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Faculty Member

Professor Maria Blevins

Biography


Areas of Study: Organizational Communication, Conflict, Environmental Communication

University of Utah
Ph.D. Communication Studies

University of Montana
M.A. Organizational Communication Studies

University of Montana
Graduate Certificate in Natural Resources Alternative
Dispute Resolution

University of Maine at Machias
B.S. Recreation Management

Maria studies how organizations perform as actors in environmental conflicts.

Courses Taught:

COMM 1020 Principles of Public Speaking
COMM 2120 Small Group Communication and Decision Making in person and online
COMM 350 R Communicating Happiness
COMM 350 R Pubic Participation Processes
COMM 3020 Communication Methods
COMM 3115 Environmental Communication
COMM 3050 Theories of Communication and Culture in person and online
COMM 3420 Communication and Conflict
COMM 4170 Advanced Organizational Communication
COMM 4930 Communication Senior Capstone

Teaching

COMM 3115

Communicating in Environments, Summer 2026

COMM 2120

Small Group Communication and Decision Making, Summer 2026

COMM 3420

Communication and Conflict, Spring 2026

COMM 2120

Small Group Communication and Decision Making, Spring 2026

COMM 3050

Theories of Communication, Spring 2026

Presentations

Blevins, Maria , HONR 1000 Lecture, "How to be a Better Listener", UVU Honors College , Orem, UT. (February, 2026)
Blevins, Maria , UVU Women of Athletics Monthly Meeting, "Women in Male Dominated Sports", UVU Athletics, UVU. (February, 2026)
Blevins, Maria , Parks,, Melissa (Co-Author), McKasy,, Meaghan (Co-Author), Cullinan, Megan , Oyama Thomas, Marico , Western States Communication Association Annul Meeting, "#OnlyParks: Social Media Resistance and the Memeification of Image Events", Western States Communication Association, San Diego, CA. (February, 2026)
Blevins, Maria (Discussant), Rawat, Meghana (Discussant), Oak, Bedlam (Coordinator/Organizer), Rice, Rebecca (Discussant), Western States Communication Association Annul Meeting, "Outties vs. Innies_ Organizational Toxicity and Resistance in Severance", Western States Communication Association, San Diego, CA. (February, 2026)
Blevins, Maria , Price, Bekah , American Outdoors 2025 Conference , "Making Angry August Less Angry_ Low-Lift Methods to Prevent Burnout and Boost Retention ", American Outdoors, Salt Lake City, UT. (December, 2025)
Blevins, Maria , The Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement Utah Chapter Fall Conference, "Handling Conflict With Empathy", The Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement , Orem, UT. (November, 2025)

Scholarly/Creative Works

McKasy, Meaghan , Blevins, Maria , Stevens, Michael T. , Hernandez, Leandra , (2024) "Perceptions of Crowding and Access to Affordances in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah_ A Mixed Methods Analysis." (Issue: 1, vol. 51). Northwest Journal of Communication.
Willoughby, Shannon , Hughes, B. , Sterman, L. , Blevins, Maria , "The development and test of the public speaking competency rubric +" . The Journal of College Science Teaching.
Blevins, Maria , Hardy, Aerial , (2024) "Sexual Harassment in Utah Research Breif" (Issue: 53). Utah: Utah Women in Leadership Project Research Snapshot.
Schenkemeyer , Mandy , Blevins, Maria , "Not Just Rapids_ Navigating Gendered Performance in the Whitewater Rafting Industry" . CABI.
Spielhagen, Alexandra , Hernández, Leandra H., Blevins, Maria , (2021) "“My Dude, Are You Tired? I’m Tired_” An Intersectional Methodological Intervention" (vol. 6). Frontiers in Communication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.722465
Taylor, Julie L., Blevins, Maria , (2019) "COMMcast: Producing Podcasts for Communication Theory" (Issue: 4, vol. 34). Salt Lake City: Communication Teacher. https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2019.1706756

Awards

Provost Recognition for Research

UVU Provost Office - November, 2024

This was a recognition for my scholarship.

Recognition for scholarship from the UVU Provost Office

UVU Provost Office - November, 2024

Utah Valley University Honors Mentor of the Year

Utah Valley University Honors Program - April 24, 2024

I was selected to be honored as the top mentor to honors students in the 2023/24 school year.

J. Robert Cox Award in Environmental Communication and Civic Engagement

Environmental Communication Division of the National Communication Association - November, 2023

This award is given to someone whose research, and service makes a difference in the greater environmental world outside of academia. It is to honor my applied work.

Capitol Reef Field Station Scholar in Residence

Capitol Reef Field Station - August, 2021

I was selected for a one month scholar in residence at the Capitol Reef Field Station in which I worked on my book and was able to interact with interdisciplinary visitors to the Field Station and present my research to the National Park Service staff.

Outstanding Educator

Utah Valley University Alumni Associaiton - May, 2020

This award is chosen by the student body to recognize their favorate educator at UVU.