USU Salt Lake's Amanda Deliman Promoted to Associate Professor

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — Utah State University faculty member Amanda Deliman will be promoted to associate professor with tenure, effective July 1. Deliman is a faculty member at the USU Salt Lake campus, working in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership.

"I am pleased to see Dr. Deliman receive tenure,” said David Vernon, senior associate vice president for the USU Wasatch Region. “Her accomplishments as a scholar are matched by the care, mentorship and commitment she brings to students and our university community each day. Her work in Statewide Campuses represents a meaningful contribution to our land-grant mission, expanding opportunity and strengthening connections across the state. I am grateful for her leadership and proud to have her as part of our team.”

Deliman joined the USU faculty in August 2020. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in literacy and early childhood education. According to Deliman, this promotion represents years of sustained work, dedicated to students, mentorship, research, collaboration and program development.

“As a first-generation college student and former elementary teacher, earning tenure reflects a journey that once felt far beyond what I imagined possible,” she said. “I am incredibly grateful to continue this work at Utah State University and remain deeply committed to investing in students, supporting colleagues, strengthening communities, and continuing to grow as a teacher, mentor and scholar.”

Deliman has received numerous awards for both her teaching and mentorship. In 2024, she was named both the School of Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Teacher of the Year and the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Teacher of the Year. In 2025, she was named the School of Teacher Education and Leadership Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year.

In her classes, Deliman seeks to help students experience firsthand what it means to foster inclusive, supportive and meaningful learning environments. As a teacher educator, she views this as essential for future educators to have meaningful learning experiences that can in turn be passed down to their own future students.

“Teaching is not simply about delivering content,” she said. “It is about helping people feel seen, capable and connected while creating opportunities for learning that can genuinely shape lives. Much of my work is centered around mentorship, relationships and creating meaningful learning experiences for students. I am passionate about helping people feel seen, supported and capable while building confidence and developing as critical thinkers.”

Going forward, Deliman plans to continue expanding her research related to literacy and early childhood education, children’s literature, teacher education and social-emotional learning. She also hopes to continue her mentorship role at both the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as her leadership in the USU Statewide Faculty-to-Student Mentoring Program.

“Mentorship is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role, and I am dedicated to helping students build confidence as scholars and professionals,” she said. “I also look forward to continuing leadership work connected to USU Statewide Faculty-to-Student Mentoring Program, teacher preparation and collaborative initiatives that strengthen support systems for both students and educators across the university and broader community.”

Deliman holds a doctorate degree in literacy, culture and language education from Indiana University, a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from IU, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to her work in higher education, Deliman spent 10 years working as an early childhood and elementary educator in Indiana, an experience that continues to shape her instructional approach and commitment to teacher preparation.

Located in the heart of the Salt Lake Metropolitan area, Utah State University Salt Lake offers students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, plus technical education offerings, USU Salt Lake offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at saltlake.usu.edu.