Oral History Program Kait Viator Interviewed by Lorrie Rands 18 December 2024 Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Kait Viator Interviewed by Lorrie Rands 18 December 2024 Copyright © 2025 by Weber State University, Stewart Library Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. The working files, original recording, and archival copies are housed in the University Archives. Project Description Connecting Weber: History of the Cultural Centers oral history project documents the memories and history of the various cultural centers that were open at Weber State University. These centers included the Multicultural Center (later called the Center for Belonging & Cultural Engagement), Women's Center, Native American Cultural Center, Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Pan-Asian Cultural Center, Black Cultural Center, and the LGBTQ Resource Center. The centers were closed in July 2024 due to state legislation. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management This work is the property of the Weber State University, Stewart Library Oral History Program. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Viator, Kait, an oral history by Lorrie Rands, 18 December 2024, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, Special Collections and University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. iii Abstract: The following is an oral history interview with Kait Viator conducted on December 18, 2024 in the Stewart Library by Lorrie Rands. Viator discusses how she came to Weber State and her experiences working in the Shephard Union near the cultural centers, as well as the impact of their closing and the importance of community. Raegan Baird, the video technician, is also present. LR: Today is December 18, 2024. We are here in the Stewart Library with Kait… I'm going to butcher your last name. Is it Viator [Vee-a-tor]? KV: Yeah, correct, great. LR: Okay, Kait Viator, for our Connecting Weber oral history project about the closing of the culture centers. I'm Lorrie Rands conducting and Reagan Baird is on the camera. All right. Are we ready? KV: We are ready. LR: Excellent. Here we go. I just want to thank you again for your willingness to share your story. If there's a question I ask that you're not comfortable answering, just let me know and we'll move on. KV: Understood. LR: Let's just jump in with when and where you were born? KV: Yes, I was born in the summer of 1994, and I was born in Plum, Pennsylvania. That's the western side of Pennsylvania, kind of like 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh. LR: Okay. Plum, right? KV: Yes, Plum. Plum Borough, like the fruit, yes. LR: Were you raised in Plum? 1 KV: Yes. LR: Okay, so—I have to [exhales]. I get so excited. You were raised in Plum. What was your family dynamic like growing up? KV: My family dynamic. I had two parents. I have a younger sister. My mother's parents were heavily involved in my life, so they were almost over every day. Like, that was just kind of one of those things where it's like you don't have to call and go over and ask like, “Hey, come over.” It’s just like, “No, you come over.” So, they were a huge impact on my life as well. LR: Okay. What was your education like, going to elementary, middle school, high school? KV: Yes, I attended public school just only for kindergarten, and then there unfortunately were some things that happened and I had to be moved to a private Catholic school, which was super fascinating. That's a whole nother topic in and of itself. I studied there from first grade until eighth grade, then I attended the local high school, Plum Senior High, and that was from the ninth grade until 12th grade. LR: Okay. Going from the private Catholic school to a public high school, what was that like for you to make that transition? KV: It was a ginormous transition going from a class of about like, I think we graduated 24, 25, and then our class was like over 100. So, that was a big change. I felt like sometimes I did stay connected to the friends that I did make in Catholic school, and then at the end by graduation, that just all kind of fizzled out. I got involved with, like, music and art were big outlets for me. That's where I 2 spent a lot of my time: in the art studio, playing piano, getting involved in marching band. LR: Okay. Another quick question. The private Catholic school, was that something that your parents wanted you to attend because of religious preference, or was it just because it was a private school? KV: It was, unfortunately, where there was like Child Protective Services got involved with kindergarten. It was just an untenable situation where I was not being supported by the staff members, and so therefore the only other closest option was to go private. That was—yeah, because I think Center Elementary, they were both kind of equidistant from my house, so that was just the nearest other option. The religion, I mean, that did help with making the decision, but also location was a big deciding factor as well. LR: That is fascinating. All right. Were you encouraged to pursue an education beyond high school growing up? KV: Yes, I was. That was something that I am grateful for my parents for supporting that. They were very picky about kind of guiding me towards more, like, steering me away from liberal arts, trying to do more STEM type of degrees. LR: Okay. Were you receptive to that? KV: Yes, I was. I went, and after graduating high school I had to fight to go to college just because of different like mental health and emotional health issues. There was something where they did not feel like I was ready to go to college and especially leave the home. But I fought very hard, fought to get a driver's license, 3 fought just to go and pursue higher education. That was something that I am very grateful for that courage to do, because I would not be here otherwise. LR: That's awesome. KV: Yeah. LR: Kind of going back just a little bit, it sounds like Plum was a very small town. KV: Yes. LR: Okay. Moving from Plum into any—I'm going to rephrase this and ask a question before I ask this one. Where did you decide to go and get your higher education? KV: I decided to stay in-state just because that's something I felt comfortable with. Being able to be like a little ways away from home, because there is the University of Pittsburgh, but not to get ahead of myself. I did choose Slippery Rock University. That is just a little like an hour south of Erie, and it was maybe like about a two-hour drive away and accessible via a mass transit bus as well. LR: That's cool. I'm going to assume—I shouldn't assume but I'm going to—that you went and stayed in the dorms or lived in Slippery Rock? Was it Slippery Rock? KV: Yes, it is Slippery Rock University in the little tiny college town of Slippery Rock. LR: So, you went from one small town to another? KV: Yes, and that I did feel very comfortable with. Our family, they were involved actually with the Westminster College in western Pennsylvania. Like, my family on my father's side has taught there for a few generations. My mother's background, her parents, like my grandfather, he's a first generation citizen in the US, did railroad work. My grandmother, she taught in the local school in the library and in special ed, so I have that love of education from her, really. My 4 mother didn't really do—she didn't really pursue higher education, but my father did. All of his teaching side of the