Untitled

Valedictorian

Jennifer Wilson
Jennifer Wilson recently graduated from Utah State University as a dual major in Elementary Education and Special Education with an emphasis in mild/moderate. She is currently teaching second grade at River Heights Elementary and is experiencing the stress of what it takes to be a "real teacher". Jennifer is married to Brad Wilson and would like to thank him and her parents for their continuous support and love throughout her education

Scholar

Elizabeth Anderson
Elizabeth graduated in Special Education with an emphasis in mild/moderate, December 1999. She currently works on a grant project designing an interactive computer program to teach behavior management. She will begin graduate school this summer at USU in Instructional Technology with an emphasis in distant education programs for Latin America.

Outstanding Students in Areas of Emphasis

Mild/Moderate Disabilities

Laura Bastian
Laura is a dual major in Elementary Education and Special Education with an emphasis in mild/moderate. She will graduate May, 2000. She is originally from Koosharem, UT, and has been married for two years. Laura has enjoyed the whole education program and thinks it has been a great experience.

Severe Disabilities

Tomoka Yokouchi
Tomoka is an elementary education teacher from Japan. She came to Utah State University four years ago to study special education. She is currently doing her student teaching at Adams Elementary School and will graduate soon. She would like to thank all the people that have helped her to succeed and appreciates the supportive environment of the Special Education Department.

Infants and
Preschoolers
w/Disabilities

Amy Jo Vaden
Amy recently graduated from Utah State University with a dual degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. She is presently teaching preschool in Boise, Idaho. She would like to give a special thanks to her lifelong teachers, and to her parents for their love, encouragement, and support. She wouldn't be here today if it weren't for them...literally.

Outstanding
CECSEP
Student

Karen Clark
Karen graduated with honors from the USU distance program in 1996 with a B.S. in Elementary Education. She works for Grand County School District in Moab as a F.A.C.T. Coordinator for Red Rock Elementary and Special Education Consultant and Teacher for Head Start. Karen appreciates the opportunity to continue her education through distance learning and is very happy to be completing the program through CECSEP. Karen is honored to have earned this award and wants to express her appreciation and gratitude to all the students and to everyone on the CECSEP staff, especially Cindy Rowland, the Director, for her support and clear communication, and to Marcia Christensen, who always lends a cheerful comment and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Karen looks forward to a satisfying career in early childhood special education.

Graduate Program Awards

Outstanding
Doctoral
Student

Michelle Marchant
Michelle is currently an instructor and the student teaching coordinator at Brigham Young University in the Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education. She values the comprehensive education she received through the Special Education Department at Utah State University. Her commitment to improving the education of students with disabilities is derived from her professors' passion and motivation. As Michelle steps into the arena of training future educators, she desires to share the enthusiasm for teaching that has been instilled in her by the faculty of Utah State University.

Outstanding Graduate in the Master's Off-Campus Rehabilitation Counseling Program

Mark Cumming
Mark is a native Montanan who has worked for Montana Vocational Rehabilitation as a counselor since 1980. He trains in Aikido and is active in church. He credits God for his performance and persistence in the master's degree program. Mark appreciates the support from his wife and co-workers/supervisors during this time. Finally, without the guidance, encouragement, and dedication of the staff and instructors in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation, this achievement would not have been possible.

Awards to Faculty

Teacher of
the year

Stephanie Peck
Stephanie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation. She came to Utah State University in 1998 after teaching at Gonzaga University for four years. Stephanie earned her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa in 1994. Her research interests include functional behavioral assessment and reinforcement-based intervention for decreasing problem behavior in young children with severe disabilities.

Advisor of
the year

Barbara Fiechtl
Barbara Fiechtl has been a clinical instructor in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at USU for 13 years. She has worked in programs serving all ages of children with disabilities. Her main interests are in young children with disabilities and family-teacher interactions. She sees the USU students as a great group and appreciates the opportunity to work with them.