Originally published on May 22, 2018.
After attending the graduations of three of her children from Southern Utah University, Gwen Knight developed a strong desire to go back to school. She was familiar with SUU’s small class sizes and personalized attention.
“I liked that the professors knew my kid's names,” said Gwen.
With that new urge to return to the world of academics, she decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in psychology. Once that was achieved she continued her educational journey and earned a Master’s in Public Administration.
In addition to her rigorous coursework, Gwen was a member of the Psychology Club, and served as the Public Relations Officer for SUU's chapter of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for psychology students. She also participated in a Study Abroad Program in northern Europe in 2014.
“Balancing a full-time job along with family responsibilities while excelling in school was a challenge,” said Gwen. “I realized that I needed to be a reflective practitioner. I also found that I had a strong desire to serve my community and be involved in volunteer work.”
That desire led Gwen to her current position as the School and Community Outreach Administrator for Prevent Child Abuse Utah. Gwen applies many of the classroom skills she learned to her job on a daily basis. Her responsibilities include developing child abuse curriculum, scheduling presentations in schools and the community, and hiring, training, and supervising the prevention specialist staff. She also presents prevention education at professional conferences several times each year.
Her favorite part of the job is empowering children to recognize, resist and report abuse.
“I love doing presentations for students,” said Gwen. “I also enjoy interacting with individuals who are passionate about the health and welfare of children and families.”
Gwen said that her time at SUU has helped her hone the skills needed to strengthen the community.
“SUU is a welcoming university where professors and staff will assist and encourage you to discover who you are and become prepared to succeed in your chosen profession and in your life.”