family, they also inspired me. I should have gone to that college, but I just wanted to go and do Slippery Rock just because of the change of environment. I love their physics program, so I tried that for a year, and I am a part of that statistic of people who dropped out of physics just because of math. I love math, but not that much. Yeah, that was why I ended up in Slippery Rock. Then unfortunately, due to issues with roommates and just changing majors and other fun life situations that happen when you're 18 and in college, right, I decided to transfer to the University of Pittsburgh, and I stayed on the main campus in Pittsburgh. LR: Okay, so now my question is relevant. Going from small towns, now you are in at a very large university. What was that like for you? Was there a culture shock? Kind of talk about that a little bit, if you don't mind? KV: Yeah, I didn't really feel a culture shock because my father had worked downtown and always took the bus downtown, so we would go visit him for lunch, or we would go and have like ice skating downtown, any like local events that were happening, we would always try to do that, especially around the winter time. But otherwise, it was actually really relieving, because I had my license but I did not get my first car until I turned 27. Having a more walkable city, I can navigate the city and be able to find places more easily than walking for 40 minutes to the nearest grocery store. LR: Yeah, I get it. It turned out to be something that was good. 5 KV: Yes, I enjoyed that very much. I was able to study abroad at that university, so I made a lot of good friends as well, who I kept connections with for a little bit upon returning to Pittsburgh. Yeah, found my art niche again, because I really wanted to study art but decided to pursue English instead, because I also really love reading. LR: Gotcha. What was your bachelor's degree? KV: Yes, my bachelor's degree. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English, and I have some minor certificates as well, like in studio arts, Medieval Renaissance Studies, and Italian. LR: Okay. What was your hope? KV: My hope was to… Goodness, that's a good question. My hope was to just kind of, like, explore and discover myself, and be in a space where I could do that with support from faculty, with kindness from faculty. Being able to just navigate this world as myself and understand what does interest me, what doesn't interest me, how I fit in with this community, and what I can do for that community. That's when I got involved with tutoring, and I tutored English as a second language, and like working on campus. That was a great way to give back to my community that I found, because I've always kind of gravitated towards like the teaching, helping others types of jobs. That's always something that I really cherished, and that's also given me hope too, just being able to help out others. LR: Okay. When did you graduate from the University of Pittsburgh? KV: I graduated in 2016, and then I moved out to Utah the following summer. LR: What prompted the move? 6 KV: I was dating someone who was originally from Utah, so that was a factor in having me move out here. But then also, I love skiing and winter recreation, and doing that on the East Coast, I will save my personal feelings for that. It's not the best on the East Coast. Hearing all the praise for the snow and the resorts out here, that's just always drawn me to this region. Fortunately, my aunt, she also was comfortable, like, moving outside of the family home and even like to California and such. She was a really big motivator for me [that], although it can be scary to do that on your own, it is something that can be actually really relieving and therapeutic to have a change of scenery. LR: Did you know what you wanted to do? Did you have a job lined up when you moved here? KV: No, I did not, so that was very fascinating. Of course, I wanted to try to do more teaching, or maybe do editing or writing, in any sense of the writing field, or doing like technical writing, or anything for like a local publication. I was always interested in that. Just given the climate and the job market, I had been applying for jobs about since like May until August, and then I ended up being a purchasing card program assistant at the University of Utah. Also, I was able to lean on a lot of those math skills but then also pursue writing, improve training programs, make a handbook and update the content. I was still able to get my passions out while also kind of like getting my little investigative side of my brain work, because I love data, and I love details. Seeing all the data from the transactions and doing that research, I love that as well. It was a really rewarding and really, really solid first job in the work force. 7 LR: Yeah. I’m curious, when you were at the University of Pittsburgh, did you utilize any of the… RB: Centers? LR: Well, I'm not even talking about centers, just… KV: Like resources? LR: Resources that were available. KV: Yes. LR: Did you know that they were there and utilize them? KV: For the most part, I really leaned on like the library resources and like the technology resources. I utilized the computer labs a lot, just because with being an English major you are given all of those lovely articles to read. So, printing those off, scanning my books, using interlibrary loan, that's something that I've been comfortable using since my bachelors, since undergrad. In regards to like mental health resources, I didn't really know what to do for that. I know like I sought tutoring at Slippery Rock, so I have utilized tutoring services. I was not really aware of, like, financial resources, food pantry resources, student life. I was involved with an art club, but otherwise I really didn't know where to go, because I was just kind of a little introverted. Then like the study abroad resource, I knew about that. Of course I had like my academic advisor. I utilized them, of course, because I had to. But otherwise, yeah, I didn't really know of any other—or like career services. I know I visited the bursar's office a lot to pay my tuition, utilized housing at the University of Pittsburgh as 8 well, but otherwise that's about it. I don't really recall there being like a women's center or an LGBT center, anything like that. LR: Moving to Utah, did you move to Salt Lake, or were you in one of the outskirts? KV: I moved to Salt Lake a whole block above Temple Square. LR: Okay, you were right downtown. In comparison, Salt Lake is much smaller than Pittsburgh. KV: Yes. LR: So, moving from Pittsburgh to Utah, what was that like for you? KV: That was very fascinating. It was, I would say, like even just being a woman and dressing in any other way that is not your traditional modest, that was surprisingly, like, that got too much attention, because I biked to work. Since I did not have a car of my own, I biked, and what do we do in the summer? We wear shorts and we wear T-shirts or, gosh, heaven forbid, a tank top. Yeah. I would bike down the hill and I would turn left onto North Temple, and then I would go up through the avenues to get to the U, because we all know that South Temple, as a cyclist, is a death trap. So, sorry, I don't mean to go on a tangent there, but no, I was very grateful that my ex’s parents were very involved with the Jewish community. That was fascinating, especially as during that time there was the shooting in Squirrel Hill of