MYNOA WILLIAMS is from Orem, Utah, and attended Mountain View High School. She chose to attend UVU because she received a full-ride scholarship and had many positive experiences after visiting campus during high school. The most valuable lesson she learned at UVU was that the problem-solving skills she learned as an artist can be applied to every area of her life. She enjoyed meeting a diverse range of people at UVU and learning new perspectives from them. After graduation, Mynoa plans to pursue work as a graphic designer for Adobe and eventually for a high fashion company or fashion magazine.
DR. LISA HALL is from Los Altos, California, and has been teaching at UVU since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Art in performance from San Francisco State University, a Master of Art in playwriting from Boston University, and a doctorate in theatre history and dramaturgy from the University of Colorado Boulder. She frequently writes and directs for local theatres, including An Other Theatre Company and Hale Center Theatre Orem, and will soon publish her 10-year research project titled “Amplified Horizons: Wasteful Theatre as a Practice of Excess.” She lives in Vineyard with her wife, kids, two cats, and dog.
CRISTIAN BELLis from Grand Prairie, Texas, and works as the technical operations director for UVU’s Noorda Center for Performing Arts. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from Brigham Young University and a Master of Fine Arts in technical direction from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has worked as scenic craftsman, lead deckhand/flyman, and technical director for theaters in Utah, Maryland, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Minnesota. He enjoys working with the Events and Production Services team at UVU. He and his wife, Venus, have two wonderful kids, Itza and Cordan.
LINDY TAYLOR BARRETT is from Orem, Utah, and works as the assistant shop supervisor for the School of the Arts Scene Shop. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English teaching and, after stepping away from her career in publishing, discovered a passion for set design while working on Lone Peak High School’s production of Hello, Dolly! Her work has been featured in the Noorda Center, Sundance Summer Theatre, Murray Cultural Arts, and Creekside Theatre. When she’s not designing, Lindy enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband and four children.
FAITH NEILSEN is from Salt Lake City, Utah, and attended Granger High School. Prior to attending UVU, she served nine years in the US Army Reserves, where she developed a dedication to duty that helped her in her studies. She is proud of how much her art has improved since being able to learn from her artistic peers and knowledgeable professors, and several of her art pieces have been featured in recent art showings. She plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in entertainment design and hopes to put her artistic skills to use in a larger studio.
JOSEPH ERIC OSTERSTOCK is from Salt Lake City, Utah, and attended Olympus High School. He chose to attend UVU because of its unique degree offering in commercial music. He enjoys composing original pieces; one of his symphonic works was selected to be performed at UVU’s Concerto Night and he has established his own music studio in Salt Lake. Joseph most valued the private music lessons he received from his many outstanding educators and getting to play famous orchestral works with his classmates. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in composition and continue writing concert works and pieces for media.
ALISON HILL SPENCER is from Provo, Utah. She attended UVU as a nontraditional student; as a wife and mother of five kids, she felt that UVU could best accommodate her role as a mom first and a student second. She is inspired by her professors and fellow students and is grateful for the support and energy she received from everyone. She is the author and illustrator of a pair of books that introduces toddlers to colors and numbers, and she plans to continue pursuing oil painting and wildlife illustration by working to have her art featured in galleries.
KAMÉE PAYTON is graduating with a degree in Art History this spring. She is currently serving as editor-in-chief of UVU’s undergraduate journal for Art History, Artemisia. This semester Kamée is working at the UVU museum of art as the museum collections assistant and is an intern at the BYU museum of art, in the collections and registration department. Kamée will begin her graduate studies in Art Law at the University of York this fall.
MADISON L. ELLIS is a painter, printmaker, filmmaker, and educator in training. The last 9 months have found Madison in a 7th grade classroom, where she has been building her skills as an art teacher under her students’ expert tutelage. She loves the creative energy of young artists. Her main goal as an educator is to nurture a confidence in and passion for art that lingers long after her young artists leave school.
BRIAN GEORGE, raised in Provo, Utah, is a visual artist whose work investigates authoritarian structures, historical narratives, and personal identity. He employs a variety of methods ranging from collage and found objects to traditional oil painting. Brian believes in the power of imagery to capture significant moments in history, facilitate uncomfortable conversations, and empower individuals to embrace what they feel. This fall, Brian is excited to pursue a graduate degree in studio art.
