USU Brigham City Faculty Member Named CHaSS Graduate Mentor of the Year

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Brian Droubay, assistant professor of social work in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHaSS) has been named the 2024-25 CHaSS Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year.

Droubay, who teaches social work courses at the USU Brigham City campus, will receive the award at the annual CHaSS Spring Faculty Awards on Wednesday, March 19. He will now be entered for consideration for USU Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year award, which will be announced later this year.

“Brian is an exceptional faculty member who mentors and pushes students to excel,” said Dan Black, associate vice president for the USU Brigham City Region. “He is a great teacher, and his students are prepared to make a difference in the world when they graduate.”

Droubay completed his doctorate in social work from the University of Utah in 2019. He also holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University. After starting his academic teaching in Mississippi, he came to USU Brigham City in 2021.

Droubay loves to help the next generation of students and takes his role as a mentor to heart. He expressed gratitude to be nominated for the CHaSS faculty mentor award.

“Mentoring is among the most rewarding parts of my job,” Droubay said. “I work with amazing students who bring so much to the table. They learn from me, but I also learn from them. It is a real privilege watching their growth from the beginning of their studies to the end.”

Droubay grew up in Brigham City, and the ability to work, research and impact students in his hometown is something he cherishes. He continually sees the hard work that students put in to achieve their academic pursuits, and he is ofttimes awestruck by the students he mentors.

“Within my role as a mentor, I frequently become aware of the sacrifices that students are making for their education,” he said. “I work with many students who are returning to higher education after years away. And I watch others who have faced serious adversity in their lives. I am frequently awestruck by their resilience, good-heartedness, and grit.”

Being at a smaller statewide campus, Droubay feels he gets more opportunities to mentor students, because he works with them during several different courses. As the faculty contact for the Master of Social Work program at USU Brigham City, as well as one of the department’s field faculty, Droubay also connects students with agencies in the community and works with students outside the classroom. He enjoys all these interactions and feels a responsibility to guide the next generation of workers in the field.

“I am cognizant that my students are the next generation of social workers who will be working with the most vulnerable people in society,” Droubay said. “I strive to remember that mentoring in a practice-based discipline carries weight, and my approach will have repercussions beyond the university.”

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year recognizes faculty who have a record of excellence in graduate student mentorship. The award recognizes USU mentors who have done a notable job helping their graduate students prepare for a professional career. Nominees are effective advisors who facilitate degree completion, model sound scholarship and ethical behavior, provide emotional support, extend constructive criticism, involve students in publishing and other professional activities, and prepare students for their careers after they have completed their degrees.

With two locations in Box Elder County and one in Davis County, Utah State University Brigham City, Tremonton, and Kaysville offer students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With more than 100 degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, plus technical education offerings, USU offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at brighamcity.usu.edu.