Smith Takes Over as Director at USU Kaysville

Jaron Smith has been named director of Utah State University Kaysville, replacing Gayle Mahler, who recently retired after nearly 13 years as director of the Davis County facility.
 
A 2015 graduate of Utah State University, Smith officially started in his new position on July 1. USU Kaysville is part of the Utah State University Statewide Campuses system and is included in the Brigham City Region, which also encompasses USU Brigham City and USU Tremonton.

“My hope is to bring more Aggie spirit to Kaysville,” Smith said. “I think we will paint this town blue as we increase our offerings, grow in enrollment and connect more with the community.”

After finishing a bachelor’s degree in health education and promotion with an emphasis on community health at Utah State, Smith went on to complete a master’s degree in education at the University of Utah in 2019. Smith has spent the past three years working at the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law, most recently serving as the associate director for Student Services since October 2019.
 
“We are excited to have Jaron join us in Kaysville,” said Dan Black, associate vice president of USU Brigham City Region. “We hope his enthusiasm and excitement for the position is well received and he finds ways to help students achieve their dreams.”

While a student at Utah State, Smith worked in the USU Card Office where he said he first learned about student resources and the basics of admission, registration, financial aid, dining services and meal plans. Following graduation, Smith spent parts of two years in Peru, El Salvador and Fiji as a volunteer with Help International, teaching communities and their leaders about safe-water practices, first-aid, physical education, among other topics.

“It was during that time that I realized how much I loved education,” Smith said. “The construction and promotion of education gives people the resources to change their lives. The idea of being an academic advisor seemed like the perfect position as I would be able to continue to work in higher education, but still be able to use the skills in program planning and evaluation that I learned at Utah State.”

After returning to the United States, Smith enrolled at the University of Utah, and while working on his master’s degree, he was employed at the Registrar’s Office. But he said that after his first semester, he decided to he wanted to be in the Student Affairs Office.

“I was able to work with the Dean of Students at the University of Utah law school, and that solidified my passion to be advocate for students in policy and action,” Smith explained.
 
Utah State University Kaysville offers a variety of associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as certificate, licensure, and endorsement programs. For more information, visit kaysville.usu.edu.