L O O K B A C K //
50 Years of
Influencing for Good By Megan McCuistion ’12
In 1970, with much of the Utah State University campus community involved in the Vietnam War—whether actively deployed or protesting at home— students in Logan needed something unifying to put their energy toward.
Student volunteerism through the Val R. Christensen Service Center (founder above) has changed over the last 50 years, but at its core remains a commitment to service. Images courtesy of the center.
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UTAHSTATE I WINTER 2021
The result was the Volunteer Organization for Involvement in the Community and Environment (VOICE). Now, 50 years since it was established, the Val R. Christensen Service Center is still finding ways to be a positive influence on campus and around Cache Valley. Christensen was USU’s Director of Student Activities at the time and oversaw the founding of VOICE after observing a similar program while pursuing his doctorate at Michigan State. The first VOICE project involved raking and gathering leaves all over town, but quickly grew into other events and programs. “They (students) were always so willing to volunteer and wanted to be involved,” Christensen says. “Many of our students already come with a commitment and culture of service. This is also consistent with the USU’s mission to be engaged in service.” Christensen continued to be heavily involved with VOICE but made sure it was student-directed. He was known for giving his student leaders the reins, encouraging them to think big and not limit themselves or their ideas.