a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and seeing the community there react. That was very important for me, because I used to walk through that area, like, I love that. I've always had like a special place in my heart for exploring other religions as 9 well, and therefore just having and experiencing that. I loved seeing the support that people out here in Utah had for Pittsburgh and what we were going through. It was just really interesting to see the predominant culture and then also the counterculture. I really enjoyed that, and just being able to experience this totally new and unique place. Because to be honest with you, it wasn't until after I had moved to Utah, and it was like for a few years, that I'm like, “Huh, I wonder if there is a Mormon temple near my house in Plum?” For sure there is. I'm like, it's tucked back somewhere on a road that I've driven a few times, but it is really off the beaten path. Then having that be the dominant culture, that was something that I just found myself really being self-conscious about what I say; how I know that I can talk very fast, or I say things that people may not know. Like I say, yinz a lot, and that means you all, right. Like, that's just what we do in Pittsburgh. LR: That’s cool. KV: Yeah, we're yinzers. I would say that, and it's just like I would get certain reactions of being like, “What are you talking about? Is that—" Like, I didn't want it to be seen as like a derogatory thing. It is just an inclusive kind of like a y'all type deal. So, I found that I was watching my words a lot. I was definitely sensitive to how I dressed and how I portrayed myself. Just because, like, I just don't want to offend anybody. That's the big thing. Like, because I already saw the people who were like, glaring at me for wearing shorts and a tank top, just trying to bike to work. Of course, I would change into 10 work appropriate attire, for the fact of the record. I would always change into something that my boss would actually not fire me for. That was just something where I'm like, okay, I am under scrutiny for just this thing that I have to do to get to my work, and this is actually a hobby that I enjoy. I feel like that, if I would have lived anywhere else, I feel like that would not have been as much of a priority to really monitor all these facets of myself that I didn't really have to monitor or really worry about before. LR: That’s interesting. KV: Yeah. LR: How long were you working at the U? KV: Yes, I was working at the U for about three years. I did change positions. I started in purchasing, and then I worked for the College of Architecture and Planning just for a few months. Then I decided to quit that job because I was thinking about pursuing my master's in education. The U did have some really great programs, it was just where it worked out where I got a different position at Westminster College in Salt Lake. Super ironic with that Pennsylvania thing. So, at Westminster College, now Westminster University. Would you prefer me to refer to it as Westminster University? It don't matter. LR: It doesn't matter. KV: Okay, cool beans. LR: I grew up when it was Westminster College. KV: Yeah, same. LR: The fact that it's university now, it blows my mind. 11 KV: [Speaking at the same time] Blows my mind. Same. All the finances that have gone to all their rebrands over the past 10 years? I don't know where they're getting that money. Anyways, different story, different time. So, I was at the University of Utah for three years, then I started in Westminster College in July. I started my Master’s of Education that summer. That would have been 2019. I absolutely enjoyed it there as well, and that definitely got me back to like the smaller kind of community like we've been talking about, and I really appreciated it. Would I say that the work environment culture was different? Yes, it was, just because there is, especially now in present day, more than ever, there is a ginormous difference between working for a public institution and a private institution. LR: Yes, there is. So, you were working at Westminster when COVID—? KV: Yes, and I was working on my master's as well, so that was very exciting. My thesis—sorry, my master's in education, they had different tracks that were available. I also worked for the School of Education while getting my master's. Sorry, I worked for School of Nursing first, and then the following summer I did the School of Education. That was very fascinating to work for the same school and get to know the professors professionally as well as academically. Like, that was a really wholesome experience just to understand and know how much these people care in the classroom, how that is reflected outside of the classroom as well. With my master's in education, there were different tracks that we could pursue. I decided to pursue adult learning in addition to the trauma, resilience, 12 and restorative justice program. So, my thesis actually was about the pandemic. Tell me how fun it was to get people to sit down and talk about this stuff while it was kind of still going on, you know? My thesis was looking at, like, the impacts of COVID on college students and whether or not restorative justice practices could help heal themselves and the community. I did not end up publishing it, just because it was just really hard to kind of do that research in 2022. There was very fresh data that was coming out, and I'm grateful for those researchers who were looking at that already. It was really amazing; I just unfortunately did not have the support to go and publish it. Like, I tried publishing it on my own and there was just one too many hurdles for me. Then, you know, trying to get married after graduating, that kind of throws a wrench in some things, right? LR: It kind of does. What was COVID like for you? KV: COVID was jarring. It was where I went back to Pittsburgh, because back then I would try to go back, just to visit my grandparents, stay in touch with them a little more. I was having the feeling of, okay, there might be a lockdown, so I gave one of my friends at the time keys so she could check on my cat. I left like right before spring break that March, and then I didn't return until May. So, I stayed in Pittsburgh, I was still attending classes online in Pittsburgh, and that was really fun, as in education, trying to still teach people. There was a class assignment where we had to give an instruction, and so I was helping people to fold origami frogs. Trust me, that was interesting. 