Idaho State University Magazine Fall 2016 by Idaho State University

IDAHO STATE U N I V E R S I T Y Volume 46 | Number 2 | Fall 2016

LIFE ON MARS … KIND OF

Attracting Future Bengals

Q&A with Dr. Robert Hasty, Dean of Idaho’s First Medical School

Life with a Full Glass – Shelby Erdahl, ’16

Force Named New VP for Health Sciences Idaho State University has named Rex Force, Pharm.D., the new vice president for health sciences. Dr. Force, who joined the ISU faculty in 1993, assumed his new duties July 1 after serving as the associate dean for clinical research in the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences. He also directed the Idaho Center for Health Research and the Family Medicine Clinical Research Center at ISU. “I’m very excited about this opportunity to serve ISU and our Kasiska Division of Health Sciences and look forward to working with our many partners around the state to enhance our education and research enterprises,” said Force. Force has received numerous honors and recognition for his teaching, research, clinical practice and professional service. He has been instrumental in developing the telepharmacy program with Bengal Pharmacy at ISU. Force holds a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from Oregon State University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas and the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed a clinical research fellowship at Ohio State University before joining ISU. Force is also a board trustee of the Research Institute of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and a member of the steering committee of the WWAMI region Practice and Research Network. Force is the ISU liaison to the Mountain West Clinical Translational Research Infrastructure Network, a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. 6

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Technology Brings Audience Closer to Teton Artifacts Idaho State University researchers are working with Grand Teton National Park and various tribes to better document about 50 Native American artifacts from the park’s David T. Vernon Collection and create digital 3-D visualizations of them. The Vernon Collection consists of more than 1,400 Native American social and cultural objects that were gifted to Grand Teton National Park in 1972 by Laurance S. Rockefeller. ISU researchers Dr. Yolonda Youngs, from the global studies department, and Dr. Donna Delparte, geosciences, are working with Grand Teton National Park Museum Curator Bridgette Guild on this project funded through the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. “These ethnographic objects, some in a fragile state, need a lot of care and conservation, and a lot don’t have much display information,” Youngs said. “Some have basic information, but we want to work with tribes that are represented in this collection and find out what the objects are, what meaning they have and how they are made.” Exhibits of these visualizations are planned for future display at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park. The 3-D displays of these objects—such as mocca-

sins, saddle blankets, cradles or shirts—will allow visitors using electronic notebooks or tablets set up by displays to virtually zoom-in, rotate and closely examine them. The ISU researchers have taken hundreds of photos of these objects to create the visualizations. Youngs and other ISU researchers are also working with Grand Teton National Park on two other grants to document historic river guides and National Park Service river and mountaineering rangers in the park. “We’re looking at the recreation history in the park and helping the National Park Service to create a new archival collection that will eventually be opened to the public, and we’re collecting oral history of pioneer river guides and National Park Service river and mountaineering rangers,” Youngs said. “We’ll create a huge digital collection of documents and photos of historic outdoor recreation in the park.” “This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service,” Youngs said. “It is a great opportunity for ISU to collaborate with the National Park Service on this research during its big centennial celebration.”

For more information on the project visit idahostateu.com/tetonartifacts

Professor Studies Food Insecurity and Obesity Idaho State University psychology professor Erin Rasmussen has received a grant for $402,000 to study food insecurity and obesity in women.

in both rats and humans and has found that both obese rats and obese humans are impulsive when it comes to food, compared to leaner controls.

who are food insecure are more likely to be impulsive for food because they are unsure when they will have the option to eat again,” Rasmussen said.

She received the grant from the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Rasmussen and her team point to literature that shows that women who are food insecure are more likely to be obese. When a people are food insecure, they are more likely to purchase cheaper foods that are often higher in refined carbohydrates, sugar and fat, instead of fruits, vegetables and high protein foods. This type of diet can blunt their sensitivity to food reward.

To combat food impulsivity, Rasmussen’s team is going to test the strategy of mindful eating in study participants – something that already has been shown in her lab to at least temporarily reduce impulsive food choices in adults and adolescents. Mindful eating is paying close attention to your food and the act of eating.

Dr. Rasmussen and her team working on the grant titled “Food Insecurity, Obesity, and Impulsivity” will look at the special conditions that might lead or influence impulse food choice. Rasmussen described food insecure individuals as those who are concerned or uncertain about where their next meal might come from, and impulsivity as a pattern of choosing immediately available outcomes without thought to long-term consequences. She has studied impulsivity

“We are proposing also that people

“Mindful eating is looking at the color and shape of a strawberry as well as the dimples it has,” she said. “After taking a bite of the strawberry you reflect on how it tastes, how it feels in your mouth and how your body reacts to it. This simple act is a cheap and easy strategy that could help control impulsivity and possibly obesity.”

Science and Engineering Looks to Build with Castle

Woodworth-Ney Becomes Executive Vice President

Dr. Lyle Castle, who most recently has served as Idaho State University vice provost, has been appointed the interim dean for the ISU College of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Laura Woodworth-Ney, provost, was named Idaho State University’s first executive vice president at the Idaho State Board of Education’s August meeting.

Since 2007, Castle has served as the dean of academic programs at ISU-Idaho Falls and served the last year as an associate vice president. He served the University as the chair of Faculty Senate in 2002 and served as the chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee for the former ISU College of Arts and Sciences.

Like the University of Idaho and many other universities around the country, this reorganization of ISU’s executive leadership allows President Arthur C. Vailas to focus on the University’s strategic goals while Woodworth-Ney will manage the day-to-day academic operations of the University.

Castle received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of South Florida in 1992. He joined the chemistry faculty at ISU as an assistant professor in 1994, and advanced to full professor in 2003. His research has centered on the synthesis or aromatic heterocyclic coordination compounds for testing as photosensitizers in photovoltaic cells for solar energy production. He has authored a number of scientific publications on the synthesis of aromatic heterocyclic compounds, the photochemical properties of their coordination complexes with ruthenium, and the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy in compound characterization. He has been the editor for the Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry from 1999 to the present. Castle has taught courses for the ISU Department of Chemistry at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and for several years taught many of the department’s offerings in Idaho Falls.

As Idaho State University is unique, with campuses in other communities, Vailas will also focus on growing partnerships with the INL, medical education opportunities with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), expansion of other University programs and initiatives, and working closely with government, community and business leaders to achieve ISU’s strategic objectives and mission fulfillment goals. This model is designed to integrate further the various areas of the university that impact academic programs and operations. Woodworth-Ney will also continue to serve as ISU’s provost and senior academic advisor to the president. Woodworth-Ney began at ISU in 1999 in the Department of History. She later served as the chair of the Department of History, the co-director of Women’s Studies, ISU’s associate vice president for academic affairs, and has successfully served as the provost and vice president for academic affairs since June 24, 2013.

