SUU's New Learner

Former Southern Utah University Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services joins host Tony Pellegrini to discuss the world of education and finances. Marvin Dodge took the opportunity to join the Department of Government Operations as Executive Director in April 2023. In this role, Marvin is responsible for Administrative Rules, Archives, Purchasing, Fleet, Finance, Risk Management, Facilities and Construction Management, Technology Services and Human Resource Management for state agencies in Utah.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Sylvia Bradshaw, Director, SPARC Office
Area of Expertise: Grant Life Cycle

Meet Sylvia, the spirited leader of SPARC! Hailing from the breathtaking landscapes of southern Utah, she's the SPARC Director with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master's in Research Administration from Johns Hopkins. Sylvia's true joy comes from learning, but it's multiplied when she's surrounded by mountain air, aspen leaves, pine trees, and her beloved family!

Jenn Stewart, Research Administrator 
Area of Expertise:  Pre-Award

Introducing Jenn, the epitome of brilliance and curiosity! Hailing from Arizona, she conquered English during her undergrad years. With a master's degree in technical writing and digital rhetoric, she's a scholar extraordinaire. Her thirst for knowledge with her pre-award role at SUU makes Jenn an unstoppable force!

Katie Gomez Freeman, Research Assistant
Area of Expertise:  Life-Cycle Compliance

Introducing Katie, another superstar of SPARC! From Mapleton, Utah, she's been rocking the office for 7 amazing years. From intern to full-time team member, she's the longest reigning member of the SPARC team. With a passion for pickleball, outdoor adventures, and movie marathons, Katie knows how to have a blast!

Carrie Childs, Research Administrator (Post-Award)
Area of Expertise:  Post-Award

Meet Carrie, the SPARC office's incredible Assistant Director! With a background in Accounting Services and fluent "Banner" skills, she's a powerhouse. Armed with an accounting degree and an MBA from SUU, she can’t be stopped. Catch her exploring nature, experimenting in the kitchen, or immersed in a captivating book. 

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Southern Utah University's Sponsored Programs, Agreements, Research, & Contracts (SPARC) office provides assistance to faculty, staff, and administrators seeking external funding for their projects and programs. From concept development and planning (pre-award) through implementation and management of funded projects (post-award), we will support you every step of the way. Assistance is provided in identifying potential extramural funding sources, developing proposal narratives and budgets, completing standardized application forms, assuring compliance with all applicable federal, state and university regulations, negotiating grant awards and contracts, and administering and closing out funded projects.

Learn more about SUU's SPARC Office

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Mary Pearson is the Dean of the Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business at Southern Utah University. Her responsibilities include oversight of the Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Hotel Resort and Hospitality Management, Management, Marketing, Professional Sales, Masters of Accountancy, Masters of Business Administration, and Master Science Business Analytics degrees.

Over the years, Pearson has received several awards. Most recently, she earned the UACPA Women to Watch Experienced Leader Award, Outstanding Educator for Beta Gamma Sigma, Student Influencer Award, Cedar City Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year Award, and Outstanding Educator Award for Southern Utah University in 2013.

Pearson has taught internationally at two of SUU partner schools in Austria for the last 16 years. Along with her work as a professor at SUU, Pearson is a certified public accountant (CPA) with her own financial firm in Cedar City, Utah. Pearson has served on several city, county, and school district committees and currently serves on the Helen Foster Snow Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for State Bank of Southern Utah.

Pearson earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a masters of accounting from Southern Utah University and has earned a Ph.D.​ in business administration from Northcentral University. Pearson's previous experience includes serving as Associate Dean at Southern Utah University, Instructor of Accounting at College of Southern Nevada, and Accountant/Auditor for Carol A. Stone CPAs.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Degrees Held:

• Ph.D. – University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2002
• M.A. – University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1998
• B.S. – Southern Utah University, 1995

Career Highlights:

I published a co-authored text for use in the basic communication course with Kendall Hunt publishing in 2017. In addition, since 2003 I have authored or co-authored 22 articles or book chapters in academic books and national/regional/state journals in the communication field. I have been honored with several major awards at conferences for top research in instructional pedagogy and textual analysis, and I have also served as an editorial board member for two different journals.

I have received the Outstanding Educator Award at SUU as well as the Outstanding Scholar Award and have been recognized as a Service Learning Fellow. Moreover, I have been named a top influencer for students during their college experience.

I served as the graduate director for nine years before being appointed as the new department chair.

In which online degree program do you teach?

• M.A. – Professional Communication

Links to share:

• https://www.suu.edu/experts/profile/?expert=matthe...
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-barton-b6881567/

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Donna Law is the executive director of development and government relations at Southern Utah University. Previously, she directed the non-partisan Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service on campus. She enjoys the opportunity to teach as an adjunct in the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies and Arts Administration programs at SUU.

With a background in communication, public relations and marketing, Law now serves as a liaison between SUU and the Utah State Legislature on issues related to higher education.

In addition to her work at the University, she is involved with a number of boards and committees. In 2016, former Utah Governor Gary Herbert appointed Law to the Utah Transportation Commission and she previously served as chair and on the board of the Utah Office of Museum Services. She has served as board member and vice-president of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, chair of the Cedar City - Brian Head Tourism Board and the Iron County Lodging Association, and currently serves on Cedar City's RAP Tax Board.

In 2005, the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce recognized Law as Woman of the Year.

