Alumni Spotlight

What happened to our college classmates after graduation? Did they go into teaching? Where are they living now? Alumni Spotlights is a place to begin connecting again. 

David George Stoddard ('79)

David George Stoddard graduated from BYU in 1979 with a bachelor’s of science in Zoology. He began his teaching career soon after, teaching biology and coaching basketball in the San Juan School District in southeastern Utah. During this time, he not only fulfilled his traditional teaching duties, but also agreed to get his license to drive school buses in order to assist in transporting students to and from school functions. This skill proved quite helpful, as the San Juan School District is primarily rural. “I highly recommend teaching in a rural district to anyone who is entering the profession,” Stoddard stated. “The experiences gained there are treasured and have been invaluable to my perspective throughout my career.”

His career in teaching continued when in 1985 he was hired as a middle school science teacher at Joel P. Jensen Middle School in the Jordan Utah School District. He found it difficult, at first, but soon grew to love teaching middle school students. During his time of service at the middle school, he earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Utah.

In 1990, Stoddard was appointed as an assistant principal at Oquirrh Hills Middle School, serving for three years until he was transferred to the same position at Bingham High School. After three years there, he was appointed as principal of Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah. In 1999, Stoddard accepted the assignment to work as the principal of the new Riverton High School and served in that position until 2002. That year he was appointed as an area executive director for the Jordan School District, where he currently serves the 74,000+ students of that district.

Stoddard adopted a personal motto that he likes to share with anyone trying to prepare themselves for any assignment, especially educators: “Experience is something you get right after you needed it!” Stoddard explained, “Just prepare the best you can and dig in with all your might. Seek divine help, and somewhere in the midst of it all you will find that incredible and invaluable possession—experience.”

Stoddard believes that the best teaching involves providing students with opportunities to experience learning. “There is no other profession that is more noble or rewarding than being a teacher of youth,” said Stoddard. “It is a profession that must be done from the heart to be the most effective.”

12 May 2008

Kathleen Jamison Frost Allred ('87)

Kathleen Jamison Frost Allred graduated from BYU in 1987 with a BA in Theatre Arts Education and English. She later earned a master’s degree from BYU in Theater and Film in 1993 and a doctorate in Education from Kennedy-Western University in 2005. While continuing her education after her bachelors, Allred has enjoyed a plethora of education-related activities. She taught in the Utah public school district for over a decade, and taught college research and writing at Utah Valley State College for five years.

Allred not only taught in Utah, but also taught in Japan for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools for three years. She worked as a technical writer and instructional designer for the educational software industry for five years, as well.

“I love teaching,” said Allred. “I receive great joy from my student’s achievements.” She feels that the McKay School enriched her life, most especially during her experience as a student teacher. In 1987, the theater department named her “Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year”. Since that time, Allred has had the opportunity of supervising several student teachers. “I always consider it an honor to encourage and mentor prospective educators,” she said.

Allred continues to explore her interest in theater. She has served as the Utah County Representative for the Utah Shakespearean Festival since 1987, and continues to write for their publications Midsummer Magazine and Insights. She currently sings soprano in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which she has participated in for nearly 7 years.

Allred is the mother of four children and grandmother to three. Her children—Ryan, Aaron, Joel and Rachel Frost—all live in the Salt Lake Valley. She lives with her husband, Mark Allred, in Herriman, Utah.

30 April 2008

John C. Storm (‘02)

John C. Storm graduated from BYU in August 2002 with a MA in Spanish Pedagogy. Three years later, he graduated with a PhD in Foreign Language Education at Purdue University. Since his graduation, Storm has worked as an assistant professor of Spanish and Foreign Language Education at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). Storm teaches the methods and technology courses for all UNI students majoring or minoring in language teaching. Storm also directs the Elementary Spanish I and II courses.

Storm also participates in the local regional foreign language teachers’ conference, The Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. “I take eight pre-service teachers down to the Conference,” he explained. “It’s an effort to get them started on the right path of life-long learning and professional development.”

Other efforts Storm took included inviting the University of Iowa and Iowa State University to collaborate with UNI as part of its Foreign Language Teacher Mentoring Program. In the program, teachers from all over the state go to the university campuses to participate in workshops where participants and speakers share research results and possible classroom practices. Storm hopes to continue developing this program in future years.

Storm encourages students to get involved as soon as possible in collecting, learning, and appropriating the best practices from the many resources available to college students. He advises future teachers to keep an “ideas journal” while attending classes at BYU. “When you have thoughts and moments of inspiration through your classes, writing them down will capture them,” he said. “They will increase as the Lord’s confidence in you increases because you are acting on the inspiration He gives you.”

John and his wife, Michon J. Woolley Storm, are the parents of three daughters and one son.

5 March 2008

Helen Walser Wells (‘58)

Helen Walser Wells started BYU on a music scholarship, but felt that if she had a degree in education she could better support a family if she ever needed to. “I felt,” she said, “inspired to look to an education degree as the most practical means of contributing to a family because if I needed to work, I would be home during the summer when the children were at home, and during the school year I could arrive home about the same time as the children.” She graduated in 1958 with her degree in elementary education and a minor in music. Her first assignment was teaching second grade.

Helen married Robert E. Wells and began a life of travel. Robert became a manager for Citibank and was assigned to Paraguay, then Argentina, and later to Ecuador. In addition to business responsibilities, Church assignments also kept the Wells family overseas. Elder Wells was called as a mission president to Monterrey, Mexico, in 1968 and asked by the LDS Church to head up the newly organized International Purchasing Department of the Church. In 1972 he was called as a mission regional representative to southeast Mexico. Helen traveled with him whenever she could.

When Elder Wells was called as a General Authority in 1976, their first assignment was to the southern cone of South America, which included Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. They lived in Santiago, Chile, and then moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1981 they returned to Salt Lake City to live, but Elder Wells traveled to South American countries two weeks out of every month.

From 1998 to 2001 Robert and Helen Wells served in the Santiago Chile Temple as the temple president and matron. In 2002 they moved to St. George, as Helen explains, “ to enjoy more sun than snow.”

“I have been greatly blessed to have been part of the College of Education. The classes, the professors, and the on-hands experience as a student teacher and as a full-time teacher contributed to helping me as a mother and a member of the community.”

When asked what advice she had for college students, she suggested keeping a college journal of a special time that passes all too quickly. “Enjoy each moment,” she advised. “Set and focus on your goals and expand your world by enjoying and making friends, enjoying the cultural arts, and especially enjoying the sports! Remember above all who you are and what is expected of you, and be that shining light that you are meant to be.”

Helen and Robert Wells are the parents of seven children, 27 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

December 2007