Cantwell: a new chapter

Dear Students, Welcome to a new start at Utah State University! I believe it will be a great new academic year for all of you. We have an amazing new athletics director, and I begin my own new chapter as your new president. Like many of you, I have only been here a few weeks, and you will definitely see me wandering around trying to figure out where I am going. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you can help me and introduce yourself! Likewise, I am keenly interested in how I can help you. You can reach out with suggestions or comments through my website.

Even if you’ve been here for a while now, I hope you’re entering this year with the same sense of excitement and discovery as newcomers like me. You probably already have favorite activities, interests, and groups of friends … and I encourage you take this opportunity to expand beyond those. Meet different people. Explore unfamiliar topics. Have new experiences. I am finding that Logan is a great place to create adventures!

At USU, our community and our collective pride thrive on inclusion — we are a place where it is important that everyone finds their way to belong. Already, as I start my own journey here, I feel this spirit, and I am eager to share it with you, extending to you an invitation to share it with others. I encourage you to look at our Aggies Think, Care, Act website for thoughts on how to share a sense of belonging with others. We aren’t merely a university; we are the Aggie Family — a gathering of students, faculty, staff, and community that nurtures, empathizes, and champions an environment of respect.

As your year ramps up, amid all your outward attention on your academic work, your activities, USU athletics and the world around you, I encourage you to acknowledge the complexity of learning to be a thriving human, and I strongly underscore the importance of self-care. Discover the array of resources, support programs, and recre- ational pursuits that we offer at USU. Take a moment to acquaint yourself with the Aggie Wellness website, and learn about the dimensions of wellness, along with the avenues through which USU and our community can assist you.

In the coming year, expect new experiences and new learning. I, myself, am incredibly excited and not a little bit uncertain. Let’s build an amazing adventure together — here’s to an exceptional journey ahead.

Go Aggies!

Elizabeth Cantwell President