WSU Alumni Magazine | SPRING 2025 Khadija Abdinasir is a student in Weber State's Outdoor & Community Recreation Education program and a teaching assistant in the Climbing I course. EARNING A MASTER’S ON ISLAND TIME BENJAMIN ZACK Five thousand miles from WSU’s campus, colleagues MAPU TALO and TOGIIMOANA AMITUANAI learned skills to navigate American Samoa’s unique healthcare needs and set an example for future generations. Both earned their Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences online last year with classmates in Utah, New York and Florida. They also work at the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center, the island’s only hospital. Talo has worked at the hospital for over 30 years and serves as radiology department manager. Along with improving his imaging skills, he learned grant writing to better the lives of patients as well as congregants at the church where he preaches. Amituanai has been at the hospital for over 20 years and works in breast imaging, helping doctors diagnose problems through mammograms, ultrasounds and other tests. Mapu Talo The LBJ staff often has to do more with fewer resources than other hospitals. “We’re still working on getting an MRI. That has been a huge talk here on the island for a couple of years,” Amituanai said. With such an important job, she appreciated the personal attention Weber State faculty offered. As she completed her courses, she reminded herself that she was also setting a positive example for her five children and two grandchildren. While sometimes logging into class at 2 a.m. local time, Talo and Amituanai learned from the nation’s top radiologic sciences professors while surrounded by the Pacific Ocean’s vibrant blue waters and the National Park of American Samoa’s lush green mountains. They walked to receive their WSU degrees at a local community college’s ceremony in December 2024. “I’m trying to set an example for my kids,” said Talo, who has six children. “If you put your mind and heart into it, anything is possible.” Togiimoana Amituanai REGISTER FOR FALL BY July 1, 2025 WILDCAT DEPARTMENTS Katrina Twing poses in front of the well-known submersible “Alvin” in 2016. 6 Photo courtesy of Katrina Twing WSU Alumni Magazine Weber Watch Vol. 30, No. 1, Spring 2025 Lighting the sky above campus, getting to know WSU’s first postdocs, a grad making her career in Washington, WSU golf greats and more 36 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS WSU Salutes Anna Burleson | Patrick Carr | Jessica Kokesh MPC ’24 John Kowalewski | Bryan Magaña BS ’06, MA ’09 Jennifer Wright | Benjamin Zack WSU honored eight outstanding individuals and one impactful organization at the 55th Annual WSU Salutes ceremony. 40 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Nancy B. Collinwood BS ’94 | John Kowalewski Bryan Magaña BS ’06, MA ’09 | Betsy Mennell Amber Robson BS ’05, MPC ’17 Jill Walker BS ’06, MA ’12 | Jennifer Wright Cooking Class Assistant Professor Qi Jin offers the recipe for the chicken wraps she enjoyed as a kid in Beijing. 42 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matthew Zacher BFA ’11 Hometown Alum DESIGNERS Exploring New Brunswick with the president and CEO of State Theatre New Jersey 45 Class Notes 14 ON THE COVER: WSU faculty member Katrina Twing explores the origins of life in our oceans (page 14). CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Wildcat Inbox 22 32 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 Karla K. Bergeson, Chair Keith Titus BS ’02, Vice Chair Brent Bishop | Matt Dixon BA ’98 Tammy Gallegos | Casey Hill BA ’03 Monet Maggelet | Lori Belnap Pehrson BS ’87 Donald J. Salazar | Emily Sorenson BS ’24, BS ’24 Staying in touch with alumni and friends Comments and questions may be sent to Wildcat, Weber State University, 1265 Village Drive Dept 4025, Ogden, UT 84408-4025. The editor may also be contacted by phone at 801-626-7396 or email at magazine@weber.edu. Where It All Began Send address changes to Advancement Services, Weber State University, 1265 Village Drive Dept. 4018, Ogden, UT 84408-4018. Call 801-626-6138 or email giving@weber.edu to update your records. Brilliant Designs 22 Interior design students and graduates take us inside their practical and stunning spaces. 4 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2024–25 A faculty member shares her research on a unique geological site that may hold the answers to the origin of life. WSU Alumni Magazine | SPRING 2025 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Robert Casey | Randy Dodson | Susan Lang Lisa Romerein FEATURES 14 Lauren Davenport BFA ’24 Chelsea Maki BS ’16 | Jennilyn Keinsley Ryan Ash | Benjamin Zack Updates on the careers and achievements of our Weber State alumni 52 EDITOR IN CHIEF Jaime Winston BA ’22 In Her Memory TAKE OUR SURVEY Two sisters create a scholarship in remembrance of their mother, a nontraditional student who was known for giving back. to help shape the future of Wildcat. You can enter to win a Weber State gift package. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Advancement Services, Weber State University, 1265 Village Drive Dept. 4018, Ogden, UT 84408-4018. weber.edu/wsumagazine alumni.weber.edu TURNING THE SKY PURPLE Weber State kicked off Homecoming Week with a drone show featuring WSU icons in lights above Stewart Stadium on Oct. 7, 2024. The show replaced the tradition of lighting an electric W on a slope of Mt. Ogden due to the ongoing installation of a permanent flaming W. The university held additional drone light shows following the Homecoming football game against Northern Colorado and during spring 2025 commencement celebrations. Make your gift to help light the W! Anna Burleson Patrick Carr John Kowalewski Bryan Magaña BS ’06, MA ’09 Jaime Winston BA ’22 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 7 WEBER WATCH WEBER WATCH VICE PROVOST AWARDED for ‘transformative’ leadership The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities awarded Vice Provost BRENDA KOWALEWSKI the 2024 Barbara A. Holland ScholarAdministrator Award, which honors a scholaradministrator whose leadership and intellectual voice illuminates the transformative power of urban and metropolitan higher education. WEBER STATE’S FIRST POSTDOCS GET A START IN (AND OUT) OF THE CLASSROOM Kaitlyn Horisk (left), Collette Wilfong (center), and Kimberly Beck (right) are the first cohort of Weber State’s PROGRESS in STEM Education Postdoctoral Fellowship. I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Brenda to receive this award.” — WSU PRESIDENT BRAD MORTENSEN Kowalewski is vice provost of high-impact educational experiences, faculty excellence and international and graduate studies. She helped the university increase inclusive pedagogy through the Postdoctoral fellows at Weber State are gaining “I’m looking at how those kinds of experiences make students either believe Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning and teaching experience while pursuing their they can achieve or whether it hinders them because they struggle in the co-created the Office of Community Development. research. field,” Wilfong said. “It’s about making these experiences positive, building The Postdoctoral Research Opportunities for self-efficacy and overcoming barriers.” Greater Retention, Engagement, Scholarship The other postdocs also taught courses in their fields of expertise: KAITLYN and Success in Science, Technology, Engineering HORISK led Principles of Environmental Science, and KIMBERLY BECK instructed and Math (PROGRESS in STEM) Education Post- Algebra from a Teaching Perspective. in health, education, built environment, economic stability and social fabric doctoral Fellowship has hired three fellows since PROGRESS in STEM aims to create a group of successful educators with research in the community. experience and is funded by a $1.24 million National Science Foundation grant. Kowalewski garnered extensive national attention for Weber State’s fulfilling our co-responsibility as good stewards KRISTIN RABOSKY, an associate professor of physics and astronomy and one commitment to connecting coursework with community engagement since of place,” Kowalewski said. “We must change of four professors who helped secure the grant, said fellows in the program opening the Center for Community Engaged Learning in 2006. university business practices to create a positive collaborate in the local community to broaden the university’s reach, run As chair of a 30-member task force, Kowalewski oversees WSU’s application economic impact in local communities. We must its inception. One of them, COLLETTE WILFONG, taught undergraduate students about historical geology during the spring 2025 semester. She took students to locations like Antelope Island to study Utah’s geology. Since her research is focused on selfefficacy in the field, she simultaneously examined the impact of field research on her students’ academic self-esteem. 8 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 monthly journal clubs and conduct research with students. “I love teaching,” Wilfong said. “I taught field geology when I was a grad student, and having 19-year-olds in the field … they have so much energy and are just really excited to learn. It’s a great space.” She also convened a coalition of seven anchor institutions in Ogden, including Faculty Award. She has written and presented on Ogden School District, Ogden-Weber Technical College, two local hospitals community engagement and the gender wage gap and others, to assist in revitalizing East Central Ogden. That coalition, the in leading journals. Ogden Civic Action Network, facilitates collaboration and local partnerships process for the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification, awarded in 2008 and renewed in 2015. In 2015, she received the New York Life Higher Education Civic Engagement Award, and in 2013, she was a finalist for the Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged “Urban and metropolitan universities must be places where partnerships in the community are cultivated, celebrated and seen as critical for convene local anchor institutions and leverage their collective resources to create a sustainable economic, social, cultural and environmental system that ensures opportunity for everyone.” Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 9 WEBER WATCH WEBER WATCH WSU GRAD CREATES HER CAREER A NEW WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH in Washington, D.C. takes lead As a child, JASMINE PITTMAN BS ’17 would sew together whatever material she Pittman does a lot: brand strategy, marketing, could find and put on mock fashion shows for her family. content creation, editing and special projects with “I have always loved fashion, like deep in my core, as a child. When they say passion for fashion, it’s like, ‘Oh, cringe,’ but really, it’s true,” she said. Now, she’s turned her love of fashion into a career. Pittman, who graduated from Weber State with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a psychology minor, is finding her fit in Washington, D.C., as a creative freelancer working to make strides in the fashion industry. This fall, KYLE CHRISTENSEN, a celebrated coach and former player, will take the pitch as the new head coach of the Wildcat women’s soccer team. clients such as Vogue, New York Fashion Week and Christensen, a Utah native, comes to Weber State after spending 10 seasons on Prime Video. the staff at Utah Valley University, including the last three years as the associate Pittman worked with the National Cancer Institute in March 2020, helping with vital communications when the COVID-19 pandemic began; she received an NCI Director’s Award of Merit in 2023. Around the same time, Pittman got into the fashion industry on the side and then pivoted into full-time creative freelance work a few months later. Pittman started making connections and building her client list. One connection is Jotaka Eaddy, who founded the viral “Win With Black Women” virtual head coach and recruiting coordinator. At UVU, Christensen helped lead his team to four NCAA tournament appearances, four Western Athletic Conference regular season championships and