Our Team
Dyan Gordon, Administrative Assistant
Supportive Mindset:I am 100% a true extrovert. I love to interact and connect with new people, and find
ways to create lasting friendships. I think that is one of the reasons why I enjoy
being an Administrative Professional. I have the chance to talk to new and interesting
people every day, and I love being able to help them and hopefully make small, yet
powerful changes in their lives. Being part of Academic Standards allows me to do
just that. My team members and the students at UVU are one of the many reasons as
to why I LOVE my job!
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Higher Education Background
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- Bachelor's - Family Science, Utah Valley University
- Associate's - Early Childhood Development, Southern Utah University
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- Listening to Music & Dancing (I have a wide selection of music that I enjoy listening
to)
- Attending Movies (I promise it's not all about the kettle corn.)
- Theater (enjoy attending plays at the Hale Center Theater, and heading to Vegas for
concerts and other performances.)
- Travel (as long as it is not in a car. Put me on an airplane any day.)
- Being outside and enjoying Nature. (Preferably during the Spring & Fall seasons.)
- Scrapbooking (which I am way behind in, but will catch up one of these days.)
- Holidays spent with friends and family
- Being a Grandma. (My grandson is so cute. He seriously brings me so much joy.)
- Love, Love, Love sitting in my house, wrapped up in a blanket with the lights off
during a rainstorm.
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Being a nontraditional student and coming back to finish my degree as an adult learner
was such a great sense of accomplishment. School is hard, but not as hard as I had
told myself it was going to be. It is NEVER too late to accomplish things that you
really want to do.
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- A lack of direction in choosing a major. I did not know what I wanted to do.
- Poor Study Skills & Time Management. I thought my social life was far more important
than my education.
- I struggled with learning and understanding math concepts. I was told that I had math
anxiety, which I allowed it to define me and made me think that I would never be able
to do math. Returning to school as an adult & non traditional student, I quickly learned
that I could understand and actually do math. I wish I would have learned that years
earlier.
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Emily Argyle, Counselor & Coach
Schedule an Appointment with Emily
Coaching Mindset:Coaching engages us in a creative process with the goal to inspire action and maximize personal potential.
I believe we each have unlimited capacity for growth and learning, no matter our challenges
and social locations.
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Higher Education Background
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- Master's - Educational Psychology, CUNY Brooklyn College
- Bachelor's - English, University of Utah
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- Home Chef
- Visual Arts
- Gardening
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Death of an immediate family member my Freshman year.
- Learning that my path wasn't something I chose but something I created.
- Taking an out-of-state internship, away fromNew York.
- Leveraging my training to form an LLC and change my career trajectory.
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- Balancing work and school.
- Financial stress.
- Unstable living arrangements and constant moving.
- Depression and anxiety.
- Not having a sense of belonging.
- Under-developed sense of identity.
- Academic motivation challenges.
- Overcoming daily challenges through resiliency.
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Gioey Alisa, Counselor & Coach
Schedule an Appointment with Gioey
Coaching Mindset:Everyone is "naturally creative, resourceful, and whole." I'm here to ask you questions
that help you tap into your strengths to create plans for academic success. I'll listen
to you, help you figure out solutions to problems you face in college, give you helpful
guidance and referral to resources you might need, encourage you, and celebrate your
successes.
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Higher Education Background
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- Master's - Public Administration
- Bachelor's - International Cultural Studies/Humanities
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- Baking and eating brownies
- Growing a plum tree
- Backyard chickens
- Reading- especially fan fiction
- Going on walks (may be related to brownie habit listed above)
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Finding myself on academic probation after my first semester in college.
- Transferring to a college that required I meet with my academic advisor to talk about
classes and degree requirements.
- Realizing I wasn't going to pass classes unless I read the material, attended class,
completed assignments, and studied for tests.
- Moving to Hawaii to go to college in the 1990s (no cell phones, computers were relatively
new) and forcing myself into a really isolated situation that necessitated self-reliance
and growth.
- Getting a grant from my university that allowed me to attend a worldwide education
conference.
- Making lifelong friends and having the best time with them while also working on degrees.
- Taking on leadership positions.
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- Having to work while attending school.
- Financial stress.
- Not having any friends and being incredibly lonely at my first college.
- Being a first-generation college student.
- Struggling to motivate myself to go to my general education classes.
- Not quitting after my first semester, when I thought I might not be smart enough for
college.
- Walking/catching rides everywhere because I didn't have a car.
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Gian Pierotti, Counselor & Coach
Schedule an Appointment with Gian
Coaching Mindset:I clear the way for rich, magical experiences that foster connection, confidence,
and wellbeing between people. I aim to practice and encourage compassion as well as bravery. Lately, the Joseph
Campbell quote runs through my mind. “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” This motivates me to put in work and show up for the people in my sphere of influence.
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Higher Education Background
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- Master's - Master of Fine Art (Craft) Virginia Commonwealth University
- Bachelor's - Bachelor of Fine Art (Ceramics) Brigham Young University
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- Making/Restoring objects
- Experiencing cultures through food and travel
- Yoga/Sports/Mindfulness/Cold Therapy
- Observing nature with awe
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Talking back to the thoughts that say I am not smart.
- Finding a place for me in the arts where I thrived.
- Getting accepted into a top 5 art school. (VCU arts)
- Discovering purpose development for myself and others.
- Graduating!
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- I was a major avoider/procrastinator in college.
- I never had a clear way forward for myself. I had a lot of self-doubt.
- I attended part time school for years while working.
- Discovered how I learn and what my strengths are.
- I was in rock bands and part of the creative community outside of school. A community with a strong DIY
ethic
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Kristen Nuesmeyer, ACC, Director & Coach
Schedule an Appointment with Kristen
Coaching Mindset:I genuinely believe my students have within themselves the knowledge, resources, and
power to meet their potential. I meet students wherever they are in their journey,
to help them identify their value, purpose and contributions as human beings, and
identify the ways in which they can best find their own success.
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Higher Education Background
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- Master's - Education - Student Development Administration
- Bachelor's - English Literature, University of Puget Sound
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- Reading
- Seattle Sports (Mariners, Kracken)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Going out of state to college and being incredibly homesick.
- Last minute change of career my senior year of Bachelor Degree.
- Participating in college music ensembles.
- Taking an unexpected internship and found something I loved.
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- Independence.
- Strained relationships with my parents.
- Religious exploration and questioning.
- First-generation understanding of meaning of college degree.
- Juggling work and school.
- Depression and Anxiety.
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Lisa Williamson, Counselor & Coach
Schedule an Appointment with Lisa
Coaching Mindset: Coaching is all about relationships. As co-collaborators, I work with students to create a space for discovery, awareness, choice, clarity, action, and
transformation. Watching students recover academically and reach their goals is the best part of my job!
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Higher Education Background
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- Master's - Education; Adult Learning, Westminster College
- Bachelor's - English Literature, Utah Valley University
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- Thrifting & re-selling
- Documentaries
- Yoga
- Wilderness wandering
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Life-Defining Moments in Higher Education
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- Rewriting my “I’m not smart enough for college” internal script.
- Finding faculty mentors.
- Presenting a research paper at a national undergraduate literature conference.
- Being hired by my grad school professor to do research.
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While in College, I Experienced...
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- Balancing school and athletics.
- Being a first-generation college student.
- Changing my major 6 times.
- Not having the confidence to choose the major I really wanted.
- Leaving school at 21 to get married.
- Completed my Associate’s at 28, my Bachelor’s at 43, and my Master’s at 48.
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