Laura Padilla-Walker Reappointed to Serve Second Term as Dean
Over the past five years, under the leadership of Dean Laura Padilla-Walker and in close collaboration with faculty and staff, the college has expanded internship opportunities, increased nationally recognized research, strengthened belonging initiatives, and seen more students report that their faith and testimony have grown. Padilla-Walker has been appointed to serve a second five-year term as dean of the college.
Curtis Child Appointed Associate Dean over Faculty Development
Serving as sociology department chair for the past five years, Child has demonstrated that he is a highly organized and effective administrator. He brings expertise in organizational sociology and mentored research to the college’s academic leadership team. Child hopes to build on the thoughtful and creative leadership of Mikaela Dufur, who is leaving to lead the Washington Seminar as faculty advisor for the upcoming fall and winter semesters.
2026 College Valedictorians
Isabel Emery (Anthropology), from Riverton, Utah, completed an internship evaluating NGO programs in Malawi and wrote an undergraduate thesis on research conducted at the Provo Farmers Market. She begins a master’s degree in public health this fall.
Hannah Dahl (Economics), from Provo, Utah, graduated with a double major in economics and mathematics and begins a PhD in economics this fall.
Ethan Harris (Geography), from Connell, Washington, graduated with a global studies emphasis and a secondary major in Portuguese studies. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in LusoBrazilian literature at BYU.
Erik Palmer (History), from Eagle, Idaho, graduated with a minor in ancient Near Eastern studies. He contributed to Dead Sea Scrolls projects and a new Hebrew textbook during his undergraduate years and begins a master’s program at Harvard Divinity School this fall.
Dallin Bundy (Political Science), from St. George, Utah, was named a 2025 Truman Scholar and completed internships in Washington, DC, and for the Office of the Governor of Utah. He begins studies at BYU Law School this fall.
Evelyn Thrasher (Psychology), from Prosper, Texas, completed a secondary major in Spanish studies and a minor in international development. She will attend divinity school this fall, pursuing a career in chaplaincy.
Anna Lemke (Family Life), from Los Alamos, New Mexico, graduated with an emphasis in human development and a minor in gerontology. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work or occupational therapy.
Alexandra Williams (Sociology), from Fullerton, California, researched adverse childhood experiences and child maltreatment. She begins a master of social work program this fall.
BYU History Professor Awarded George Washington Prize
History Professor Tyson Reeder was awarded the 2025 George Washington Prize for his book Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison’s America (Oxford University Press, 2024). One of the nation’s most prestigious awards in historical scholarship, the $50,000 prize is presented annually to honor the year’s most outstanding book on America’s founding era. Reeder was recognized at a gala dinner in New York City on October 8, 2025. Previous prize recipients include Annette Gordon-Reed for The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family and Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton, placing Reeder in distinguished company. Serpent in Eden also won the Book of the Year Award from the Journal of the American Revolution.
BYU Conference Celebrates 30th Anniversary of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”
To celebrate 30 years since President Gordon B. Hinckley introduced “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the School of Family Life cosponsored a conference titled “Experiencing Jesus Christ Through the Family Proclamation.” The two-day event brought together faculty and staff to explore research supporting the proclamation’s teachings. The event allowed a generation of students who weren’t born when the proclamation was given to engage with this seminal text. Sister Amy Wright, first counselor in the Primary General Presidency, gave the keynote message. Professors Natalie Hancock, Dana Hunter, and Larry Nelson presented “Finding Joy and Confidence in Following the Proclamation.” Brian Willoughby, Chelom Leavitt, Loren Marks, and Adam Rogers participated in the panel “Establishing Successful Marriages and Families.”