three WAC tournament titles. He played collegiate soccer at the University of Denver where he was a fouryear all-conference player and was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Player of the Year as a senior. He led the university to its first-ever conference title and a first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament as a senior in 2008. Following his college career, Chivas USA selected him in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He played semi-professional soccer for several years before starting his coaching career. network, which supports Black women’s policy agendas. Pittman helped Eaddy prepare for media interviews ahead of the 2024 presidential election. In September 2023, Eaddy and Pittman attended the Brunch in Celebration of Black Excellence at the White House’s South Lawn. President Joe Biden and other government officials welcomed Black celebrities, influencers and people in the creative industry for an afternoon of food, music and celebration. While Pittman looks forward to growing her career, she credits her time at Weber State for helping her get where she is. From influential professors to math tutors to the food pantry, Pittman took advantage of it all and still uses things she learned at WSU today. Jasmine Pittman at the Brunch in Celebration of Black Excellence at the White House’s South Lawn in September 2023 10 weber.edu/wsumagazine Winter 2025 Because of all of the resources that Weber had, I felt like I was ready to enter this working world.” — JASMINE PITTMAN The future is bright for the Weber State women’s soccer team and I look forward to working with the amazing studentathletes and taking this team to new heights.” — KYLE CHRISTENSEN ESPORTS LAB BRINGS RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Weber State students study the physiological effects video games have on the human body in the esports lab, part of the university’s renovated Human Performance Lab that opened during the 2023–24 academic year. The Human Performance Lab features stateof-the-art equipment for exercise and sport science students to conduct fitness testing and research. The accompanying esports lab has six computers, used by WSU esports junior varsity teams and research personnel, to investigate the impact of gaming on different body processes. “The esports lab is an exciting addition to our Human Performance Lab, providing an innovative learning environment to explore the intersection of technology and health,” said CASS MORGAN, interim dean of the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education. ABOVE: The new esports lab, part of Weber State's Human Performance Lab, allows students to study the physiological effects of gaming. Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 11 WEBER WATCH WEBER WATCH SETTING HER SIGHTS on history PROFESSIONAL SALES MAJOR inspires others on way to social media career When Wildcat KELSEY CHUGG BS ’13 hoisted the “DESIREE COOPER LARSEN’S etiquette lessons helped me prepare for formal trophy at the 118th Utah Women’s State Amateur dinners in the business world, as well as fancy meals post tournaments,” Chugg last July, she joined an elite company of golfers. said about the late WSU professor of professional sales. Chugg competes in six Chugg became the sixth woman to win the event to eight tournaments between April and November each year. Still sporting her MAX TOGISALA has long dominated on the golf six times, leaving her two behind Bev Nelson’s signature purple shirts on the course to remind everyone she “bleeds purple,” course, both before and after a ski accident left record of eight titles. Chugg said she’s feeling rejuvenated and excited about her game. him paralyzed from the waist down. After winning the state am four times in six years Her recent victories have come against a larger field of players, including He learned to play golf at age 3 and in junior (2012–2017), Chugg endured a dry period, which she current college golfers. As associate director for Salt Lake City Golf, Chugg high set a goal to play in college. He later earned attributes to putting too much pressure on herself. said it’s exciting to see the sport’s growth, even if that makes the Utah am a full-ride scholarship to play at Central Wyoming She reemerged as champ, winning the 2022 event competition tougher. College. His plans changed, however, when he at the Ogden Country Club. tumbled 100 yards down a ski slope in Idaho, “I spent a lot of time out there on that course, breaking his spine and losing feeling in his legs. and those memories were with me during that event,” Chugg said, recalling her days as a member of the Wildcat golf team and former coach JEFF SMITH, whom she credits for having a tremendous influence on her life. Chugg’s technical sales education at WSU also has unexpectedly contributed to her golf career. Going up against the college players keeps me mentally motivated,” Chugg said. Chugg resumes her pursuit of state am history this summer when she tees off at the Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course in Midway, Utah. He was 18 years old. “That put me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” Togisala said. He spent three months in the hospital, where he relearned basic tasks. Togisala thought he would never golf again. Then, one winter day at the hospital, his brother, Malosi, wheeled him to a patch of grass outside and showed him how to swing a club while seated. On his first day out of the hospital, his dad took Kelsey Chugg winning her sixth Utah Women’s State Amateur Photo credit: Fairways Media / Randy Dodson him to the green. “It felt amazing to be out on the golf course again,” Togisala said. He soon learned about the USGA’s first-ever U.S. Adaptive Open. At the second annual event in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in 2023, Togisala was part of a 96-player field of competitors from across the globe in eight categories, including seated players. He was victorious in that category, earning his first national title — and he did it again in 2024. Max Togisala has gained a following for his golf game on his path to becoming a social media professional. Follow Togisala on Instagram @max_togisala. “It’s pretty cool to have two national titles as a wheelchair user,” he said. Togisala wanted to continue his college dream. In August 2022, he enrolled at Weber State to study professional sales. “At Weber, I felt like I had a new opportunity to grow and to shine,” he said. He hopes to work in social media one day. He has already gained over 30,000 followers on Instagram, where he shares adaptive golf content and videos of his daily life. Togisala passes on his adaptive sports knowledge in golf clinics during the summer and skiing courses in the winter. With his busy life — which includes working as a student advocate at a nearby junior high school and recently getting married — Togisala said he’s grateful. 12 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 My dad taught me you’re gonna have bad holes and you’re gonna have good holes; it’s just how you react to those bad holes.” — MAX TOGISALA Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 13 When an email from the president of the National Academy of Sciences popped into KATRINA TWING’S inbox last summer, she tossed it into her spam folder. The NAS had just invited her to speak at the 2024 Japanese-American-German Kavli Frontiers of Science symposium. For Twing, a microbiology professor at Weber State, it seemed a little unbelievable that someone had reached out about her postdoctoral research on microbes and ocean hydrothermal vents — especially since she was no longer actively involved with deep-sea research missions. “I absolutely love teaching, but it takes a lot of time, so I don’t go to sea anymore. I’ve turned my focus to projects that undergraduate students can be directly involved in,” she said. “So I got an email … and it said we’d like to invite you to be part of this prestigious symposium in Japan, all expenses paid. And I thought, ‘Yeah, right.’” A follow-up email later that day from a symposium committee member made it clear the invitation was legitimate, and out of the spam folder it went. But it still took some time for Twing to realize how special of an opportunity this was. She would be one of only six American A WSU professor researches the deep-sea origin of life on Earth. By Jessica Kokesh speakers at the conference and the sole American representing the field of biology. “I still have goosebumps,” she said. “It’s really amazing, and honestly, it feels like a bigger honor because that research is not my whole life these days.” That research? The origin of life on Earth. 14 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 15 THE LOST CITY Deep beneath the surface of the mid-Atlantic sits a unique geological site that may hold the answers to the origin of life. Discovered in 2000, the Lost City is a field of large hydrothermal vent chimneys, white mineral structures rising as tall as 200 feet from the seabed and venting heated water, minerals and gases from the Earth’s crust into the ocean. Twing became fascinated with the Lost City when she read a paper about its discovery as an undergraduate at Clark University. “A completely unique type of ecosystem was being discovered, and I just became completely enamored,” she said. “And as a sophomore, I said, ‘I want to go see these types of environments and deep-sea volcanoes.’” And she did. While getting her master’s degree, Twing participated in her first deep sea expedition in 2008, diving in the submersible Alvin — better known for its numerous expeditions to the wreck of the Titanic. In 2015 and 2018, she joined research teams heading out to sea to study Hydrothermal vents can be found worldwide, usually the Lost City and collect samples from it. The expeditions along the boundaries of the plates in the Earth’s crust, and lasted six weeks. host distinctive ecosystems fueled by the chemicals in the released fluids. The Lost City is estimated to be 120,000 years old. It features unique geology and geochemistry not found in other undersea vents. BELOW: Katrina Twing poses in front of the well-known submersible “Alvin” in 2016. Photo courtesy of Katrina Twing TOP RIGHT: One of the white mineral structures that make up the Lost City, a vast field of hydrothermal vent chimneys Photo credit: Susan Lang, U of SC / NSF / ROV Jason / 2018 © WHOI “It was absolutely amazing to be there, to be on the team, and to be working on something that 19-year-old me sitting in a classroom had first been interested in,” she said. BOTTOM RIGHT: Photos of the Lost City’s unique ecosystem, located deep in the Atlantic Ocean Photo credit: Susan Lang, U of SC / NSF / ROV Jason / 2018 © WHOI LOST C ITY - QUIC K FAC TS 2000 200 FT 120,000 Year the Lost City was discovered Height of the area’s tallest hydrothermal vent chimneys Estimated age in years of the Lost City Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 17 SERPENTINIZATION interesting to researchers is called serpentinization. When olivine, a mineral abundant in the Earth’s crust, comes into contact with water at the right pressure and temperature, it transforms into another mineral called serpentine. This process releases hydrogen, methane and other essential molecules to create and sustain life in an extreme environment without sunlight. “There’s always this chicken and the egg question of how the origin of life happened. You need life in order to get life. So where did the first cells or first life come from?” Twing said. “And a place where you can have rocks and water combining to give you organic molecules, which are essentially life molecules, is a pretty good guess.” Serpentinization only occurs underwater, but evidence of it exists on land in portions of the ocean’s ancient crust pushed “ Twing wrapped up her postdoctoral “ The geological and geochemical process that makes the Lost City so THE FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE research in 2019 but still publishes scientific papers about the Lost City and I think it’s human nature to ask where we come from. But we’re closer to being able to answer it than ever before. the