13 But that was something where I still felt that connection to my community back in back in Utah because of my classes, and because of having, like, just even being in class and having the breakout Zoom rooms. That was where, trust me, a lot of that discourse was not academic related, but that was just still something that kept me connected and gave me hope. Then I drove back to Utah because I just did not feel comfortable flying. So, that was fun. I don't know. It was very eye-opening where, like, my now husband, we were still dating, and it was just like, I really wish I would have stayed home so I would have been able to be with him. Because it was nice to spend time with my family, but my grandparents, because of lockdown and because of the whole COVID situation, that we absolutely did not want them to get sick. I am very grateful for my mother who was able to stay, like she was stay at home and was their primary caregiver. Therefore, I'm grateful that they were not in a nursing home and they never were. So, that's where I was glad to have that time with my family, but it really reinforced how much I loved being out in Utah and how much I missed the life that I was cultivating here in Utah. LR: That makes sense. When did you graduate from Westminster? KV: Yes, I graduated from Westminster in the spring of 2022. LR: Okay. What was next? KV: So, of course, in the summer of 2021, I started to kind of—my husband, well now my husband, when we were still dating, we decided that we wanted to move in together. I had always had a fond space in my heart for Weber State. I had always heard good things about Weber State in the Salt Lake community while I 14 was at the University of Utah; that's where I was really intrigued by Weber, how accommodating they are to non-traditional students. Of course, I loved purple, having come from Plum, Pennsylvania, our colors were purple and gold. I got the purple from Westminster and I was like, Weber State purple. Anyways, in that summer of 2021, I started to apply for jobs at Weber State like for career services, and then I applied for the computer labs. Unfortunately, I could not be hired for like another nine months, just because there was some debacle with the job position and whatnot for this computer lab coordinator position. I still worked at Westminster up until October, and that was just with the upcoming winter months, that commute is a little rough going from Ogden to Sugarhouse. Just because of that, I had to let my dean know that I could no longer work at Westminster. Although I loved what I did, I loved supporting our future educators, right, it was just not sustainable for me. So, I worked various odd jobs, and then in March I interviewed again for the computer lab coordinator position. I got the good word in April that I got my acceptance—I got my conditional offer which I accepted. I started working here April 18 of 2022, and then I graduated from Westminster I think it was like the next week or something like that. Maybe like the next week or two. LR: Okay. When you moved to Ogden, where did you move to? KV: Yes, I moved to—it's off of 32nd Street, right by Liberty Elementary, which was great when that was under construction. But, fortunately within the year that building was built, I would actually walk to Weber State, because, of course, I had a car by then, but I have—ever since undergrad, I have abhorred paying for 15 parking, and that is something that I did not do until this summer. I finally caved and got a parking pass. LR: Okay. All right. Fair enough. KV: But can I explain, like, where my relationship with Weber State started originally? LR: Absolutely. Please do. KV: Okay, because I got to share this, I love this story. Back in Slippery Rock—and I am so sorry, I meant to fact check this, so please correct me if I am wrong. In like fall of 2012, when I was at Slippery Rock, that was, of course, like the heyday of YouTube, right? So, my friends, we would all be like in our dorms looking at YouTube videos and like just sharing them because it's funny, and one of them stumbled upon Weber Cooks. Are you not familiar with Weber Cooks? LR: I am not. KV: Y'all got to look at Weber Cooks, that is—okay, so, for the record, I will explain. There was an instructor here at Weber State. I believe he has since passed. He would do these really kind of like, funnily uncanny dorm cooking videos, where it would be like, “We're going to make chips and salsa to bring to a party.” It would just be him deadpan like shaking a canned thing of nacho cheese into a bowl and being like, “Okay, well, now we're going to add our peppers,” and just like really kind of like—just very deadpan, very dry, you know, just kind of like the cooking videos that you would expect college students with no money to go and watch to try and feed themselves. It would just be very deadpan. We found it hilarious. So, that was where my relationship with Weber State started, all the way back in western Pennsylvania. They were really popular. There have been—I 16 know the chips and salsa one, there are like a few other videos. Then in the past few years there was like a reboot that happened with like a newer faculty member or what have you. But yeah, those held a special place in my heart, and then when I realized, “Wait, that's the same Weber State,” and then finally two and two connected. So yeah, I'm grateful to have known about Weber for a long time. LR: Okay, that's really cool. Thank you for sharing that. KV: Oh, absolutely. LR: When you started working in April of 2022, you're working in the computer lab? KV: I'm working in the computer labs. I am working in the main floor of the Union Building. By then, the cultural centers were not built. They were under—there was some construction that was going on. For me, this is really important, so thank you again. Because whenever I moved in, there was all this construction going on, because we're like right across the hallway from Einstein’s, right? So, there's the Union lab, there's a classroom in the back, and then right next door going north, like if you're going north through the building, then there's the office space that was the Black Cultural Center. That's now the Advising and Mentoring suite. Then right on the end, there was the Hispanic Cultural Center, like the Dreamers Center. Then, of course, there was the big hallway, and then there was the 626 market. I am still right in that row where the cultural centers were. Then, of course, Safe@Weber, my buddies, are upstairs in the corner. LR: Upstairs was also where the Women's Center was, and the LGBTQ+ Center, so directly above— 17 KV: Yes, right above me. LR: Okay, so you're watching… KV: I got to watch it all. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm here, friends. Yeah. LR: That's fascinating. KV: So, yeah, they were doing a lot of construction, and power would go intermittently on and off in my lab, so I was talking with facilities, “What the heck is happening?” and trying to coordinate and inform my lab staff and inform my patrons about these construction, like especially losing access to our lights. There were times where I had to bring in like, lamps to illuminate the lab because the power would be—that was like, from my experience, that only happened one or two times, but I mean, still, it's a Thursday and my lab is without power. I'm like, great. We did have desktop power. Let me correct myself. We did have power for desktops in the stations; we just did not have overhead lights. So, super fun. The noise, mitigating that, that was something that was also a delight. So, being a neighbor to those spaces, originally, it was very trying. Especially not seeing people there, because of course, I would always walk past those offices to go to like other parts of campus, because we have labs in multiple different buildings. I would be constantly walking that way and just looking to my right and I'm like, “That's just an empty office.” I'm like, especially with all those fun space conversations we have, that's how I was like, I can't wait to see what's going to go in there. LR: Okay. Did you have any idea what was being built at the time? KV: No, I did not. But I'll let you ask a question before I get ahead of myself. 