McKay School of Education > News > McKay Today Magazine > Alumni & Friends

Alumni Happenings

Emeritus

Beverly Cutler

When Beverly Cutler retired in 1995, Robert Patterson, then dean of the School of Education, said, “This woman is legendary for her goodness, virtue, generosity, and total inability to think or act in any negative, disparaging, or unkind way. She is uncompromisingly consistent in her dedication to serve and benefit others.”
Beverly grew up in Salt Lake City, graduated from the University of Utah in elementary education, and taught school. Soon after she and her family had moved to the East Coast, her husband died unexpectedly. The young widow returned to Utah with her five children, obtained a master’s degree at BYU, and then earned a PhD from Stanford in child development.
With her love and enthusiasm for teaching, she joined the faculty at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, setting up the early childhood program there. Along with her teaching, she started a journal for early childhood education and established a readiness center nursery.
In 1969 Beverly joined the faculty at BYU. For the next 26 years she was an active member of the university community: teaching, serving on countless university and state committees, and continuing activity in professional organizations related to early childhood education and teacher education. When she was made associate dean in the College of Education, she became the first woman faculty member to hold a major administrative assignment in the college. She directed the first student teaching cohort in China and returned to China in 2000 to teach in Xiam. She gained international recognition as a scholar and researcher in the field of early childhood education.
Beverly served missions for the Church in Spain, Romania, and Vietnam. In each country she shared her skills and knowledge to improve education, child care, and family life.
Beverly is grateful for all the wonderful opportunities she has had and feels there is much more to do. Currently she is working on family history and serving in the Provo and Salt Lake temples.

Alumni

Courtney Joan Kistemann

Since her 2007 graduation Courtney has served a mission in St. Petersburg, Russia, been married in the San Diego Temple, and moved to Arizona. She has been teaching fourth grade at Kyrene de los Ninos in Tempe. She describes Ninos as an amazing school, a mini United Nations: “We have created a universal culture of academic success for all students.” Her school is a No Excuses University school. Each class has adopted a university and stresses academic excellence. Courtney’s class selected BYU. Courtney thought she had her life planned out. However, life hasn’t turned out the way she imagined it. “But,” she says, “if you strive to live right, it will prove better than you could have ever imagined.”

Cort Monroe

Cort writes, “Attending BYU has been a tremendous blessing in my life. Not only did the McKay School of Education provide a solid foundation for my education and future career, it also instilled basic and wholesome values in my life as an administrator,
Latter-day Saint, father, husband, and individual.” After BYU graduation Cort earned his MEd in administration and supervision at Arizona State University. He has spent more than 12 years teaching in public schools, working with bilingual programs for children and adults, and serving in administrative positions. He is currently the principal at Pedro Guerrero Elementary School in Mesa and also teaches at the University of Phoenix. Cort’s wife, Michelle, is a 1999 graduate of the BYU nursing program. They are the parents of four children.

Peter Chan

Yee Kong Peter Chan received his BS from BYU–Hawaii in 1995, then his MS in instructional science in 2001 and PhD in IP&T in 2003 from BYU in Provo. He created and conducted a program in instructional design and development at BYU–Hawaii and has also facilitated international collaborations involving institutions in Brazil, China, Mongolia, and other areas in Asia. Peter says, “For a large part, these opportunities have come not only because of the training I had in the IP&T department but also due to professional and personal nurture from my teachers. My goal is to mimic the mentorship of these masters.” He and his wife, Chin Chin Joyce Tan, are the parents of three children.

Pamela Bingham

Pamela started at BYU in 1981. After her first year she moved to Cleveland with her husband so he could attend dental school. She studied at Cleveland State University and John Carroll University before returning to BYU to finish her degree in English and geography. “The process,” says Pamela, “which took two decades for me, was beneficial in that I learned to love learning.” This love was passed on to her children as they watched their mother fully engaged in the education process. Besides teaching occasionally as a long-term substitute teacher, she has worked as a manager of both residential and commercial properties. She also volunteers at a family homeless shelter and serves in the Young Women organization. Pamela and her husband, Tad, are the parents of four children.

Friend of Education

Gary Herbert, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Utah

“Work will win when wishy-washy wishing won’t” was a phrase Gary Herbert’s father used often. “My father was one of my greatest teachers. Early in my life he taught me the importance of work. He demonstrated that when you put your best foot forward, you’ll succeed.” Herbert was also taught that the willingness to work and put in time could cover shortcomings in other areas. Being grateful and positive were also habits Herbert gleaned from his parents—his first teachers.
For some, one teacher stands above the rest, but to Herbert many have served as outstanding mentors at different impressionable and challenging times in his life. They have included parents, teachers, coaches, religious advisors, business associates, and friends.
Herbert’s coaches taught him not only the importance of working hard as an individual day after day but also recognizing the importance of teamwork, even when everyone wants to be the star. His band teacher stressed making music by working together, and he took time at the beginning of class to give his high school students life lessons. These gems were simple things like teaching them to treat each other with kindness, look people in the eye when shaking hands, or avoid wearing white socks with their Sunday suits.
Each teacher or mentor provided valuable insights at teachable moments. Many of those pieces of wisdom remain with Herbert today: appreciating all good things, understanding that we all have options in life, acknowledging the need for honesty and integrity, and remembering to have joy in the journey.
Gary R. Herbert is Utah’s sixth lieutenant governor, elected in 2004. A realtor by profession, Herbert served as a Utah County commisioner and Utah Association of Realtor’s president and is a Utah Army National Guard veteran. He has received many civic and community awards. He and his wife, Jeanette, are the parents of six children and grandparents of nine.