At the 2024 Eastern Utah Women’s Conference that was held in March event officials announced the winner of the Eastern Utah Woman of the Year and it was awarded to USU Eastern’s Clinical Associate Professor, Jan Thornton. Castle Country Radio was able to take some time to get to know this year’s recipient.

Like most students who embark on their college studies they sometimes change their majors a time or two before finding their niche and that was no different for Thornton as she explains, “Aerospace Engineering was my first major, you know I was about a year in and I said, I don’t know, I switched over to doing Drafting and Surveying. I’m actually one class away from a Drafting Certification, and I went, oh, I don’t know about this either. I took a Psychology Class and I loved it, and then that same professor taught a Social Work Class and I followed the professor and the rest is history.” She has Bachelor of Science out of Utah State University and her Master’s Degree is out of University of Utah. She completed her entire education through distance learning and never left the area for her schooling.

She is a Native of Emery County and has been employed with USU Eastern since 2007. She was asked what she likes most about her job, “The students. I love working with the students and watching them grow and develop and kind of come into their own professionally. It’s been just a lot of fun throughout the years.” She enjoys being a part of the USU Eastern Community.

Thornton had no idea she was even selected for the prestigious award until the evening of the conference. “So I found out while sitting there as they were reading the nomination that I had won. Up until that moment, I didn’t believe that I would ever win that award and it was very humbling,” said Thornton. She hopes that she will do those proud that took the time to nominate her this year.

If you see her around campus or out in the community, congratulate her on a job well done.