LEAP Faculty
Marissa Diener, Ph.D.
Director
Ph.D. Development Psychology University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
(801) 581-8750
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Steve Maisch, Ph.D.
Assistant Director for Assessment
Ph.D. Economics,
University of Utah
(801) 581-5289
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Seetha Veeraghanta, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, LEAD Faculty for Engineering LEAP
Ph.D. Sociology, University of Kentucky
(801) 585-0612
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Ann Engar, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English Language and Literature, University of Washington
(801) 581-4891
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Joshua Rivkin, Ph.D.
Ph.D. , Literature & Creative Writing, University of Southern California
(801) 587-2999
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Jennifer Seagrave, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English, British, and American Literature,
University of Utah
(801) 587-2999
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Mike White, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English Literature & Creative Writing,
University of Utah
(801) 585-9363
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Seetha Veeraghanta, Ph.D.
PH.D. Sociology, University of Kentucky
Awards
- General Education Teaching Excellence Award
- “While I was Telling your Story Project” Undergraduate Student Experts on Teaching
- Distinguished Teaching Award by Beta Epsilon Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity
- Developed the Curriculum for the Engineering LEAP and built-in information literacy in progressively constructed library instruction and team assignments
Carolyn Bliss, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English Literature, Cornell University
Awards
- Parent Fund Awards
- Presidential Teaching Scholar Award
- Teaching Excellence Recognition from the LDS Institute of Religion
- Pi Beta Phi Favorite Teacher, 2014
- Beehive Honor Society Faculty Honor Roll
Ann Engar, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English Language and Literature, University of Washington
Awards
- Outstanding Professor, Hinckley Institute of Politics
- Distinguished Honors Professor, University of Utah
- Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Utah
- Excellence in Education, LDS Institute of Religion
- Favorite Professor, Beehive Honor Society
- Tri-Delta Top Professor Award
- Student Choice Award
- Mortar Board Top Professor, University of Utah
- Presidential Teaching Scholar
Carolan Ownby, Ph.D.
Ph.D. History University of California Los Angeles
Award
- Favorite Professor, Beehive Honor Society
- Excellence in Education, LDS Institute of Religion
- University Distinguished Teaching Award
- University of Utah Campus Compact Engaged Scholar
- Student Choice Award
Nora Wood, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Political Science, University of Utah
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Golden Key Honor Society
- Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society
- Magna Cum Laude, State Normal Scholarship
Steve Maisch, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Economics, University of Utah
Awards
- Howard-Karsten Graduate Fellowship
Mike White, Ph.D.
Ph.D. English Literature/Creative Writing, University of Utah
Awards
- Winner of the Washington Prize
- Neil Postman Award for Metaphor
- International Poetry Contest, finalist
- Utah Writers Contest
- Academy of American Poets Larry Levis Prize
- Best New Poets
Marissa Diener
Ph.D. Development Psychology University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
- University Neighborhood Partners, Hartland Scholar in Residence
- University of Utah Distiguished Teaching Award
- Borchard Faculty Fellow, Lowell Bennion Center Community Service Center, Univeristy of Utah
- Faculty Fellow Research Award, Spring, University of Utah
- Superior Teaching Award, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Utah
- Univeristy of Utah Early Career Teaching Award
Jennifer Brown
Ph.D. Art History, Johns Hopkins University
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Utah Humanities Council Human Ties Award
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State of Utah Heart and Hands Award
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The Johns Hopkins University Katzenellenbogen Prize
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University of Utah Campus Compact Engaged Scholar
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Educational Assessment Excellence Award, Salt Lake Community College
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Outstanding Concurrent Enrollment Liaison Award, Salt Lake Community College
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Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee, National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi
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Villa Spelman Fellow (awarded twice), Florence
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Fondazione di studi della storia dell’arte Roberto Longhi, Fellow, Florence
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Outstanding Graduating Senior, University of Utah
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Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key, Phi Eta Sigma