BROOKE JENKINS-OVERSON is a Utah born Photographer who graduated with her BFA from Utah Valley University in 2022. During her time there she was published in J’ADORE Cookbook, and Utopia- a fine art book. Her experiences and opportunities at UVU quickly catapulted her after graduation to work with several large companies across Utah. Her work now spans from anything to billboards on I-15 to small cafe galleries. Her photography continually echoes intelligence and innovation.
MAILYN MILLWARD, having been raised in Utah by two artist parents, took to the family business. While focusing her major in sculpture, MaiLyn paused to serve a church mission in Fiji which cultivated a love of the Pacifika culture and sparked her interest in her own AAPI heritage which is reflected in her BFA exhibit. She currently works as a patina artist and plans to continue after graduation. MaiLyn loves to travel, rollerblade, make art, and cook.
HANNAH LIDDELL returned to UVU in 2019 to become a sculptor 4 years after dropping out of school. Since returning, her work has been showcased in the Urban Arts Gallery, the Woodbury Art Museum, the Queer Spectra Arts Festival, and various publications. She was recognized by the Scholarly and Creative Undergraduate Learning Partnership Team (SCULPT) for her research into the LGBTQIA+ Interfaith community of Utah. Beyond art, Hannah enjoys reading niche history books and collecting bones.
YUKA FUJII is from Yamaguchi, Japan, and always dreamed of studying ballroom dance at an American university. She has won numerous dance competition awards, including first place in the world title for the British Latin Formation and Standard Formation Championships at the 2022 UK Blackpool Dance Festival. She is proud to have overcome the challenges of learning a new language and culture and is grateful to her friends and instructors for supporting her. She plans on moving to Seattle to become a ballroom dance instructor and hopes to one day own her own studio and help with her parents’ ballroom dance studio in Japan whenever she can.
MAREN WOOD was born in Utah and began her ballet journey at the age of fourteen. She trained and performed with The Academy of Ballet in association with Ballet Utah, then performed with Charisma Dance Studio. Furthering her dance training, Maren danced with Utah Valley University’s pre professional ballet performance company while studying to receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Ballet. Maren is a part of UVU’s 2023 graduating class.
ANNA IVIE is a ballroom dancer from Herriman Utah. In addition to her coursework at UVU, Anna passed the prestigious American International Dance Association professional teaching exams for Latin. She has choreographed professionally for Snow College and Jordan High School. Anna has also coached high school ballroom teams for three years and plans to continue teaching full-time at the high school level after graduation.
LEXIE PITCHER graduating with a BFA in Modern Dance, was awarded Performing Arts Scholarships and a member of Contemporary Dance Ensemble for three seasons. CDE created opportunities for her to work with amazing choreographers such as Mike Esperanaza, LAJAMARTIN, Yoshito Sakarba, Joanie & Shapiro Smith, and Whteberg. In Lexie’s third season with CDE she acted as Rehearsal Assistant and performed in Ririe Woodbury’s Show “Precipice”. After graduation, Lexie will be dancing professionally with Altitude Dance Company.
REBECCA DALGLEISH is from Sandy, Utah, and graduated from Hillcrest High School. She loves to both teach and play music and so decided to earn both performance and education degrees. She won UVU’s spring 2023 music solo competition and was the concert master of the UVU symphony and chamber orchestras. She plans to pursue a master’s in violin performance and pedagogy and hopes to grow her private music studio of over 50 piano, violin, and viola students. She enjoyed UVU’s inclusive and welcoming atmosphere and is grateful for the many friends and mentors who have and will continue to inspire her.
JOHANNES-KRYSTOF BOWMAN is a musician and composer in Provo, Utah. His music has been professionally recorded and internationally performed. Johannes composed over 50 original and arranged works, all of which are in diverse world genres: from pop to classical, to music for plays, ballets and operas. Johannes is also a freelance musician and has performed with many professional groups including the Utah Symphony, the Mediterranean Opera Summer Festival in Sicily, and others.
