Feature: USU Blanding VP Hunter Warren
Hunter Warren, vice president of USU Blanding, said the campus is known for being a “home away from home” for many students. The campus is full of culture and diversity.
Warren said the majority of the close to 400 students who attend USU Blanding are Native American — a large percentage of those students being Navajo.
According to the USU Blanding website, “The Utah State University Blanding campus opens doors for residents in Utah’s remote southeast corner, including Native Americans in the Four-Corners region. It is a college campus small enough to keep students from getting lost in the crowd but with connections large enough to offer endless possibilities.”
Warren is from Red Mesa, a Navajo reservation in Utah. Since beginning his attendance at USU Blanding in the fall of 2017, he said he has always felt this “home away from home” feeling at his campus.
“When you come here, you can feel it,” Warren said.
Warren is finishing his masters in social work and plans to graduate this spring.
This is Warren’s second year as VP. He said it is sad, but also heartwarming, that he has been able to serve for two years, and will be giving it up because of graduation.
Following graduation, he aspires to either stay in Blanding or move back to Red Mesa for a career in social work.
“That’s why I’m going into the field of social work is to help my people, you know, get through whatever they need and just to be there to support them,” Warren said.
Just like his aspirations of supporting others in his professional life, Warren has supported many students during his academic years.
Warren’s platform as VP promotes, supports and implements various campus and community resources for students.
He said he hopes his platform will help students gain knowledge that will help them succeed, enjoy their college experience and accomplish any positive goals they might have.
Currently, USU Blanding students interact with other USU students through online broadcasting classes.
Warren said he hopes students from Blanding can interact more with students from other USU campuses.
“I think that would be beneficial, you know, just getting to interact with other students — them learning from us, and us learning from them,” Warren said.
He said students interacting with each other through various activities would be beneficial for all students. These activities can help students gain different perspectives and know that they have a “friend on the other side of the state.”
As VP, Warren said his main responsibilities include being a representative for students, addressing student concerns, helping maintain a positive environment on campus and being a support for everyone.
Additionally, Warren said he makes agendas for meetings, helps promote campus activities, attends various meetings and gives tours. He also keeps track of functions, activities and budgeting.
Warren said he is passionate about promoting the campus and community resources available for students during their collegiate years.
He said some of his favorite aspects of his job are being a part of a team and helping with events that stimulate positive student interactions.
Warren also said one of the best parts of his position is being able to see students happily participate in activities he planned with his team.
Warren has enjoyed being an Aggie at Blanding because of the people he has met, the experiences he has had and the people he gets to interact with through his position.
He loves being an Aggie and the “home away from home” feeling fostered at USU Blanding.
-Kate.Stewart@usu.edu
Featured photo by Bailey Rigby