18 LR: No, I'm following your lead, so if you want to, you go ahead and keep talking. KV: Okay, because—and please correct me, because I remember that summer, that was where there was all the construction and stuff, and then I just remember the following summer that was when there started to be more movement about the cultural center. So, this would be summer 2023. I recall there being conversations in our department meetings regarding the cultural centers, because my—how do I say this? My department has changed multiple times in the past three years, although I have retained the same position. Our department used to be student affairs technology. We would provide tech support and equipment to like all the student affairs people, right. So, that also included Union. I remember that when the Black Cultural Center was starting to kind of like, I don't know, when people were actually starting to like try and move into that space; when the doors did open and everything was kind of construction only like in its space, that was when I met Terry Hughes in person. Because I was just walking by and Terry, she approached me, and she was like, “Hey, yeah, you're in the labs, right? I'm like, “Yes, how can I help you?” That's when I walked into the space, when it was bare and without furniture or anything. She was talking about creating study spaces, having a printer and having like this communal study area with laptops and access to technology for students visiting the Black Cultural Center. LR: Okay. So, were you able to help facilitate that with Terry? 19 KV: Yes. That was largely with my tech support manager. He is the one who oversees all the networking and all the printer and all that stuff. I was just like, let me talk to you because I want to help you. You are this person who's comfortable talking with me, so I don't want you to then get passed through the Weber shuffle and then just being all confused. I'm like, “No, let me help you. I believe we support you technically for like the”—you know how tech support goes. Like, we have our different areas we support. So, I was like, “I believe we support you. Let me go loop back with our tech support manager,” and we were able to help her. LR: Okay. Your job on campus, what did it entail exactly? KV: It entails supporting the nine computer lab locations that we support on campus. It is also supporting student employment with the staff of lab assistants and our graphic designers that we hire. I also support their professional development and training and career readiness. My committee work, I am involved with the Employee Learning Week Committee. I am also a Safe@Weber ambassador, and I also serve as the chair of the Digital Fluency Committee for Student Development. I also serve on the Davis Campus Council. I also oversee the e-sports computer labs. With that, we do work with Hill Air Force Base and their gaming club to help support and grow their gaming programs that they're trying to develop to improve their community and also support their Project One initiative. We also work with Ken Garff. They also have an e-sports program that involves local high schoolers and getting them together to game, and that is also held here at Weber State. So, I'm involved with that. LR: That's really awesome. You have a lot of a lot of little… 20 KV: Other duties as assigned. LR: My words are not happening today. KV: You’re good. LR: Besides your initial contact with the cultural center, which was not exactly great because of the construction, once it opened, how did that relationship change? KV: It was mind blowing. I would pass by and there would be students in there. There would be different like posters for them to engage with, asking for feedback. I remember Terry, she had all of these posters and printed pages of being very, like, loud and upfront about what black students need and what it is to be a black student at Weber State. I remember I walked past them, and I'm like, “Dang, that is some tea that is all on those walls. That is a lot of perspectives that we need to hear that need to be amplified on this campus.” Sadly, she was asked to take those down. I'm like, “This is the Black Cultural Center, and just because we are saying things and having these things posted in Union that may ruffle some feathers, why are those being taken down? That is student speech.” After that, she put all these posters, like the large format posters that you can write on. She asked for feedback like, “What do you want to see in the Black Cultural Center? Do you feel like this is a Black Cultural Center?” The Dreamers Center, I don't think at that time they were in there yet. They may have just been moving in furniture, but oh my gosh, I loved seeing and hearing and experiencing just life and community happening in that space. I remember just walking by like, the furniture was really just generic. Then they 21 somehow got money to update the furniture, get new tables, get a nice desk area, really kind of change the atmosphere in that space. Also, they would have like events, they would bring in music. I remember there was a DJ. They brought the DJ and I'm like, I love all the music and I love all of the activities and events that happen in Union. That was one thing that stood out to me, where I am like, I just loved the music. I loved that, and I loved hearing people like having conversations. There were always, I swear, a group of students outside of the cultural center, probably maybe even like two or three like good groups of students. They would just be talking with each other. I remember like even during the first week with tabling, there was a student—I do not know their background—there was a student who was darker skinned, and he was saying that Utah is so predominantly white, and how it's just like weird to be here in Utah as a student and then it's just all these white people that are around. I remember there was like a rebuttal from like another student who was saying, “Well, you just got to find your people.” I'm like, that is what that did. I'm like, if anything, just having these spaces where people who identify with those cultures or with those identities, that is where they found community. Like I know for the Women's Center, I did feel that community. Especially working very closely with the women in that office, and still being very close with them, that's where I’ve honestly felt a great kinship with them. Being able to have events and still keep our community going under the Safe@Weber... almost guys, but it's I guess it's the new name, the Safe@Weber. That's where like, I'm glad that we still had that. 22 I am very sad to hear that their gathering space in their suite is going away. I don't know when that will happen, but that's where I'm like, that was the one great thing about their center, the Black Cultural Center. They had just this nice large area for people to gather, and all of that good stuff, and actually have, I don't know, like feel the community. I get it, there are places like in the atrium or in the theater where we can show movies, or I remember like literally from my office, I can lean over, and I saw the hoop ceremony that was for the, oh gosh, that was back in November. So, that was just really cool to see and be a part of. But I do feel like definitely, of course I get it, that was just a nothing space, so then going and seeing all this influx of people and just life and vitality that just, oh my gosh. That made me feel a lot better about coming to Weber and especially working in the Union Building. I'm like, okay, this is not just wasted space. This is something where people are connecting and growing together. LR: You mentioned that you interacted with the Women's Center and worked closely with the staff in that center. What was your relationship with them? KV: Yes, of course with like the Safe@Weber stuff, I would talk to them. I've also gone and had to have really fun conversations in like supporting students. I've taken students up to their office. Fortunately, myself, I have not needed their services. I have referred students there; I have referred other staff there. We would also reserve our Union classroom because some of the staff who worked in the Women's Center also were teaching for the FYE program. I remember a former Women's Center staff member, she would teach FYE, so she would 23 request the lab downstairs for her class. I would talk to her that way, and we became kind of good friends, but unfortunately, she has since left. I saw her yesterday and like, that was cool, but I'm like, “Oh, I miss you dearly.” Yeah, that's about it. I’m trying to remember. I don't recall any events in particular. We run a screensaver ad service in the computer labs, and I know that we would help support their events like for the Take Back the Night and all that good stuff. So, yeah, I would support them administratively too. LR: Gotcha, all right. What were your feelings when the culture centers closed? KV: It really was like a slap in the face for all of the work that multiple people did to put that together to create these programs. It's like, well, great, now we just got to give them up? I remember talking about like what the University of Utah is going to do, and it's like, well, we can keep these cultural centers open, we would just be under scrutiny of the state, or whatever repercussions may be. Like, someone like the president may lose their jobs, the admin and staff that are helping to support those spaces, they may lose their jobs. When they closed, especially for me, that's where I'm like, so is this just going to go back to being a useless space? This brought so much life here to this Union Building. It amplified this building. Now are we just going to get rid of it? Especially after COVID, when people—I will swear to you, there are people still to this day who are saying, “Oh, you're being too loud,” or, “Oh, this event, the noise that you are making is too loud,” and we're in the Union Building, or we're in a space where collaboration and just even like conversing with other people, that naturally happens. What happens when you get multiple people conversing or 24 playing games or doing whatever, when you get multiple people doing that in that space, it gets loud. I don't know, sorry, if you have music on top of that, it's going to get even louder. So, that's where I'm like, there was all this kind of momentum that we had to kind of like revitalize campus and revitalize our Union Building, and I feel like that just got all slapped away, just because there's this law that's being passed. Honestly, I was really upset because I'm like, these students, these are the places that they now know that they belong, right? Or if they felt like they belong, that's where they now know to go. They know the people that are there. They know the friends that they may see if they go there, that is their known space. Even for the Dreamers Center, I swear I saw the same students in there all the time. Those groups of students that I said were talking outside of the Black Cultural Center, they were there all the time. I'm just like, great. So, this thing gets taken away. Then, I mean, I thought of Terry Hughes and I'm like, if Terry were here now, if she was here now, I don't even know what she would do. Then I feel like, especially since my husband goes to Weber State and attends as a student, a nontraditional student, like even he got the email, I think it was from Jessica Oyler, with the communication that the cultural centers are closing. I love Jessica. I love Jessica. Just like the delivery of that email and however it was worded, I'm like, that's just a slap in the face. That's just so boilerplate. Again, I love Jessica. I love the Oylers. Clayton's my boss, so I'm not just saying that as his employee. I'm saying that as someone who knows the Oylers very well, and I'm proud of 25 Jessica in her new role. That was just like, “Okay.” Kind of like a, “This is happening. Cool. Here's counseling resources. This is just happening. There's nothing you can do.” I was really sad seeing people move out again. I really have a hard time walking into physical spaces where, like, you have to go back and meander into someone's office. I'm like, I don't want to barge in and disturb anybody. But I would say hi to folks in passing, you know, who are in the cultural centers. But then they moved out and our new friends the Peer Mentors like they moved in. But then it's really interesting, because I'm very close with the Wildcat Advantage group. So, they moved in where the where the Dreamer Center was. That was where I'm like, well, my friends, they just moved right down the way, and of course they provide a great service and they support students developing themselves with their academics and outside of the curricula. That's where I'm like, “That is really cool that you all get to be here, and it's really cool that Peer Mentoring gets to be here. Does that actually equate to the work that the cultural centers were doing?” That I cannot say because I have not received services or support from either of those centers. But I'm just like, so where is all that energy? Where is all that support going? That's something still to this day that I'm like, Great. I do not know where our black students are getting support, or where our Dreamers Center students are or getting support now. That's where I feel the greatest loss. I did have a colleague who explained to me, because with the bill passing, I was originally like, “Okay, well, ‘cause someone got upset because we didn't 26 have a white boy center or a white people center on campus. Like, that's why this happened.” But then my colleague, she said that at another institution, she knew that there was a student who was trying to find a center for her, because she identified with being Hispanic. Because that institution didn't have a center, then she just didn't feel like there was anywhere that she can go. I'm like, well, that makes sense. Like, that makes sense where, just to try and “level the playing field.” But then especially with my research in adult learning and higher ed, there's a lot more that you have to do to level the playing field for students who identify—gosh, I'm trying to say the right words. I'm really trying to say the right words here, y'all—students that identify with like being underserved. I get it, it doesn't have to be applied to a particular background or culture or whatever, just students who were underserved, they knew where to get that support and service. So, there are unique needs of these unique groups. What the heck's going to happen now? Like, are we just going to be like, “Okay, no, you get the same thing as everybody else,” and that's especially not true. That's especially not true. Especially as someone who identifies as a woman, like that is a totally different ballgame, and especially identifying with the LGBTQ community, that's where I'm like, “Great. Now where did that go? Where can I go for that support and that community?” Like, even as a staff member, I still try and consider myself a student although I'm not taking classes, because