FISCAL YEAR 24 ANNUAL
SUU OFFICE OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS, AGREEMENTS, RESEARCH & CONTRACTS
About Us
SPARC can help you soar!
SPARC (Sponsored Programs, Agreements, Research and Contracts) your ultimate partner in the pursuit of helping your ideas soar! Here at SPARC, we are a team of dedicated individuals who believe in the transformative power of external funding. Whether you're a faculty member, staff member, or administrator, we've got your back when it comes to securing the financial support you need for your projects
From the very inception of your ideas to the triumphant execution of your funded projects, SPARC is your trusted companion, guiding you through every step of the way. We're here to ignite the spark of professional excellence and help you soar!
Not pictured above: Marcos Valenzuela, Courtney Wessling
Message from the Director
SPARC Director, Sylvia Bradshaw
Southern Utah University is filled with tenacious faculty and staff who actively engage in sponsored programs spanning externally funded research, academic and institutional support, instruction, public service, and scholarship projects. It is an honor to serve your endeavors. Congratulations on another year of impressive work!
In an effort to keep up with your ambitions, our office is constantly learning, stretching, and growing. We know grantsmanship can be intimidating and exhausting. It’s a world filled with myriads of regulations and its own language. However, we are research administrators and we are good at what we do. We love taking on these challenges and turning them into enjoyable, fulfilling highlights of your career.
SUU faculty and staff — If you haven’t yet, I challenge you to get to know our impressive SPARC team. We’ll do our very best to help you find funding to further your scholarship that brought you to SUU. Our personalized proposal development services and management support upon award provides you the ability to focus on your incredible work.
SUU students — Congratulations on choosing an institution where you are surrounded with people who put your success at the forefront of all we do. Your undergraduate experience at SUU can be filled with research and scholarship that will strengthen your resume and graduate school applications, providing a powerful future. We’d love to connect you with those on campus that are delivering these transformational experiences.
Thank you all for the opportunity to celebrate the successes of your educational journey. We look forward to collaborating soon!
Always Forward,
Sylvia Bradshaw
Honoring Bill O’Neill
1st, 3rd and 5th SPARC Director
William “Bill” Francis O’Neill was the first, third, and fifth Director of the SPARC office. Bill recently passed away in September. As the founding member of SPARC we want to honor all he has done for SUU’s sponsored programs activities.
Bill was also an active mentor of our current Director, Sylvia Bradshaw, and she attributes all of her engagement in the field to Bill.
“He assisted me in securing two national grants, mentoring me at every step. When Bill smiles, his entire face lights up. He’s a caring, loving individual. My thoughts are with him and his family.” - Dr. Shauna Mendini, Interim Provost, Southern Utah University
“I turned to Bill when Julia Anderson passed away unexpectedly. More than simply turning to him, I LEANED on him heavily during what was a very challenging time. He was always patient, he gave us all the reassurance we needed, and he helped us all feel more confident than we deserved to feel on our own -- he was that kind of colleague. He allowed everyone to thrive and grow. This is tough news to process. He lived his life in such a way so as to make the world a better place. His life and his contributions (across so many realms!) contributed to a better world for many people. He will be missed, but he will not be forgotten. His legacy of influence will live on. I'll keep Bill and his family in my thoughts and reflect regularly on his many contributions.” - Dr. James Sage, Associate Provost, Southern Utah University
Strategic Plan Alignment
SPARC strives to address the five strategic priorities that are identified in SUU’s strategic plan.
Enhance Student Success
Enrich the Student
Academic Experience
Cultivate a Culture of Caring
Increase Access and Affordability
Expand Alumni and Community Engagement
For example, SPARC helps manage awards that support the Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative (IIC), which offers paid internship opportunities to students. Students can then use this experience to bolster classroom learning and resumes.
For example, sponsored programs allow professors to include student researchers, providing paid transformative experiences as part of the educational journey.
For example, SPARC facilitates funding for SUU programs that directly benefit students, such as the different childcare programs available to students and members of the community!
For example, the TRIO programs support underrepresented students to increase access and achieve success in higher education. Programs also offer much needed scholarships.
For example, SPARC helps find funding, develop applications, and manage awards that go toward community engagement projects. For instance, the Southern Utah Museum of Art and the Frehner Museum, both host free community events and both have active grants.
Connecting People, Purpose, and Place
SUU is focused on being people-centered. The SPARC Office supports faculty, staff, and students seeking grants to fulfill their goals. For faculty, it can be especially imperative that research and scholarly activities are folded into their teaching. SPARC helps faculty find, develop, and manage grants that can enhance their careers.
Being purpose-driven is part of SUU’s Strategic Plan. The SPARC Office understands how sponsored programs, agreements, research, and contracts can all add to the student experience. For example, many staff employees manage sponsored programs, agreements, and contracts that provide more learning opportunities, scholarships, and support to students.
