In the News
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Utah Business Tuesday, May. 23, 2017
Noelle Cockett: At the Helm of Utah's Land-Grant University
The night Noelle Cockett became the first female president of Utah State University, someone asked her what it felt like. Cockett says she wasn’t thinking that clearly at the time but later realized she correctly answered the question. “It’s not so much that I’m the female president of USU—the specialness is that I’m the first.” There’s no doubt that she’s different than former USU presidents. “But I don’t know if that’s because I’m a female or because I’m Noelle,” she says. ... Cockett started at USU 26 years ago as an assistant professor. As her academic experience grew past professorship, she held positions such as the interim dean for the School of Graduate Studies and the executive vice president. In January, she replaced former president Stan Albrecht, who spent 12 years at the helm. “It’s an incredible honor for me. People said, ‘Did you always see yourself as a president?’ Heck no,” she says with a laugh. ... Although Cockett didn’t graduate from USU, she’s lived in Cache Valley long enough to notice how USU impacts the students and community. No one is a number, she says. No one is a faceless student. Cockett truly believes USU’s heart comes from caring about the individual. “I think back to all the visitors I’ve had on campus, and lots of people will come [to me] and say, ‘Everyone is so nice at USU,’” she says. “I think ‘nice’ is a great attribute, and I think it demonstrates how much we care.”