Being a Utah native and outdoor enthusiast, Stephanie has always had a love for bikes. While attending Westminster College and pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science, Stephanie became the school's first bicycle coordinator. The position gave her the opportunity to teach others about the many benefits to cycling, in particularly within a university setting. She started the Westminster Bike Collective, which was a place for members of the Westminster community to learn from experienced mechanics how to fix basic bike related problems. She also made some significant cycling infrastructure improvements, while updating and increasing the school's bike rental fleet. Through this position Stephanie was able to make some lasting changes to the way students, faculty, staff, and visitors cycled on campus.
Upon college graduation Stephanie continued her involvement in the cycling community by working with various local non-profits and cycling related blogs and websites. Most recently she has been working in the Salt Lake City Office of Sustainability, helping clean the air by promoting the use of alternative transportation for the 2012 Clear the Air Challenge.
Stephanie adds “I’m thrilled to become a part of Aggie Blue Bikes and I would like to see Aggie Blue Bikes have an even greater presence within the USU and Cache Valley community through the addition of new events, outreach opportunities, and upholding the standards upon which program was founded. I also hope to make some infrastructure and educational improvements that will help make cycling a preferred method of transportation around the USU campus.”
Since its inception in 2005, Aggie Blue Bikes has grown its fleet of mostly recycled and donated bicycles from 20 to 160 while serving more than 10,118 Utah State University students with free three month and daily checkouts as well as student tool boards. Aggie Blue Bikes users have ridden more than 38,655 miles. To find out more about Aggie Blue Bikes at their mission, visit their website.
Awesome, Stephanie. Good for you, and I am excited to hear about the awesome things you take from Westminster to USU.
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