A key element of SUU is being place-empowered. The SPARC Office is dedicated to building on the great university community where students feel they belong. Faculty often engage in research projects with students, providing hands-on experiences. Staff manage programs that build community and increase student participation.
The SPARC Office is dedicated to being peoplecentered, purpose-drive, and place-empowered.
Funding Requested
$53,084,418
# of Submissions 143
Highlights
Almost half (47%) were first-time submitters
FY 2024 had the highest dollar amount ever requested (not including COVID funding from 2021)
The College of Education & Human Development requested the highest dollar amount of sponsored funding
The College of Natural Sciences had the most submissions in academics; Utah Center for Rural Health had the most nonacademic submissions
35 departments submitted proposals
PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS
By Department for FY 24 (7/1/23-6/30/24)
Academic Faculty & Staff Submitters
Aviation
Carlson, Luke*
Business
Liu, Sijun*
Concurrent Enrollment
Lambert, Michelle
Education & Human Development
Jones-Alm, Shelbie*
McKenzie, Jennifer
Petersen, Alisa
Powell, Pamela*
Wangsgard, Nichole
Engineering & Computational Sciences
Askar, Mohamed
Barker, Nathan*
Britt, Jared
Kesar, Shalini
Malekzadeh, Masoud
Miller, Jeffrey
Mower, Mike
Munro, Scott
Sagers, Glen
Wallace, Gary
Health Sciences
Bryan, Erin*
Bremner, Cody*
Goonan, Kelly*
Hawkes, Amanda*
Ibiyemi, Temi*
Layton, Selwyn
Humanities & Social Sciences
Corser, Grant*
Hatch, Daniel*
Kirkley, Samantha Park, Sangjun*
Learning Abroad
Harris, Kurt
Nelson, Tayah
Library
Broeder, Kathleen*
Diekema, Anne*
Natural Sciences
Bolus, Rachel
Corchado-Sonera, Marcos*
Grant, Jacqualine
Heyborne, Bill
Jiang, Xiaoben*
Kirklin, Dylan
Medina Calderon, Richard*
Mueller, Erich
Pullan, Jessica*
Rocabado, Guizella
Rominger, Kody
Walhimer, Mark*
Performing & Visual Arts
Bloom, Becky*
Kinsey, Jessica
Ronquillo, Emily*
SPARC
Bradshaw, Sylvia
Non-Academic Submitters
Child Care Center
Huxford, Tayzha
Community Engagement Center
Branin, Pam*
Community Workforce Development
Thorpe, Melynda
Counseling & Psychological Services
Donovan, Andrea
Head Start/Early Intervention
Heyborne, Jennifer
Outdoor Pathways
Anderson, Josh
Tyler, Ashley
Police Department
Medina, Carlos*
Small Business Development Center
Anderson, Joni
Utah Center for Rural Health
Liebert, Jennifer*
Osborn, Rita
Shakespear, Kasey
Torgersen, Carrie*
Wiggins, Nathan*
Utah Summer Games
Oglesby, Jon*
Veterans Center
Miller, Mike
28 total New Principal Investigators/Project Directors
64 total Proposal Submitters
*Individuals who submitted a proposal as lead or co-Principal investigator through SPARC for the first time, representing 47% of submitters!
Awards
During the reporting period, a total of $18,467,723 was awarded across 101 awards. These awards reflect the strength of SUU’s research and sponsored activities, spanning multiple disciplines and departments. The awarded projects range from small seed grants to large multi-year agreements, showcasing our continued commitment to innovation, collaboration, and impact. This impressive funding total supports groundbreaking research, student success initiatives, and community engagement projects, further positioning the institution as a leader in sponsored programs and external funding efforts.
Total Awarded ($) $15,406,213 $17,028,168 $18,754,026 $17,321,168 $18,467,723
The overall growth of 20% in total award amount since 2020 reflects the continued efforts of a growing body of investigators and the support of numerous faculty and staff. *HEERF (COVID) funds are excluded for FY 20, 21, and 22 to better reflect “normal” year-to-year growth for this 5-year comparison.
Compared to FY 2020, SUU has increased by 48% in the total number of awards, growing from 68 total in FY 20 to 101 in FY 24.
*Totals include awarded proposals and modifications submitted during & before FY24. **Subaward: An award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity.
