A Love of Learning — CHaSS Student Kyla Dahle Named USU Valedictorian

When Utah State University valedictorian Kyla Dahle walks across the graduation stage, she’ll carry with her more than a diploma — a lifetime of memories, a deep love of learning and a clear message for students following in her footsteps: “Don’t settle.”

Dahle, a graduating English major from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was named valedictorian for both her college and the university at large. But according to her, it wasn’t perfect grades or long hours alone that earned her the title. It was her passion.

“I grew up an Aggie,” she said. “My mom was on the dance team back when it was separate from the cheer squad, and my dad was a cheerleader. That’s actually how they met. So I was raised learning the Scotsman, hanging around campus, getting Aggie Ice Cream, you name it. I knew USU was where I wanted to be.”

Dahle chose to major in English not because it guaranteed a career path, but because it was what she loved.

“I never wanted to do a job I hated just because I felt like I was supposed to,” she said. “I’ve always loved to write; not just the act of writing, but the challenge of thinking about something deeply enough that I could put it into words.”

That mindset defined her time at Utah State. From late-night study sessions to student leadership roles, from performing impromptu piano concerts in the Taggart Student Center to working in a neuroscience lab, Dahle made the most of every opportunity.

One of her favorite activities involved the grand piano on the second floor of the student center. Though a sign warned students not to play without permission, Dahle regularly checked in with a staff member in a nearby office, eventually earning her trust to play freely.

“I don’t technically know how to play piano well. I mostly improvise,” Dahle said. “But I loved playing for people. It gave me a little way to perform and connect.”

That piano also led to one of Dahle’s most personal USU milestones.

“I heard someone else playing and he was amazing,” she said. “So I wrote him a note and gave him my number. Now he’s my fiancé.”

Dahle was involved in the Aggie Marching Band as a first-year student, worked as an undergraduate teaching fellow, and even once got bit by a rat while conducting lab research. Her memories range from shuttle bus chats with strangers to watching Utah State win a championship basketball game in 2024.

Reflecting on her academic journey, Dahle offers a message specifically for students pursuing majors that don’t come with a set path, such as English, sociology or history.

“There are majors that have clear outcomes, like engineering or teaching,” she said. “But in CHaSS, you’re the architect of your own future. College won’t hand it to you. You have to build it yourself.”

That sense of ownership shaped her entire college experience. She learned it was OK not to know everything, as long as effort was put into what you wanted to do.

So what does becoming valedictorian mean to her?

“It’s not because I’m the smartest person,” she said. “And while I worked very, very hard, that’s not it either. I think I was chosen because I love school. I genuinely love going to class, doing homework, taking tests. I loved it all.”

As she looks ahead to the next chapter, Dahle says she knows the challenge now will be to find something new she loves as much as college — and to keep chasing it.

“Finding what you love can be hard. Sometimes you think you know, and you’re wrong. Sometimes you take a leap, and it doesn’t go how you planned,” she said. “But if work is going to take up that much of your life, it’s worth fighting to find what you love. And when you find it, fight to keep doing it, even when it gets hard.”