California site. In the years since, she’s — Katrina Twing a large scale for something that wasn’t moved away from the sea and toward the classrooms at Weber State. “I have a career that goes in a lot of different directions now, and the biggest direction is toward my students,” she said. That’s why the invitation to speak at the Frontiers of Science symposium came as such a surprise. “To still be acknowledged on such the direction I’m actively pursuing made it even more of an honor.” to the surface by tectonic plates. Twing’s Ph.D. involved analyzing Twing traveled to Kyoto, Japan, for the symposium in the content and to have that confidence of where I’ve been microbes found 40 meters under the surface of such areas in October, joining American scientific colleagues from the and knowing how far I can go.” Northern California. University of Colorado; University of California, Berkeley; While in Japan, she connected with the two other Twing said studying the microbes found in these environments is Michigan State University and the Massachusetts Institute researchers who were speaking about the origins of life, important to understanding not only the origin of life on Earth but of Technology. She said that connecting with international and they began brainstorming new ideas and outlining also how we might be able to find life on other planets. scientists and listening to their presentations helped spark proposals for research. “I think it’s human nature to ask where we come from. new excitement for science. “In putting together this talk, I’d been removed from it But we’re closer to being able to answer it than ever “I kind of feel like I’m in a new era as a scientist,” she said. enough that I was learning things again and maybe seeing before,” she said. “I don’t know if we’re going to find “I feel more reinvigorated with science than I have in a where there were some kind of gaps in the research that I’m a conclusive answer … but I think that each little long time. This is a new phase of my career that I haven’t excited to fill,” she said. piece of this puzzle that we can kind of click into really been at before … to have the ideas, to understand place can help us understand where we’ve been, maybe understand the world around us now a little bit better and understand the future.” A Lost City structure created by serpentinization, a geological and geochemical process that releases life-sustaining molecules underwater Photo credit: Susan Lang, U of SC / NSF / ROV Jason / 2018 © WHOI 18 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 TOP: Katrina Twing (center) speaks at the Origin of Life panel discussion with Hannes Mutschler from TU Dortmund University in Germany (left) and Kosuke Fujishima from the Earth-Life Science Institute in Tokyo, Japan (right). BOTTOM: Researchers from all over the globe pose for a group photo at the 2024 Japanese-American-German Frontiers of Science Symposium. Photo credit: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Photo credit: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 19 TOP: Katrina Twing in the lab with fall 2024 microbiology graduate Ethan Barnette and current microbiology major Ariel Abernathy “ BOTTOM: Microbiology major Rockwell Lunceford conducts research in Katrina Twing’s class. This journey started 20 years ago with a class I liked, with just a question that sparked my interest. I hope that resonates with my students. “ — Katrina Twing 20 Department of Microbiology Chair MICHELE CULUMBER said Twing looks forward to seeing how her students can of those students will come to Twing’s office and ask about the Frontiers of Science symposium was an extraordinary be included in future research about the Lost City and careers outside of medicine and dentistry. opportunity for Twing and she’ll continue to be a campus leader the origins of life. Though expeditions to the site in undergraduate research. probably aren’t in the near future, there are still plenty “Those are always particularly special moments when they “Dr. Twing’s research in early earth history, deep ocean of samples and data from the first expeditions that need microbiology and environmental microbiology have led to to be studied. a number of student projects and publications and has Twing’s microbial ecology course, a required class for been of great interest to students in our department,” microbiology students, is often the first time students Culumber said. “She has a great enthusiasm for research, study microbes outside of the human body. At least once and she really loves sharing her passion with students.” a semester (usually after a lecture about the ocean), one weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 see there’s another whole world out there,” she said. “This journey started 20 years ago with a class I liked, with just a question that sparked my interest. I hope that resonates with my students.” Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 21 brilliant designs THE PROGRAM OF INTERIOR DESIGN PREPARES STUDENTS TO DESIGN FUNCTIONAL, SAFE AND STUNNING SPACES. by Jaime Winston Kristen Arnold, Program of Interior Design coordinator and associate professor, marvels over the stunning designs her current and former students create. She also makes sure everyone knows their work goes far beyond aesthetics. “We all love beautiful spaces, but the top priority is to make sure that they function well and that they’re safe,” said Arnold, who has taught in the program for 16 years. The program, now in its 55th year, prepares students for careers designing commercial spaces, churches, healthcare facilities, schools and more while ensuring projects meet all local laws and building codes. Students can become certified in AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit and other design software. The program also prepares them to take the IDFX exam upon « LEFT: A cozy spot at the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa in Jackson, Wyoming two years into their career. Photo by Lisa Romerein friendly environment. However, students also step out of their comfort zones » RIGHT: TOP: Goldenwest Credit Union corporate office space in Washington Terrace, Utah WSU’s interior design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation and endorsed by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. 22 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 graduation and, ultimately, earn industry-recognized NCIDQ certification after Arnold said small classes where teachers know each student create an intimate, by working on projects in the community. They also team up with students from other majors for the Interdisciplinary Charrette, a competition to find creative solutions to design problems, and they refurbish chairs for the annual Charitable Chair auction. In past years, the event Photo by Benjamin Zack has supported charities like Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis, Junior League MIDDLE: A private home of Ogden and others. Photo by Benjamin Zack Interior design students can travel internationally and domestically to learn BOTTOM: A rendering of a restroom with Spanish design influence about architecture, culture and design history. A recent trip took students Rendering by Guillermo Zelaya Weber State students and graduates served as interior designers for these spaces. across the country to visit buildings designed by architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright. Arnold said these experiences prepare graduates to meet any interior design challenge. “When they get out into their careers, it’s really amazing to see all the wonderful things they do and the work they produce,” she said. The following students and graduates exemplify the program’s brilliance. jen frazier EARNING HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN, GRADUATING SPRING 2025 INTERN INTERIOR DESIGNER AT VCBO ARCHITECTURE HER FEATURED PROJECT As a student, Frazier worked on many commercial and residential projects that gave her the skills to design a new kitchen and living space in her home. “Every aspect of the space was carefully considered with intentionality and care,” she said. Early on, Frazier discovered stone for the kitchen featuring a unique blue veining, which inspired the rest of the project. “I incorporated blue throughout the spaces, selected elegant, timeless finishes, and added elements that surprise and bring joy,” she said. “Every time I walk into my home, I feel a surge of elation and pride. This is the experience I want to create for my future design clients: spaces that inspire the same sense of fulfillment and connection.” When designing, she sees herself as a “problem solver,” considering how occupants can best use the space while carefully balancing functionality with aesthetics. AN ADDED SURPRISE Frazier creates successful spaces by applying best practices for balance, scale DISCOVERING INTERIOR DESIGN and color, but she also enjoys adding a After raising a family and pursuing other personal touch. academic areas, Frazier followed her “To complement the more traditional longtime passion for architecture and aesthetic, I enjoy incorporating a surprising design as an interior design student. “As an element that elevates the experience for the older student, I believe my life experience occupants, whether through color, texture enriches my work,” she said. or a unique feature that evokes joy and IT TAKES PLANNING brings everything together,” she said. Good design follows a process where each AFTER GRADUATION phase is as important as the others. Frazier plans to continue her work at VCBO “Taking the time to research and space plan Architecture, where she works alongside is just as rewarding as selecting finishes and furnishings,” she said. “I have come to appreciate every step of the process and find it fulfilling to see the project evolve into something tangible and complete.” architects, vendors and clients. Jen Frazier applied her interior design education to complete a new kitchen and living space in her home. “Now that I’ve used the space for many family gatherings, I can confidently say it functions perfectly,” she said. Photos by Benjamin Zack 24 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 25 ashley badali WSU BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND PROFESSIONAL SALES, 2017 MASTER OF EDUCATION, WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY, 2017 STUDIO 333 ARCHITECTS SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER & WSU INTERIOR DESIGN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR HER FEATURED PROJECT Among her many projects for Studio 333 Architects, Badali recently worked on the 100,000-square-foot Goldenwest Credit Union corporate office space in Washington Terrace, Utah. design where all aspects have a meaning “The design highlights the stunning views and a purpose.” on all sides of the building while bringing In the classroom, she draws on her industry daylight into the core,” she said. “We experience to teach students skills she emphasized a timeless minimalism and knows they will need for their future The Goldenwest Credit Union corporate office space is the largest project Ashley Badali has worked on yet. As a WSU assistant professor, she brings her experience to the classroom. integrated company branding throughout.” careers. The interiors of the space include natural MEETING CLIENT NEEDS Photos by Benjamin Zack stone-like tile and steel. finishes like polished concrete, maple, communicates with them through each A second-generation Wildcat, Badali step of the process. She also visits the her creativity, utilize technology and be relevant in the workforce. She soon found the interior design program, which she discovered is accredited by the Council future space with them virtually. “We use 3D technology to model a space that the client can virtually experience and make decisions from, so they know the finished space will be exactly what they are hoping for Interior Design Accreditation and for,” she said. endorsed by the National Kitchen and Bath ADVICE FOR STUDENTS Association. “Interior design takes a lot of passion and ON THE JOB excitement for learning. It is a hard career Badali appreciates the attention to detail her to just shut off at 5 p.m., but with that can colleagues display at Studio 333 Architects. “This is showcased in each phase of our design process,” she said. “From the way we produce our drawings, making it easier for construction to go smoothly, to the final weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 gets to know them and their goals and DISCOVERING INTERIOR DESIGN wanted a major where she could express 26 When working with clients, Badali come feeling inspired each day with new ideas and new technologies,” Badali said. “You need to have enthusiasm to continually move forward. I learn something new every day, and I hope that never stops.” Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 27 zack myers Zack Myers worked as lead designer of the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa in Jackson, Wyoming, where guests can enjoy a comfortable stay in a setting designed to complement the city’s natural beauty. WSU BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND PROFESSIONAL SALES, 2017 Photos by Lisa Romerein WRJ DESIGN SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER HIS FEATURED PROJECT WRJ Design, based in Jackson, Wyoming, began work on The Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa in 2020 after a previous hotel burned down. “We designed the interiors to honor the existing glory of the previous hotel while also modernizing and refreshing the previous design elements,” said Myers, who worked as lead designer. Rush Jenkins, CEO of WRJ Design, served as principal creative. Myers and Jenkins created the project with owners Ron and Brandon Harrison, Rowland + Broughton Architecture, and the Raeder-Whaler procurement team. BIGGEST TAKEAWAY Myers recalls instructor Rob Call teaching him always to have a “why” when designing. “Whenever we presented our projects in his class, he would make sure that we could back up those choices through articulate DISCOVERING INTERIOR DESIGN reasoning,” he said. Myers chose the university his siblings, DESIGNING IN NYC parents, grandparents and even greatgrandparents attended. “My mom also taught at Weber State as a Spanish literature professor for over 35 years,” he said. “I also remember attending WSU basketball games, football games, concerts and ballets from a young age.” He initially wanted to study architecture after taking college-level architecture and Myers interned with Jeffrey Beers International in New York City in 2015. “The experience was eye-opening,” Myers said. It also led to work with LMK Interior Design upon his return to Utah. After graduating, he worked with Gensler in hospitality design in Las Vegas before finding his position with WRJ Design. an entry-level interior design course at THE BEST PART OF INTERIOR DESIGN Weber State convinced him to join the Myers’ favorite design aspect lies within the program. “I loved that the field related to “design development phase.” civil engineering in high school. However, architecture. However, it also encompassed other elements of design that I’m passionate about, like furniture, lighting, fabrics and finishes,” he said. 28 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 “I love to source furniture, lighting, finishes and fabrics and begin to see the design come together in a cohesive package,” he said. Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 29 guillermo zelaya EARNING HIS WSU BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND PROFESSIONAL SALES WITH A MINOR IN BUILDING DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, GRADUATING SPRING 2025 HIS FEATURED PROJECT Zelaya said these renderings are of a restroom “inspired by Spanish design with influences of mid-century with the curves and colors.” As a student, he has also created design renderings for many other spaces, including a healthcare clinic, a family home and a 1920s-inspired residential suite. DISCOVERING INTERIOR DESIGN Zelaya recalls growing up with a love for design and architecture. He often watched HGTV with his mother after school. Working Kelcie Welch, a former interior design on several projects with a friend who instructor, pushed Zelaya beyond what studied architecture really pushed him he thought he could do and was there for into design. him when he needed it most. “I am a better “I loved seeing what he was working on but wasn’t really interested in the architect path,” Zelaya said. “I still wanted to be part of designing spaces for people, and that’s what brought me to interior design.” CREATING FRIENDSHIPS While classes are challenging, Zelaya says he appreciates professors pushing him out Guillermo Zelaya created these renderings of a residential restroom inspired by Spanish design. While the interior design program requires much hard work and dedication, Zelaya says getting to know professors and peers can help students succeed. 30 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 MENTORSHIP IN THE PROGRAM of his comfort zone and the relationships he made with peers along the way. “Building designer because I had her as a professor,” he said. “I would be able to reach out when I had designer’s block and talk through things with her.” Z e l aya also appreciates Associate Professor Kristen Arnold’s mentorship. “She has provided me with many opportunities to be part of the community and is also one that has pushed me to be better,” he said. bonds with friends over late nights and AFTER GRADUATION crazy projects has been amazing,” he said. After graduating, Zelaya plans to continue working at VCBO Architecture, where he works alongside architects, vendors and clients. Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 31 r e h In memory Two sisters create a scholarship in remembrance of their mother, a nontraditional student who was known for giving back. Paula By Jaime Winston “Kim” McCorkle-Harbath at the Utah State Capitol alongside late radio stood as a pillar of support for family and personality Casey Kasem’s daughter Kerri Kasem community. Now, her legacy will help other WSU and the Kasem Cares organization. students achieve their dreams. In her final year at Weber, she won the Civically Kim worked at Ogden Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free public charter school. She also volunteered for programs like Grandfamilies, a Children’s Service Society initiative supporting families with a grandparent as a primary caregiver, and organized an annual meal for up to 1,200 low-income and unhoused people at Ogden’s Marshall White Center. Engaged Student Award from WSU’s Center for After feeling helpless when her father fell victim The award is fitting, given Kim’s strong WSU roots. to financial fraud, Kim, at age 57, enrolled at “She was a great example of somebody who went Weber State in 2013 to become an advocate for to school at Weber and used her experience to senior citizens. While working full-time at Ogden make the Ogden community a better place,” Kari Prep, she earned her Bachelor of Integrated Studies said. “She was always wearing her Weber hat, degree in gerontology, sociology and women’s she was always talking about Weber, she knew studies in 2016. everybody, she loved her professors.” As a student, she shared her father’s story to Kari, the first in the family to attend Weber State, advocate against the exploitation of senior citizens graduated in marketing and public relations in Community Engaged Learning. Tragically, Kim’s advocacy ended when she passed away in 2019. Her daughters, Kari and Kassie Harbath, created the Kim McCorkle-Harbath Memorial Scholarship fund in her memory five years ago. 2015. Kassie is a current WSU exercise and sport science major. Their mother’s death happened along with a series of other hardships. Today, they are grateful for the opportunity to give back. Strength through adversity After her birth, Kari’s daughter, Sloan, was swiftly life-flighted from McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. She stayed there for two months and received a series of surgeries related to CHARGE syndrome, a rare condition affecting organ systems, and was diagnosed as both blind and deaf. 32 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 ABOVE: Kassie (left) and Kari Harbath (right), and Kari’s daugther, Sloan, remember Kim McCorkleHarbath at a bench dedicated to her memory. Early on, medical professionals painted a bleak outlook. “At first, it was hard,” LEFT: A bench outside of Ogden coffeehouse Kaffe Mercantile memorializes WSU graduate Kim McCorkle-Harbath. Now 6 years old, Sloan is known for her confidence and a bit of mischief, Kari said. “There were days where things felt really hopeless.” As Kari and her husband, Aaron, contacted medical experts and connected with WSU resources and the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind, they realized Sloan could have a rich and rewarding future ahead of her. even pretending to sleep during times her physical therapist was scheduled to visit. “She loves herself, she loves her school, she loves our community,” Kari said. When Sloan was 6 months old, Kim suddenly fell ill. "She’s an amazing little person & she’s going to grow up to be an amazing adult.” — Kari Harbath Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 33 “We got a call that she had aspirated in her Four years later, she lives a short walk from Kari and helps care for Sloan. sleep and unexpectedly died,” Kari said. “It was Kassie’s exercise and sport science knowledge has helped the family to be more devastating, and it was something that I think we didn’t think we were going to survive.” active and eat healthier. Kari, who graduated while working for local marketing company MarketStar, now works as senior author engagement manager at Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Pluralsight, which provides a platform for learning tech skills online. the United States. Through hardships, they’ve both learned life isn’t about portraying a particular “We’re trying to protect Sloan, a highly, highly image to the world. It’s about making a difference. vulnerable human, and we’re all in the throes of “We could have taken this situation and just shut down and guarded ourselves grief. Aaron was supporting all of us so intensely, from the world, but Kari and I really took it and said, ‘What can we do to make and he was a wonderful, wonderful person a change and make a difference?’” Kassie said. throughout all of this,” Kari said. Before Kim passed away, Kassie told her she noticed hair scrunchies coming In June 2020, Aaron unexpectedly died by suicide. back in style. Kim sewed a handful that Kassie gifted to friends and donated As Kari and Kassie walk Weber State’s Ogden others to Primary Children’s Hospital NICU nurses who cared for Sloan and campus with Sloan, they see the computer lab other babies. where Aaron worked late at night helping students, After Kim’s death, the sisters sold scrunchies, using their mother’s sewing the walkways where Kim chatted with classmates machine, to raise money. “It was a really cool, meaningful experience knowing and other spaces they now hold sacred. that I was there sewing on Mom’s sewing machine,” Kassie said. Life is about giving They named the operation Sloan’s Scrunchies and sold them at farmer’s markets and community events. The money raised went to the scholarship Kassie spoke at Weber State’s 2021 commencement fund, which still needed about $15,000 to become fully funded and available ceremony, sharing her family’s hardships and to students at the time of this article. Once funded, it will support full- or triumphs over them. “I could just feel the energy,” part-time students with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Preference will be given to Kassie said. “It was a really powerful experience.” nontraditional students who, like Kim, demonstrate a commitment to service Discover YOUR GRADUATE PROGRAM and are engaged in interdisciplinary studies. Along with the scholarship, a bench outside Kaffe Mercantile on 26th Street in Ogden honors Kim, who often visited the coffeehouse for tea while DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE completing homework. LEARN MORE Kari and Kassie hope that, like the bench, the scholarship will soon become a permanent reminder of Kim and her commitment to the Ogden community. Help fund the Kim McCorkleHarbath Memorial Scholarship Support students like Kim at give.weber.edu/Harbath. PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER EMPHASIS APPLICATIONS CLOSE SEPT. 15, 2025 FOR THE SPRING 2026 START DATE A Slice of Life Kari Harbath runs a popular Instagram sharing her experiences raising Sloan. Follow her @kariharbath. Marketing and public relations graduate Kari Harbath and her daughter, Sloan, visit WSU’s Ogden campus. FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER EMPHASIS APPLICATIONS CLOSE DEC. 4, 2025 FOR THE SUMMER 2026 START DATE FOR THE FALL 2026 START DATE LEARN MORE Post-Master’s Certificate options available MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE SUMMER 2026 START DATE weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 APPLICATIONS OPEN OCTOBER 2025 MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING OCTOBER 2025 34 EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EMPHASIS POST-MASTER’S CERTIFICATES APPLICATIONS OPEN OCTOBER 2025 FOR THE FALL 2026 START DATE BACK ROW: Andrea Manship, Brett D. Moulding ’89, Jadrian Clark ’17, Nolan D. Archibald ’68, Paul H. Wheelwright ’84 FRONT ROW: Nan Schwanfelder, Denise Johnsen, Wade Davis, Jr. ’00, Trina Celeste Limpert ’99, Kearston Cutrubus, Brenda M. Wheelwright ’87 Photo credit: Robert Casey Weber State University honored eight outstanding individuals and one impactful philanthropic organization at the 55th Annual WSU Salutes ceremony in October 2024. The event is part of WSU’s Homecoming celebrations and honors alumni who have lived distinguished lives, made a difference in the community or have otherwise contributed to WSU’s success and reputation. 