CHaSS Roadtrip to the Utah Capitol Building

The Utah State University College of Humanities and Social Sciences sponsored the second-ever and first since the COVID-19 pandemic, CHaSS road trip to the Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City on September 17.

CHaSS road trips were an initiative that began in early 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only one has been held before the September event. CHaSS leaders are now focusing efforts on planning more road trips where students can meet CHaSS alumni in the job field and learn about different ways they can apply their degrees.

20 CHaSS students from various majors, and four USU faculty members, traveled to the Utah State Capitol building together.

“Not only were we able to go to the Utah Capitol, something most of us have not had an opportunity of doing before, but we were able to get to know our fellow students and amazing alumni, as well as learn from all the amazing speakers,” said CHaSS student Barbara Swenson.

The event included a panel and question and answer session with USU CHaSS alumni, who are senior employees in the Utah Governor’s office, as well as break-out tours of the building with recently graduated USU alumni.

“It was wonderful to see CHaSS alumni enthusiastically share their experiences and advice with current students,” said Joe Ward, CHaSS dean.

The fieldtrip is an example of CHaSS’s effort to close the gaps between current students and alumni and provide students with increased opportunities for growth and career exposure.

“When I meet with CHaSS alumni, one of the common themes that emerges is how they wish they had spent more time thinking about careers while they were in college,” Ward said. “Our efforts to facilitate alumni networks are inspired by our former students to create more opportunities for our current students.”

CHaSS faculty are appreciative of the alumni who host fieldtrips and act as mentors for students.

“We’re lucky to have Aggie alumni who are so generous with their time and to have students who see value in pursuing opportunities beyond the classroom,” said Andrea DeHaan, ChaSS outreach coordinator.

The next CHaSS roadtrip will be going to visit CHaSS alumni at Silicon Slopes in Lehi, Utah in October. There, CHaSS students will be able to form mentorship relationships with individuals who work in technology. The fieldtrip should appeal to even more CHaSS students as humanities degrees are in increasing demand in the field of technology.

See a full list of upcoming CHaSS events, including CHaSS roadtrips at https://chass.usu.edu.