JOSHUA SCRIBNER is a passionate music educator and performer. He is graduating this May with a bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education from Utah Valley University and has been awarded many honors including a multi-year scholarship based on vocal performance, and the Performing Arts Award of Merit in Music Education. During his time studying, Josh has taught piano and voice lessons, and has served as Assistant Conductor for the UVU Men’s Choir, as well as for UVU’s premier choral ensemble, the UVU Chamber Choir. He has also made his professional vocal debut in the Noorda Center’s production of Puccini’s famous opera, La Boheme. Josh is currently serving as the Assistant Conductor for the Wasatch Chorale and has had the amazing opportunity to student teach with the Pleasant Grove High School Choirs. He recently had the honor of conducting Pleasant Grove High School’s choirs in a performance at Carnegie Hall this March. Josh is an empathetic and encouraging teacher, and loves helping students succeed. Whether the student be brand new to music or has experience, he’s happy to help them refine their skills and help them become well-rounded, thoughtful, and intentional musicians.
LINNEA MINER MOTT earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance in December 2022. She studied with Dr. Melissa Heath and Constance Jensen, served as soprano section leader in the Chamber Choir for 5 years, and starred in UVU Operas as: Olympia in “Tales of Hoffmann,” Musetta in “La Bohème,” and Cecily in “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Now Linnea enjoys teaching from her private vocal studio, performing in the American Festival Chorus, and being a new mom.
EMILEE SIMKO is from Salt Lake City, Utah, and attended Herriman High School. She is passionate about producing theatre and film that expands the mind and brings people together. She is the author of a short play about overcoming and healing from familial abuse, which was recently performed as part of Short Attention Span Theatre. The play impacted many people and is now being produced as a short film in Los Angeles. After graduation, Emilee plans on expanding her play into a feature film. She is grateful to her husband, Spencer, for all his support. They are expecting a baby girl in June.
STEPHEN BRAILSFORD is a future theater and world language educator from Highland, Utah. Having discovered his passion for education teaching Japanese at Lone Peak High School, he switched his degree to Theater Education. During his time at UVU he learned Spanish to better connect with his Mexican heritage. He utilized these Spanish skills last Fall playing the title character in the UVU TYE Center’s production of “Tomás and the Library Lady”, which he co-composed the music for as well. He and his wife became new parents to a baby girl in January of this year as he has been completing his student teaching.
ALICE ELLSWORTH is so grateful for Utah Valley University and the Theatre Department. She has had the opportunity to be a part of many of the productions here at UVU. Some of her favorite roles include Sarah Bernhardt in The Divine and Annie Cannon in Silent Sky. Alice is the Captain of the UVU Improv Team, and the Executive Assistant for the Utah Valley University Student Association. Alice will be moving to NYC this summer and will always be a Proud Wolverine.
ADDIE WRAY SCOTT is a senior in the Musical Theater program. When not performing, she is listening to Ben Rector, avoiding celery, writing plays, playing Mario Kart with her husband, and excessively grocery shopping. Past accomplishments include the Utah Sterling Scholar Vocal Performance winner 2018, KCACTF MTI finalist 2021/2022, and TAG Best Student Playwright 2022. UVU theatrical credits include Williamina (Silent Sky), Mary (Persuasion), and Joyce Betty (Is There An Actor...). Special thanks to her professors and mentors at UVU, who picked her up at the last shred of hope and reminded her what she was capable of. Luke 1:37
JANINE SOBECK KNIGHTON is from Clovis, California, and is the associate chair of the Department of Theatrical Arts for Stage and Screen. She has worked as a dramaturg for the Kennedy Center, Tuacahn, the Pioneer Theatre Company, and the Salt Lake Acting Company, among others, and several of her original plays have been produced across the country. She owns a production company, JSK Stories, which provides a platform for youth to share their original works. Her favorite part about teaching is witnessing the magic of collaboration between faculty and students. She is grateful for her husband, Nathan, and two children, Cordelia and Edmund.
CORRINE WALLENTINE is from Cedar Hills, Utah, and is a ballet lecturer in the dance department. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet from UVU, where she performed with Repertory Ballet Ensemble and was named Honors Dancer at the 2011 Regional Dance America Festival in Las Vegas. She danced professionally with the Utah Metropolitan Ballet in 2011, then became the ballet director at the Dance Conservatory. Corinne has instructed ballet students of all ages for almost 20 years and has worked in higher education since 2016. She is grateful to her students, colleagues, and family for their support.