Law earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Western Governors University and a master's degree in arts administration from Southern Utah University. She now serves SUU as the Associate Vice President of Community and Government Relations.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Dr. Julie McCown is an Associate Professor of English at Southern Utah University. She received her Ph.D. in English from University of Texas at Arlington in 2016 and her M.A in English from University of Texas of the Permian Basin in 2011. Her teaching and research interests are wide-ranging and include early American literature, women writers, queer literatures, and digital humanities/media theory. She also discovered a previously unknown poem by the 18th-century African American poet Jupiter Hammon, which introduced her to the wonders of archival research. Her recent publications have been about early African American literature, nineteenth-century American poetry, and nineteenth-century women’s periodicals. Her current research focuses generative artificial intelligence (AI) and how to critically and ethically incorporate AI into First-Year Composition.

Dr. Scott C. Knowles is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance at Southern Utah University. He received an MA from Florida State University and a PhD from the University of Kansas. His dissertation, Dystopian Performatives: Negative Affect/Emotion in the Work of Sarah Kane focused on the performative impact of violent scenes from Kane’s work on the affect/emotion of an audience. He has presented this work along with research focused on race, gender, directing, and dramaturgy at conferences such as the American Society for Theatre Research, The Mid-America Theatre Conference, Theatre Symposium, and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. He has published work with both Theatre Journal and in A Critical Companion to Lynn Nottage. His directing work focuses primarily on theatre for social change, working to involve audiences, company, and community in issues beyond the walls of the theatre through a variety of outreach approaches. In 2017, Scott was awarded SUU’s Distinguished Faculty for Inclusion and Diversity Award based on his work with The Laramie Project.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Mindy Benson serves as the President of Southern Utah University where she prioritizes the needs of faculty, staff, and students, mental health resources, and campus culture. Benson also focuses on strengthening community and University partnerships and led one of SUU’s most successful legislative sessions in recent history as interim president in 2021-2022.

Prior to her appointment as president, Benson served as Vice President of Alumni and Community Relations at SUU for eight years. In that role, Benson built a new division for community outreach and many of the public-facing entities of the University including Alumni Relations, Regional Services, the Utah Center for Rural Health, Business Resource Center and Small Business Development Center, the Southern Utah Museum of Art, and the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games. She has advanced through a variety of positions at SUU including Executive Director of Alumni Relations and Director of Student Life and Leadership. Along with her leadership responsibilities, Benson has also taught courses on campus for 14 years, in the departments of Communication, and Hotel, Resort, and Hospitality Management.

Benson has played a pivotal role in many community outreach efforts, including expanding workforce development, job creation, economic opportunities, increasing community and alumni engagement, and overseeing major campus and community special events. Her primary focus at SUU has been to strengthen ties with institutional stakeholders and create deep and lasting relationships with community members and leaders throughout the region and state. These efforts have led to expanded engagement of alumni, donors, and friends, as well as dramatically increased university resources through gifts and grants. 

In addition to her work at SUU, Benson is a professional event consultant and planner throughout the nation, with experience producing hundreds of high-level productions, including concerts, events, political conventions, gubernatorial and U.S. presidential inaugurations. 

Mindy is a Cedar City native, with ties to southern Utah and SUU that go back generations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Arts in Professional Communication from SUU.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Dr. Julie McCown is an assistant professor of English at Southern Utah University. She specializes in early American literature, critical theory, animal studies, ecocriticism, natural history and science studies, and digital humanities and media theory. Her current research focuses on animal materiality in early American natural history texts. Her interests are early American literature, animal and science studies, and digital humanities/media theory. McCown had published several articles about stop-motion puppets, crocodiles, and animal bodies. She also discovered an unknown poem by the 18th century African American poet Jupiter Hammon.

McCown has a bachelor's degree in literary studies with a minor in music and gender studies from the University of Texas at Dallas, a master of arts degree in English from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and she earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.

Steven Meredith is the Associate Vice-President of Enrollment Management for Graduate and Online Learning at SUU.  Dr. Steven Meredith is the associate vice president of enrollment management for Graduate and Online Programs at Southern Utah University. Dr. Meredith's career in higher education has been remarkably varied and innovative. As an administrator, he has established dozens of new associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in music and technology. He has built and managed a number of technology and production facilities, including a full-fledged TV station. He has served as a dean, department chair, and in many other positions of leadership. Dr. Meredith earned a bachelor's degree in music and a master's degree in choral music education from the University of Utah and his doctorate degree in musical arts in choral music from Arizona State University.

Lynn Kvamme is the Director of Enrollment Management for Admissions & Advising. Being a generalist who has held varying positions from sales client manager to administrative manager, has provided her with a wide range of experience. Furthermore, achieving an MBA has provided her with valuable business tools and knowledge. She has stated her goal is to use her experience and knowledge to provide alternative perspectives and innovative solutions to business challenges at SUU.

Aimee Dibrienza is the Assistant Director for SUU's Adult & Workforce Education department. As an experienced Assistant Director, she has demonstrated a history of working in the education management industry. She has demonstrated the following skills:

- Organization Skills, 
- Communication, 
- Problem Solving, 
- Organizational Commitment, and 
- People Development. 

Aimee earned her Master of Education - MEd focused in Montessori Administration from Westminster College.

These comments made as part of the podcast reflect the views of the episode participants only and should not be construed as official university statements.