Marissa Sabin is from Highland, Utah. She is receiving a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from UVU. Marissa currently works for UVU’s School of the Arts designing signage for performing arts events. She has also designed dozens of race medals for local half marathons and marathons and received the American graphic design award for her publication Solved Identity. Marissa plans to work at a design agency after graduation, with a focus on branding and packaging design. When she is not designing, she enjoys running, rock climbing, skiing, and playing games with family.
Jamie Johnson is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and holds bachelor’s degrees in ballet and English from the University of Utah as well an MFA in dance from the University of Washington. Since 2015, she has served as the co-artistic director of UVU’s Repertory Ballet Ensemble. Jamie has performed with the Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, Ohio Dance Theatre, and Boulder Ballet, reaching the status of principal dancer. Later with MOMIX, she served as dance captain and performed upon world-renowned stages including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Joyce Theater in New York, and Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Jamie loves traveling, hiking, and trying out new restaurants with her husband and son.
Amy Whipple is from Orem and holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Brigham Young University. She has worked as a costume stitcher for numerous theater organizations, including the Utah Shakespearean Festival, the Tuacahn Center for the Arts, and the LA Opera, among others. She also serves as an adjunct instructor for costume construction classes in UVU’s Theatre department and has designed costumes for multiple productions at UVU and elsewhere. Amy says she loves that her job at UVU allows her to have a tangible, positive impact on the educational experience of the many students in the School of the Arts. She lives with her husband, Graham, and their dog, Nixon.
Jessica Rosewinter is from Orem and holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and outdoor recreation with a minor in music from UVU. Jessica has worked at The Noorda for four years, including working as front-of-house staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her favorite thing about working at The Noorda has been the people she is able to work with — she says she has never felt so respected, taken care of, or appreciated. Jessica married her best friend and secret crush Treydn Rosewinter in 2018. Their first child, Solstice, was born in May 2022 and they are expecting another baby this year.
Bethany Rasmussen is from West Jordan, Utah, and attended Copper Hills High School. She is receiving an associate degree in music. Bethany is currently a member of the UVU Chamber Choir and played the role of Sandman in UVU’s production of Hänsel und Gretel. She plans to teach private voice and piano lessons after graduation, while auditioning for theaters and vocal programs. Bethany enjoys developing her musicianship by playing the piano, guitar, and ukulele.
Mckenna Goade is from Kent, Washington, and is receiving a bachelor’s degree in Art & Design with a painting and drawing emphasis. Mckenna has maintained a 4.0 GPA graduating summa cum laude. When not in classes or in the studio, Mckenna served as The Department of Art & Design representative for Academic Senate. She also worked with Events Production Services in the School of the Arts, allowing her to benefit from working between disciplines. Mckenna has been accepted into the Parson’s Fine Arts MFA program and is in the final round of interviews for NYU. She is proud of every moment of her UVU experience.
Jessica Downs is from St. George. She is receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with a painting and drawing emphasis, and a minor in art history. Jessica’s work has been chosen as two UVU’s Touchstones journal covers, and received a first-place award. She has participated in the Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research and the UVU Showcase. She won the UVU Showcase Award in 2022. Jessica and her husband Dixon have three incredible daughters. She enjoys hiking, riding horses, playing volleyball, and reading.
Ember Martinez will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history this spring. She has contributed essays to two of the Department of Art & Design art books, presented at the 2024 Art History Symposium, submitted a paper for publication in Artemisia, served as editor and Editor-in-Chief for Artemisia. She participated in a photography course at the UVU Field Station and helped curate an exhibition of the students’ photographs. She helped install the Composing Chaos exhibition in the Gallery on 6th. She has participated in a Japan study abroad program and conducted documentation work for the F.D. Millet Research Project in New York and Boston in 2024.
Allison Sink is graduating in Art Education. She plans to become a secondary art teacher. Throughout her years at UVU, she has showcased her paintings in school shows, academic journals, and acted as a member of the UVU Honors Program. Allison specializes in painting and drawing stating, “I find drawing and painting people especially fascinating, and I have always gravitated towards people in quiet moments as the subjects of my work.”
Megan Barnum is a graphic designer and photographer who draws inspiration from the beauty of everyday life. She specializes in editorial design, typography, brand identity, and wedding photography. During her academic journey, she achieved a Gold placement in the IDA 2023 Design Awards, earned recognition as an AIGA 100 Show Winner for her work, and secured a Design Award from Creative Quarterly 72. Megan is looking forward to the next chapter in her design journey.
Parker Nielsen will be graduating this spring with his BFA in illustration. His ultimate aim is to spark creativity and offer visually captivating solutions to any creative challenges that come his way. Inspired by observing the people and world around him, he is passionate about breathing life and laughter into his work.
Tommy Ervin is a fine art photographer who specializes in landscape photography. The challenge of capturing the essence and emotion of a scene is a drive in Ervin’s work. With patience, perseverance, and decisive chance as key factors to his imagery, Ervin has been featured in numerous art exhibitions and publications throughout Utah. To Ervin, landscape photography isn’t only about capturing what we love. It’s also about caring for, understanding, and protecting our wild places.
Kylie Beutler is a senior at Utah Valley University with a passion for stone carving. Her playful sculptures explore spirituality through abstraction. Her work has been displayed in the Springville Museum of Art and in several art shows at UVU. Born and raised in Mapleton, Utah, she loves spending time outdoors, making things with her hands, and being the best aunt ever.
Makela Ka’imilani Tsi’skoko Kamiya is the daughter of Michael and Merriam Conte, from Glendale, Arizona. With a rich multicultural background encompassing Italian, Filipino, Native American, and Armenian heritage, Makela embraces diversity in her identity and art. Currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Art & Design, she is passionate about infusing her work with elements from various cultures and ethnicities, striving to create pieces that resonate with her audience.
