Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
ON THE COVER:
Menstrual equity and destigmatizing periods is a pressing concern in Idaho and across the nation.
Dr. Marlene Tromp delivered her State of the University address at ExtraMile Arena on Aug. 14, recognizing the university’s achievements as the institution enters its 50th year of officially becoming a university in Idaho.
Tromp’s speech focused on the growth of the university since she became the first female President at Boise State University in 2019.
“When Boise State sets a goal, we achieve it,” Tromp said. “When Boise State strives to serve students better, we accomplish, and that’s changing people’s lives.”
One of Tromp’s biggest goals is to improve educational access for students through the strategic enrollment and retention plan (SERP). SERP is designed to decrease equity gaps and increase the student population for certain demographics such as first-generation college students, pell-grant eligible students, rural students and Latinx students.
Tromp recognized the school’s 39% increase in four-year graduation rate in the last five years, with almost 25,000 students having graduated.
“Think of the impact that makes on this state, on this region, on the world that we’ve sent that many students out into the world to take their talents and to make their impact,” Tromp said. “So we’re churning students out with those talents magnified into the world. That’s real change, that’s real impact.”
According to Tromp, Boise State now has the highest retention rate in Idaho, producing more college graduates than all other Idaho public institutions combined. This year, Boise State student athletes achieved an on time graduation rate of
94% and also a 3.42 cumulative GPA, the highest in athletics history. According to Tromp, Boise State is in the top 5% of NCAA Division I programs regarding student athlete academic performance.
Tromp also touched on the philanthropic success Boise State has had within the last few years. Since October 2023, Boise State has raised over $346 million through their Unbridled campaign. The money raised goes towards endowed scholarships, which are funded by the University’s Foundation program to provide ongoing support for students. The donations are planned to improve athletic facilities such as the North End Zone Project and Boise State’s Relentless Faculty Innovation, a program at Boise State that promotes research and student-centered learning through innovative approaches.
“My goal in this comprehensive campaign is that no Idaho student will have unmet financial needs at Boise State,” Tromp said. “So that finances are not a barrier for an Idaho student coming to Boise State.”
In 2024, Boise State received over $61 million, the third consecutive record-breaking year for philanthropic support with the support of their 28,146 individual donors.
Boise State is only six more doctorate research graduates away from becoming a “R1 university,” a term used by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to classify a school based on their high levels of research activity. There are 146 R1 universities in the United States.
Boise State has also created educational opportunities for international students, renewing their “2+2” academic partner-
ship with the National Economics University (NEU), which was discontinued in 2020 because of COVID.
The program allows Vietnamese business students to earn their bachelor’s degree. The program was designed to allow students to attend National Economics University in Hanoi, Vietnam for two years to receive their pre-business certificates. After two years, students in the program then transfer to Boise State for an additional two years of education to complete their bachelor’s degree.
Tromp also emphasized plans to expand educational opportunities for students.
Boise State’s College of Innovation and Design is adding a certificate for Artificial Intelligence starting Spring 2025. The new certificate is geared towards assisting students to learn more about the function of AI.
“There’s so many ways that AI can change the world around us for the better, but we have to understand the tool,” Tromp said.
Tromp concluded her speech praising researchers and faculty in attendance for their work over the years at Boise State.
“When you think about all of the accomplishments that I have just discussed in these five years, you have changed this university,” Tromp said. “You have changed people’s lives, and you’ve changed our state for the better. I want to thank you for all the incredible work that you’ve done.”
From a junior college to a state university, Boise State has made leaps and bounds through the ranks, becoming one of the most highly touted universities in Idaho.
Photo of BSU President Dr. Marlene Tromp speaking at the State of the Union. Photo courtesy of Boise State University
Idaho libraries could face consequences for providing minors with LGBTQ+ books
House Bill 710 prompts libraries to spend resources on establishing new structures and providing education
House Bill 710 went into effect in Idaho on July 1, and libraries can now be fined $250 or face potential lawsuits for providing a minor with material that features “sexual conduct”. “Sexual conduct” is defined as “any act of masturbation, homosexuality, sexual intercourse or physical contact with a person’s clothed or unclothed genitals…”
How Boise Public Library has adapted in response to House Bill 710
Jessica Dorr, Director of Boise Public Library, described the process of making shifts in response to the bill, while also staying true to the culture and current policies the library has in place.