there's so much that we learn every day. I'm grateful for the opportunities that we have here at Weber State as staff to 27 be engaged with continuing education and all that good stuff. That's where I'm like, if I was in their shoes, if this was me, like whenever I was an undergrad and I needed that and I leaned on that, it would feel like the rug was just taken right out from under me, you know what I'm saying? LR: Yeah. You’ve kind of talked a little bit about how you think students are reacting, but do you have anything else to say on that? KV: I would say like literally the only reaction I heard was the funeral procession that happened last week. I mean, like my husband being a nontraditional student—I know that his experience, I shouldn't say that. From my experience, being on campus and being right next to the Dreamer Center and the Black Cultural Center, I would say that I was expecting more of something. I was expecting more of a protest, more of like a sit-in, which I mean, I gotta knock on wood because we don't want a Union sit-in. But if that is what the students feel is important, gosh, they should express themselves. I feel like waiting six months, maybe, I get it, there's been a lot happening in our world, but six months to then go and protest? I don't know, all I heard was that they got Stacy Bernal there. I'm like, okay, does that take six months to coordinate with her? No. So, I feel like there was maybe something that students just like—of course, checking emails, we don't all do that, especially students. I feel like there was just communication that was missed, you know. Because I was expecting like the immediate jarring, like whenever they all moved out. I'm like, “Okay, we're just going to move out and just take it?” You know? Like, there 28 was nothing. There was nothing. That's where I was really expecting there to be more like a fight. But I mean, I get it. When you're a student and you have all these things going on, especially in this past fall, is that really—like it just felt like it wasn't a priority to the university, and therefore it wasn't a priority to the students until maybe someone caught wind and was like, “Wait, these are actually closed?” and then they do the funeral procession. So, the timing's really weird to me. Like, that's what's really throwing me off, where I'm like, I could foresee something happening like when the fall semester first started, or maybe like a little after. But to wait until December for something that closed six months earlier? Like, that's where I'm a little… Yeah, that's why I was hoping that there would be something or like more of a fight for that community space. That's why I say all around it just feels like it's a slap in the face. LR: Yeah. You've kind of talked about this a little bit too, but how do you think the closing of the centers are helping or hindering students? KV: Honestly, it's really hard to say. From my experience, I don't know. I mean, I do not get students who are walking into the computer lab saying, “Hey, where'd the Black Cultural Center go?” I know my friends in the Wildcat Advantage, they have a sign outside of their office that says, “Oh, the Dreamer Center has moved to blah, blah, blah.” There's not one of those for the Black Cultural Center, obviously, or like, “Hey, the Black Cultural Center has now closed. For support, please go and see blah.” There's nothing like that, because it's just the Peer Mentoring suite now. 29 Because I work very closely with my student hourlys, I have not heard from any one of them saying, “Well, I don't feel supported because of yada yada.” I only know from like the staff perspective that that was very hard on the Safe@Weber group, like losing those friends in the Women's Center, having that big change. I know that, but otherwise, yeah, from the students’ perspective, it's just hearing the different conversations that are happening, seeing the different people that are now in Union, that's where I'm like, “Well.” I mean, communally, I feel like there's a big impact there, not being able to have that designated space where you have your community that you identify with and those people. That's really about it. LR: So, why is community important? KV: It is critical just to have those connections with the people that you trust and you care about. Especially that community that you know that you have that common language, you have common backgrounds. I feel like that suit—like, of course we can all come from different spaces and agree on a hobby, or agree on a type of food that we like. I know this because whenever I go and meet people who are from Pennsylvania or who are from my home state or my hometown, that’s where I just feel I'm just like, “Oh, that's a totally…” I feel closer with them, you know? I want to support that even with my community in IT. Because I will tell you what, if you told me 10 years ago I would be working in IT, I’d be like, “You're talking about the wrong person.” Finding those people to, like, celebrate life with, especially like finding ways to gather and find ways to connect, whether that's with food or with like I said, with a shared hobby, or even just being in the same 30 space. That is something that's just so beneficial for our social well-being. I know that there are benefits to having that virtual community, and I really try and like support our colleagues who are working from home or work remotely. Just, that in-person presence and being in the same room, sharing the same space, sharing a meal, sharing a conversation real time, that just has, in my opinion, a superior quality. It makes me feel loved, you know? It makes me feel—I don't know if you all saw the Student Belonging survey that the university released. It's fascinating data. LR: I didn't actually see that, no. Did we get an email about that? KV: It's buried in the announcements. Don't you worry. LR: Oh, that’s why. KV: That's why. So, the university released this survey that assesses the quality of our students’ belonging on campus. One of the very last questions—and of course, it goes through like all the results and everything, which I will not say because I will get them wrong. One of the questions, though, was “I feel like I'm important to my university.” That was asked to students, and that's where I reflected on that question. I shared it with my employee, and I'm like, “We need to do this in the labs.” But more so personally reflecting, for me, I'm like, yes, I feel like I'm important to my university, because I know my community. I get it, I am just a small fish in a large pond. But to my community, to my friends, even I found like the weird crochet niche on campus. So, even connecting with those people, that's where I'm like, I feel like I am important because of the community and the 31 people that I have that I consider like my community. My friends, my department family, all these people that I interact with that I know support me, I support them, we collaborate on projects. So, that's something. Especially, like, my husband was just making fun of me last night. “Oh, it's 11:00 and you're still making treats for this crochet night” that I'm going to tonight. I'm like, “Well, we don't get this time back,” you know? Why not do the little extra things for these people? These people that I'm going to tonight, they're from Weber State. I only know one person, but I will still go into his face and be like, “I just want to give you the kindness that has given to me. I want to give you food. I want to share this with you,” because that's important. That is so important. I know for your social brain and for my social brain, we cannot not come together and create this community together. LR: Before I ask the final question, is there anything else that you want to mention or talk about? KV: Anything else? Because we are an internationally serving school, I love our international community. When talking about these cultural centers, especially with all, like, I swear we get students from all over the world. I know that there has been a particular increase in students from Africa. Hearing all the different languages, and especially like—that's where, like, seeing them connect and then seeing other Black-identifying students connect and then mingling together. That's where I'm like, what kind of international education are we losing? 