Kandice Jeppsen promoted Director of Student Success

   On Sept. 5, students all over campus at USUE received a text message from Kandice Jeppson, Director of Student Success and Strategic Initiatives for USU statewide campuses. She hosted an event called Aggie Advantage, a webinar detailing opportunities related to internships, jobs, and life after graduation.

   The webinar is part of an outreach for students on statewide campuses called student support webinars. These events are held at 5:30 P.M. on the first Wednesday of each month. Jeppson plans to highlight different resources available through guest speakers from various student services. The goal of this is to help students feel like they belong and have the resources they need for success.

   Jeppson’s focus in her position lies on the students at USU.

   “My main priority is the success of our statewide students.” Jeppson said. “Collaborating closely with staff members across all campuses, I am dedicated to developing initiatives spanning the entire student journey, from the moment they enter USU to their graduation day.”

   The focus of Jeppson’s work is to help students graduate and have the skills needed to succeed in the workforce. One of the ways to do this is to provide students with the knowledge and resources needed to create and maintain goals.

   “These initiatives aim to facilitate a seamless transition for our students from one semester to the next, ensuring their educational experience remains consistently supportive and enriching.” Jeppson stated.

   Jeppson has been supporting students in various roles since 2017. During this time, she was a staff assistant for statewide campuses. She quickly learned that she enjoyed helping students and had the opportunity to be in an impactful, lead role.

   One of which was the Ivory Foundation Re-enrollment Campaign. The campaign focuses on college students who have been out of school for at least two years and are only 30 credits away from receiving a degree. The campaign provides support and motivation for students to come back to school and finish their degree. Jeppson looked back at her time heading this program fondly.

   “Witnessing these students achieve what they once believed was unattainable, sometimes even within a single semester, has been so rewarding.” Jeppson said.

   In Feb. 2022 Jeppson was offered the position she has now and is excited to continue to help statewide students feel like they are a part of Utah State University. A USU alumni herself, she has been part of the USU community since 2014 when she moved to Logan to complete her bachelor’s degree.

   Reflecting on her time as a student, she said, “Little did I know, USU would become a special place in my heart. The people, the atmosphere, the curriculum – all of it stood out to me.”

   After Jeppson graduated, she accepted a job off campus for three years before returning as a staff member and pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree at USU through the Huntsman School of Business.    Jeppson stated “The dedication to student’s success is what sets USU apart, making it a place for personal and academic growth. I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this institution.”