36 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 Our alumni are amazing. The incredible impact they each have on the community brings such honor to the Weber State name. Every one of our recipients brings great recognition and acclaim to the university. — NANCY COLLINWOOD BS ’94, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 37 TO OUR 2024 WSU SALUTES HONOREES DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Trina Celeste Limpert AAS ’99 Trina Celeste Limpert is a leader in technology, education and business. As CEO of RizeNext, she drives innovation in leadership training, technology implementation and business consulting, helping organizations navigate digital transformation. As co-founder of TechMoms, Limpert is passionate about empowering women to enter tech careers. Limpert’s career in the technology industry has spanned 30 years with companies such as Novell, eBay and Oracle, and her pioneering programs have been nationally acclaimed. She was one of Utah’s “40 Over 40” in 2023 and has received multiple honors from Utah Business, being named in the publication’s “30 Women to Watch” in 2020 and “Most Influential Women” in 2024. Limpert shares her expertise on leadership and technology at numerous events. She actively contributes to higher education as a Utah Valley University and Weber State board member, shaping future-focused academic programs. DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Wade Davis, Jr. BS ’00 Wade Davis, Jr. is the global vice president of inclusion strategy at Netflix, where he previously served as VP of inclusion strategy for product. A former NFL player and the league’s inaugural LGBT inclusion consultant, Davis established a consulting company where he collaborated with major organizations such as Google, Procter & Gamble and multiple professional sports leagues. Davis is a public speaker and writer on gender, race and orientation equality. He has consulted for professional sports leagues on issues of sexism, racism and homophobia. He is also a UN Women Global Impact Champion, Ms. Foundation for Women and MeToo International board member, and a former adjunct professor at Rutgers University and NYU. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Davis graduated from Weber State with a degree 38 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 in business administration and received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Northeastern University. At WSU, he played three seasons as a cornerback for the Wildcats, earning honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference honors in his senior year. In 2012, Davis served as a surrogate for President Obama. In 2021, he was a featured speaker at Weber State’s seventh annual Allen Holmes Diversity Symposium. His leadership and ongoing efforts to eradicate homophobia and sexism in athletics have earned him numerous accolades and honors. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Kearston Cutrubus Kearston Cutrubus has a long history of community service and supporting education. Cutrubus was appointed to the WSU Board of Trustees in 2016, served as vice chair from 2017–2021, and then led the board as chair from 2021–2023. Over the years, Cutrubus has served on many other boards and committees for organizations engaged in community improvement efforts, including OgdenWeber Technical College, the Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee, Christmas Box International, United Way of Northern Utah and Your Community Connection. She works full-time for Cutrubus Enterprises, serving as vice president of marketing/community relations and real estate and development. In addition, she owns Kearston’s Basket Case (gift baskets and specialty gifts) and is a Realtor at RE/MAX Crossroads. In 2022, she received the Service to the Military award from the State of Utah for her commitment to quality of life issues for the U.S. Air Force service members and their families, and, in 2023, she was honored with the Davis Chamber Women in Business Athena Award. LEWIS W. SHURTLIFF AWARD Brett D. Moulding MS ’89 Brett Dale Moulding received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Utah in 1973 and his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Weber State in 1989. He has been active in science education for more than 50 years. He taught chemistry at Roy High School for 20 years before moving to the Utah State Office of Education to serve as the state science education specialist for 11 years and state curriculum director for four years. Since leaving the State Office of Education, Moulding has provided sustained professional development to thousands of teachers in 36 states and written four books to support effective science teaching and learning for all students. While at Roy High School, Moulding was highly involved in the International Science and Engineering Fair and was the district science teacher leader. He received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the Department of Energy Fellowship at the National Renewable Energy Lab and the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology. The National Science Teachers Association honored him with the Distinguished Service to Science Education Award. Moulding served on the National Academies Board on Science Education, the National Assessment of Educational Progress Standing Committee for Science and as president of the Council of State Science Supervisors. He was on the National Academies committee that wrote the Framework for K–12 Science and Eng ineering, co-authored the National Academies report on Science and Engineering for Grades 6–12, and was a lead writer on the Next Generation Science Standards. OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD Jadrian Clark BS ’17 Jadrian Clark made his mark at Weber State as one of the program’s standout quarterbacks, serving as a three-year starter. By the end of his Wildcat career, he ranked third all-time in career total offense and fourth in career passing yards. He also held the second-highest rushing total by a WSU quarterback. During his senior year in 2016, Clark guided the Wildcats to their first FCS playoff appearance in seven years, earning Big Sky All-Conference third-team honors. After graduating with a degree in business administration with a finance emphasis, he embarked on a professional football career overseas, playing several seasons in the German Football League before transitioning to the European League of Football. In 2023, just his second season with the ELF’s Rhein Fire, Clark delivered a recordbreaking performance that led the team to a championship and secured him the league’s MVP title. Following this success, he signed with the University of the West of England, where he is currently pursuing an MBA and has led the Bullets to their third consecutive British National College Championship. EMERITI ALUMNI LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Nolan D. Archibald BS ’68 Nolan D. Archibald became one of the most recruited basketball players in the nation after earning All-American honors at Dixie Junior College. After being pursued by more than 50 Division I programs, he chose to play at Weber State College and led the school to its first appearance in the NCAA tournament when only 32 teams participated. He was named first-team Big Sky AllConference by UPI and was one of 15 Division I basketball players named an Academic All-American. He was also Weber State’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1968 when he graduated cum laude. He was invited to the Chicago Bulls rookie camp in 1969 and 1970, and he was offered a contract to play professional basketball for the Pittsburgh Pipers in the rival American Basketball Association in 1970. In 1993, the National Association of Basketball Coaches named Archibald and four other former All-American basketball players their “Silver Anniversary NCAA All-American Basketball Team.” He has been inducted into the halls of fame at Weber State, Dixie College and Ogden High School. Archibald graduated from the Harvard Business School with a master’s degree in business administration in 1970. He joined Black & Decker as president and chief operating officer in 1985. When he was appointed president and chief executive officer in 1986 at the age of 42, he was the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He served as CEO for 24 years. Archibald launched the professional and industrial power tools brand Dewalt in 1992. He is a recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Edison Achievement Award for significant and lasting contributions to marketing excellence and product innovation. He has been cited by BusinessWeek as one of the top six managers in the United States and by Fortune magazine as one of the country’s “Ten Most Wanted Executives.” EMERITI ALUMNI HOMECOMING ROYALTY Paul H. ’84 and Brenda M. Wheelwright BS ’87, MS ’87 Paul and Brenda Wheelwright met in 1981 and married in 1982. Paul graduated from Ogden High School in 1980 and attended Weber State College. He began working at his family’s business, Wheelwright Lumber Company, at an early age. Paul has been president of Wheelwright Lumber for over 20 years and is in the fourth generation to run the business that his great-grandfather started in the early 1900s. Paul has been active in many organizations, including the Weber State Wildcat Club, where he served for many years, including one term as president. Brenda graduated from Roy High School in 1982. She attended Weber State College and graduated with a master’s degree in accounting in 1987. She has been a CPA for more than 35 years and has worked in public accounting and the Weber County Treasurer’s office, most recently as chief deputy treasurer. Currently, she is on the accounting staff at Wheelwright Lumber. Brenda serves on the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis and is a finance committee member. PRESIDENTIAL AWARD Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation The Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation was established in 1958 when Zeke and Edna provided financial assistance for medical students in need. The foundation has given more than $40 million toward bettering communities across Utah and the Intermountain West. As the foundation’s leadership has passed from the couple’s children to grandchildren, it has maintained a strong focus on healthcare — fitting for Zeke’s distinguished 42-year career as a doctor in Ogden. Weber State’s Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions is a proud example of the foundation’s generosity, along with the Dumke Family Pre-Medical Professional Programs, the Dumke Center for Interprofessional Education, the Dumke Endowed Chair in Health Professions and professional development awards for health professions faculty and staff. The foundation’s impact on Weber State extends beyond health professions through support for student scholarships, purchasing equipment in the College of Science and sponsoring arts and cultural events such as exhibits at the Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery and Special Collections & University Archives. The Dumke Legacy Hall in WSU’s Hurst Center is a popular gathering space for university and community events. In 2021, the foundation was the lead sponsor of the Dumke Arts Plaza in downtown Ogden, partnering with WSU, RAMP, Ogden City and Ogden Contemporary Arts to create a vibrant space where the community engages with art of all forms. The foundation also pledged an endowment to the university to support arts programming at the plaza. The Dumke Foundation’s commitment to philanthropy has improved Weber State and many other universities and organizations through outstanding opportunities, strengthening communities and positively changing our world. Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 39 Cooking Class Ingredients 6 wheat tortilla wraps 1 cucumber, skinned and cut into strips 3 or 4 green onions, cut white sections into scallion hairs 1/2 tbsp sugar 4 tbsp sweet bean sauce (can purchase at an international market) 3 tbsp mayonnaise For Chicken Strips: (may substitute with grilled chicken) Beijing Chicken Wraps When asked to prepare a dish for summer outings, Qi Jin, assistant professor in the Department of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, recalls the chicken wraps she enjoyed as a kid in Beijing, China. Jin recommends the dish as a unique alternative to traditional picnic fare. 1. Mix sweet bean sauce with sugar, steam on high heat for 15 mins. 2. Marinate chicken in garlic and salt for 1/2 hr in the refrigerator. 3. Dip marinated chicken into water, then dip in a mixture of 1/2 C flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Repeat this step once with more flour if needed. 4. Preheat oil in fryer to 300°F, and fry breaded chicken until golden. Check whether or not the chicken’s internal temperature has reached 165°F. If not, after frying, bake the chicken until the temperature is reached. Start with 425°F for 3 mins. 14 oz chicken thighs or breasts, sliced into 6 strips 5. Warm tortillas in a flat pan. 1 tsp salt 6. Spread steamed sweet bean paste on the tortilla first, then assemble 3 cloves garlic, smashed (may substitute with 1/2 tsp garlic powder) 1/2 tsp baking powder the wrap by adding cucumbers, green onion whites and chicken strips. Garnish with mayo. Enjoy! 1/2 C flour (keep extra flour handy) 2 to 3 C canola oil Estimated nutrition per roll Sodium: 940 mg Fiber: 6 g Carbs: 51 g Calories: 463 “It’s convenient, flavorful and easy to eat on-the-go.” QI JIN, assistant professor in the Department of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences Makes 6 chicken wraps 40 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 41 Hometown Alum Why you should visit Chaplin in New Brunswick: HER THEATER A converted 1920s movie palace saved from demolition, State Theatre New Jersey hosts touring Broadway productions, orchestra and pop concerts, comedians and more. “It’s in the heart of downtown New Brunswick, which makes it a cornerstone of the area’s cultural landscape,” Chaplin said. MORE ENTERTAINMENT In addition to State Theatre, Chaplin suggests the George Street Playhouse, the Stress Factory Comedy Club and catching live performances at restaurants and festivals. New York City’s nightlife and sports teams are a short train ride away. Even closer, Chaplin watches the Yankees’ farm team, the Somerset Patriots. THE FOOD For steak and wine, Chaplin recommends Stage Left Steakhouse. For Italian, Catherine Lombardi’s. For ceviche, Esquina Latina. And for seafood, “hands down,” she picks Salt. Of course, there are also great mussels at Sophie’s Bistro. “We’re incredibly fortunate with our restaurant options both immediately near the theater (Stage Left and Catherine Lombardi’s) and also throughout the area,” she said. EAST COAST REGIONAL ALUM Sarah Chaplin BS ’96 NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY SARAH CHAPLIN BS ’96, president and CEO of State Theatre New Jersey, works in New Brunswick and lives only six miles away in East Brunswick. The area NEARBY NATURE Middlesex County, including New Brunswick, has many vibrant green spaces that turn red and orange in fall. The Jersey Shore and its beaches and boardwalks are close by. “Personally, I’ve recently taken up sailing, and there is a thriving community of sailors,” Chaplin said. has a thriving arts scene, excellent dining options and an outdoor setting that helps Jersey earn its nickname, “Garden State.” NEW BRUNSWICK FACTS Prior to her current role, Chaplin worked in theaters across the country in positions ranging from technical support to management. She previously served as executive director of The National Theatre in Washington, D.C., and has an MFA in theater management from Yale University. Photo courtesy of Sarah Chaplin WSU graduates in New Jersey can join the East Coast Regional Alumni Network to meet and reconnect with other alumni. To find your network, visit alumni.weber.edu/ran. • The Lenni Lenape people, also known as Lenape and Delaware, are the original inhabitants. • The name honors British monarch King George I, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. • The city was an important stop for American troops during the Revolutionary War. • Actor Michael Douglas and football player Joe Theismann were born there. To share your hometown with Wildcat, email magazine@weber.edu. 42 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 EXECUTIVE MASTER of HEALTH ADMINISTRATION “There’s a sense of mentorship in this program. People here want you to become better.” CLASS NOTES — Marcus Garong, MHA grad ALUMNI UPDATES ’70s JAY SWENSON BS ’71 was in 100% Online Designed for Working Professionals Becoming a healthcare leader shouldn’t require you to put the rest of your life on hold. Our flexible, high-quality, low-cost online eMHA program allows you to earn your degree while continuing to work. NO GRE/GMAT REQUIRED Skip the entrance exam ACCELERATED PROGRAM Complete in just four semesters, 16 months total FLAT-RATE TUITION No out-of-state increase VIRTUAL ORIENTATION Attend one virtual orientation weber.edu/mha APPLY NOW! ALUMNI DISCOUNT Weber State alumni who are accepted into the eMHA cohort will be eligible for an additional one-time 5% loyalty discount on the first semester’s tuition. EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE Here to provide mentorship NATIONALLY RANKED No. 1 Online MHA Program, 2021* *Recognized among EduMed’s Best Online MHA Programs for 2021 the sales industry for over 40 years, beginning in life insurance for five years. He was awarded Agent of the Year in 1973 from Fidelity Personal Selling Contest. He include Tender, According to and field team. He has seven was the owner and manager John, The Unicorn from the children and resides in Taylor, of The Reading Revolution, Stars, Dancing Among the Utah, with his wife, Annette. Inc. for 10 years, offering Wildflowers and The Trial of Britannica products to public Edward Coles. He also writes libraries and universities screenplays, with the title ’80s across the West and Midwest More than a Friend recently until retiring in 2012. optioned by Robb Squad CHERYL MARIE HANSEN BA ’83 Film Company in Hollywood, Union Life Insurance Agency. DAVID JOHN PREECE BS ’74 He received a teaching worked for 44 years as a city, certification from Utah regional and environmental State University in 1981. He planner in the public and led encyclopedia sales to private sectors of New public libraries, schools, day Hampshire, Los Angeles, San care centers, book fairs and Francisco, New York City, families. Jay worked with Washington, D.C., Wisconsin World Book, Inc. as a district and Utah. He earned a MIKE VAUGHN AAS ’78 is and division sales manager, Master of Public Service from an alarm technician with where he hired and trained Western Kentucky University Mountain Alarm Fire and a salesforce and personally and a Master of Urban and Security. He has worked in sold over 2,800 encyclopedia Regional Planning from the the alarm industry for nearly sets. In his 28 years with University of Wisconsin. 50 years. He also worked in World Book, he earned many David is a published and construction trades, building company sales awards, produced playwright in the and remodeling homes. While including the 1987 State U.S. and Western Europe. attending Weber State, he was Champion in the Manager’s Some titles of his work a pole vaulter for WSU’s track California. He is the author of the Mr. Higgins children’s book series, published in 2024. He resides in Manchester, New Hampshire, and serves on the State House is a retired French professor. She taught at Weber State University for 30 years and retired in 2018. She earned a PhD in comparative literature with an emphasis in French. She and her husband, Greg Hansen, have one son, two of Representatives. grandsons and a greatgrandson. CAMI BLAU ALEXANDER BS ’85, MED ’97 is a retired educator for Weber School District. She taught fifth and sixth grade at Club Heights, Roy and Plain City elementary schools. While teaching, she earned her Gifted and Talented Endorsement Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 45 and became a nationally of Fund Raisers. Cami and organizational management certified R.E.A.C.H. trainer. Robb serve on the WSU from the University of She served as the Weber Alumni Association’s Emeriti Phoenix in 1997. She has Administrators Association Alumni Council. They have participated in the American president and a leader two sons and one daughter- Diabetes Tour de Cure for the Utah Association in-law. cycling events and enjoys of Elementary School Principals. Cami attended Utah State University to complete her administrator/ supervisory certificate in 1999 and then served as june 6, 2025 the barn golf club principal at Club Heights and Lakeview elementary schools. She retired with 37 years of experience in 2022 as the executive director of Join the Alumni Golf Classic and help raise $70,000 for WSU students. Make a donation of any size – 100% of the proceeds go to scholarships. elementary education. She currently works part-time as an educational coach and consultant. ROBB ALEXANDER BS ’78 has served as executive director of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah since 2013. Robb retired from Weber State University in 2012 as senior development director after nearly 29 years space is limited sign up today of dedicated service. He is a member of the Utah NASA Space Grant Consortium, the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce and the Davis County Chamber of Commerce. Robb serves as chair of the military affairs subcommittee of the Davis and Ogden-Weber chambers’ a board-certified nurse practitioner and a WSU Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing and Department of Health Sciences faculty member. She is a member of Sigma Theta Ta, the international honor society of nurses, and was involved in research through the University of Utah and other organizations. She earned a Bachelor of Science in 1987 and a Master of Science in 1994 from the U of U. She was active in numerous nursing associations, including the Utah Nurses Association and Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, until her retirement in 2016. Her late husband, G. Craig Gundy, served as a faculty member and associate dean for WSU’s Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions until he retired in 2006. LeAnne now resides in Colorado. She is an avid reader and volunteers at legislative affairs committees a local bookstore. and a Utah Division of Arts JERINE PRICE BS ’87 is the & Museums Advisory Board and executive committee member. He is the 2002 recipient of the WSU Presidential Outstanding Professional Staff Award and received the Patti N. Choate Distinguished Service Award in 2004 from the Utah Society alumni.weber.edu/golf LEANNE PARKER GUNDY AS ’85 had a fulfilling career as environmental health and safety manager for Treehouse Foods Inc. in Ogden, Utah. For six years in a row, the plant has earned the Utah Safety Council Award of Merit for outstanding safety performance. Jerine earned a master’s degree in volunteering at local senior No need to drive to the DMV! Scan the QR code to get your WSU plates from the DMV and support student scholarships! care facilities. 