Celebrating the efforts of full-time faculty and staff who dedicate their time and talents to students, scholarship, and the advancement of higher education.
On April 11, 2024, the Utah Valley University Board of Trustees and Presidential Awards of Excellence program honored full-time faculty and staff who dedicate their time and talents to students, scholarship, and the advancement of higher education. These individuals embrace UVU’s core values of exceptional care, exceptional accountability, and exceptional results.
Awardees and their guests enjoyed an evening of celebration and recognition with fine dining, musical performances from Artiva Strings and Bloom A Cappella, and remarks from UVU leaders.
UVU Board of Trustees member Andrea Clarke began the program with this message:
“If you’ve ever seen the outside of a geode, you might not suspect that the inside is lined with layers of sparkling crystals as they appear very humble. The crystals are formed when temperature, pressure, and evaporation changes exist. The color of geode crystals depends on the specific materials and minerals found in the environment.
“As we think about the individuals we are honoring tonight, they represent not only UVU’s core values but, in a way, they are also UVU’s geodes. They are humble. They are brilliant. They create beautiful crystals of their own through mentorship, scholarly and academic works, and most importantly, their environment has crafted them into true green UVU representatives. We are so grateful to these unique individuals who make UVU a beautiful and successful place to work, learn, and educate our students.”
UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez included this message:
“The Awards of Excellence honor those who live the core values of UVU: exceptional care, exceptional accountability, and exceptional results. They support our mission of student success and do it with discipline and love. To the awardees, I say: ‘You truly represent the best of UVU!’
“What makes the best of UVU? I believe these are faculty and staff who bring their best selves to work every day. They are clear about their goals. They work effectively alone or in teams. They are ambitious and gritty. They use resources wisely. They model behaviors that we want our own students to have when they leave the halls of UVU.
“To the awardees, thank you for your dedication, passion, skills, and leadership. Because of you, our students thrive and our university moves from strength to strength. I am proud and grateful to work alongside all of you.”
Spencer Childs
Senior Director, Concurrent Enrollment
Hailing from Mapleton, Utah, Spencer Childs came to UVU in the 90s as a student employee and transitioned to a full-time role in 2004. With degrees in business management and American studies, Childs oversees the department that represents 34% of UVU’s total headcount and has saved students over $35 million in annual tuition. His favorite parts of working at UVU are the opportunities for professional development and student success. When not enjoying the views of the scenic Orem Campus, Childs finds joy in family time, outdoor exploration, reading, and collecting minerals.
Christie Denniston
Assistant Vice President, Strategic Engagement, Institutional Advancement
Christie Denniston calls Longmont, Colorado, home and has worked at UVU for almost four years. Her higher education journey is marked with milestones such as receiving bachelor’s degrees in public relations, political science, and gerontology, as well as a Master of Public Administration and a doctorate in higher education leadership with an emphasis in data analytics. A member of multiple boards, Denniston is also the winner of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Award for the EverGREEN Ambassador Program and CASE’s Best of CASE Director VII award for targeted constituency engagement. Her favorite parts of working at UVU are having the chance to help all students succeed, working in an authentic environment, and contributing to the university’s goal of “punching above our weight.” Denniston loves spending time outside UVU coaching youth sports and trying new tea blends. She and her husband, Mark, have a son named Anders.
John Curl
Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships
John Curl is from Edgemont, South Dakota, and has worked for UVU since 2016. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Utah. Winner of the Rocky Mountain Association of Student Financial Aid Administrator’s (RMASFAA) Distinguished Service Award (2010-2011) and the RMASFAA’s Ron Smout Award for Teaching and Mentoring (2023), Curl has had a successful tenure helping students succeed. When asked about his favorite part of working at UVU, he said, “The people of UVU are the difference.” Curl and his wife, Karalee, have a vibrant family consisting of two sons (Johnny and Jake), one daughter (Haylee), two daughters-in-law (Kendall and Lucy), and three granddaughters (Adeline, Karsyn, and Jordyn).
Claudia Jorgensen
Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
From Salt Lake City, Utah, Claudia Jorgensen joined the Wolverine family in 2013 as an assistant professor and is presently an associate professor in the behavioral science department. Jorgensen holds an associate degree in early childhood development from Oakland Community College, two bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology from the University of Michigan-Flint, and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Florida State University. With an extensive collection of published academic work and multiple awards under her belt, including the 2023 UVU Single Academic Innovation Award, Jorgensen is dedicated to further studying her craft and providing students with a high-quality educational experience. The driving force behind her dedication is also her favorite aspect of working at UVU: the university’s mission to create a welcoming environment for students, staff, and faculty. In her free time, Jorgensen loves to spend time outdoors or coloring and doing puzzles with her husband, Hans Jorgensen, and their two children, Aiden and Amelia.