Academic funding increased by $1.3 million
Highest number of awards (federal sponsor): U.S. Department of the Interior
Highest number of awards (state sponsor): Utah State Board of Education
Highest funded academic college/division: Engineering & Computational Sciences
Highest funded non-academic department: Headstart Program
New FY24 Awards
Any Awards after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
ACADEMIC DIVISIONS
Education & Human Development
Jones-Alm, Shelbie - USBE - STEM Endorsement Incentive Program, Utah
State Board of Education, $405,446
Petersen, Alisa - Beverly Taylor Sorenson Art Learning Program 24, Utah
State Board of Education, $73,034
Wangsgard, Nichole - “Level Up” in Special Education Project, $183,500
Engineering & Computational Sciences
Askar, Mohamed - DOE Community Energy Innovation Prize: Collegiate Track Submission, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), $15,000
Britt, Jared - Rural Communities Opportunity Grant — FY 2024, Cedar City
Corp: Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, $50,000
Britt, Jared - SUU Starduster Aircraft Restoration (Fly Utah Grant), Utah Department of Transportation, $10,000
Dodgion, Laurel - Hill Air Force Grant FY24, STEM Action Center: Hill Air Force Base, $7,000
Wallace, Gary / Sagers, Glen / Chatterjee, Prosenjit - Deep TechCyberTraining Program at SUU, Utah System of Higher Education, $798,458
Health Sciences
Layton, Selwyn - Addressing the Disparity in SUU Nursing’s Healthcare Equipment for Student Training, Talent Ready Utah: US Department of Education, $125,970
Siemon, Mark - ADA Project Power Program - SUU Mobile Wellness Van, American Diabetes Association, $5,000
Humanities and Social Sciences
Corser, Grant - Expanding Pathways to Behavioral Health Professions, USHE/Talent Ready, $301,557
Hatch, Daniel - SUU - ICSD PsyD Intern, Iron County School District, $13,500
Kirkley, Samantha - BLM HQ Cultural Resources - National Project Archaeology, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $90,000
Park, Sanjgun - UDOT - Enforcement and Safety, Utah Department of Transportation, $81,600
Performing & Visual Arts
Bloom, Becky - Grants for Arts Projects: Museums (Salt Lines: Exploring Climate, Environment, and the Saline Influx), National Endowment for the Arts, $40,000
Kinsey, Jessica - 2024 TRCC - Iron County - Beverly Center - Day of the Dead, Iron County, $5,000
Kinsey, Jessica - 2024 TRCC - Iron County Restaurant Tax - SUMA, Iron County, $23,500
Kinsey, Jessica - NEH Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grant, National Endowment for the Humanities, $57,750
Kinsey, Jessica - 2024 TRT - Transient Room Tax, Iron County, $25,000
Ronquillo, Emily - RAP Tax 23-24, Cedar City, $41,500
Natural Sciences
Bolus, Rachel - Monitoring of Pinyon Jay, Utah Division of Natural Resources: BLM, $31,792
Grant, Jacqualine - Grand Staircase Escalnte NM Region 7 Seed Collection and Botanical Services, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $165,088
Jiang, Xiaoben - Exploring Microbial Diversity and Functions in Southwestern Utah Hot Springs: A Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Approach, University of Utah: NASA, $24,994
Kirklin, Dylan - Southern Utah Science & Engineering Fair, STEM Action Center, $4,000
Kirklin, Dylan - Southern Utah STEM Awards, STEM Action Center, $2,000
Mueller, Erich - River channel morphodynamics in the western Grand Canyon segment of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, US Geological Survey, $11,997
Mueller, Erich - NSF Hydrological Sciences Program, National Science Foundation, $56,448
New FY24 Awards
Any Awards after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
ACADEMIC DIVISIONS
Natural Sciences (Continued)
Rocabado, Guizella - NSF Conference Grant, National Science Foundation, $23,489
Rominger, Kody - Quantifying the Edaphic Component of Las Vegas Bear Poppy Habitat, Clark County (Nevada), $241,300
Rominger, Kody - IIJA Utah Threatened and Endangered Species Program, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $80,000
Office of the Provost
Bradshaw, Sylvia (SPARC), ER2: Scaling Open Access Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) and Research Mentoring (RM)
Trainings from R1s to PUIs, University of Utah: NSF, $14,500
Harris, Kurt (Learning Abroad), 2024 Russian Youth Environmental Program (RYEP), Eurasia Foundation: USAID, $53,845
Lambert, Michelle (Concurrent Enrollment), Perkins V FY24 -
Strengthening Career and Technical Education, USBE Perkins CTE Funding, $398,809
Lambert, Michelle / Carlson, Luke (Concurrent Enrollment) - PerkinsSUU Aviation AMT Staff Retention, USBE Perkins CTE Funding, $33,782
Lambert Michelle / Munro, Scott (Concurrent Enrollment) - Perkins 2024
Summer Project, USBE Perkins V, $29,486
School of Business
Liu, Sijun / Goonan, Kelly - UOT - National Parks Satisfaction Survey, Utah Office of Tourism, $37,772
$1,000,000
$800,000
$600,000
$400,000
$200,000
$0
Three Year Comparison by Academic College. This represents the growth in the past three years broken down by academic college. Most colleges have seen a steady increase in sponsored project awards.