1. 2. 3. 4. ’90s Select “Change Your Plate” Enter your information Select “Special Group Plate” Select “Weber State University” CARL WESTERGARD AAS ’92, AAS ’03, BS ’03 is the greatgrandson of former Weber State College President Aaron Ward Tracy. He has been the chief manufacturing engineer at Ruger Firearms’ North Carolina facilities for the past five years. Before that, he worked as a machine tools application engineer for 23 years, selling machine tool equipment to manufacturers and training companies to use the equipment. That path led him to visit 40 states and eight countries, where he worked with thousands of companies and processes in the manufacturing industry. In his current role at Ruger, he leads internship for the past eight years. She has traveled the world the Norwegian Jewel cruise The show has taken her to with original children’s line, guests experience her JACALYN “JACKIE” HAYES WESTERGARD BA ’98 is the Broadway, London’s West musicals, introducing young ongoing original production, granddaughter of former End, the Sydney Opera audiences to the joys of Le Cirque Bijou, a mix of aerial Weber State College President House, Hong Kong and many musical theater. During this circus choreography, music Aaron Ward Tracy. She other locations. She is the time, she worked with local and dance. attended Weber State from choreographer and creative casts and crews in their director for Disney Recording languages for companies Group’s DCappella. She has such as DreamWorks, been the associate creative Nickelodeon, Disney producer for America’s Got Creative Entertainment Talent seasons 17, 18 and (now known as Disney Live 19 and the spin-off series Entertainment) and Warner America’s Got Talent All- Bros. Entertainment. On board Stars, AGT-Fantasy League and AGT Superstars Live! recruitment efforts and on teaching methods produce more prepared engineers than he finds elsewhere. JENN RAPP BA ’96 is a NYCbased director/choreographer and loves creating new musicals and theater for all types of audiences. She of The Illusionists, a largescale variety magic show, climbing instructor at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. He also authored Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho and coauthored Roadside Geology of Idaho. In addition, he is a licensed professional Idaho and earned a Master LET’S GET SOCIAL Follow our Instagram page to stay up to date on events, news, giveaways and other opportunities for WSU alumni and friends. has been the associate director/choreographer a geology professor and geologist in the State of finds Weber’s mechanical engineering program’s hands- SHAWN WILLSEY BS ’97 is of Science in geology from Northern Arizona University after his tenure at WSU. Shawn taught geology at Salt Lake Community College and Palo Verde College in southeastern California before going to CSI in the fall of 2004. He currently has a popular YouTube channel of 124K subscribers, where @weberstatealumni he uses videos to share Earth’s incredible stories and wonders with the public. 1965 to 1968 and from 1993 to 1997, graduating in spring 1998 with an English major and minors in history, French and library science. She also studied child development. In 1968, she moved with her husband to Connecticut, where he served in the U.S. Navy submarine service. During that time, she worked as a librarian before starting her family. After returning to Utah, she worked for the Weber County Library System for 12 years. History and library science were equally helpful in historical research projects, while English was invaluable for writing historical information. She wrote a history of local historic site Bingham’s Fort, which she presented at a Mormon History Association meeting in the late 1990s. She donated books significant Spring 2025 | weber.edu/wsumagazine 47 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Scholarships DO YOU KNOW A STUDENT INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR AN ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP? In 2023-24, over $130,000 in scholarships were awarded to over 70 WSU students. Students do not need to have an alumni relative to apply! contributed to educational Utah’s Daniels Fund Ethics home and family. They both publishing companies, Initiative collegiate program, volunteer in their church including ContinueD and a panel moderator for and community. Respiratory Therapy and Reed the Hinckley Institute on Elsevier Publishing Company Sports Ethics. Eric received an as a clinical editor and honorary acknowledgment senior reviewer. He serves from the Lebanese on the advisory board for government in 2010 for his ContinueD Education. work on Lebanese governance ERIC NEFF BS ’03 is the director of admissions advisement and recruitment for Weber State’s Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke ALUMNI.WEBER.EDU/SCHOLARSHIPS College of Health Professions. He is committed to contributing to the successful in English literature to the University in Nova Scotia, Stewart Library’s Special focusing on shelter issues Collections & University and traditional indigenous Archives. She is currently natural building practices. researching veterans buried She continues her passion at the Normandy American for natural building through Cemetery in France who died after D-Day, 1944. SUSAN KLINKER ’99 focused on expanding her education after a 10-year career in interior design and a oneyear sabbatical volunteering at an orphanage in rural Kenya. She landed at Weber State, earning a bachelor’s in integrated studies with emphases in interior design, urban planning and cultural anthropology. Her practicum with West Valley City Community & Economic Development helped form the mission and foundation for developing West Valley’s Utah Cultural Celebration Center, where she has enjoyed a 23-year career. Susan completed a master’s degree in international development studies from St. Mary’s 48 work with Builders Without Borders and Strawtegi, a company she co-founded to help advance natural building work. Susan recently built a net-zero carbon footprint accessory dwelling unit in Salt Lake City. The structure demonstrates how natural materials like straw, hemp and wood can create durable, high-performance structures. The ADU is the first permitted structure of its kind in the US insulated with chopped straw and has been featured by the American Institute of Architects Utah Chapter and publications including The Salt Lake Tribune, Reflexions Magazine and HomebuildersCAN. She is a contributing author in the books Building Without Borders and The Art of Natural Building. weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 ’00s RICH NYE BS ’01, MED ’05 recently joined Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s administration as senior advisor of education. Nye has been the superintendent of Granite School District since 2021. He served as superintendent of Ogden School District for four years and deputy superintendent of student achievement at the Utah State Board of graduation of students Fellowship and earned a studying health professions. certificate in education Eric is a specialist in finance from the McCourt National Collegiate Athletic School of Public Policy at Association Name Image Georgetown University. His and Likeness (NCAA NIL) wife, LARA NYE BA ’99, earned initiatives and sports ethics. a pharmacy doctorate from He has been a keynote Midwestern University and speaker at several events, currently practices clinical including the University of and democratization theory and practice. He earned a Master of Arts from Utah State University in political science in 2009 and a Doctor of Education from the University of Utah in educational leadership and policy in 2022. He is the son of the late Thomas Rodney Neff, a former WSU geology professor. His wife, BRECCA THOLEN-NEFF AS ’22, taught culinary arts at Ogden-Weber Technical College for seven years. She now dedicates her time to supporting their DAN HADLEY BS ’05 is the founder, president and CEO of Express Freight Finance, a company that supports carrier drivers in all freight trucking business-related needs, such as equipment leasing, fuel cards and lane data. He recently innovated an automated purchasing procedure that bridges the gap between when industry work is completed and when clients are paid. His wife, SARAH HADLEY BS ’05, is an early childhood educator. She operated an in-home preschool for several years. She is currently a librarian at Syracuse High School. She loves being involved in education and is the PTA treasurer at Clearfield anticoagulation management High School. She is also the for Intermountain Health. Relief Society president at Rich and Lara are the her church. proud parents of three children attending Weber State University. SEND US A NOTE! JODY LAKE AA ’08, BIS ’11 began working at Weber State in 1980 as an administrative DUANE REED BS ’01 is the As a career educator, he respiratory care program occasionally provides director at Southern Crescent adjunct faculty services Technical College. His clinical for the University of Utah experience entails over 20 and Utah State University, years as a practitioner at teaching educational Grady Hospital in Atlanta, policy and leadership. Nye Georgia, working in critical earned a master’s degree care areas of surgical, cardiac, in administration and medical and neurointensive supervision from Arizona care units. He earned a State University and a Ph.D. Master of Education from Donors who give over $100 will receive a limited edition print signed by Ogden artist Cara Koolmees. in teacher education and Central Michigan University leadership from Utah State in 2005 and a Doctorate University. He completed a of Education from Walden when women in venue Broad Academy Executive University in 2014. Duane has management were a rarity. Center. During her 40-year career, she increased her responsibilities to managing multiple campus venues, including the Dee Events Center, Stewart Stadium, Wildcat Softball Complex and the Marquardt Field House, before retiring in 2019. She is a member of the International Association alumni.weber.edu/classnote e Donatanad te! Celebr assistant at the Dee Events Education for two years. What have you been up to since graduation? Share information on your professional and volunteer work, any credentials or awards you may have received, or other accomplishments and interests. It’s our opportunity to share a bit of your story with the Weber State community. Weber State is building a permanent W on the mountain. of Venue Managers, which she joined in the 1990s give.weber.edu/light-the-w-gifts During that time, she focused on building her career and raising her family. She later went back to school at Weber State as a non-traditional student. She brought her life experiences to her studies in sociology, women’s studies and professional communication. Through her work in a male-dominated industry, she gained a passion for women in leadership. She focused on mentoring women and men to forge a path for women in leadership roles. She loved her time at Weber and noted many highlights of her career, including her involvement in hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics. She currently serves on the WSU Alumni Association Emeriti Alumni Council. ’10s for Education of Young Therapy in Ogden. His wife, the University of Wisconsin- Children from 2012 to 2016. ERIN KAP BS ’16, is the director Madison. She