32 I get it, those students, they can still find each other, or they could do whatever, but without that connecting piece? Like, same goes for dreamers, same goes for women, same goes for everywhere. Weber State is international, abundantly international. What kind of education and learning are we missing out? Sorry, that might be in more of like a hinder thing, but that's where I wanted to include, like, how are international students? I'm glad that we have so many, and I'm glad that Weber State will accept all people, because that only strengthens our cultural intelligence. That's what I'm looking for. That's where I really appreciate the library. Like, I know that there are signs in the library that are talking about like the different forms of intelligence, right? That's like, looking at that on the lists, and I'm like, “Huh.” I get it where we can have cultural events that are open to the public, right? It's just like, I'm curious if these cultural centers did improve cultural intelligence and that international intelligence and perspectives from different parts of the world, not just different cultures. So, I'm curious about that. Please note, I'm not trying to talk negatively about the Peer Mentoring group or the Wildcat Advantage, because they do bring people. I love walking by both of those centers and still seeing them teeming with students. It's not to the degree of the cultural centers. I am just grateful that students still know that those are places that they can go and get that support. So, like of all the positives of things, I'm grateful that there are still students in those spaces, still getting support and still getting service from Weber State. It's just that community piece. That's what I'm sad about. 33 LR: What do you think we as individuals can do to foster relationships and meet the needs of the underserved communities here at Weber? KV: Yeah. So, I know individually with me, fostering relationships, it's like putting myself out there. I know, and trust me, I specifically mention this because being in IT, being a woman in IT, in this field that I literally have just started learning about in the past year, and now I'm like very steeped in that division. I still don't know what the heck they do, but showing up and putting yourself, and being a little uncomfortable. Like, of course be safe please. To foster relationships better, like do so safely. It does take putting yourself out there. It does take being the person to make the first step. You don't know what could happen. I know rejection is very hard to face. I'm grateful that I have a really close friend who works at Davis, and she's German, and she has always explained like, “I don't understand being out here in Utah, because everybody has their families, everybody has their church relationships. No one really has like, friends.” I'm like, it doesn't have to be like best buddies, text you everyday type friendship. Just any way that we can have that acquaintanceship, you know? I feel like just even being okay with that, that's something that, just even like that casual “Hi, how you doing?” I feel like that, and especially coming from a small town, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's where I feel like that is something that is kind of missed nowadays. Especially as the person in technology, right? It's hard where I can totally be on that side, but then I'm also like, well, technology, I feel like that can kind of help or hinder people as well. Technology, there is like gaming and such. But 34 then on the other side of things, technology can be this barrier, and it could be something where you may have difficulties talking with someone in person, just because you're so familiar to just doing it via text or something like that. I know that it is very hard to ask people to put themselves out and to be uncomfortable and to put in the extra effort, especially now more than ever. That is just something where I would say, like, you got to find something that is doable for you. I'm not saying like, “Oh yeah, go and try to be friends with every person you meet.” No, it is okay. Maybe I should start saying hi to my coworker who works next door a little more. For me, I'm like, “Well, maybe I should probably pop in to the Peer Mentor suite and maybe say a little hi.” I always give them treats. I forgot to mention I would give them extra leftover like baked goods and stuff that I would have. So, I'd be like, “Hey, take this, take these treats,” and also the info desk. So, any little doable things like that to help foster relationships. Meeting the needs of underserved communities, that is something that I'm trying to assess like technology-wise and just kind of more of like from an academic perspective. Just because I know that that's hard to afford technology on top of books, on top of tuition, on top of rent, on top of like, I don't know, feeding yourself. I'll be honest with you, I feel like there's just got to be a lot more, like, I don't know if students are really feeling safe on campus. That’s why I want to dig into that belonging survey a lot more, too. But I will tell you, I've done can drives every year that I've been at Weber State. In the past two years, I have noticed people taking donated items. I know, 35 because you know that tip jar theory that no one's going to give to an empty tip jar? So, I would always put my two cans of whatever soup or chili or whatever, and then I would go back to that lab at the end of the month and I would notice they're gone. This year, I had two labs where that happened. So, of course, food insecurity is a huge issue. I am in no ways talking negatively about the people who are taking donated goods for a can drive, because they clearly obviously have a need. But my question is, well, is there something that you don't feel safe or don't feel comfortable going to the food pantry? If you don't feel comfortable or safe going to the food pantry that has no judgment or whatever towards students, how else are you feeling about reaching out to other services on campus? Because that is like one thing from my experience that I know for sure. Otherwise, I can't really say, “Oh, underserved communities do not have connection, they do not have yada yada.” I can't say that. Just to have like common space and feel like they're important at this university. That's why I feel that is something that we all need now more than ever. LR: I like that. That was a really great… KV: Little good ending. Yes. LR: I appreciate that. I'm really grateful for your willingness to share your experience and your stories. 36