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Program Exposes East Idaho High Schoolers to ISU East Idaho high school students are getting a taste of a college classroom through a new Liberal Arts High program. In February, the College of Arts and Letters sent its first professor into a high school classroom. The program sends faculty across the humanities and social sciences to East Idaho high schools to share their expertise with future Bengals. The goal of the program is to show students in eastern Idaho that they can earn a quality education in their own backyard at ISU. It also helps alleviate the fear students may have about college by giving them a taste of a classroom before stepping foot on campus. “Sometimes all it takes to change a student’s life and future is to have a positive relationship with someone on campus,” said College of Arts and Letters Dean Kandi Turley-Ames. “If a student has already made a connection with a professor through Liberal Arts High, it makes the transition to college that much easier.” The program was also designed to help battle Idaho’s high school go-on rate, which was only 41.82 percent in 2015, according to the Idaho State Board of Education. The state’s go-on rate reflects

WE WERE BORN TO PERFORM

students who enroll at a postsecondary institution within 12 months of graduating from high school.

tion. Twenty-two percent of the students answered “yes,” but 48 percent said they were still unsure.

To date, more than 800 students in eastern Idaho have been introduced to professors from ISU. Professors have been to all of Pocatello’s high schools and to Rigby (30.86 percent go-on rate), Jerome (34.20 percent), and American Falls (41.88 percent). Professors in English, psychology, art, political science and history traveled to share interactive presentations to students so far.

“If we can help students who are uncertain about college or ISU to consider our programs, then we are one step closer to improving the state’s go-on rate,” Turley-Ames said. “Liberal Arts High is giving the students just another example of what ISU can offer them.”

After each presentation, the students complete a survey asking about their thoughts on the professor, topic and general impression of ISU, among others. The survey asked students if they were planning to attend ISU upon gradua-

The data collected also showed that 72 percent of the students who attended a presentation in their classroom thought that ISU did a good job connecting with middle and high school students, another important factor in improving students’ decision to go on to ISU. Melissa Lee, ‘14

Feb. 24, 25 March 2, 3, 4

FOR TICKET INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: L.E. AND THELMA E. STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | (208) 282-3595

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Alma Jam, left, spearheaded the effort to create a peace pole on campus. Below: The peace pole was unveiled in May. landscaped to make it an inviting place to stop and think. “I just wanted people to remember we are all of the human race. That fact alone is enough to love one another,” she said. “I don’t want people to be color-blind, but appreciative. All the different colors make a beautiful picture.”

Community Says ‘May Peace Prevail’ Alma Jam, ‘15, moved to Pocatello from Cameroon at the age of 10 when her father came to Idaho State University to earn a Ph.D. in political science. She had plenty to get used to – from a new school system to different languages and food. “Americans definitely have a sweet tooth,” Jam said with a laugh. What she didn’t struggle with in Pocatello, however, was making friends. “We moved to a street where there were lots of kids,” she said. “We actually grew a larger extended family.” After high school, Jam went to the College of Southern Idaho, then returned to Pocatello to attend ISU. “When I came to Idaho State, people kept saying there is no diversity,” she said. “Idaho State is more diverse than people realize.” ISU students hail from 58 countries and 41 states. Although many international students share their cultures with campus and the community through several events throughout the year, such as the annual International Night dinner and evening of entertainment, Jam saw a need for more. She worked on the committee to organize Diversity Week, a weeklong series of events designed to celebrate diversity on campus. Jam also wanted students to have a more permanent reminder of how important it is to

celebrate all students, and the idea for a peace pole was born. Peace poles, first built in Japan in 1955, are now found in more than 180 countries around the world. The poles carry the inscription “May peace prevail on earth.” On ISU’s pole, Jam thought it was important to recognize the diversity on campus, so she began a six-month long process to determine which languages to include on the pole. After learning where ISU students come from, she polled the student body, asking what languages should be included on the pole. She worked with various entities on campus, including Ram Eddings at the Diversity Center, to gather support for the pole.

Jam, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and is currently working toward a master’s degree, hopes to someday start a non-profit organization that will make a difference in the world, possibly to help combat human trafficking. “Right now, there are so many things I want to do,” she said. At ISU, she has considered creating more reminders of diversity, such as a Walk of Fame, but for now, she is happy to have helped create a gathering place for students. “I really want people to be able to at least stand and admire the different languages,” she said. “It’s a place where we can encourage one another. People can just relax.”

At the peace pole’s unveiling in May, Eddings said he was proud of what Jam had accomplished. “We have really great students who really want to make this university the best it can be,” he said. Jam said she was appreciative of all of the help she received from her fellow students, University officials and Eddings. “He gave me the tools and the resources and the voice,” Jam said. The 8-foot tall white pole was erected near the Rendezvous Complex, and carries the words “May peace prevail on earth” in 16 different languages. The area is

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Get Involved with Alumni Chapters Want to become more involved and share your Bengal spirit? The ISU Alumni Association is opening new chapters. Check out our newest chapters, or call (208) 282-3755 to learn how to help start a chapter in your area.

TREASURE VALLEY ALUMNI CHAPTER facebook.com/Bengal-Alumni-Treasure-Valley President – Josh Whitworth, joshwhitworth@gmail.com Vice-President – Dustin Mortimer Secretary/Membership Chair – Sunnie Smith Young Alumni Representative – Donell McNeal Events Coordinator – Ben Layman

MAGIC VALLEY ALUMNI CHAPTER facebook.com/magicvalleybengals President – Shawnee Burt, knapshaw@isu.edu Vice-President – Anjel Zamora Secretary/Membership Chair – Emily Johnson Young Alumni Representative – Mitch Tilley Events Coordinator – Heidi Baumgartner-Block

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SOUTHEAST IDAHO ALUMNI CHAPTER facebook.com/seidahostatealumni President – Aaron McCabe, amccabe@iccu.com Vice-President – Matt Bloxham Secretary/Membership Chair – Kale Bergeson Young Alumni Representative, – Jerry Riener Events Coordinator – Kelly Martinez

GREATER IDAHO FALLS ALUMNI CHAPTER facebook.com/ifisualumni President – Amy Ciciliot, aciciliot@isucu.net Vice-President – Matt Spencer Co-Secretary/Membership Chairs – Hillary and Tyler Kendall Event Co-Chairs – Patricia and Marty Huebner Assistant Event Co-Chairs – Susan and Shawn Garbett Young Alumni Representatives – Kim Matonis and Kelsea Loertscher

