Special Education Alumna Shares Her Love of Photography at the Lyndsley Wilkerson Gallery on the USU Logan Campus

“Through the Lens,” a photographic exhibition that features the works of Judy Silker, alumna from the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, is opening to the public in the Lyndsley Wilkerson Gallery on Monday, October 19. The gallery is located on the first floor in the Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence, which is housed within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences on the USU Logan campus.

Silker’s love of photography has been lifelong, and her photos have been shared internationally with women’s organizations as well as displayed in local galleries and juried art shows. The exhibition celebrates the beauty of everyday surroundings and the joy that comes from simple things including high desert landscapes, frozen fog on tree branches, treasured family moments, and more.

Silker, a California native and current Nevada resident, is a founding member of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Dean’s Advancement Board, a member of the Old Main Society, and a lifetime member of the USU Alumni Association.

Part of Silker’s role as a member of the Dean’s Advancement Board was to provide her vision and feedback on the creation of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence, which formally opened in 2018. Having her treasured photography now featured on the walls of its gallery is something she doesn’t take lightly. “Sharing my love of photography with fellow Aggies and friends is an honor that I will always cherish,” said Silker. “It is icing on the cake to see it hanging on the walls of the Sorenson Center’s art gallery.”

Silker graduated from Utah State with a bachelor’s degree in special education in 1974. Her training in teaching and advocating for disabled children and adults took her to Idaho, California, and Nevada for a 32-year career in rural schools. She has volunteered for several cultural, youth, and community service organizations during her career and in retirement. Judy is a 47-year member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a women’s honorary society for teachers, and she served as Nevada State President for the organization from 2009–2011. 

“Through the Lens” will be open to the public from Monday, October 19 to October 30. The gallery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is free of charge.

For more information, visit the Sorenson Center website.