Amy L. Smith
Assistant Director, People and Culture
Amy L. Smith is from the nearby city of American Fork. Her first interaction with UVU was as a student in 2012, and in 2019, she achieved her goal of being hired at UVU as a benefits specialist. Her UVU path continued later that year when she was hired as an employee relations business partner, a compensation analyst in fall 2021, and the assistant director of compensation in fall 2022. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies, where she combined business management and psychology. She graduated Magna Cum Laude. Voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in junior high, Smith sees the best part of her steady climb at UVU as the family that she’s created. “People are engaged in their work, take pride in their results, and believe in the university's mission. We’re all in it together, especially when it’s difficult.” She has four children with whom she shares “a love of arguing and jovial debate.” When Smith and her kids aren’t challenging each other’s philosophical constructs, she loves studying the earth, painting “really terrible” watercolor pieces, watching movies, and working on her golf swing.
Jon Anderson
Associate Professor, Mathematical/Quantitative Reasoning
Jonathan Anderson, from Provo, Utah, began his career as a teaching and research assistant at Brigham Young University, followed by roles as an adjunct professor and lecturer of developmental mathematics at UVU before beginning his current position. He holds a Ph.D. in engineering education from Utah State University, a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from BYU, and an associate degree in science from Utah Valley State College (UVU). He has received accolades such as the Alan E. Hall Innovation Award and multiple Outstanding Teaching Awards and has published research on topics like engineering simulations and mathematical education. Anderson and his wife, Trenna, have been married for 22 years and have two children, DJ and Hailey. He enjoys listening to podcasts, reading fantasy and science fiction novels, and playing games with friends and family. He said the highlight of his career is witnessing the a-ha moment when a student grasps a challenging mathematical concept.
Jon Barclay
Senior Cybersecurity Analyst
Jon Barclay, a native of Highland, Utah, holds a bachelor’s degree in information technology from UVU and an MBA from Utah State University. Barclay joined UVU in 2001 as a part-time IT technician in the School of Business. He returned to UVU’s Security team in 2010 and, since then, has held various roles on the team, including Banner and data security, credit card and PCI compliance, and his current role. Barclay also serves as an adjunct faculty member, sharing his expertise with students in cybersecurity courses. Outside of work, Barclay treasures time with his wife and three sons and enjoys camping and visiting National Parks. An accomplished bagpiper with the Utah Pipe Band, Barclay is preparing to perform at the services commemorating D-Day’s 80th anniversary in France this June. For Barclay, the most rewarding aspect of working at UVU is the camaraderie among colleagues and being part of UVU’s mission to help students excel and “foster a lifelong love of learning.”
Weihong Wang
Associate Professor, Earth Science
Dr. Weihong Wang, from Provo, Utah, holds a bachelor’s degree in geophysics from Jianghan Petroleum University, a master’s degree in geology from Iowa State University, and a doctorate in marine science from the University of South Carolina. She embarked on a postdoctoral research fellowship at Yale University before teaching in New Jersey for two years. Since 2012, Wang has been an integral part of UVU, earning tenure in 2018 and currently serving as the Department of Earth Science chair. Her dedication has been recognized with the Faculty Senate Excellence Award and the College of Science Dean's Award of Teaching Excellence. Wang's research, funded by prestigious National Science Foundation grants, focuses on crucial environmental issues from responsible research conduct to Utah Lake water quality. Wang’s husband is her best friend and also a colleague at UVU. She enjoys spending time with her two children, running, skiing, traveling, cooking, and rock climbing. She loves collaborating with colleagues to “advance student learning and achievement, making UVU a supportive and enriching environment for the entire campus community!”
Josh Berndt
Director of Internal Communications, University Marketing and Communications
Originally from Mesa, Arizona, Joshua Berndt holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in communication and media studies from Southern New Hampshire University. He began his career as a broadcast journalist and radio station sports director in Cody, Wyoming. After working as director of broadcasting for the Casper Rockies, Berndt transitioned to public relations, spending 10 years working for the Utah Jazz, the Salt Lake Bees, Thanksgiving Point, and other Utah companies. Berndt began his career at UVU as an adjunct professor of public relations and communications and later was the director of marketing and communications for the Smith College of Engineering and Technology and Academic Affairs. Berndt is now the director of internal communications in University Marketing and Communications. Berndt and his wife, Heather, have been married for 26 years and have four children, three of whom have already started their UVU journeys. Berndt’s favorite part of working at UVU is being “a part of something bigger than myself.”
Chris Lemay
Head Coach, UVU Women’s Soccer
Hailing from Troy, Michigan, Chris Lemay has led the UVU women’s soccer team for seven seasons. During his tenure, the Wolverines have made three NCAA tournament appearances, earned an NCAA tournament win, and won two WAC regular season championships and two WAC tournament titles. Lemay holds a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in business management from Eastern Michigan University. The only coach in UVU history to win an NCAA tournament game, Lemay received the WAC Coach of the Year award in 2022 and held the UVU Coach of the Year award from the ‘19/’20, ‘20/’21, and ‘21/’22 school years. Of his time as a UVU head coach, he shared that “without a doubt, the best part of working at UVU is the opportunity to develop and work with the student-athletes on our team.” Lemay and his wife, Tami, have a 14-year-old son named Van.