FOOTBALL ALUMNI TEAM AFFILIATE CHAPTER isu.edu/alumni/Football-Alumni-Team.shtm Chairman – Don Neves, nevesdo@cableone.net Treasurer – Dave Mattson

UNIFYING THE BENGAL NATION More than 115 years ago a battle was brewing in Pocatello, and the city had a dilemma on its hands. Idaho Senate Bill 53 had just been passed to create what would later become Idaho State University, but one major hurdle remained. The bill required that land for the future institution must be secured before May 1, 1901, and the deadline was less than two months away. Almost immediately, turmoil broke out in the Gate City between the east and west factions of the community—both sides battling over the distinction of having the new campus. For six weeks, community leaders met and argued about the location, and at times, arguments escalated to amusing levels. At the height of the dispute, the quarrel was titled, “Battle of the Blocks,” to reference the ongoing disagreement over what city land would eventually be used to build the campus. As time ran out and tempers flared, five sites were on the table, two on the west side of the railroad tracks and three on the east side. Arguments between residents continued, and a final decision about the location wasn’t made until the morning of May 1, the deadline established in the bill. More than a century later, students and alumni now use the battle over ISU’s future location as an opportunity to build school spirit. The movement is known as “The Block,” and is dedicated to igniting the fire of all Bengal fans. “The goal is that students will see that the name stems from an old piece of ISU history,” said Kitanna Belnap, a senior and president of the 1901 Student Alumni Association. “The hope of our student group is that it will inspire passion about

traditions and that others will start to look into the amazing history of ISU.” The Block’s main purpose is to make the experience of attending athletic events fun and to disrupt the opposing team’s game plan. The Block currently focuses on ISU athletic events, but organizers say those plans may expand in the future. “Even if a person doesn’t really enjoy watching football or basketball, everyone enjoys being around other people to have fun at tailgating events or the camaraderie of cheering at events,” said Craig Joseph, assistant director of admissions. “We want to make this about supporting the Bengal family and taking pride in where you are and the fact that you’re at Idaho State University.” “The way I hope to reach out to people who don’t like athletics is to make it an experience,” Belnap said. “Hopefully The Block will be there for students who are not into sports.”

Goals for The Block center on organizing memorable game-day experiences, which includes an energetic cheering section at games. “I hope it becomes something that everyone connected to ISU can be proud of and inspires pride in being a part of the Bengal family. We want it to unify all students,” said Belnap. Organizers of The Block created a website with information about ISU cheers, game-day traditions, tailgating information and how to sign up as a member. “We need to change some people’s apathetic attitudes,” said Joseph. “We want a college experience that people can look back on and say this was memorable, and it was great.” Kayla Nelson, ’16

For more information or to sign up as a member, go to theblockisu.com. FALL 2016

ATTRACTING FUTURE BENGALS A Focus on Enrollment

Kitanna Belnap, an Idaho State University senior studying health care informatics, can’t help but beam with pride when she stops to talk about Swanson Arch during a recent campus tour. Belnap, a third-year student ambassador, is one of a dozen top-notch students assigned with rolling out the orange carpet to campus visitors. “I remember when I visited campus for the first time,” Belnap said. “The ambassador who gave me my tour had a tangible enthusiasm for ISU, and I immediately knew this was where I wanted to be. I’m now sharing my enthusiasm for Idaho State with others.” Nicole Roseberg, director of ISU Admissions, says Belnap’s campus visit, as a prospective student, is not unique. “We place an emphasis on providing personalized campus tours for all prospective students,” Roseberg said. “Our campus visit program consistently yields the best recruitment results. If we can get them to campus for a visit, our data shows that they will enroll.” According to Roseberg, 89 percent of students who took a campus tour last year enrolled at ISU. “At a time when our competitors are doing cookie-cutter, large group tours, we are focused on the individual experience. Our campus visitors see what relates to their interests, and I believe that attributes to the large return we see,” Roseberg said. During the 2015-2016 school year, ISU ambassadors facilitated more than 1,200 individual campus tours. The annual increase in campus tours is only one aspect of ISU’s plans to bolster enrollment. “Attracting quality students remains a top priority for ISU,” Scott Scholes, associate vice president for enrollment management, said. “We are investing in new enrollment efforts that will help us to better attract prospective students, and I feel confident that we’ll turn the corner on statewide decreases in low enrollment at colleges and universities.” According to the Idaho State Board of Education, about 53 percent of Idaho high school seniors immediately went to college in 2015 following graduation. Compared to the rest of the U.S., Idaho’s go-on rate is the lowest in the nation, and in particular, Southeast Idaho—ISU’s main service region—fares the worst. “Despite facing statewide difficulties, we remain optimistic,” said Roseberg. “We have an opportunity to positively impact students who do not currently have college on their radar.” For ISU, Idaho’s last place go-on rate has played a significant role in enrollment efforts over the past few years. In July, ISU launched a new tool called a Constituent

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Kitanna Belnap Relationship Management system to help recruit students. The new tool allows the University to directly and consistently communicate with prospective students starting in middle school. Additionally, relevant messages will also be sent to parents, high school counselors and teachers. The CRM system will help ISU to evaluate when and how students enter the “funnel” of recruitment efforts and allow staff to adjust a communication plan to fit individual needs. “This tremendously magnifies our current efforts,” Scholes said. “Consistently communicating with our prospective students

will prepare them for a successful transition after high school.” The CRM system will allow recruiters at ISU to acquire master lists of all Idaho high school juniors who have completed college entrance testing, like the ACT and SAT, and then begin direct correspondence. The system is designed to focus and refine ISU’s recruitment efforts to achieve the best results for time and money invested. The system also helps ISU to track the progress of prospective students as they complete the admissions process, and it automatically schedules e-mails, text messages and print pieces to be sent at relevant times. In total, ISU has 55 individual points of contact and communication that will go out to prospective students and others identified as a person of influence in the college-making decision process. “The CRM is only a tool for us to evaluate and track our existing efforts. We will continue to consistently visit every high school in the state and plan a number of

Short-Term EDUCATION

(208) 282-2800

open house events,” Roseberg said. Last year, an Experience Idaho State event for area high school seniors and their parents attracted more than 300 students. It was the largest attended recruitment event in more than 10 years at ISU. Additionally, for the past several years, ISU has held a pizza lunch party for graduating seniors at Century, Pocatello and Highland high schools. That program will be expanded to 32 Idaho high schools this year, including most of the schools in Southeast Idaho. Despite statewide challenges related

to Idaho high school seniors attending college after graduation, ISU remains committed to strategically growing its enrollment. From 2006 to 2015, enrollment increased about 2.8 percent at ISU and remains close to 13,000 students. “It all comes down to the individual experience,” Roseberg said. “We are affective at recruiting students when we personally connect with them and help them not only see the benefits of a college education, but the wonderful opportunities that exist at Idaho State.” Stuart Summers, ’10

