The Legacy of Val R. Christensen
The namesake for Utah State University’s service center, Val R. Christensen, died Oct. 31. He was 87 years old.
Christensen’s legacy has extended to so much more than student service projects. With programs such as the Days of Service activities, Community Rakes and Shovels, the Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC) pantry and other community involvement–based service, Christensen’s efforts have bred belonging, cohesion, leadership and inclusion at USU.
Christensen’s legacy began in 1967, when he was first hired at Utah State University as the director of recruitment. Throughout his thirty years of employment, Christensen started various programs that helped develop USU to what it is today.
Eric R. Olsen, interim vice president of student affairs, is Christensen’s son-in-law.
“Val contributed to the Women’s Center, started the Multicultural Center — which is now the Inclusion Office — instituted the Aggie leadership conference now known as AggieBlue, developed the Bear Lake Training Center and put hours of work into different inclusion-based clubs and organizations,” Olsen said.
Additionally, Christensen pioneered the Ambassador’s program, championed and sustained the Robin’s award and developed USU Connections.
The service center’s administration has shifted their focus from service to community-based social action.
Nelda Ault-Dyslin, assistant director of community engaged learning, said, “Social action implies more than just painting fences. It involves things like philanthropy, advocacy and organizing something that is bigger than just service.”
Christensen’s legacy is providing a voice and a place for students to gather and feel belonging.
Ault-Dyslin said she hoped the students she worked with did not just get a resume builder or service hours, but found their efforts mattered to their community.
“Service brings belonging,” Ault-Dyslin said. “When you’re able to engage with the community, get yourself out of the routine and see that there are community members who are working really hard to make the world a better place, you can do something about really big, scary topics, on a local level.”
Val Christensen’s work at USU illustrated this goal can be achieved. During his tenure, Christensen, in addition to the programs and organizations he founded, sought to provide a voice to students and establish camaraderie between USU’s administration and students.
While Christensen worked the Student Affairs office, he personally mentored hundreds of student body officers, and provided leadership opportunities for all types of students. Olsen said the relationship between student government and Aggie administration is a “partnership.” In comparison, other colleges Olsen has visited see officers and administration as “adversaries” of each other.
“He would be found asking what a student felt or wanted to institute before anyone else in administration,” Olsen said. “He always really cared about students and helping them.”
Today, Christensen’s legacy continues to uplift students at USU, and provide them with a voice and opportunity to give back to their community.
“Students can get involved through our AggiePulse database, or by coming into our office at the TSC room 318 and have a conversation with us about how they can get involved,” Ault-Dyslin said. “There are always new things in the community and new programs we run that can apply to most people’s service interests.”
As the holiday season approaches, there are so many opportunities and places for students to find where they belong and how they can give back, bolstering themselves and their community.
“Val always said that if you surround yourself with good people and help them get what they want, it will come back to you for good, and you’ll get what you want,” Olsen said.
Visit the TSC room 316 A between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, to have a conversation with one of the service center’s representatives. See how to extend Christensen’s legacy of inclusion, social action and philanthropy to Cache County.