FY24 Amount Awarded by Academic Division. FY24 had awards received in every academic college! The division with the largest dollar amount awarded for sponsored projects was Engineering & Computational Sciences
New FY24 Awards
Any Awards after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
VP OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT
Head Start/Early Intervention
Heyborne, Jennifer - Baby Watch Early Intervention Program 2024, Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): US DHHS, $781,647
Heyborne, Jennifer - USDA Headstart Reimbursement, Utah State Office of Education: USDA, $325,000
Heyborne, Jennifer - Headstart 2025-2029, US Department of Health and Human Services, $3,177,595
Heyborne, Jennifer - Headstart 2025-2029 Training, US Department of Health and Human Services, $29,328
Outdoor Pathways
Anderson, Josh - IIC - Youth Partnership Project 2023-2028 Golden Spike,
DOI - National Parks Service, $31,917
Anderson, Josh - SW Region Conservation Project, US Fish and Wildlife, $217,104
Anderson, Josh - Geographic Resource Center - Denver NPS GIS Program, DOI - National Parks Service, $926,958
Anderson, Josh - (IIC) Partnership Project at GRBA, DOI - National Parks Service, $118,889
Anderson, Josh - (IIC) Partnership Project at PARA, DOI - National Parks Service, $70,000
Anderson, Josh - BRCN2024 Youth Agreement, DOI - National Parks Service, $27,916
Anderson, Josh - CHCU Cultural Resources GIS Intern(s), The Corps Network: National Park Foundation, $124,994
Anderson, Josh - IIC Youth Programming at Pipe Springs NM - 2024, DOI -
National Parks Service, $125,000
Anderson, Josh - Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, Washington County, $3,000
Outdoor Pathways (continued)
Anderson, Josh - USDA, Dixie NF -Conservation UPD - Paunsaugunt Recovery Unit, USDA - Forest Service - Dixie National Forest, $40,000
Anderson, Josh - Utah State Parks - Partnership Coordinator, State of Utah Division of State Parks, $10,000
Anderson, Josh - Zion Visitor Use - Park Data 2023, DOI - National Parks Service, $94,884
Anderson, Josh - ZION2024 Youth Agreement, DOI - National Parks Service, $204,625
Small Business Development Center
Anderson, Joni - APEX - Year 5, State of Utah - Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, $46,000
Anderson, Joni - Small Business Development Center 2023, Utah State University: US Small Business Administration, $70,000
Anderson, Joni - SBDC 24 - One Time Funding, Utah State University: Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, $15,000
Utah Center for Rural Health
Liebert, Jennifer / Osborn, Rita - Community Education and Outreach Grant - IPE-MWP, Utah Department of Health and Human Services, $25,000
Osborn, Rita - Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention-Clinical Faculty Preceptor Academies (NEPQR-CFPA), Montana State University: Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), $117,750
Osborn, Rita - IHC Health Services - Rural Rotations FY24, IHC Health Services, Inc, $39,500
Shakespear, Kasey / Torgersen, Carrie - Rural Health Network Development Planning Program: Utah Rural Health Clinics Network, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - HRSA, $100,000
Shakespear, Kasey / Smit, Franka - Reshaping Diabetes Care ECHO Hub Project, National AHEC Organization, $60,000
Shakespear, Kasey / Jones, Austin - Substance Abuse Prevention Grant 2024, Southwest Utah Public Health Department, $50,065
Shakespear, Kasey / Smit, Franka - Utah Center for Rural Health Workforce Support Program, Cambia Foundation, $50,000
New FY24 Awards
Any Awards after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
VP OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT
Utah Summer Games
Oglesby, Jon - Utah Office of Tourism - Implementation Grant - Round 2, Utah Office of Tourism: EDA, $25,000
Workforce & Educational Opportunity
Thorpe, Melynda - EDA University Center Economic Development
Program Competition, US Dept of Commerce - Economic Development
Administration, $200,000
FY24 Amount Awarded by Department. This graph breaks down the total new award agreements by the Community Outreach & Engagement departments. This division has historically had the largest award amount throughout SUU!
VP STUDENT AFFAIRS
Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness
McBride, Madison - GLS Campus Suicide Prevention, Department of Health & Human Services - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, $101,919
Veterans’ Resources Support Center
Miller, Mike - Veteran Student Support Centers Grant Proposal 24-25, Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs, $24,235
FY24 Amount Awarded by Department. This graph breaks down the total new award agreements by the Student Affairs departments.
NOTE: Other programs that receive yearly allocations such as the Student Support Services are highlighted in the FY24 modifications section.
FY24 Award Modifications
Any Award Modifications after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
Modifications or amendments are adjustments to previously funded awards. When additional funds are provided, it may require effort similar to the proposal submission process. For instance, if a project receives an extra $50,000 each year over three years, these funds may be considered modifications. In FY24, there were 35 monetary modifications issued to existing awards, with recipient PIs/projects listed below.
