Brilliant Academics

WSU secures land for site of future YELLOWSTONE FIELD STATION

47 acres:
land owned by WSU in Island Park, Idaho

Yellowstone National Park and its surrounding ecosystem has the largest concentration of wildlife in the lower 48 states, dark skies, and more than 10,000 thermal features. Soon, the area will also be home to WSU’s first field station.

Thanks to donor support — including a $1 million combined gift from Mary Hall, George Hall, and Mary Ann Miller last year — the field station is closer to fruition.

WSU purchased 47 acres in Island Park, Idaho, for the station. The property is located just outside of Yellowstone and is near Henrys Lake State Park. It’s a four-hour drive from the Ogden campus, giving students convenient access to a world-renowned environment.

Once constructed, the field station will feature dormitories, research areas, and space inside and outside to gather and connect with classmates.

Clementine Rane, an environmental science major, said field research changed her life. She discovered a breeding population of boreal owls, which were not previously known to exist in Utah.

“I now know what I want to study and what I want to do because of my time in the field,” Rane said.

With a WSU field station, more students from disciplines across the university will have hands-on learning opportunities like those that shaped Rane’s trajectory.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD SCHOOL YIELDS IN-DEMAND SKILLS

Students in Weber State’s anthropology program attend archaeological field school each year to develop skills in artifact classification, mapping, surface survey methods, excavation techniques, and more.

In June 2024, students worked on one of the oldest sites in field school history: the Colby Mammoth site in Wyoming. This approximately 12,800-year-old mammoth butchery site was discovered and excavated in the 1970s.

The site contains the remains of at least seven mammoths concentrated into two big piles. Anthropologists theorize the piles were caches where hunters stored the mammoths’ meat.

Under the direction of former WSU assistant professor Madeline Mackie and University of Wyoming assistant professor Briana Doering, students used ground-penetrating radar and augers to reanalyze the site and look for additional archaeological deposits.

Brennan Brown, who was a student in the field school, says the experience has helped him in his career. Brown graduated from WSU in spring 2025 with degrees in anthropology and psychology. He now works as an archaeologist at an architectural engineering firm.

“One of the tasks I was given … was to do maps, and I was like, ‘Cool, I learned this at the Colby Mammoth site,’” Brown said. “I had the basic skills because of field school to accomplish something, because not every place is going to be available to train you.”

“Dance is a global language... our curriculum reflects that by offering students exposure to a broad range of dance forms, histories, and cultural lineages from all over the world.” — “jo” Blake

Dance Program finds its spotlight, collabs with local companies

Weber State’s Dance Program enjoyed another fruitful year in 2024–25, celebrating several milestones that mirror artistic innovation and community engagement.

COINCIDENCES, an original work by WSU Assistant Professor of Dance Joseph “jo” Blake, evolved through four dynamic iterations: coincidences, when we meet up premiered with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in 2022, and coincidences, when we meet, again premiered at WSU featuring dance students that same year. A third iteration, COINCIDENCES, premiered at Dumke Arts Plaza with WSU performers in October 2023 and featured an ongoing installation until April 2024. WSU dancers premiered the latest edition of COINCIDENCES as part of a Ririe-Woodbury production in Salt Lake City in January 2025.

In April, WSU’s Orchesis Dance Theatre put on three performances of Finer Points, a lively evening of contemporary dance and visual artistry. The program also collaborated with Repertory Dance Theatre choreographer Nicholas Cedense, who worked with students and faculty to create RDT and Orchesis Dance Theatre performances.

Additionally, students were selected to present at the American College Dance Association conference (ACDA) High Desert Regional Conference at the University of Wyoming, highlighting students’ growing creative voices. Ten students, including choreographers Kelli Kerner, Gabby Miller, and Elli Thornley, represented Weber State.

“Dance is a global language,” Blake said. “Our curriculum reflects that by offering students exposure to a broad range of dance forms, histories, and cultural lineages from all over the world.”

MEETING A NEED FOR MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE

Weber State launched its psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner emphasis in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program in January 2025.

The program focuses on training students for the PMHNP certification exam so they can be licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), who focus on mental and behavioral health. Sixteen students make up the program’s first cohort, and they’re expected to graduate in April 2027.

Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a large and growing need for APRNs now and in the future.

TEACHING FROM EXPERIENCE

Craig Trewet mentoring students — Craig Trewet, left, Alex Leonardi, right.

“Shifting from success to significance, I am honored to give back to the university that so well prepared me for my career and share time, treasure, and talent, including a few messy scars, with these wonderful Wildcats.” — Craig Trewet, Executive-in-Residence

In summer 2024, students earning a Master of Business Administration took part in Weber State’s first Executive-in-Residence program, addressing a university goal of incorporating high-impact educational experiences. Craig Trewet, a retired Boeing executive and current WSU National Advisory Council Chair, mentored an initial cohort of 11 students.

“By engaging a professional mentor with significant career experiences, you can learn about people, situations, or programs in an environment conducive to learning and reflection,” Trewet said.

After an initial one-on-one meeting with each mentee, Trewet tailors five personalized sessions to meet students’ needs. That can range from preparing for job interviews to completing class assignments to navigating a challenging workplace dynamic.

“You can never have enough people in your court to advocate when you are not in the room,” said Trewet, a WSU alum who self-identifies as a “readiness accelerator.”

After the program’s initial success, Trewet supported a second cohort of 10 students in spring 2025. The MBA program also added a second executive-in-residence, Brigadier General (retired) Max Stitzer.

Recent MBA graduate Alex Leonardi, part of the spring 2025 cohort, valued the mentoring as he prepared for his current role in economic development with Davis County, following a decade spent as an athletic trainer.

“The EIR was like a self-investment tool. We had access to a very successful professional that wanted to sit down and talk about me and help me find success,” Leonardi said. “There aren’t too many times in life, especially as we get older, that talking about yourself to others is welcomed — other than therapy.”

Trewet helped Leonardi map out possible career paths and introduced him to professional connections in the economic development field.

“This really helped me define career goals that are in line with my personal and professional priorities,” Leonardi said.

Weber State’s Model United Nations receives multiple honors

Three Weber State teams won best delegation awards in a competition of nearly 80 teams at the Model United Nations of the Far West Conference in April.

The conference takes place annually in Burlingame, California, near the birthplace of the United Nations organization. WSU’s teams represented Myanmar, India, and Belize.

Judges assessed the teams on submitted paperwork and whether they accurately represented their country’s positions and made them clear.

“It’s really fun and interesting and requires a lot of diplomacy and negotiation,” said Stephanie Wolfe, professor of political science and WSU Model United Nations advisor.

Macy McCormack, representing India, was one of five students selected to give an opening plenary statement. McCormack, who previously served as a student representative on the conference’s board of directors, was appointed to manage social media for the executive director’s office. Miriam Greene is now a student representative for the board of directors.

WSU’s Vlada Smoot, representing India, was named special rapporteur for the conference’s Commission on the Status of Women. Her committee’s joint policy statement was honored as the best in the simulation.

The Far West Conference capped off a big year for WSU’s Model United Nations.

In March, several Model United Nations students joined a WSU-sponsored trip to the actual United Nations in New York.

From Nov. 22 to Dec. 1, 2024, they traveled to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, for the National Model United Nations Galapagos Conference. WSU teams representing Bangladesh and India won honorable mention awards. Student Raissa Rohbock was awarded for outstanding work on the environmental assembly paperwork. In the Galapagos, WSU students also volunteered in a beach and street clean-up.

“I consider myself lucky to be able to work with such a group of students,” Wolfe said. “Watching them perform, watching them negotiate, watching them win awards and get these leadership positions, honestly, it’s why I do it.”

Recently, Utah Global Diplomacy presented Wolfe with the Citizen Diplomacy Award, and her student, Ruby Vejar, with the Utah Youth in Global Diplomacy award. The awards were presented at the Utah State Capitol on Feb. 26, 2025.

WSU students show their awards at the Model United Nations of the Far West Conference in April 2025. From left to right: Raissa Rohbock, Nick Ferre (advisor), Frida Gonzalez, Ruby Vejar, Ambri Huffaker, Vlada Smoot, Yoselyn Martinez, Aaron Egli, Mireya Aguilar, Miriam Greene, Rae Conriquez, Macy McCormack, Stephanie Wolfe (advisor); not pictured: Frances Hudson, Melissa del Castillo
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Wolfe

Students study outdoor leadership and education in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico

Weber State hosts study abroad trips in every college, which lead to intercultural experiences, lifelong friendships, and unique insights into subject areas that can only be gained from firsthand experience.