Dorr explained that there are five members on the board of trustees, Nicole Trammel Pantera, Rebecca Lemmons,
Reshma Kamal, Brian Klene and Ron Pisaneschi, who have the responsibility of setting library policy. In reference to House Bill 710, Dorr shared the criteria board members wanted staff to consider.
“They [the board] wanted to make sure that we were looking at all laws that apply to libraries, not just this one — there’s a framework for how libraries select materials, and they wanted us to be really aware of all the legislation that applies to libraries,” Dorr said. “They asked us to be really transparent with the public. What are the issues that are here? … They also asked us really, to make sure that we’re protecting the First Amendment right to freedom of expression and right to read and the real core values of the Boise Public Library.”
With those values in mind, Dorr and other staff created a new policy to address
potential requests for reconsideration.
“If you go to the Board of Trustees website, we have a whole new section of our website where you can actually see the law, what was passed in our new policy,” Dorr said. “You can also see that we’ve had one request so far …and how we handle those new requests after July 1.”
While Dorr and her team may have found ways to address new criteria and educate on policy, Boise Public Library and Board of Trustee members opposed House Bill 710 due to a belief that the library does not possess any content that is harmful to minors.
“We heard so much from our community about how they expect us to have diverse materials, they expect us to have materials that will reflect all the people and viewpoints of Boise,” Dorr said. “We have really wanted to reassure the public that we truly believe we are compliant with the new legislation and we have not created an adults-only space. We haven’t removed any books, and we haven’t limited access to people of all ages.”
Dorr highlighted that while the legislation may have changed, Boise Public Library’s values have not.
“It’s unfortunate that the library is having to put attention and resources to potentially defending ourselves in lawsuits that I think are unnecessary,” Dorr said. “At the end of the day, our core mission really is to serve everyone in Boise, and those values are truly important to me, to providing access and opportunity for everyone.”
How House Bill 710 effects higher education
Stephanie Bailey-White, a state librarian and member of the Idaho Commission for Libraries shared via email that she has witnessed conversations surrounding concurrent enrollment or other situations that may complicate the age restriction.
“I attended a meeting with several academic library deans this week and
most have consulted with legal counsel who agree that the law focuses on K-12 school libraries and none are excluding dual credit or college students who are minors from accessing their collections,” Bailey-White said in an email to The Arbiter. “Many already have reconsideration policies or avenues to handle complaints about materials and some have provided additional information about library resources for parents of dual credit students on the forms they typically receive.”
Isabella Burgess, a co-chair for the Idaho Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, noted that not all libraries are adapting to the new legislation in the same way.
“What we’ve seen is some libraries that are smaller and have smaller budgets have just complied with the bill and made that adults-only section,” Burgess said. “That adults-only section is where we have the concern about censorship. Some of the larger libraries in Idaho, like Boise Public and Meridian … what they’ve done is just change their request for reconsideration forms and their process of how things are reconsidered.”
Burgess explained that she believes the definition of what is considered homosexuality within the bill’s contents is vague and difficult to discern.
“This definition of homosexuality is so vague that so much can be censored,” Burgess said. “Does a hug count between two same-sex people? Does kissing? Where do you draw the line? Another concern for misuse of the bill in court. It very clearly leaves room for censorship based on sexual identity.”
House Bill 710 was enacted in early July and libraries and staff have experienced its effects firsthand. Literature-based legislation is and continues to be a major point of political debate causing a wave of new policies that libraries have to spend time and resources implementing or adapting to.
Image of Boise Library.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
Air quality concerns: How Boise’s community is being affected by local wildfires
Understanding the climate and health detriments of wildfire season in the Treasure Valley
ince mid-July, the scent of wildfire smoke has become pervasive for Boiseans.
Michael Toole, Regional Airshed Coordinator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Health, says the Treasure Valley area has been impacted by the proximity of wildfires located near the Paddock Reservoir and in eastern Oregon.
“They [fires in eastern Oregon] were burning a lot of acreage and were really active and that smoke was just right upwind from us,” Toole said. “It just came down right through the [Treasure] Valley, so we saw increased impacts.”
The Paddock Fire, which started on Aug. 5 from a lightning strike, has burned over 187,000 acres, reaching northeastern counties of Idaho and parts of Washington.
Additionally, the air quality in Boise was impacted by the Park Fire located in northern California.