There is an extensive amount of work and time that is also expended on nonmonetary modifications such as no-cost extensions, PI changes, etc.
Academic Divisions
Johnson, Janet (Concurrent Enrollment) - Quantitative Literacy
Completion Project - UT SB 196 (CE Math), Utah System of Higher Education, $34,090
Nickerson, Matt (Library) - USL Library Lender Support, State of Utah, $5,858
Siahpush, Ali (Engineering & Comp. Sciences) - NASA Space Grant
Consortium 20-21, University of Utah: NASA, $15,000
Siahpush, Ali (Engineering & Comp. Sciences) - One Day Middle School STEM Teacher Workshop, University of Utah: NASA, $3,500
Athletics
Davis, Alyssa / Illian, Travis - Sports Nutrition Grant, Dairy West, $13,900
Community Outreach & Engagement
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Geographic Resource Center, Denver NPS GIS Program, DOI - National Parks Service, $688,237
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Desert Experimental Range longterm data collection and stewardship activities, USFS - Rocky Mtn Research Station, $15,000
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Bryce Canyon IIC Youth Partnership, DOI - National Park Service, $31,274
Community Outreach & Engagement
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Pipe Springs IIC Youth Partnership, DOI - National Park Service, $56,118
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Kaibab - YCC Crew - Summer 2022, USDA - Forest Service - Region 3, $32,786
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $177,650
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - IIC YPP 2021 at Cedar Breaks
National Monument, DOI - National Park Service, $115,296
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Grand Staircase Escalante Youth
Stewardship Career Program, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $48,000
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Fishlake Eco Field Group, USDAForest Service, $346,081
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Dixie Eco FY20, USDA - Forest Service, $4,360
Anderson, Josh (Outdoor Pathways) - Arizona Strip - Grand Canyon
Parashant Recreation Youth, DOI - Bureau of Land Management, $84,000
Fielding, Eric - Upward Bound, US Department of Education, $517,162
Heyborne, Jennifer (Headstart) - Headstart 2025-2029, US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), $29,327
Heyborne, Jennifer (Headstart) - Headstart 2025-2029 - Training, US DHHS, $3,236,249
Heyborne, Jennifer (Head Start) - Head Start 23, US DHHS, $439,666
Osborn, Rita (Utah Center for Rural Health) - Rural Dental Recruitment Program, University of Utah, $178,168
Osborn, Rita (Utah Center for Rural Health) - Utah Area Health Centers (AHEC), University of Utah: HRSA, $123,494
Osborn, Rita (Utah Center for Rural Health) - Medical RotationsUMEC/RVU/UCRH/UCRM, University of Utah: UMEC, $122,000
Shakespear, Kasey / Smit, Franka (Utah Center for Rural Health) - UROHCCoordinated Care Model, University of Utah: HRSA, $96,585
Shugart, Tami (Educational Talent Search) - ETS Program 2020-21, US Department of Education, $366,934
Tyler, Ashley (Outdoor Pathways) - Project for Optimal Information
Management Solutions for NIMAC, DATIM, and FIA, Department of Agriculture - Forest Service, $350,000
FY24 Modifications
Any Award Modifications after 6/30/24 will be captured in the FY25 report
Student Affairs
Alldredge, Carmen (ADA Program) - Pre-ETS 2021 Grant, Department of Workforce Services, $372,813
Donovan, Andrea (CAPS) - SUU Pride Alliance B.W. Bastian Foundation, B.W. Bastian Foundation, $5,000
Huxford, Tayzha (Child Care Center) - SUU Child Care Access Means
Parents In School (CCAMPIS), US Department of Education, $447,865
Huxford, Tayzha (Child Care Center) - Child Care Stabilization Grant, DWS - Office of Child Care (federal flow-through), $167,985
Sharpe, Chip (Student Support Services) - Student Support Services, US Department of Education, $352,531
FY24 Number of Modifications by Sponsor Type. A total of 35 monetary modifications were received during FY24. This does not include modifications such as budget re-allocations or no cost extensions.
Subawards
A subaward is when a portion of SUU's sponsored project is passed through to another entity (subawardee/subrecipient) in order to complete a portion of the sponsored project's scope of work. These agreements represent the collaborations and connections made with other institutions.
Subawards require additional management for the PI/PD, department, and the SPARC office. SPARC will typically draft the agreement and send to the subawardee(s). The PI/PD and their respective department are in constant communication with the subawardee(s) and help verify that deliverables are being met. Addition of a subaward can add value to the project and can increase the overall impact of the project.
