Faculty Member
Matti Smith, MSN, RN, holds the position of Assistant Professor of Nursing at Utah Valley University. She has over 20 years of bedside nursing experience, including high risk obstetrics and air medical transport. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah with additional extensive experience in nursing education and nursing leadership positions. Her areas of research focus on faculty adaptation of concept-based curricula, LGBTQIA+ issues in nursing care, nursing history, and emotional intelligence in nursing education.
Major: Nursing Education
Major: Nursing
Clinical Assessment and Reasoning, Spring 2026
Clinical Assessment and Reasoning, Spring 2026
Nursing Care of Individuals with Complex Health Needs, Spring 2026
Nursing Practice Simulation and Skills Lab I, Spring 2026
Nursing Practice Simulation and Skills Lab III, Spring 2026
Nursing Practice Simulation and Skills Lab III, Spring 2026
I was honored to be nomiated and receive the Distinguished Faculty Senate Teaching Award for the College of Health Professions and Sciences (CHPS). This award recognizes a strong commitment to teaching excellence and meaningful student learning. My approach to teaching is grounded in creating an engaging, supportive, and still challenging leanring environments where students feel both empowered and accountable. I strive to connect course content to real-world nursing practice while fostering critical thinking, confidence, and professional growth.
This recognition reflects the intentional efforts I’ve made both in and out of the classroom to support student success. Through active learning strategies, simulation, and individualized feedback, my goal has been to help students not only understand the material, but to feel prepared to apply it in practice. I also place a strong emphasis on building relationships with students and creating a space where they feel seen, supported, and motivated to grow.
Receiving this award is especially meaningful coming from colleagues who understand the depth and complexity of teaching. It provided an opportunity to reflect on my growth as an educator and reinforced my commitment to continuing to improve, innovate, and advocate for high-quality nursing education.
The nomination for the Faculty Senate Award in Service within the Department of Nursing is for recognition to a sustained commitment to serving the department, college, university, and its students. The service I was nominated for was driven by a strong dedication to student success and the advancement of the nursing profession. My efforts were centered on creating a supportive and empowering environment both in-class and out-of-class. Service also reflected on the belief that student well-being and professional readiness are essential to the future of nursing. While I was not ultimately selected as the final award recipient, it was truly an honor to be nominated by my peers. The experience gave me the opportunity to reflect on the ways I’ve been able to contribute and reminded me that service (much of which is behind the scenes) can have a lasting impact. Being considered for this recognition has strengthened my motivation to continue serving with purpose and to continue advocating for students and faculty.
