearest friend." He said David Haight, the man, is characterized by words like kindness, integrity, service and friend.
He said David Haight, the apostle, is described by love, dedication, commitment, service to others and devotion to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
David Haight, the husband and father, is noted by expressions of faithfulness, fidelity, concern, graciousness and total devotion, Pres. Huntsman said.
Of the new alumni center, Elder Haight said he never expected to have a building named after him. He said he and Sister Haight are "humble but grateful to have our names so mingled with this institution in any capacity."
The apostle said he was grateful for his association with USU. "Here I was challenged to think, to stretch my mind, to communicate and to associate with people. Values were high. Noble standards were in place . . . This campus made an imprint for good upon my life," he said.