SUU’s Current Subawardees
$343,336 Jeffrey Miller, DOL Basic, Award
Rural Health Development
$16,051
Snow College
$36,645
$115,520
$20,297
Utah State UniversityEastern
Utah Tech University
$128,448
$25,591
$8,794
Kasey Shakespear, Reshaping Diabetes Care: A Regionally Focused Quality Improvement Initiative to Optimize Care
(1) Melynda Thorpe, EDA FutureReady Utah Worksite Ecosystem Project (2) Melynda Thorpe, GOEO Utah Local Leadership Academy (3) Kasey Shakespear, Higher Education Primary Prevention Grant
Melynda Thorpe, GOEO Utah Local Leadership Academy
(1) Melynda Thorpe, EDA FutureReady Utah Worksite Ecosystem Project (2) Kasey Shakespear, Higher Education Primary Prevention Grant
Expenditures
Expenditures are another key metric used to measure the work happening during the post-award phase of a grant. Since many grants are multiyear grants, the actual expenditures give a more accurate picture in comparison to the yearly award amount.
Total expenditures during FY 24 were $18,227,370. A majority of the expenditures came from federally awarded projects (~80%). With ~17% of expenditures coming from state funded projects and 4% of expenditures coming from private sponsored projects.
Understanding Expenditures in Sponsored Programs - Expenditures refer to the costs incurred through the award fund that are used to benefit the grant's scope of work as stated in the grant budget. All expenditures for sponsored programs must adhere to institutional, sponsor, and federal regulations. Consequently, expenses must be allocable, allowable, reasonable, and necessary for the project. While SPARC can help determine if a cost can be charged to a grant, the PI/PD and their department must also be aware of typically unallowable expenses for their awards.
During FY 24, the majority of grant expenditures came from personnel costs such as salaries, wages, and benefits ($11,494,019) for time expended on grant activities. Other types of common expenses include current expense (supplies, materials, contractual agreements, etc.), travel, scholarships, equipment and indirect costs.
Projects in Action
Dr. Guizella Rocabado
Rocabado Secures NSF Grant for Inclusion Conference
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Guizella Rocabado, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant to host a conference. The conference is designed for meaningful change, with the hope it will positively impact many researchers and practitioners in their own spaces, and in turn, students will also be positively impacted by these intentional changes to improve their academic experience. “Science needs more people of diverse backgrounds, identities and points of view. Diversity only enhances science and we need more science, not less,” said Rocabado.
In collaboration with Southern Utah University (SUU), Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) is working on a project that will improve preservation and access to seven photographic collections that document the amazing history of Southern Utah University and Iron County from 1878-2006.
“At the end of this project, SUU and local community members will be able to search these seven SUU and Iron County photograph collections for people, events, and places that they remember or are interested in.” said Broeder.
Rehousing 7 University and Iron County Collections
Kathleen Broeder
Jon Oglesby
Utah Summer Games’ Creative Rebranding
In conjunction with SUU, the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games are a festival-of-sport for athletes of all ages and abilities, hosting 36 sports-andactivities for participants that range from toddlers to seniors. This event has an average total of 9,600 participants, 50,000 spectators, and 1,000 volunteers in attendance each year. The scope of this project goes towards a creative rebrand: from Utah Summer Games to State Games of Utah. This rebrand supports the growth and future opportunities, with year-round events. The grant will support updating media and marketing tools, web services, social media content, etc.
SUU's Office of Learning Abroad has been awarded a $35,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) through the 2024 Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program. SUU’s grant project aims to expand its study abroad program through the creation of a mentorship initiative. This program will help increase accessibility and awareness of studying abroad by connecting students with guidance and resources. The IDEAS program aligns with U.S. foreign policy goals and supports universities in creating, diversifying, and expanding their international education offerings.
SUU Awarded IDEAS Grant to Expand Study Abroad Opportunities
Tayah Nelson
Research Enterprise
What is Research Administration?
Research administration is inclusive of all types of sponsored programing, such as managing and coordinating the various components of sponsored projects, including budgeting, compliance, and project management.
Why do SPARC offices exist?
With the increasing complexity of research projects and the growing demand for accountability and transparency in research (and other sponsored) funding, the role of research administrators has become more important than ever before.
How does SPARC help with compliance?
SPARC stays up to date on federal, state, and sponsor regulations and institutional policies. By doing so, we hope to guide faculty and staff through the complex world of compliance both at the pre-award and post-award stages.
How do teaching institutions fit into the research enterprise?
Teaching institutions enhance the research enterprise by introducing diverse students to research, fostering local partnerships, and addressing community-focused issues. Through collaborations and integrating research into teaching, they broaden access, enrich the curriculum, and help develop an inclusive future research workforce.
What is the research enterprise?
See the graphic below for a summary of everything that comprises the research enterprise.
What has SPARC been doing to support the research enterprise?
