Get to know your new USUSA president — Abe Rodriguez
Abe Rodriguez was elected as the 2023-2024 student body president for the Utah State University Student Association on March 24.
Rodriguez received a total of 1,712 votes, which accounted for 63.9% of all votes.
Prior to this election, Rodriguez served as USUSA executive vice president during the 2022-2023 school year.
Rodriguez explained the idea of running for president felt more comfortable to him this fall as he gained more experience in the VP position.
“After my time as vice president, I kind of wanted to get a feel for it and experience it and then from there, decide if I wanted to step up and run for president,” Rodriguez said.
Additionally, he said his time serving on student committees such as the A-Team, the Hurd, and the USU Business Council helped prepare him for the role.
According to Rodriguez, serving on these committees helped him learn about the university and discover the joy of helping others.
“It wasn’t until I started getting more involved and wanting to serve, I started feeling more and more happy,” Rodriguez said.
Being involved in various aspects of campus life also exposed Rodriguez to resources that are available to all students.
“My priorities are just more or more grounded and focused on student basic needs that impact all of us,” Rodriguez said.
Some of the needs Rodriguez mentioned include facility enhancements, student fees and bridging relationships between student government and administration at USU.
Part of the reason Rodriguez wants to serve in this capacity and give back to students is because of the support and love he has felt at USU.
“I can promise students that you know, I’m going to give it my all,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really passionate about this, because there have been a lot of people that have been very impactful in my life here at Utah State.”
In a text exchange with the Statesman, current USUSA president, Clara Alder, said Rodriguez is lucky to work with some of the best people.
“I deeply admire the administration and the leaders of this university. I will miss working with these great people. They care immensely about student needs and Abe will be our voice. He carries a big legacy of leadership. I look forward to the work he will do. Student body president is not an easy job, but it shapes you as a leader,” Alder said.
Rodriguez said as VP, he realized there was only so much he could get done in one year, so he is looking forward to this year as president to further his contributions to USU.
His campaign platform includes five action items he plans on implementing as USUSA president.
These action items are to streamline student involvement in campus safety; to further financial aid training for students; to strengthen supportive measures for multicultural organizations, veterans, and the disability resource center; to enhance incentives for FSL organizations to affiliate with USU and university administration; and to advocate for statewide students to have equitable access to opportunities like the university honors program.
“I just want to give back, because there’s been so much that’s been given to me, and I just want to make sure that I pay back in full for others to also have the opportunity to have a fully enriching experience here,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez is a first-generation college student from Logan.. He is studying marketing and public relations.
He attended Ridgeline High School but never did student government while there.
“I didn’t think it was for me. I was like, There’s no way, I don’t see myself doing that,’ which is funny because now I’m very passionate about student government,” he said.
Rodriguez said he feels like everything in life happens for a reason, and he is grateful he’s had the opportunity to serve in the positions he has.
“I’m grateful for the love and support that I’ve been able to receive from all my friends and from my peers, and especially from my family,” he said.
-Kate.Stewart@usu.edu
Photo by Heidi Bingham