A Little Bit About Me
Hi, my name is Clara Alder. I live by the motto: “Everyone has a name, everyone has a story.” I’ve always tried to see and support people as true individuals. I chose Utah State because I love this inclusive Utah State family. Okay, the fun stuff -- I enjoy roller skating, dancing, music, art, meeting people, making friends, and creating lasting impact. I will graduate with two majors, Psychology (Emma Eccles Jones College of Education) and Sociology (College of Humanities & Social Sciences); I am involved in University Honors and Psi Chi, USU's psychology honors society.
What's my USU story? Part of it relates to wanting to be involved, and not knowing how, then finally figuring things out. My first year on campus, I applied for more than ten committees, organizations, clubs and opportunities but didn't make them. That was hard. Really hard. It is one of the reasons why I strongly believe in, and advocate for, inclusion and involvement. As school finished up that first spring semester, I trained and certified with CAPSA as an advocate. I was also fortunate enough to intern with USU Extension, and engage in research and writing on aspects of the opioid crisis, among other things.
My sophomore year, I joined the Student Alumni Association (SAA) and Utah State University Student Association's (USUSA) Traditions Committee, where I helped with COVID-friendly initiatives and activities. It felt great to be involved in leadership on campus. With service and engagement, I could see some of the impact I had desired.
This year, I have served our community in numerous ways -- USUSA Traditions Director, Miss USU, A-Team Member, Connections Peer Mentor, and as a Member of the Utah System of Higher Education Campus Safety & Equity Commission. Within these positions, I have:
- Produced large-scale events, e.g., Homecoming, High Stakes Bingo, Festival of Trees, Traditions Week, etc.
- Recognized individuals by creating the Aggie Stories Project
- Welcomed new students, led orientations, helped them join the Utah State Family
- Traveled throughout Utah to meet USU students at various USU Statewide locations, including, Brigham City, Tooele, Salt Lake, Kaysville, Blanding, Moab, Vernal, Roosevelt, Uintah, and USU Eastern in Price
- Collaborated with, and advocated for, students and student issues statewide.
I have had many leadership experiences over my lifetime. I believe in stepping forward and serving my community, especially one as inspirational and impactful as Utah State. I know we have challenges ahead, individually and statewide as an institution. But I believe in hard work and getting things done. I have a little bit of time left as a student before I graduate; serving as your president energizes me and I get excited about advocating for you to help make your path better.