Pages 31-32 highlight SPARC’s recent efforts to contribute to SUU’s engagement in sponsored activity and the national research enterprise. Primarily, SPARC has been successful in applying for and being awarded several grants that will be used to help SUU faculty and staff with their sponsored project engagement! We also plan to collaborate with the SUU MPA program to assist in building up the next generation of research administrators.
SPARC Initiatives
The SPARC office strives to support SUU by strengthening research infrastructure, assisting faculty in pursuing funding, and expanding engagement with grants. Through workshops, proposal guidance, and targeted initiatives, SPARC enhances SUU’s research capabilities and faculty success in securing grants.
This year, we have focused efforts on improving the SPARC office. To do so, we have been actively seeking funding from external sponsors to support these initiatives and contribute to SUU!
SUU SPARC Office Receives NIH
Subaward from University of Kentucky
Historically, SUU has had limited involvement with National Institutes of Health (NIH) applications. Recently, however, SPARC has intensified its efforts to encourage more faculty to pursue NIH grants, including those aimed at smaller institutions. To contribute to these efforts, the SPARC office has twice applied for an NIH subaward through the University of Kentucky’s SuRE Resource Center’s “Office of Sponsored Programs Seed Grant Program”, which supports smaller/underserved institutions with limited NIH funding to enhance their sponsored programs offices. After two initial rejections, SUU successfully secured an award.
Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Seed Grant Program
The project will provide funding for a graduate assistant dedicated to enhancing NIH funding initiatives. Additionally, it will support SPARC staff in expanding research development efforts to more effectively assist faculty with proposal development. Finally, the remaining funds will be allocated for a peer review by the National Council of University Research Administrators, providing valuable feedback to strengthen our office’s operations.
SUU SPARC Office Receives two NSF GRANTED Awards
The National Science Foundation (NSF) in the past two years has started an initiative to fund offices of sponsored programs, such as SPARC. SPARC has applied and been awarded for two separate projects funded by the NSF that will be leveraged to improve SUU’s research support and the national research enterprise. Descriptions of each project are detailed below.
A Pilot Program to Optimize Sponsored Programs Engagement in Research at PUIs (PROSPER PUIs)
This project aims to increase sponsored research engagement at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), such as SUU. The program will pilot two new positions, sponsored project managers (SPM) and graduate assistants (SPGA), to provide direct support to Principal Investigators (PIs) on grant projects. This would reduce the burden on PIs and increase efficiency in research administration. By sharing the results of this pilot program, SUU aims to help other PUIs improve their research capacity. The program also seeks to strengthen the research enterprise workforce by incorporating the developed curriculum into SUU's Master of Public Administration program, leading to an increased number of research administrators.
Crossing the Innovation Valley of Death: Democratizing Data and Artificial Intelligence for Research Administration
SUU is receiving a subaward from the University of Idaho for an NSF-funded project that addresses data access and interoperability challenges in emerging research institutions. Key objectives include developing adaptable, open-source data models and workflows, automating processes with AI, and training researcher administrators in data and AI literacy. This project aims to promote innovation and establish a community for collaboration and knowledge sharing on open-source tools and data science. This subaward represents a significant advancement for SUU, enhancing its engagement in innovative research that benefits the broader academic community.
Team SPARC
Team Member
Area of Expertise
Sylvia Bradshaw Director Life Cycle
Carrie Childs Assistant Director Post Award
Katie Gomez Freeman
Assistant Director Life Cycle Education
Elliani Decker Research Administrator Pre Award
Bobbie Ursin Research Administrator Pre Award Sub Awards
Courtney Wessling Project Manager Post Award
Lawrence Mbaki Pre Award Ambassador Pre Award
Marcos Valenzuela Post Award Ambassador Post Award
Ikal Salaiau Research Assistant Special Projects
Contact Information
Email: sylviabradshaw@suu.edu
Phone: (435) 865-8175
Office: UCS 106
Email: carriechilds@suu.edu
Phone: (435) 586-7727
Office: UCS 105
Email: katiegomez@suu.edu
Phone: (435) 586-7824
Office: Remote
Email: ellianidecker@suu.edu
Phone: (435) 586-7824
Office: UCS 108
Email: bobbieursin@suu.edu
Office: Remote
Email: courtneywessling@suu.edu
Office: UCS 105
Email: sparcpre@suu.edu
Phone: (435) 586-7824
Office: UCS 108
Email: sparcpost@suu.edu
Office: UCS 105
Email: sparc@suu.edu
Office: UCS 106
Director
sylviabradshaw@suu edu
Sylvia was born in Moab, Utah and raised in the red rocks of Southern Utah. As the SPARC Director and having earned her Master's degree in Research Administration from Johns Hopkins University, Sylvia is happiest when learning However, that happiness is definitely multiplied when surrounded by the cool mountain air, aspen leaves, pine trees, and of course her family!