specializes in He is a co-creator of the Male of talent acquisition for the micromorphology and Engagement Committee at Intermountain Health. In quantitative ultrasound Head Start. Trevor earned an 2019, she earned a master’s of ligaments to identify early childhood education degree in jurisprudence, structural changes prior coaching certificate from the labor and employment law to symptomatic effects, University of Colorado Denver from Tulane University. indicating injury risk with in 2018. He lives in South They have both spent time athletes who participate in Jordan, Utah, with his wife volunteering for Ogden’s sports that require repetitive and 7-year-old daughter. Youth Impact organization. overhead motions. speaker and was awarded NATHAN ALEXANDER BS ’13 CHELSEA MAKI BS ’16 the Crystal Crest “Man of the is the director of brand is a graphic designer Year.” During his senior year marketing for Intermountain with WSU Marketing & at Weber, he was accepted Health. He leads brand Communications, where to Posters on the Hill in advertising, notably the she supports Wildcat Washington, D.C., where award-winning “The magazine and other projects he presented his research Power of We” campaign for that further university showing the correlation Intermountain Health’s advancement efforts. Prior to of lack of REM sleep with recent rebrand. He earned a her role at Weber, she worked behaviors for children with Master of Health Leadership for the Weber County Library autism to members of the from Western Governors System, where she curated U.S. Congress. He served University in 2022. Nate loves and installed art exhibits on the Utah Association serving the community, most and contributed to in-house recently on the board for Safe design and print services. Zone Utah — the 501(c)3 arm In 2020, she and her husband of the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber self-published their first of Commerce. He lives in graphic novel, Black Lantern. Ogden and loves to travel They released the second whenever he can. volume in the series in 2022, TREVOR HICKS AS ’10, BS ’12 is an education coach at PC Tots in Park City, Utah. He has also served as an education coach for the Utah Head Start Association, the YMCA and Utah State University. In 2012, he was the WSU spring commencement SAVE THE DATE MATTHEW K. WARREN BS ’13 is Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 a cybersecurity analytics and PURPLE for the Defense Information PAW PARADE Thank you to everyone and their pups who helped us kick off the 2024 Homecoming Week with the fourth annual Purple Paw Parade! Thanks to Weber State Downtown, Ogden City, many Ogden businesses and YOU, we made Ogden purple like never before. We hope to see you this fall! 50 CREATE OPPORTUNITIES weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 business processes developer Become a Mentoring Alumni Program and Scholarship (MAPS) mentor! Connect with a student to share career advice, help them build a post-graduate portfolio, and help them gain access to an amazing scholarship. No donation is necessary. alumni.weber.edu/mapsmentor ’20s Lori Belnap Pehrson BS ’87, retired aerospace leader and WSU National Advisory Committee member, with her mentee, 2022 computer science graduate Dallin Welch ANALEAH VAUGHN BS ’20 is the sustainability engagement coordinator for WSU’s Facilities Management. In this role, she oversees various initiatives to increase campus engagement in sustainability, such as the Green Department and Green Badge programs. She enjoys advising the students working in the Energy & Sustainability Office and serves as a mentor in the Faculty and Staff Mentors program. She received a Geospatial Analysis Certificate of Proficiency in editor for the office. At WSU, BROOKLYN PIPER BS ’24 has 2021 and is pursuing an MBA Jaime earned a second recently accepted a position at Weber State. bachelor’s in organizational as a first-year teacher at communication as the Rocky Mountain Jr. High and outstanding graduate. He is is also the cheer coach there. now working on a Japanese She is the president of the language certificate. Jaime Weber State Campus Lions and his wife, ELISE WINSTON Club and an ambassador for AAS ’23, have hosted visiting The Hope Hero Foundation. Japanese students and Brooklyn is currently working chaperones at their home. on her master’s degree in Elise has been an early education from Southern childhood educator for Utah University. JAIME WINSTON BA '22 earned a University of Utah bachelor's degree in mass communication. He then worked for Salt Lake magazine. Missing higher education, he began working for WSU Marketing & Communications. Now, he is the senior writer/ over 10 years. with another installment coming in 2025. She lives in Ogden with her husband and daughter. Systems Agency at Hill COLT FLORENCE BS ’17 Air Force Base. He focuses recently accepted the on cybersecurity analytics position of senior vice and process automation, president for Five Star ensuring system security and Franchising, which owns six compliance. Matthew holds a different franchise companies master’s degree from Central in the home service space. Michigan University and SHELLEY FLORENCE BS ’18 is actively participates in open- a health educator for Davis source community initiatives. County Health Department. JACOB KAP BS ’16 is a sports for Success They have two sons. medicine and orthopedic JESSICA VLISIDES MS ’19 is physical therapist for working towards her Ph.D. in Intermountain Physical kinesiology: biomechanics at You can help power students past obstacles. CATapult Scholarships provide an energetic, upward burst of momentum for students nearing graduation but without the means to continue. This scholarship supports students who have completed 50% or more of their graduation requirements and is flexible enough that our Financial Aid & Scholarships Office can address students’ unique circumstances. CATapult Funds Distributed as of December 2024 $3,044,189 Total awarded 2,123 Total awards given $1,025 Average award Make your gift today at weber.edu/catapult-scholarship. WILDCAT INBOX Our coverage of Weber State’s piano program in the spring 2024 issue made quite an impression. We received the following message after publishing a letter in our winter 2025 issue honoring YU-JANE YANG, director of the program, and the late CAROL HURST, a WSU supporter and piano teacher. ON INSTAGRAM FOR A CARING TEACHER @weberstatealumni Dear Wildcat alumni magazine, I was happy and touched to read the tribute to Yu-Jane Yang and Carol Hurst in the winter 2025 issue. Like the author of the article, I was also a student of Carol Hurst during my junior high and high Use the QR code or find a link at weber.edu/wsumagazine. school years, and she changed my life. She taught me more than just good technique and great piano literature — she taught me The survey closes on June 16, 2025. how much a caring teacher can make a difference. Carol is part of the reason I decided to go to Weber State (I knew how much she loved the school!) and a big reason I became a piano teacher. Her teaching continues to influence me as I work with and I GOT TO BE WALDO FOR ONE NIGHT! love my own students, just like I knew she loved me. When I received the news Carol had passed away, I cried in grief but also in gratitude for all she was and all she gave me. I have not been a private student of Dr. Yang, but as a member of the Davis chapter of the Utah Music Teachers Association, I have been fortunate to observe her teaching in several of the many master classes that she has presented to our chapter and at state UMTA Want to share your hing thoughts on somet at: you read? Email us edu magazine@weber. may be Please note letters clarity. or h gt len edited for conferences. Her example of exceptional teaching has given me much food for thought as I keep striving to be a better teacher. Weber State continues to be a part of my life through these two amazing women. Thank you for publishing the article that lovingly showcased both of them. — EMMA DIBBLE WEST, BA ’93 FORTUITOUS TIMING winter 2025 issue tracing To celebrate Waldo turning 60 years old, we included an article in our father, Dean, creating late the beloved mascot’s history. Karin Hurst spoke with us about her she wrote the following: the first images of Waldo. Upon receiving the issue in her mailbox, Dear Weber State friends, at magazine in the mail. Today, I received the latest edition of Wildc sweet dad passed away my Interestingly, it arrived on the exact day Dean has been sporadically one year ago. I feel like ever since that day, still keeping tabs on me, my sending little “winks” to let me know he’s y. Reading your delightful history children and the school he loves so dearl n) felt like I was getting another of Waldo (with its creative graphic desig rk and legacy warmed my wink. Your touching tribute to Dean’s artwo blue than purple. heart on a day I was feeling a little more Thank you. — KARIN HURST, AA ’79 52 weber.edu/wsumagazine | Spring 2025 To better serve you, our reader, give us your feedback on the magazine and what you’d like to see in it. You can also enter for a chance to win WSU gear. Waldo artwork by DEAN HURST, AS ’48, who served as the first full-time director of WSU’s Alumni Association As part of Weber State College’s Founder’s Day celebration, noted wildlife artist and sculptor David W. Jackson was commissioned by private donors to create a bronze wildcat. Jackson, a graduate of Weber State, unveiled his work in the spring of 1987. The sculpture was placed in an area now called Tracy Legacy Plaza. Since then, Weber State has been fortunate to receive three more wildcat bronzes by David Jackson. There’s also a Jackson bronze on the Ogden campus that isn’t a wildcat. Can you locate all five sculptures? Happy hunting! Make sure to share your photos and experiences finding bronze wildcats in the WSU Traditions Keeper app to complete Wildcat Tradition No. 37. Doing so will get you one step closer to being an official WSU Traditions Keeper and earning amazing prizes! Jan. 14, 2025 Learn more about the WSU Traditions Keeper app at weber.edu/traditionskeeper. In 1987, a friend of mine got married, and we had already started a tradition of “disrupting” wedding receptions. One of our friend group knew the real Waldo. So we borrowed the costume, and Waldo went to the wedding reception. I didn’t get to eat anything, but I had a great time! On a side note, I was honored to know Dean Hurst. He loved Waldo. Thanks for the memory! — HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER, BA ’89 WALDO ON THE ROAD We received the following from a Weber grad in Arlington, Receiving my Wildcat alumni magazine is always a treat, especially as I long ago moved away from the Wasatch Mountains, Ogden and Web er State University. I’m old enough to say I started at Web er when it was “WSC.” I was doubly fortunate to not only graduate from WSU’s mascot, Waldo, was once a live female bobcat. Read the letter we received from one of her caretakers at weber.edu/wsumagazine. FOLLOW WEBER STATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/WSUAlumniAssociation @WeberStateAlumni @WeberStateU @WeberStateU Washington. Weber, but also had the opportunity to work on campus for a few years. I read with interest the “Travel with Waldo” article (Winter 2025) and wanted to share my own “Waldo.” As I live on the coast of Washington State, I make sure to keep my purp le blood with me everywhere I drive. Forever a Wildcat. — KRISTI BARKER NEELEMAN, BS ’87 D L I W We’re ! g n i t n i r p t u o ab G SCREENPRINTIN BANN ERS G N I T N I PR DING BIN EMBROIDERY SWAG ENGRAVING Let us help you with your next project. We have lots of new equipment and want to make cool things for you or your business. We can print shirts for family reunions, corporate events, and clubs. Need a custom award or banner for an event? How about wedding invitations or graduation announcements? We've got you covered. You support us. We support Weber State students! Wildcat 801.626.6107 wsucopy.com Non-profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID 1265 Village Dr. Dept. 4025 Ogden, UT 84408-4025 Permit No. 151 Ogden, UT LIGHT THE W AD