Communication
Meghana Rawat
Meghana Rawat, from Dehradun, India, joined Utah Valley University in 2021 as an Assistant Professor of Strategic Communication after earning a Ph.D. in Organizational and Strategic Communication from Purdue University. She currently teaches classes in public relations and social media writing, global and intercultural communication practices, research methods, and theory. Dr. Rawat studies how organizations and individuals build relationships and structures to influence systemic changes in society by using qualitative methods. Her most recent project includes examining the #ShiftThePower movement in an applied participatory project with women who are working toward the development of their local communities despite lack of funds and resources. Dr. Rawat finds meaning in serving the UVU community at the department, college, and university levels. She also loves going on walks with her husband, Brandon, and dog, Arlo.
Philosophy & Humanities
Shannon Mussett
Shannon Mussett received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Villanova University. She was chair of the Department of Philosophy and Humanities (2012-2015) and will be chair again (2025-2028). She has also served twice as Associate Chair and as the Gender Studies Coordinator (2012-2015). She is currently Executive Co-Director of the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy, the second largest professional philosophy organization. Dr. Mussett received the Honors Professor of the Year award in 2021, the UVU Board of Trustees Award of Excellence award in 2020, the Honors Faculty Recognition Award in 2019, and the Outstanding Faculty Award, School of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2017. Dr. Mussett has taught at UVU for over 20 years and remains in total awe of the students—their curiosity, passion, and dedication to learning. There is nowhere else she would want to be and is honored to serve this dynamic, supportive, and thriving university. She is married to fellow professor, Michael Shaw. They have two children, Cleo and Milo, who seem to be following in their philosophical footsteps on their own journeys into higher education. She loves to hike, travel, cook, and work to make the world better in whatever ways she can.
MSW Program Manager
Kyler Wakefield
Kyler Wakefield is from Orangeville, Utah, and earned both of his degrees at Utah Valley University, including a B.A. in History and a Master of Public Administration (MPA). Kyler has one published article and has another approved for publication. Both articles are related to Utah history and started as projects as a UVU student. In his UVU position, Kyler is proud to play a role in improving the administration of the Master of Social Work program as it prepares for growth. Kyler loves to cook, camp, play Dungeons and Dragons, and spend time with his wonderful wife, Afton. As a history alumnus, he wants to give a shoutout to the liberal arts students and educators—we are engaging, skillful, and deep-thinking people who make meaningful contributions to our workplaces.
Philosophy & Humanities
Kristina Gibby
Kristina S. Gibby is from Thousand Oaks, California, and earned her B.A. in Humanities and M.A. in Comparative Studies from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Louisiana State University. In 2023, Dr. Gibby published her first book, Ancestral Voices, Healing Narratives: Female Ghosts in Contemporary US and Caribbean Fiction, which explores the significance of female ghosts—specifically maternal figures, who haunt female narrators, inspiring them to transcribe the dead's obfuscated (hi)stories and recover their family memory. As part of the Philosophy & Humanities department, she teaches Humanities through the Arts, World History through the Arts I & II, Adventures in Ideas after 1500 ("World Literature"), Art and Culture of Latin America, Approaches to Humanities, the Caribbean Novel, and Humanities Capstone. Dr. Gibby loves to hike, travel, and read.
Professor, English and Literature
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Assistant Professor, Family Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Assistant to the Dean, College of Humanities & Social Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Associate Professor, Political Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship
Department Chair, Languages and Cultures
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Lecturer, Applied Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Admin Support III, Languages and Cultures
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Associate Professor, Philosophy and Humanities
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Inclusion
Assistant Professor, English and Literature
Faculty Senate Award of Excellence
Instructor, Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Assistant Professor and Program Director, Master of MFT
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Associate Director, Master of CMHC
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship or Creative Work
Professor, Psychology
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Assistant Professor, Communications
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Associate Director, MFT Clinical Coordinator
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Professor, Integrated Studies
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship or Creative Work
Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Associate Professor, English & Literature
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship or Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Integrated Studies
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Administrative Assistant, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship or Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Advisor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Professor, Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Lecturer, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship or Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Program Coordinator, Integrated Studies
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Assistant Professor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Assistant Professor, Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship
Assistant Professor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Teaching
Academic Advisor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Advising
Administrative Assistant, Languages & Cultures
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Professor, Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Assistant Professor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Research
Advisor, History & Political Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Administrative Assistant, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Academic Advisor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Advising
Administrative Assistant, History & Political Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Professor, English & Literature
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Research
Professor, Philosophy & Humanities; Director, Peace & Justice Studies Program
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Academic Advisor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Advising
Assistant Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Professor, English & Literature
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Creative Work
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Research
Communication
Dean’s Award for Excellence for Research
Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Service
Integrated Studies
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Creative Work
History & Political Science
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Advising
Communication
Dean’s Award of Excellence for Staff
Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Recognition Award for Scholarly Research
English & Literatures
Dean's Recognition Award for Creative Work
Behavioral Science
Dean's Recognition Award for Service
Behavioral Science
Dean's Recognition Award for Advisor Excellence
Integrated Studies
Dean's Recognition Award for Staff Excellence
English & Literature
Dean’s Recognition Award for Scholarly Research
Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Recognition Award for Creative Work
Behavioral Science
Dean’s Recognition Award for Service
Behavioral Science
Dean’s Recognition Award for Advisor Excellence
Integrated Studies
Dean’s Recognition Award for Staff Excellence
Philosophy & Humanities
Dean’s Recognition Award for Scholarly Research
Communication
Dean's Recognition Award for Service
English & Literature
Dean’s Recognition Award for Advisor Excellence
Languages
Dean’s Recognition Award for Staff Excellence