For example, the Outdoor & Community Recreation Education program partnered with the nonprofit Outward Bound to bring eight students to Costa Rica for 10 days of outdoor leadership development during the spring 2025 semester.

Students trekked through wild spaces, learned skills from locals, and rafted on the Río Sarapiquí.

OCRE Program Director Jon Griffith, who led the group with Lindsey Sweatland, education recruitment and marketing manager, said students learned to break down complicated tasks into manageable steps. “They applied this not only to jungle hiking but also to broader challenges like becoming better outdoor leaders or completing their college education,” he said.

The Department of Teacher Education brought students to explore the culture, history, and educational aspects of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico during the summer 2025 semester.

Seven students joined the two-week trip, where they also visited and learned about a
Hispanic-Serving Institution in Miami, Florida. While abroad, they visited many schools, cultural centers, and museums, learning skills, history, and educational practices from locals.

“Something I have learned in multiple study abroad experiences is that, no matter where you live, educators are committed to their students and their profession,” said Natalie Williams, professor of special education who led the trip with Katarina Anderson, assistant professor of technology education. “The opportunity to provide a front-row seat to education around the globe for our pre-service teachers is truly unparalleled and can only be understood by seeing it in action, which study abroad provides.”

All of WSU’s study abroad experiences are found at weber.edu/studyabroad.

Teaching a New Generation of Energy Engineers

Matt Millburn joined Weber State’s energy engineering major with a fascination for how societies use energy and what it could mean for the future.

“I’d been thinking about what would provide the most stable job over the next 20 years, and energy is a huge national priority,” he said.

According to the Utah Office of Economic Development, Utah is headed toward an energy deficit due to increased demand and decreasing supply, and more power is needed. The state will require a new generation of skilled energy engineers to meet growing needs. Recognizing this, the Utah State Legislature has supported the energy sector with policies and funding that encourage innovation, workforce development, and clean energy adoption.

Weber State is responding to this call. It is the first institution in Utah to offer an energy engineering degree, tailored to produce graduates who can help solve real-world energy challenges across the state.

“Utah’s energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation,” said WSU energy engineering professor An Ho, citing a U.S. Department of Energy report that shows energy engineering jobs will grow 6.4% annually. “We want to make sure our students are ready to lead that transformation.”

Blending mechanical and electrical engineering concepts, the program explores the most effective ways to produce, utilize, and conserve energy, as well as energy production, traditional and advanced technologies.

Ho also directs the Weber Industrial Training and Assessment Center. In 2024, the center received a three-year, $550,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The center gives students hands-on experience through no-cost energy assessments for small and medium-sized manufacturers across Utah — directly supporting the state’s energy goals.

Weber State’s Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service welcomed experts on Utah’s energy sector to discuss nuclear energy last March. Walker Center Director Leah Murray facilitated the panel, which included Brian Bean, senior policy advisor to the Utah Senate; Chris Hayter, COO of Hi Tech Solutions; Tim Kowalchik, emerging technology strategist for the Utah Office of Energy Development; and state senator and former WSU president Ann Millner.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF TEACHING

This fall, students earning degrees in child and family studies and teacher education, along with Graduate Studies in Education students, will enter the next generation of learning as the newly renovated David O. McKay Education Building opens. Following a two-year, $38.1 million renovation, the facility features abundant natural light, revitalized classroom space with active-learning layouts, and a digital media production lab.

Home to both the WSU Charter School and Melba S. Lehner Children’s School, the north and east sides of the building showcase extensive playground areas that serve as an outdoor classroom space.

A grand opening celebration for the building was held on Oct. 10, 2025.

EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE IS GOLDEN

Weber State’s Department of Emergency Healthcare is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. What began as the first paramedic training program in the Intermountain West has grown to graduate more than 60 students a year, while boasting close to a 100% first-time pass rate for the national paramedic assessment. That’s significantly higher than the national average.