Long-Term CAREERS

isu.edu/ctech FALL 2016

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Students and working professionals pursuing degrees in health informatics— one of the fastest growing job sectors of the health care industry— can now choose a master’s option at Idaho State University. This fall, the College of Business began offering the Master of Science degree in health informatics, the science of storing, retrieving and analyzing data in a meaningful way. The Idaho State Board of Education approved the degree last year and it’s the only health informatics master’s program

in the state, according to Dr. Thomas Ottaway, the dean of ISU’s College of Business. The U.S. Department of Labor projects employment of computer and information system managers to grow 15 percent through 2022—many landing informatics positions in the health care industry and holding titles like chief medical information officer, clinical data analyst and information technology consultant, according to the American Medical Informatics Association.

For more information, visit idahostateu.com/gradinformatics

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The demand for health informatics professionals is driven by the federally mandated conversion to electronic medical records to improve health care quality, safety and efficiency. Since Jan. 1, 2014, the federal government has required public and private health care providers to use electronic records to maintain their existing Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement levels. “Computer technology has made it easy to capture huge amounts of data, but then the question becomes what do you do with that data?” Ottaway said. And that’s the beauty of informatics. Let’s say you’re a doctor with a sick patient and you know of a half dozen medications to treat the illness, but which one is the most effective?

By crunching the electronic medical records of patients treated for that very same illness, informatics experts can isolate the medications used, how they worked, and forward the results to the attending physician. It’s this type of information, say industry experts, which can help health care providers deliver the most effective treatments while simultaneously driving down health care costs.

that will give students hands-on experience in the health industry.

ISU’s College of Business currently offers a bachelor’s degree in health informatics, but the master’s degree will prepare graduates to fill the top informatics jobs in hospitals, medical practices, insurance companies and government health agencies. Many of those organizations are already requiring an advanced degree, says Ottaway. The master’s program—delivered in cooperation with the School of Health Professions—requires 36 credit hours of coursework, including a clinical practicum

The College of Business has hired three new faculty members for the program. Coursework is offered face-to-face and via distance learning in Pocatello and Meridian. Students will develop an understanding of the specialized and complex needs of the health care industry. They’ll learn to create, integrate, manage and leverage health-related software systems and data while ensuring patient confidentiality. Salaries for graduates can range from $60,000 a year to well over six figures depending on experience, geographical location and level of education. According to the Health Information Management

and Systems Society, the average salary for health IT professionals was $113,269 in 2013, and the median salary was $95,000. But the profession is about more than crunching numbers and collecting a good paycheck. Pocatellan Angela Winder, a student in the inaugural class, says it’s an opportunity to improve medical care and services. “I’ve always loved numbers and analyzing information. I’d like to be able to use that information to help people,” said Winder, who wants to work at a hospital after she completes ISU’s master’s program. Chris Gabettas FALL 2016

Q&A

Dr. Robert Hasty on Creating Idaho’s First Medical School When Dr. Robert Hasty – the founding dean of the proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine – was a boy, his mom moved him and his siblings from Indiana to Boca Raton, Florida. She thought the coastal community 46 miles north of Miami would be the perfect place to raise a family. Hasty excelled in school and relished hard work. At age 14, he was bagging groceries and stocking shelves at the local Publix grocery store. By age 19, he was vested in the company and eligible for retirement benefits.

Last year, investors – including The Burrell Group and Rice Management Company – tapped Hasty to help create the private, for-profit Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine or ICOM on the campus of the Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center. In a recent interview with ISU Magazine, Hasty talked about ICOM’s affiliation with ISU and how the proposed medical school—which is seeking accreditation through the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation—will benefit the state.

“I’m probably the only founding dean of a medical school who is a grocery store retiree,” he said with a laugh. When it was time to head to college, Hasty thought he’d study business, but discovered his “true calling” was science and medicine. He enrolled in the University of Miami, graduating with honors and a triple major in biochemistry and molecular biology, chemistry and biology in 1996. In 2000, he earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or D.O. degree at Nova Southeastern University and completed his residency at Miami’s prestigious Mount Sinai Medical Center where he was top resident for three years. Hasty began his career as an internist for Cogent Healthcare at Lee Memorial Health Systems in Fort Myers, Florida and became an associate lead physician for Cogent Healthcare. In 2013, he became regional associate dean and associate dean for postgraduate affairs for Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine in North Carolina. Hasty led an award-winning team that created 383 residency positions in North Carolina and cemented medical education opportunities for the state’s next generation of osteopathic physicians.

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By the Numbers • ICOM expects to break ground on an 80,000-square-foot, $32 million building on the ISU-Meridian campus in February 2017. The medical school will lease the land from ISU. • ICOM is scheduled to admit its first class of 150 students – with preference given to qualified Idaho applicants – in fall 2018. • Annual tuition is expected to range in the mid-$40,000 range with scholarships available. • The first class will graduate in 2022. • ICOM will pay ISU for medical students to use shared campus space and services. • To read more about ICOM, its mission and affiliation with ISU, go to http://idahocom.org/.

Why were you drawn to Idaho? I was drawn to Idaho because Idaho and the surrounding region (Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota) are facing a dire physician shortage. Idaho is 49th in the nation for physicians per capita and baby boomers are aging and requiring more care every day. I live my life with a purpose, to make a difference in the world by creating ICOM. The impact we’re going to make here is going to be far-reaching. It’s going to provide opportunities for folks to go to medical school, improve access for patients by having physicians, help reduce costs, and improve health care quality. I have a 6-year-old daughter, Sammie, and I want to leave the world a better place for her one day. ICOM is my opportunity.

What attracted ICOM investors to Idaho State University and the Treasure Valley? We were exploring several sites before deciding on ISU-Meridian and the Treasure Valley. The finalists were Great Falls, Montana and South Dakota. We considered a number of different factors including the need for physicians in the state (probably the most important factor), transportation opportunities for the medical school, university affiliation, desire of the state, and other factors. Locating in Idaho made sense because it is the nucleus for the five-state region, and the Treasure Valley is growing with alarming speed. It was a natural fit for ICOM to be here. Idaho State University was also a natural partner because of its leadership in health professional and medical education. It is a great match. ICOM is the trifecta. We will help to address a much needed gap in Idaho’s physician workforce. We’re a private, independently operating business, which means there is no burden on tax payers for construction or operation. And, we’re providing an additional education opportunity for folks in Idaho and beyond who want to achieve great things and become physicians.