“That smoke was being produced at a rapid pace,” Toole said. “It just blew right through the Treasure Valley. we saw pretty high levels [of smoke].”
Over the last couple weeks, air qual -
ity levels in Boise have fluctuated from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Toole acknowledged the productive conversations he’s had with locals who’ve called in to ask questions and credits school districts in the Treasure Valley for taking initiative regarding wildfires and air quality.
“They’re more knowledgeable now, people expect wildfire smoke, so you kind of become dull to it,” Toole said. “ [There’s been] a lot of positive feedback from school districts. School districts have been very proactive in establishing their own criteria for how to handle wildfire smoke at different levels.”
The West Ada School District monitors their activity for sports and children’s outdoor activities based on the miles of visibility during a wildfire smoke event.
If there’s 1.5 to 3 miles of visibility, this is categorized as unhealthy, which restricts children from outdoor activities as well as athletic practices and games are moved indoors.
On Aug. 14, Boise State Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Dr.
Mojtaba Sadegh delivered an online lecture by St. Luke’s on the health and societal impacts of wildfires. Sadegh addressed certain groups as “highly vulnerable”, which factors in from income, minority status, type of housing and location.
According to Sadegh, these factors play a role in wildfire impact, as those in lower income communities have a lower adaptation capacity, which refers to one’s ability to respond in the event of an evacuation order.
Sadegh mentioned the impact climate change has had on wildfires in the United States.
“We know across the United States, since the beginning of the 20th century, annual average temperatures [have] increased by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit,” Sadegh said.
Dr. Alex Rabin, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine for the University of Medicine explained in the lecture the dangers of inhaling wildfire smoke due to its complex mix of harmful chemicals which contain pollutants from burning structures and vehicles.
Rabin added that the dangers of long exposure to wildfire smoke could lead to respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In 2024, more than 6 million acres across the United States have burned due to wildfires.
Dr. Eric Sims, an emergency physician at St. Luke’s, says that the particular matter called PM 2.5, poses a threat to people’s health due to its miniscule size of 2.5 microns in diameter.
“The trouble is it gets past the nasopharynx, and then it gets all the way down to the tiniest part of your lungs, and can even cross into the bloodstream,” Sims said. “Down in those tiniest parts of your airways, it causes
persistent inflammation that triggers part of your immune system to activate and deplete your body of that immune fighting ability.”
Sims added that elderly and homeless populations have been affected the most by the wildfire smoke. Boise hospitals have seen an increase in visits since the wildfires.
“Homeless populations are people that don’t have access to clean air in their homes,” Sims said. “So people who don’t have well ventilated, well sealed homes, people that live around wildfires [are impacted more].”
Sims recommends that locals check out the air quality index (AQI) app as a tool to discover what the different risk qualities are each day.
According to Sims, multiple studies that focused on wildfire last year found that college students are more likely to be depressed when the wildfires worsen due to the limitations on being able to go outside.
Sims also touched on the impacts wildfires have on children’s mental health due to the excessive exposure to high amounts of PM 2.5 throughout the day.
“Kids that were exposed to higher concentration of PM 2.5 in schools had a hard time paying attention in class, test scores were lower during times of severe wildfire smoke and degraded air quality,” Sims said.
With other regions being impacted by wildfires, Sims emphasized that this crisis needs to be taken seriously by the rest of the world.
“This is a global problem, and we need to start thinking about how we’re going to work together to reduce this global problem [that’s] happening year on year,” Sims said. “So that we can get back into doing things with fun in the summertime.”
Image of Downtown Boise during the Wildfires. Courtesy of Idaho Statesmen
Idaho grassroot organizations host rally for affordable solar power
Idaho Chapter Sierra Club calls for Idaho utilities to “move forward” in providing affordable solar power
On a smoky Saturday morning, approximately 100 people gathered on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol building to join in on the first “Solar For The People Rally” hosted by the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club on Aug. 17.
The rally advocated for affordable solar power for all Idahoans. Idaho Chapter Sierra Club Director Lisa Young criticized state utilities and leaders for “adding barriers” for low-income residents while praising the federal government for their financial efforts to support clean energy and accessible solar power through the Solar for All program.
“Our nation is moving forward, but Idaho utilities and regulators are trying
to move us backwards,” Young said in her speech.
