Weber State Honors Dixon Award Winners for Lifetime of Service

OGDEN, Utah – Yasmen Simonrian, dean of the Dumke College of Health Professions, and Kelly Stackaruk, senior development director, are the 2021 recipients of Weber State University Alumni Association’s H. Aldous Dixon Award. The two will be formally recognized during a virtual event on March 31 at noon. To register, visit this link.

Each year since 1970, the Alumni Association has honored outstanding members of WSU’s faculty and staff with an award bestowed in memory of President Dixon, who served as the school’s chief administrator from 1919 to 1920, and from 1937 to 1953. Dixon Award recipients have demonstrated careers of excellence and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support students.

Faculty Awardee: Yasmen Simonian

How does someone inspire students to remember and differentiate the morphology of blood-forming cells eternally in order to diagnose a disease? Does it resemble a pepperoni or mortadella? Is it a whole potato or a potato chip? Using food analogies is what Yas Simonian has been doing successfully to teach hematology (blood disorders) for years.

Simonian graduated from three different colleges at the University of Utah: health, pharmacy and medicine. She joined the WSU faculty in 1981. After chairing the Medical Laboratory Sciences department for 12 years, she was appointed dean of the College of Health Professions in 2008. Her many professional achievements include serving as president of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science, commissioner on the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and representative for the Association of Schools of Advancing Health Professions. She has authored numerous articles in professional journals and regularly presents at state, regional, national and international conferences with her students. Her involvement in these arenas keeps her current in the field of healthcare and brings recognition to WSU.

She received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions three times and was honored as Crystal Crest Master Teacher. In addition, she received WSU’s John S. Hinckley Award and the Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor award, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Utah Professor of the Year and the Kendall Award for Professional Achievement in Hematology/Hemostasis and Education awards.

Along with her colleagues, Simonian pioneered the development and delivery of the first entirely online clinical laboratory sciences programs in the nation, which became an example for many other institutions. During her tenure as dean, the college went from offering one master's degree programs to five. This year, they will graduate the first cohort of the Doctor of Nursing Practice, the first doctorate degree at WSU.

Dr. Yas Simonian has educated thousands of students who are now healthcare providers. Many are still in touch as colleagues, practitioners, physicians, clinicians, faculty and friends. Their constant contributions to healthcare locally, nationally and globally validate the value of their Weber State education and demonstrate the differences they continue to make in the communities they serve.

Staff Awardee: Kelly Stackaruk

Kelly Stackaruk arrived at Weber State as a student on a vocal scholarship. She loved performing with the jazz group Choralition and studying abroad in England.

Stackaruk returned to work at WSU after the birth of her first child to assist the Wildcat Club. She hosted many out-of-state booster trips, handled annual giving campaigns, produced the newsletter, “Cat Paws,” and increased attendance and fundraising at the annual Cat Bash dinner and auction. 

Her success and enthusiasm eventually led to the position as development director for COAST — now the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology (EAST).

During Stackaruk’s tenure in EAST, she has established a successful Pacific Northwest Alumni event and increased privately funded scholarships by 70%. During Weber State’s Dream 125 Comprehensive Campaign, Stackaruk oversaw fundraising efforts that exceeded the college goal by over 200%.

Her collaborative and successful approach to fundraising have resulted in two new buildings for the university: Computer & Automotive Engineering Building at WSU Davis, and Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building, now under construction in Ogden. The fundraising efforts also produced the Ardell Brown Automotive Wing and three centers: Alan E. Hall Center for Sales Excellence, Wadman Center for Excellence in Construction & Building Sciences, and the Center for Technology Outreach.

Stackaruk has great affection for the college she represents and enjoys working with the dean, faculty and staff. They trust her enough to approach fundraising and outreach efforts creatively. When President Mortensen announced his “Louder and Prouder” initiative, Stackaruk developed the EAST Explorer Initiative," a program which employs current WSU students to conduct strategic outreach to EAST alumni. She also collaborated with the interior design program to create the annual Charitable Chair fundraising event, which they will hold virtually this year.

Stackaruk loves meeting with alumni, corporate partners and friends of the university. A favorite aspect of her job is hearing stories from alumni about their time at WSU and their life after graduation.

Stackaruk has served on the board of trustees for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis and is a current member of the Box Elder School District Foundation Board, overseeing fundraising efforts.

Kelly Stackaruk remains a loyal Wildcat and is proud to represent Weber State.

To learn more about the legacy of H. Aldous Dixon, watch this video.

To see the names of past Dixon Award recipients, visit this link.

For photos, visit the following links:

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2021-Photos/March-2021/i-ScCKwpW/A
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2021-Photos/March-2021/i-r2t5Sd3/A

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

Author:

Allison Barlow Hess, Public Relations director
801-626-7948 • ahess@weber.edu

Contact:

Nancy Collinwood, Alumni relations executive director
801-626-6885 • ncollinwood@weber.edu