Some critics have claimed Idaho and the region do not have the residency positions to support ICOM graduates. What steps are you taking to ensure residency slots and encourage ICOM graduates to practice in Idaho? Currently, graduates of osteopathic medical school successfully achieve graduate medical education placement 99.61 percent of the time. The U.S. currently doesn’t graduate enough physicians for our current residency programs. In fact, we have to import 24 percent of our physicians from medical schools abroad to fill the residency programs that we have nationally. To help with the societal needs and to create additional opportunities for our planned graduates, ICOM is committed to developing residencies in Idaho and surrounding states. During the matriculation process, ICOM will be building strong relationships in communities and health systems to create new residency opportunities for ICOM graduates. ICOM currently has affiliation agreements with several hospital systems and has registered approximately 350 preceptors. Additionally, Doctors of Osteopathic medicine are more likely to go into primary care and rural areas. We expect 50 percent of our graduates will practice in Idaho.

ICOM is seeking “B Corporation” status? Why is that a big deal? A “B Corporation” is called a benefit corporation and is an organization that focuses on its social impact. There is no tax advantage to becoming a B Corporation. In fact, there are additional expenses, but we feel that it is an important external validation of ICOM’s social mission. As far as we know, we will be the first medical school to seek B corporation certification. Chris Gabettas

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Mordor, Mars and Craters of the Moon ISU Researchers Work with NASA to Develop Strategies for Future Astronauts

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Mordor, a dark, stark and hostile land controlled by Sauron in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, was the nickname of one of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) sites for studies taking place at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve this summer. these projects – were going out in the field

“We’ve nicknamed it Mordor because it is incredibly rough terrain,” said Dr. Shannon Kobs Nawotniak, Idaho State University geosciences associate professor. “Some of our radar readings suggest it is some of the roughest terrain on earth. It is very impressive.” ISU researchers are working with NASA at the Craters of the Moon as an “analog site” to mimic conditions and develop methods for astronauts to explore other planets, including Mars, which NASA hopes to put manned missions on in the future. Two NASA research teams, the Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration (FINESSE) and Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT)

teams are at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve this summer. The FINESSE and BASALT teams are working with ISU researchers and are led by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. “Our research is focused on microbial life on the volcanic rocks, including understanding what minerals they are associated with, how their communities have changed over time, and how our findings relate to the search for life on Mars,” said NASA’s Darlene Lim, principal investigator on the BASALT project, and Deputy PI of the FINESSE project. “That is the crux of the science we are doing here.” The BASALT team has scientific and operational functions. On the strictly science side, “astronauts” – one of them Nawotniak, co-principal investigator on

collecting data on the geology of the rocks they were encountering. On the operational side, these astronauts – who headed in the field with 35-pound backpacks loaded with communications equipment, cameras, tools and others supplies in heat sometimes surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit to scramble over treacherous and sometimes sharp rocks for up to 4-1/2 hours per mission – are helping develop methods for astronauts to use on other planets to properly function as scientists. “If we are going to be really successful when we get there we have to start

Opposite: Michael Miller, of NASA Kennedy Space Center, background, and Steve Chappell, from NASA Johnson Space Center and Wyle, heading out in the field on a practice mission this summer. Below: A NASA technician in the foreground provides backup to ‘astronauts’ Steve Chappell and Shannon Kobs Nawotniak, visible in the background of the photo.

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marrying the science and operational sides of the mission now, to make sure that our science is informed by exploration and our exploration is informed by science,” Nawotniak said. “In some analogs, astronauts conduct simulated rather than real science,” Lim said. “But we are different because we are conducting real science, which adds another level of fidelity to our analog in that the samples our astronauts are collecting have to be to be publication-quality for the microbiology and geology that is being studied.” ISU’s Nawotniak concurred: “This isn’t mock science. It is real, authentic field science and we are responsible to publish on the data coming out of here.” One of the greatest operational challenges for NASA is dealing with the communications delay between astronauts on Mars and Earth. Using today’s best technology, there is a 4-1/2- to 20-minute delay each way between these planets, depending on orbits, the location on Mars where astronauts are, the position of communications satellites and a number of other factors. “Nobody really knows how to manage

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a human mission on Mars under these delayed conditions because there are so many complexities to contend with,” Lim said. “So we are pushing to figure out the operational mechanics, the scientific requirements, the human factors and the physiological challenges associated with having humans conduct science and exploration on Mars to help the scientific and exploration communities prepare for this journey.” It’s anticipated during a manned mission, at least four astronauts will visit a planet such as Mars. During an exploratory mission on the surface of the planet, two astronauts will go out on an “extravehicular” or EVA activity walking on the planet while two stay in whatever vehicle they take to the planet and engage in “intravehicular” or IVA activity in a Mars habitat setup for astronauts. To mimic the challenges astronauts will face dealing with this time delay, NASA set up a Mobile Mission Command Center, a miniature version of NASA’s Mission Control you see on TV during a space launch, in Arco, 20 to 30 miles away from where the astronauts were in the field. The Mobile Mission Command

Center had a small, cordoned-off area that served as an IVA pod. The astronauts in the field would communicate directly to the people in the IVA pod in real time using camera imagery, voice and digital data. Then the people in the IVA pods, testing 5 and 15 minutes delays, would then communicate information to scientists in the Command Control Station. “It is really rough trying to be a partner in a conversational exchange when today we had a 15-minute, one-way travel for communication,” Nawotniak said. “So I would say something, and 15 minutes later it gets to Earth. Then I have another 15-minute wait, assuming they answer me immediately. Because of the delay we have to be very cognizant of time and that we are giving the best information we can on the first pass.” And it is not just the technical aspects of the communication that are problematic, noted ISU geosciences Professor Emeritus Scott Hughes, who is also a co-principal investigator on the BASALT project, and, along with Nawotniak, is the geosciences lead. “We have communications issues, not simply technical, but human communi-

cations issues, on how we discuss things and talk to each other,” Hughes said. “We have different types of people from different fields of science, and we scientists communicate with engineers so we have had lots of discussion on how to get thought across.” Hughes also echoed what several others involved with the project said about the difficulty of the project so far. “What has really surprised me is how complicated this whole project is,” Hughes said. “It is complicated on earth and then to think about doing it on a real mission to Mars, the complications are just phenomenal. I think it is an amazing feat to set up this simulation and to get it to work.”