SYLVIA BRADSHAW CARRIE CHILDS
Assistant Director, Post Award
carriechilds@suu edu
Carrie joined the SPARC office in April of 2020 after six years in Accounting Services As such, she speaks fluent "Banner " Her undergrad degree in accounting and Masters in Business Administration are both from SUU When she's not tinkering with Excel, you'll find her with her family (preferably exploring the outdoors by boot, jeep, or boat), in her kitchen trying out a new recipe, or curled up with a good book
KATIE GOMEZ FREEMAN
Assistant Director, Education & Special Projects
katiegomez@suu edu
Katie grew up in Mapleton, Utah and has been with the SPARC office for the past 8 years She started out as the SPARC Post Award Student Intern her freshman year at SUU, and has been a full-time SPARC staff since 2021 She was a recent recipient of the NCURA Inaugural Emerging Excellence Award For fun, Katie likes to play pickle ball, enjoy the outdoors, and watch movies
ELLIANI DECKER
Research Administrator, Pre Award
ellianidecker@suu edu
Elliani grew up in Idaho, but she has lived in Cedar City for the past several years, first as a student and now as a Research Administrator in the SPARC office Her undergraduate degree is in English: Rhetoric & Writing, and is now working on her Master of Public Administration Elliani loves to be outside with either a book or a bike!
COURTNEY WESSLING
Project Manager & Post Award Research Administrator
courtneywessling@suu.edu
Courtney was born in Cedar City but spent her formative years in Tennessee, where she honed her skills in Southern hospitality and sweet tea brewing Now back in Cedar City, shes a Grant Program Manager for both the SPARC office and the Health and Wellness Center With a Psychology degree and an MBA in Project Management in progress at SUU, Courtney balances work with a love of reading, watching "The Office" on repeat, and spending time with friends and family.
TBD, DATA ANALYST
SPARC Data Analyst
tbd@suu edu
This grant funded position will be working directly on SUU’s newly awarded subaward from the University of Idaho (Prime Sponsor: NSF) They will assist in implementing AI tools to improve processes within the SPARC office
BOBBIE URSIN
Research Administrator, Pre Award & Sub Awards
bobbieursin@suu edu
Bobbie has been a research administrator for over 35 years In this capacity, she has served four different universities (U of U, NAU, DSU, and now SUU) She is semi-retired and enjoys her continued involvement in this field Bobbie is the mother of two and grandmother to five grandchildren She has always been self-conscious about her short stature but we all know good things e in small packages
GUIZELLA ROCABADO
SPARC Faculty Fellow
guizellarocabado@suu edu
Guizella, originally from Bolivia, graduated with degrees in biology and chemistry at SUU. She completed a master's in medicinal chemistry at SUNY Buffalo and a PhD in chemistry education at the University of South Florida, along with a graduate certificate in program evaluation She returned to SUU to teach chemistry in 2021 and joined the SPARC team as a faculty fellow in spring 2024 In her free time, Guizella enjoys watching movies, playing board games, and being near water or mountains, as well as traveling and exploring different cultures and cuisines
LAWRENCE MBAKI
Pre Award Student Liaison
sparcpre@suu.edu
Lawrence is from the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa where he attended Pinelands High School He is currently a junior studying theater arts and music education here at SUU Lawrence enjoys serving others He plays the piano, sings, and loves spending time hiking and camping in the outdoors He also loves languages and is currently learning Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
MARCOS VALENZUELA
Post Award Ambassador
sparcpost@suu edu
Marcos is from the tropical city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. He is currently studying Business Management & Administration at SUU. Marcos is very determined and always strives for self-improvement and the wellbeing of others He enjoys listening to music, singing and playing the guitar Additionally, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family, exercising, learning new cooking recipes or immersing himself in a good reading
IKAL SALAIAU
SPARC Student Ambassador & Research Assistant
sparc@suu.edu
Ikal is from the beautiful island of Papua New Guinea. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Hawaii with a degree in Business Management (marketing) and minor in Political Science and Filming and is currently doing her Masters in Business Administration (Marketing) She loves to spend time with her two beautiful children She likes picnics at the beach and anywhere that is beautiful and being with her families and friends
TBD, DATA ANALYST ASSISTANT
SPARC Student Data Analyst
TBD@suu edu
This grant funded position will be working directly on SUU’s newly awarded subaward from the University of Idaho (Prime Sponsor: NSF). They will assist in implementing AI tools to improve processes within the SPARC office.
Thank you for helping SUU soar!
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Accounting Services
Budget Office
Center for Teaching Innovation
Finance
Internal Audit
Provost's Office
Departmental/Division Support (Administrative
Assistants, Business Managers, Chairs, Deans, AVPs, VPs)
All of our PI/PDs: We love to support you and your passions!
SUU Students: You are why we do what we do!
Report Created by:
Katie Gomez & Elliani Decker