Brad L. Mortensen inaugurated as 18th USU President
Consistency and commitment were two themes spoken of by newly inaugurated Utah State University President Brad. L Mortensen at his inauguration in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall on Friday, Jan. 16.
The audience was filled with a wide range of prominent Logan City and USU community members, such as Logan City Mayor Mark Anderson, USU’s Miss Native American Cynthia Tsosie and Mehdi Heravi of the Mehdi Heravi Peace Institute. They were joined by students, donors, professors, USU staff, alumni and other community members.
Mortensen was joined on stage by the dean of each USU college, as well as members of the Utah Board of Higher Education, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Tribal Council Chairman Jason Walker of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.
“The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and Utah State University share a long history of collaboration, working together to guide and support our youth as they pursue higher education opportunities,” Walker said. “These efforts not only strengthen my nation but also benefit this university, the state of Utah and future generations to come. The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation looks forward to continuing and strengthening this relationship moving forward. We are excited to be here today, and we are honored to work with you President Mortensen as we move forward together on this new chapter.”
This inauguration follows a weeklong statewide tour Mortensen set out on alongside USUSA President Brandon Sorensen and other university officials. There was an official video documenting the statewide trip shown at the inauguration. Clips included Mortensen discussing and interacting with members of various statewide campuses, such as USU Vernal and USU Salt Lake City.
Mortensen explained one of his goals as president is to expand statewide reach and strengthen equal education opportunity with the overarching goal to ensure economic mobility.
“Grand speeches are light matters of this hour. The work of dismantling education barriers, accelerating research and empowering every Aggie from the first generation to the sixth generation are heavy matters of years to come,” Mortensen said.
Sorensen gave both the opening and closing remarks at the inauguration.
“I’ve been to many campus events and seen firsthand how President Mortensen shows up as himself: approachable, thoughtful and genuinely invested in students and this campus. He takes time to listen, to learn from students and various stakeholders and to build relationships.” Sorensen said. “That’s what it means to be an Aggie: showing up for another, putting in the work and building something that’s bigger than ourselves.”
Many remarks were given referencing the short time between the last USU presidential inauguration and Mortensen’s, each laced with hope that there will be many years from now until the next USU President is inaugurated.
“This institution has been through some rocky times, and we are in desperate need of the right person to lead all of us into the future — to preserve what is best about being an Aggie,” Cox said. “I don’t put my finger on the scale when it comes to these decisions, but I will tell you that one of the very first things I did when I knew that there was going to be a new president of Utah State University was to reach out to my friend Brad Mortensen because I knew that the person that I wanted to lead this university, this university that I care so much about, this university that changed and shaped me and my wife and is now changing and shaping our daughter, needed the very best president possible.”
Students were heavily involved in the inauguration. The Utah State University Choir performed the national anthem and the USU Pep Band performed the USU Fight Song alongside Big Blue and the Spirit Squad. A handful of students and USUSA officers were seated in the audience as well.
The event closed with Mortensen showcasing his piano skills by playing “The Scotsman.” Attendees were then directed to an ice cream social after the event ended.
“The work that remains begins not with a bold declaration of what we know but with a humble commitment to what we must learn,” Mortensen said. “May my commitment to be a listening, learning president be matched by USU, emulating a learning university, not just an institution that imparts knowledge, but one that is constantly learning to educate students from every background.”