President visits local student employers
In an effort to enhance ties with local businesses, President Kermit L. Hall has been visiting key employers in Logan this month.
President Hall, along with Chief of Staff Craig Petersen, met with the managers of such companies as Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Their mission was to express appreciation to the businesses for their efforts in employing Utah State University students, let the managers know of their availability to address concerns and, as Hall said, to add a “personal touch.”
The managers of the companies were unanimous in their positive response to the visits.
Lowe’s manager, Kerry Naasz, said he was “very impressed” by his meeting with President Hall.
Wal-Mart’s Ron Tuttle had a similar reaction to his unprecedented visit with the president.
“I feel good that the president of a school would come. We’ve never had that happen before,” he said.
The managers were not the only ones who saw the venture as a positive experience. President Hall and Petersen used the opportunity to gain an overall impression of how companies view USU students.
Petersen said, “They were elated with the students, their work ethic and their capability.”
President Hall said the businesses have an “enormous respect for the student body” because they are hard-working, punctual and smart.
The student-employer relationship is a lucrative one, Naasz said. He appreciates the variety in schedules and flexibility that come with hiring students. One of the chief reasons many of these businesses come to Logan is their interest in the pool of labor produced by the students.
Sam Simmons, a freshman studying psychology, works at Lowe’s. He said his employers try to be accommodating to students. He said they encourage education and are flexible in scheduling. Simmons believes President Hall’s efforts to boost ties between the school and community workplaces are worthwhile.
Patricia Terrell, vice president of Student Services, agreed.
She said, “Anything to promote good community relations is a wonderful idea.”
Terrell said she feels President Hall’s visits may heighten the opportunity students have for good employment. That way, she said, they won’t have to “rely so much on student loans.”
In conjunction with President Hall’s promotion of student employment, Terrell believes students should receive help to find good jobs. She and Vice Provost Joyce Kinkead are planning to host a job fair in the fall to give community employers, as well as on-campus employers, the opportunity to recruit.
President Hall said he wants the businesses in the community to feel involved with the university. He wants to give them the ability to attend functions, serve on boards and participate in student activities.
“We need to continue to do the best job here to support the economy,” he said.
President Hall said he believes tightening connections with community employers is a means of giving that support. His visits this month are only the “latest of a series of efforts.” President Hall plans to continue meeting with local businesses and expressing thanks.
“When the president shows appreciation, students benefit,” he said.