Steven Doran is a senior currently working on his BFA. He hopes to find work as a concept artist for films and video games, specifically as a creature designer. When he’s not working on art, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, playing board games with friends, watching movies, or reading science fiction.
Fiona Barnard is from Delta Junction, Alaska. She is receiving a bachelor’s degree in dance education. After receiving her associate degree from Weber State University, Fiona decided to transfer to UVU. UVU has helped her not only achieve her goal of becoming a dance teacher, but she has also become an advocate for dance as an art form and as a conduit for healing. Fiona credits her husband Chandler for being there for her through thick and thin. She is an avid hiker and loves backpacking, rafting, and basically anything outdoors.
From Farmington, Utah, Olivia Perry trained for 15 years at Clytie Adams School of Ballet before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with high honors and summa cum laude in ballet. As a member of Repertory Ballet Ensemble for four seasons, she performed diverse roles and assisted in rehearsals. With ambitions for a professional dance career, Olivia aims to continue her work in choreography and performance post-graduation.
Chauncey Bricker was born in Washington and raised in Arizona. After high school, she pursued an associate degree in dance at Paradise Valley Community College. After serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she decided to pursue her passion of ballroom at UVU. She has received personal training from high-ranking ballroom coaches and is graduating with a Bachelor of Science-Ballroom Emphasis and Ballroom Teaching Certificate.
Emily Kearsley is from Sandy, UT and is graduating with her dance education degree in the spring. She has been part of several hip-hop dance teams at UVU and is now a member of a professional hip hop company called Boom X at Millennium Dance Complex and is the co-founder and director of her own hip hop crew called Solace. Her main goal as an educator is to bring hip hop dance forms into academia.
Emma Crow, dance artist from Utah, has danced and choreographed with Synergy Dance Company, performed original works by Jesse Obremski, Jamie Myers, Nicholas Cendese, Elle Johansen, and Heartland Dance Collective, along with a restaging of Dwight Rhoden’s The Curve. She received a scholarship to participate in SALT’s LINK audition festival where she worked with Nicole von Arx and Christian Denice, and has received exceptional performance scholarships throughout the pursuit of her Modern Dance BFA.
Robert Gabbitas is from Springville, Utah. He is receiving a bachelor’s degree in music performance (clarinet). Robert is a co-founder of the UVU Music Student Association and was elected its president in 2023. He won the 2023 UVU Composition Competition and is the principal clarinetist in both the Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. Robert plans to attend graduate school and study wind band conducting. He is most grateful to share this journey with his wife, Emily, who will graduate with him and receive a bachelor’s degree in flute performance.
Julie Carlson is a commercial music student focusing on composition, songwriting, and production. She has worked on such projects as scoring the Animation Department’s project Scales, arranging a version of Angels We Have Heard on High played by the Utah Valley String Orchestra, and collaborating with UVU’s E2i Office and Game Development students to compose music for a school-commissioned game. She has served in many student advocate positions, such as Music Student Association President and Vice President, UVUSA Music Department Student Representative, and UVUSA School of the Arts Senator.
Sofi Child is currently a sophomore studying percussion performance and commercial music under the direction of Dr. Shane Jones. Most recently, she was one of the concerto competition winners of this school year and performed with the wind symphony on March 6th. Since starting college, she has performed with the Utah Metropolitan Ballet in the Nutcracker and has recorded with Big Idea Inc. for the Hogwart’s Legacy Overture which was recently nominated for a Grammy last year.
Drew Cannon is from Lehi, Utah, and attended American Leadership Academy. They are receiving a bachelor’s degree in theatre education with a minor in music. Drew worked as assistant director for The Diary of Anne Frank and directed a series of short plays as part of the Platform Series. Drew has served as the president of the UVU Queer Student Alliance and hosted the first-ever queer prom event. They hope to become a high school theatre teacher, inspiring the next generation of students to value the art that is all around them.
Kaylie Short is honored to receive this award. She joined the UVU Theatre Department in 2017 and has since deepened her love for acting and discovered new passions for directing and lighting design. She will graduate this December with a B.S. in Theatre Arts Education and is excited to begin her career as a drama teacher. She would like to thank her professors for their mentorship and her family for their support during these challenging years.
Abby Haws, a BFA acting graduate, has been at UVU for the past five years. She discovered her passion for the arts in her early elementary school years and committed to her pursuit of acting in high school. She is thankful for her childhood friend and academic competitor, Sam, who pushed her to strive for academic excellence, a habit she plans to continue by completing a master’s program in the UK.
Makenna Ashby, a BFA musical theatre graduate, has been influenced by the arts from a young age. She found her true calling on the stage. Recently, Makenna represented UVU at a National Theatre Competition held in Washington D.C., where she sang on the Kennedy Center Stage. She wants to thank those who have pushed her farther than she could have ever imagined. She can’t wait to start this journey of artistic growth and hone her craft every day!
Kara McCarthy is graduating with their BA in Theater Arts. While attending UVU, they have loved learning and exploring the various areas theater has to offer. They would like to thank their mentor Liz Golden for encouraging them to follow their passion for theater. He would also like to thank his parents for teaching the importance of hard work and for encouraging him to ask questions.
Christa St. John calls Longmont, Colorado, home and is an assistant professor of ballet. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in dance with a minor in performing arts administration from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the University of Oklahoma. St. John has performed with Ballet Chicago, Ballet Austin, Louisville Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Atlantic City Ballet, and Northwest Florida Ballet. Her favorite part of working at UVU are the daily interactions she has with driven students who are looking to learn more about their craft.
