Hola! I was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, grew up in Texas, spent some time in the state of Washington, and have been in Utah for the last several years. I got my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in chemistry as well as a Master's in Higher Education Student Affairs Administration from Baylor University. I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in higher education so I can continue to positively influence college students' lives. I believe mentoring is a meaningful way to make a difference in people's lives.
As the Executive Director of Community Engagement, Alexis Bucknam leads a team of community engaged professionals from the Center for Community Engaged Learning, Office of Community Research & Evaluation, and Office of Community Development. Bucknam has worked in higher education and non-profit contexts for over two decades, with a particular focus on community engagement. She began her tenure at Weber State University in Summer 2023 after completing her Doctoral studies in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah in 2002. Her research focused on Instructor Practice in Critical Service-Learning. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Management at the University of Utah and her M.A. in Counseling in Student Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Therese Cavlovic is the director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and a professor of economics in the Goddard School of Business & Economics.
In 1993, she earned an MBA from Cleveland State University, and then worked in Chicago as a consultant for the HayGroup before returning to graduate school. In 2000, she earned her PhD in environmental economics from the University of New Mexico.
Over her tenure at Weber State University, Professor Cavlovic has forged a path of mentoring and conducting research. She has collaborated closely with economics students on a multitude of undergraduate research projects, which have not only yielded publications but also national and international conference presentations. Her commitment to fostering a research-centric educational environment was instrumental in the establishment of a four-year scholarship program in the Office of Undergraduate Research, designed to immerse incoming students in undergraduate research under the guidance of experienced faculty members.
With a career spanning over two decades at Weber State, Professor Cavlovic humbly acknowledges the reciprocal nature of teaching, often stating that the insights gained from course discussions and student interactions have enriched her own understanding and perspective as much as they have benefited her students.
She has been recognized through several prestigious awards, including the Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor award in 2018, the Hinckley Fellows award in 2013, and the distinction of being an Eccles Fellow since 2006 in the Goddard School. Therese Cavlovic's career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the advancement of knowledge, the mentorship of future leaders in economics, and the importance of fostering an environment where research and inquiry flourish.
Nicola A. Corbin is a professor of communication at Weber State University who mentors and supports Wildcats on their quest to achieve their educational dreams. She teaches public relations and mass media courses, and directs the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Corbin was named Weber State University’s Crystal Crest Master Teacher in 2019 and the 2018 Educator of the Year award by the Iota Iota Iota chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. She was also awarded the Presidential Teaching Excellence Award in 2024. Her research interests encompass exploring the impact of race-gendered representations in mass media and popular culture, critical approaches to public relations pedagogy, and scholarship of teaching and learning. Prior to academia, Corbin practiced journalism and public relations for a decade, winning awards from the New Jersey Press Association and the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Seton Hall University, her Master of Arts in Graphic Communication Management and Technology from New York University, and her doctoral degree in Mass Communication from the University of Georgia.
