A fear of electricity, an addiction to TV and having pet names for campus regulars based on woodland creatures are just tiny portions of what creates Christian V. Pedersen, otherwise known as Vegor. He is a campus classic and our hero for the week. Here is what he had to say.
Q: Is Vegor your real first name? If not, why do you now go by it?
A: My first name is Christian, and it is still what my family calls me. Vegor is my middle name. Okay, my middle name is actually the letter V, but it stands for Vegor. When I moved out to Utah back in 1998, I just started going by Vegor. It is different. I like it. I like Christian too because it is a family name, and I like the irony of being an atheist called Christian.
Q: What are your past and current affiliations with UVU?
A: I started going to school here in 2001, but I feel I really started my affiliation with the school when I started working at the newspaper in 2002. I worked my way through the ranks and was editor-in-chief during the rowdy Michael Moore days. It was an exciting time to be on campus, it was our rebellious teenage years. For the past few years I worked at the Woodbury Art Museum, and now I do public relations and graphic design for the brand new School of the Arts.
Q: How has UVU helped your progress?
A: UVU has really defined the last six years of my life. The newspaper was a big part of that. I like feeling involved and working on something that makes a difference. At least I think it makes a difference. Journalism and graphic design have been my passions, and now my career is all about crafting a good message and making it appealing. I am doing what I love to do, and I am doing it in a great environment.
But most importantly, I met my wife here. We are celebrating our third wedding anniversary this week, and I think one of the reasons why we are so close is our association with this campus. At the end of the day we go home and share all these stories about the people we know.
Q: Speaking of stories, I hear that you and your wife have come up with pet names “for just about everyone on campus.” Can you share some of them with me?
A: It all started with Bill Cobb. You can’t look at that handsome devil and not think of a Silver Fox. Then we started calling Larry Harper the White Wolf. One night neither of us could sleep so we started naming all the people we know after the woodland creatures they resemble. The list is long and not always flattering, but it genuinely comes out of a love for the characters on this campus.
Q: What would you regard as your greatest achievement? Why?
A: The one thing I really hope to accomplish during my time here at UVU is to save the Bunnell Pioneer Home. My buddy Alex Caldiero and I are on a mission to do just that. We need to preserve this last piece of the original farm this campus was built on. I think a lot of people would like to see it just go away. But we really think it is the heart of the campus. We still have a long way to go to save it, but it will happen.
Q: What is your greatest disappointment?
A: Math 1010. I took it 11 times. But I passed it last year, so I guess it is also my greatest achievement.
Q: Besides conquering the UVU campus, how do you like to spend your free time?
A: I really am addicted to TV, and I am convinced we live in the golden age of television. “I Love Lucy” and “The Honeymooners” have got nothing on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Simpsons.”
Q: If you could tell UVU students, faculty and staff one message, what would it be?
A: Administrative assistants run this school, and don’t let anyone tell you different. Treat them like gold and magically things will always go your way.