“You can think of our fieldwork as a dress rehearsal for the manned mission to Mars, and it is happening right here in Idaho,” Nawotniak said. “It is the natural follow-up from when they sent astronauts here to train for the Apollo Missions. They got them ready to go off planet by coming to Idaho and the Craters of the Moon, and now we’re getting ready for the next evolution in space exploration once again right here in Idaho.

“When we actually get people onto the surface of Mars,” she continue, “it is going to be in a significant part because of Idaho, Idaho State University and the National Park Service at the Craters of the Moon cooperating and working with NASA,” Nawotniak said. “It is a great legacy that we are gong to have to pass on.” Andrew Taylor

“I am just amazed at some of the genius efforts that are going on with this whole operation,” Hughes said. “There are people here that, my gosh, figure out stuff I could never dream of figuring out. They work hard and do whatever is necessary to get the job done.” NASA BASALT project researchers finished up their 2016 fieldwork at Craters of the Moon in June but will be doing parallel studies in Hawaii in November. A FINESSE project research team completed field research at Craters of the Moon in August. Both BASALT and FINESSE are multi-year projects. Nawotniak took time to put this project in perspective.

Opposite: From left, NASA’s Kara Beaton and Rick Elphic, and participating high school student Chanel Vidal monitor computer screens in NASA’s Mobile Mission Control Center that was set up in Arco this summer. Right: ISU associate professor Shannon Kobs Nawotniak, front right, does an equipment check with Michael Miller, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

For more information on the BASALT project visit spacescience.arc.nasa.gov/basalt For more information on the FINESSE project visit spacescience.arc.nasa.gov/finesse/outreach FALL 2016

Giant Laboratory Idaho’s

Snorkeling upstream in the middle of night to identify fish is among the tasks Idaho State University student Matt Schenk has experienced deep in Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Dressed in a dry suit and equipped with a water proof flashlight, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., Schenk would crawl upstream on his belly in small tributaries of Big Creek, a major tributary of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, to iden-

tify fish—including West-Slope cutthroat, steelhead and bull trout—and estimate their numbers and size. “It is brutal,” Schenk said. “You get beat up and bruised on your knees, chest and elbows. It is a very intense kind of work.” Snorkeling mid-day in the main stem of Big Creek beside Chinook salmon near the finish of their 900-mile journey from the ocean, however, was more pleasant. “Definitely, one of my favorite memories was snorkeling with full-size Chinook, 35 to 36 inches long, in some of the most remote wilderness around,” said Schenk, from Burley, who is working on his master’s degree in stream ecology from the ISU biological sciences department and earned his undergraduate degree in geosciences in earth and environmental systems.

Mirijam Scharer and Adam Eckersell enjoying a silly moment at a trail marker on the Big Creek Trail.

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Top of Transect 5 by the waterfall on Cougar Creek 2014 Big Creek Crew, Matt Schenk, Adam Eckersell, Colden Baxter, John Whiting, Mirijam Scharer and Martin Ventura.

Photos by Matt Schenk, Colden Baxter and Adam Eckersell.

ISU has a rich history of completing research in the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, the largest contiguous wilderness area in the Lower 48. Several ISU disciplines complete research here, but the ISU Stream Ecology Center in the biological sciences department has the largest imprint, having collected data from here for decades. The Stream Ecology Center studies wildfire and climate change among other topics.

are done on a small scale, or in rivers that have been heavily changed by humans. “We have the Salmon River, one of the world’s wildest rivers, and the central Idaho wilderness is a big chunk of territory that is still functioning naturally. It may have a lot more natural resistance and resilience than what we observe in non-wilderness ecosystems,” Baxter said. One of the large issues ISU researchers

Idaho is known for its wild places and wild rivers, and if you come to the University to study ecology and the environment this is an example of the kind of extraordinary experiences that are possible. — COLDEN BAXTER, DIRECTOR OF THE ISU STREAM ECOLOGY CENTER

“It is an extraordinary experience for all of us, but for the students that are involved every year, it can be a life-altering experience, especially for students who in some cases spend months in the wilderness,” said Dr. Colden Baxter, director of the ISU Stream Ecology Center and an ISU professor of biological sciences. “But it can also be life-altering for those who spend shorter periods of time hiking in there for a week or two and combining that with doing science.” The size of the “laboratory” ISU researchers are using allows them an unusual perspective. Most stream studies

are studying are the direct and indirect impacts of climate changes, which in general is a pretty “gloom-and-doom sort of story,” according to Baxter, but that isn’t necessarily the case in the central Idaho Wilderness. “When you fly over it, you can see all of this change – most of it has burned since I was a teenager,” Baxter said. “And if you had told people then that most of it was going to burn with that type of severity they would have predicted ecological catastrophe. Instead we’ve not only seen a lot of evidence of resilience, but also perhaps evidence that the dynamism, the

Colden Baxter explaining to students Mirijam Scharer and Adam Eckersell the connectivity of riparian ecosystems to alpine ecosystems as evidenced by a large influx of woody debris into Big Creek. change itself, is part of and necessary to maintaining the character of that ecosystem. It is a very dynamic landscape with dynamic rivers—we are trying to understand how important that dynamism is to the long-term character of these ecosystems.” Scientific knowledge and personal growth are benefits of the wilderness study. “You learn a lot about yourself, including how to rely on your judgment. You just can’t pick up a phone and call your advisor,” said Schenk, who has spent months doing research in the backcountry. “You have to learn to be resilient and can’t be frustrated, and it is always looming over you that something could go wrong. You really listen a lot and become in tune to the sights and sounds around you so you don’t hurt yourself. And it is easy to get lost and that takes up brain power.” “For students of ISU, the character of the work and that experience in the wild is pretty distinctly Idaho,” Baxter said. “Idaho is known for its wild places and wild rivers, and if you come to the University to study ecology and the environment this is an example of the kind of extraordinary experiences that are possible. It’s just one of the strengths we have here - that we take advantage of the unique place in which we live.” Andrew Taylor

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ground confused, and had no idea what was wrong until I stood up and attempted to sprint again. It was at that moment I realized the nerves in my foot and lower leg were not working. I remember thinking “I just tore my Achilles’ tendon, this can’t be happening.” Then came the anger. I had worked too hard, had too many teammates and coaches believing in me to simply let it end like that. So I started running. People asked me afterward how I managed to run 300 meters and jump eight more hurdles on a completely ruptured tendon. The truth is that it was a lot of factors. I have run to the point of puking, black out, and crying during various workouts throughout my collegiate track career, and while this run by far surpassed any physical challenge I had encountered before, I knew I could do it.

I have always been the type of person to look at the glass half full. Little did I know as I stepped into the blocks for the Big Sky Conference Championship finals in the 400-meter hurdles just how important that mentality would be. At the time, you could say my glass was completely full. I had just finished celebrating graduation with my very best friends and family, was competing in the Conference finals in my favorite and best event, and was looking forward to a graduation trip to Europe with my family in a few weeks. Then in a moment, my glass went to completely empty. I completely ruptured my Achilles’ tendon as I took off over the second hurdle during the race. I crashed to the

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The key was just to start running. Once I started, I knew I was capable and the phrase, “just put one foot in front of the other” became my personal motto. My sense of determination, fostered by the way I was raised and the constant support of my coaches, and the sight of my teammates lined down the track cheering me along did the rest. After I crossed the finish line, several of my teammates jumped the fence to come sit by me, and while I was in extreme shock and sobbing, I was aware enough to realize that is probably the most grateful I have ever been in my life. I will never be able to describe the gratitude I felt for those teammates that were there beside

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me and the rest of my team who ran 200 meters along the fence to the finish line and stayed there until the medical cart drove me to the training room. After my subsequent repair surgery, I slowly felt my glass beginning to fill back up and be half full again. I was going to Europe, albeit on crutches. I had the support of thousands of strangers after the video of the race became an unexpected viral sensation. I had got to experience the thrill of being interviewed by ESPN and bringing national recognition to my university, and after two weeks I was no longer in as much pain. Then once again, life drained my glass real quickly. I fell stepping out of the shower and in a freak accident I re-tore my tendon, thus ending my chances of going to Europe and setting me up for yet another painful surgery.

However, with the prospect of a new type of surgical repair that quickened recovery time, the knowledge that life is what you make of it and that there was nothing I could do but accept the situation and move forward, I built myself back up. It hasn’t been easy, and even now as I write this more than eight weeks after the initial tear, I’m still in pain and struggle to walk. Some days it feels great and I can walk anywhere I please. Some days it hurts again and I’m back to sitting around and icing. It is days like those when I rely most on my friends and family to help keep my spirits up. But in the end, I know it will all be okay and with all the experiences I have had in life, and will soon have again, and all the wonderful people in my life, it is pretty hard for the glass to look anything but full. Shelby Erdahl, ’16

The first time my tendon tore, I did not feel the actual tear, just the numbness afterward. The second time, I felt an intense amount of pain, a tug and a pop. I instantly knew I had re-torn my tendon and the minutes that followed, I can say without a doubt, were the worst moments of my life and the only time I truly lost hope.

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Raise Your Voice

Nancy Buffington on learning to speak well

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In a second-floor office on Washington Street in Boise’s historic North End, Dr. Nancy Buffington coaches people on the art of public speaking. “I help people find their voices, and I help them tell their stories,” said Buffington, founder of Boise Speakwell, a boutique company whose client list includes corporate executives, entrepreneurs, lawyers and authors. Buffington’s own story began in Boise where she attended high school in the early 1980s. She enrolled in Idaho State University at age 16 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1986. Buffington went on to earn a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in American Literature from University of Arizona in Tucson. She’s served on the faculty of four universities, including Stanford where she taught writing and rhetoric for six years. Buffington launched Boise Speakwell in 2011 shortly after she moved back to Boise. Drawing on community resources to develop a business plan, Buffington coupled her expertise in writing and communication with her desire to help people manage their fear of public speaking.

Glossophobia A 2013 survey from the National Institute of Mental Health says 74 percent of the population has a fear of public speaking. A 2001 Gallup survey put the number at 41 percent with public speaking the second most common fear after the fear of snakes. Public speaking anxiety has a name—glossophobia from the Greek words for tongue and fear or dread.

Photo by Celia Southcombe Photography

Buffington’s goal is not to eliminate the jitters, nerves and anxiety that come with public speaking, but to help speakers push through that discomfort. It’s not about training them to deliver a speech with perfect inflection and diction—it’s about helping clients find their voice, rediscover the passion for what they do and tell their story in a compelling way. “A CEO, for example, has to articulate the vision for an entire company. If he or she can’t, the company will languish,” said Buffington, whose corporate clients have included Engineered Structures Inc., United Dairymen of Idaho, Hewlett-Packard and Simplot. She also coached speakers for TEDxBoise in 2015 and 2016.

Managing the fear Buffington admits public speaking once terrified her, but she worked through it –which helps her understand her clients’ own anxieties. “Public speaking is the ultimate exposure. It’s the ultimate experience of vulnerability because you are putting yourself on the line, exposing your mind and body at the same time,” said Buffington. But she believes all people can become effective public speakers through careful preparation of subject matter, playing to their individual strengths and learning to connect with an audience. “You have to be yourself. The power of communication is about connection with people and being real,” said Buffington, noting audiences are skeptical of the flawless, robotic and over-rehearsed performance. Buffington has written extensively about the art of public speaking, including a children’s book, “Ruby Lee and the Very Big Deal,” the story of a young girl who overcomes stage fright when asked to read an essay in front of her hometown. Buffington says the story resonates with both youngsters and adults. She and a colleague are currently writing a book for adults about the mind-body connection intrinsic to public speaking. Buffington measures success not only in the number of clients who seek her services, but in what they tell her after a public-speaking engagement. Her favorite response? “That was fun. I want to do it again,” said Buffington. Chris Gabettas

Public Speaking Tips from Dr. Nancy Buffington, founder of Boise Speakwell

• Prepare your presentation in advance and avoid making last minute changes. • Relax and clear your mind. Get a good night’s sleep, go for a walk or hit the gym. • Arrive at the venue early and establish an audience rapport before the presentation. If possible, walk around the audience and introduce yourself. • Remember, nerves and stomach butterflies are okay. They show you care. • Avoid caffeine and other stimulants before you speak. They can leave you feeling overly jittery and tense. • Don’t worry about being perfect. Just tell your story. For more information about Boise Speakwell, visit boisespeakwell.com.

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ISU Achievement Award Dr. Paul K. Link

Distinguished Alumnus Roger L. Akers A native of Blackfoot, Idaho, Akers was raised on a potato farm. Akers earned three degrees: Bachelor of Science degree in computer science; Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting; and Master of Business Administration degree. While pursuing his MBA at ISU, Akers worked at the Computer Center as an administrative programmer. Following graduation, he traveled in Europe, Eastern Europe and North Africa. He and another Idahoan started Prodata, Inc., and for 12 years developed consulting services, providing information technology consulting that grew to seven offices in the Western US. He sold Prodata, Inc. in 1996. In 1998, Akers started Akers Capital LLC, a venture-capital fund in emerging technologies and serves as the managing general partner. Akers and his family live in Fair Oaks, California.

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Link came to the ISU geology department in 1980. Since then he has taught classes at all levels from introductory to graduate courses. Link served as chair of the geology department from 1985-1993. He is the director of the Geology Summer Field Camp at Lost River Field Station in Challis. He co-authored “Rocks, Rails and Trails” about Pocatello and surrounding areas with the late Chilton Phoenix. Link has been recognized with the ISU Distinguished Public Service Award in 2002 and as an ISU Master Teacher in 2013. He is active in the Pocatello community as a member and former president of the Gate City Rotary Club, a member of the Idaho Civic Symphony Board and the Portneuf Greenway Board. He has served as chair of the Idaho Board of Professional Geologists.

ISU Distinguished Service Award Craig K. Joseph Originally from Liberta Village, Saint Paul, Antigua and Barbuda, Craig came to ISU on a football scholarship and has made ISU his home ever since. Joseph is married to Nicole Joseph and has two children. He currently serves as the assistant director of admissions as well as advisor to the ISU Ambassadors and the instructional and academic support representative on the ISU Staff Council. He previously served as a recruiter for ISU.

Joseph is actively involved in anything that promotes and supports ISU from advising to garnering support for ISU athletics. He has taken a leadership role in the establishment of The Block- a fan club for Bengal athletics composed of students and alumni and the establishment of Home Field Advantage, a group dedicated to providing the fan support that student-athletes need from the Bengal community and about participating in the competition as a fan rather than a spectator.

William J. Bartz Award Sen. Roy J. Lacey Lacey owned Roy’s Western Wear before selling it in 1996. He joined the Idaho Foodbank and spent more than 15 years as an administrator. He set up the Pocatello branch and then became Vice-President of Operations for the Idaho Foodbank. He stepped down from this position when he ran for and was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2010. Lacey served two years in the House before being elected to

the District 29 seat vacated by Sen. Edgar Malepeai. Lacey has been significant in his support of the University during his time in the Idaho Legislature, specifically with his leadership on the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. He has been a supporter of the University personally providing financial support for the I Love ISU scholarship campaign, the College of Arts & Letters and the College of Education.

President’s Medallion Peter C. Kole Kole, ’63, management and organization, is the president and owner of Paramount Metal Products, a business he started more than 35 years ago and continues to operate in Cleveland. He has been extraordinarily generous to Idaho State University supporting and endowing 14 separate scholarships in the Colleges of Business and Education and support for the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center. Additionally he has funded a large annual scholarship program for students from Kole’s home country of Albania as well as a prestigious graduate award for outstanding doctoral research. He has been honored by Idaho State University as Distinguished Alumnus, Professional Achievement Award recipient for the College of Business and in 2003 received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. He is also the Honorary Consul General for Albania.

President’s Medallion Kelly Rae While at ISU, Rae, ’82, was a member of the women’s softball team and was named most inspirational player in 1981. Rae was also on the dean’s list many times during her tenure at ISU. Rae also obtained a Masters of Public Administration from Nations University in 1990. She began her career as a Drug Enforcement Agency officer and spent more than 10 years in that field. She was the first female graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger Training Program at Fort Benning, Georgia. She and her partner created HabeRae Investments in 1998—a development company that purchases

run-down houses inside the urban core of Reno, Nevada and turns them into upgraded residences. HabeRae has renovated more than 50 properties and is now developing small urban lots, specializing in those that could utilize existing infrastructure and beautify blighted areas of downtown Reno. They have been recognized nationally and locally with many “green” and historic preservation awards.

President’s Medallion Arlo D. Luke Luke graduated from ISU in 1964 with his bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy. However, he never made the practice of pharmacy his vocation. He and Don Aslett co-founded Varsity Contractors, Inc.—a facilities services company—in 1957 as a way to put themselves through college, and after graduating, Luke decided to become a full-time businessman. Now, 36 years later, Luke serves as not only the co-founder but President and CEO of Varsity Contractors, Inc. The company is

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a nationwide success with more than 5,000 employees. In addition to being a successful businessman, Luke is the founder of Valley Pride, a civic beautification organization. He also serves in the Boy Scouts of America, and has made generous contributions to Pocatello and ISU. Luke serves on the ISU Foundation Board and currently is chairman of the board.

her lifelong volunteer service supporting her community, hospitals and education. In 1979, their family relocated to Pocatello to take over the family auto dealership. Price continued her volunteer service and was extremely active in PEO, Zonta, PRMC Medical Board and Foundation Board, United Way, Healthy Pocatello/Healthy Youth, Idaho State Civic Symphony board and served on the Grants Panel for the Idaho Community Foundation. Now living in Idaho Falls, Price serves on the Idaho Falls Symphony board and is chair of the Idaho Falls Arts Council.

Young Alumni Award Anntara Smith Smith, ’03 and ’14, currently serves as the clinical coordinator and assistant professor of physician assistant studies at ISU Meridian. As clinical coordinator, she places all PA students in their rotations for the last half of their education, securing rotation sites for major urban medical centers,

President’s Medallion Sharon Price As a non-traditional student, Price obtained her degree from Idaho State in 1986 and has never left the university. Following her graduation, she worked in the ISU Foundation office. As a volunteer she has served on the Alumni Board, the Centennial Celebration Planning Committee, team captain for several years for the I Love ISU Campaign and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Letters. Originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sharon married Park Price in 1969, living in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Detroit for Park’s work with General Motors. Sharon began

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rural clinics and community-based clinics throughout the nation. She is past president of the Idaho Association of Physician Assistants. Her involvement and leadership with the IAPA has been evidenced by helping to coordinate Medicaid reimbursement for PA’s as parts of Medicaid services. She has been actively involved in taking this program and services into the Meridian and Boise communities with her students and their projects, research and training. In addition to her academic responsibilities, Smith has served on the ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a generous supporter of academics and alumni activities.

Parade Marshal 1981 National Championship Football Team Nine of the members of this team and three of their coaches have been inducted into the ISU Sports Hall of Fame: Dave Kragthorpe; Jim Koetter; Mike Machurek; Case deBruijn; Rod Childs; Brent Koetter; Marvin Lewis; Arnie Bagley; Lem Galeai; Jim Lane; Greg Smith; Bill Snapp; and Warren Whitaker. In 1980-81, the community of Pocatello was football crazed, due to the unprecedented success of Coach Kragthorpe, his coaches and the team. 2016 marks the 35th anniversary of their winning the National Championship.