In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Idaho over $56 million to fund solar power for low-income households. According to Young, 17,000 Idahoans received $43 million in tax credits by installing solar upgrades on their homes.
However, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) approved a proposal from Idaho Power that reduces reimbursement rates for solar owners and introduced a new service charge that increases in price from $5 to $10 in 2024 and $15 in 2025 for all residential customers.
“We’re asking utilities to make those changes, stop making the bad changes, make some good changes,” Young
said in an interview with The Arbiter. “[We’re] asking local leaders in city government to embrace these new federal funds that are coming in right now.”
The rally also included 13 other speakers from various environmental and social organizations as well as individual solar owners.
Jeremy Brunson, an urban solar power owner from Meridian, expressed his frustration with Idaho Power after receiving his first bill after installing his solar panels following the changes in cost.
“They’re [Idaho Power] doing whatever they can to squeeze whatever they can get for their profits,” Brunson said. “Honestly, we should all be on the same page, It shouldn’t be us versus them.”
During a brief intermission between speakers, Young led the crowd in chants: “people power, solar power,” and “climate justice is what we need, no billionaires and corporate greed.” Supporters of the rally performed a political skit lasting around four and half minutes. In the skit, an environmentalist in a white dress and gold crown, depicting the sun, was surrounded by a group of people holding up solar panel signs. Three activists in suits, representing the governor, legislature and public utilities commission, led by Brunson wearing a Darth Vader mask in all black clothing, representing the “lord utility monopoly”. They walked down the Idaho Capitol steps, removing the solar panels away from the sun. The skit concluded with the solar-powered allies defeating the “monopoly utility men”, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Shari Baber, founder of the organization Brown Like Me and President of Boise Parks and Recreation Commission, closed out the rally by empha -
sizing the importance of making solar power affordable for low-income Idaho citizens.
“I’ve had parents come to me and say ‘I had to choose between buying groceries and paying my electricity bill,’” Baber said in her speech.
Baber, a candidate running for House of Representatives, District 15, aspires for Idaho to be a more inclusive community.
“I want black and brown kids to know that they don’t have to leave Idaho to find a community that supports them,” Baber said in an interview with The Arbiter. “I have children and all my children, when they turned 18, got out of [Idaho]. I’m a black mom that tried to tap them into [this community] but they still didn’t feel like this community represented them.”
Another speaker, Anise Welty, a 16-year-old junior at Borah High School and a member of the Idaho Climate Justice League, strives to spread awareness about climate change and believes that the protection of wildlife should be one of Idaho’s main priorities.
“I’m hoping that Idaho can work together to be an energy clean state,” Welty said. “I hope that Idaho can become a leader in protecting our wild places outdoors that are being harmed so extremely by climate change. I believe that Idaho should be on the forefront of protecting our wildplaces as we are such a nature oriented state.” Welty says that the youth-led league is working on meeting with the city to develop community solar projects in Boise.
Young praised the Idaho Climate Justice League for their efforts over the last few years through public protests and writing letters to the Idaho Power and the City of Boise advocating for clean energy.
Photo of the Solar Rally at the Capital.
Photo By Spencer Rentfro
OPINION
Golden Goose shoe brand sparks debate over the distressing fad
in fashion
Historically,
have
obsessed with glamorizing poverty, and Golden Goose is no exception
Golden Goose is a luxury shoe brand known for its wornin grunge-style sneakers.
Ranging from around $500 to $900, the brand boasts that they pride themselves on creating products “that are lived in, distressed, touched with life.” A lovely sentiment when you have $500 to spend on a pair of shoes, but when using duct tape to keep your shoes together is a necessity, it’s far less glamorous.
CNN discussed a tweet posted by comedian Christine Sydelko who wrote, “There are people in the world wearing plastic bags as shoes because they can’t afford any but these HIDEOUS things are selling for $500.”
Instead of promoting sustainable shopping and buying clothing second-hand, these luxury clothing brands cut out the middleman and allow the rich to acquire that “worn in” look immediately. These brands are ignoring the fact that, as with ripped jeans, this fashion craze will slowly phase out, leaving piles of these shoes in landfills or thrift stores when they won’t be considered “cool” anymore.
The essence of this fashion phenomenon is that wealthy individuals have a choice. They can choose to cosplay a “grunge” look one day or wear a pristine Versace shirt the next. For those living in poverty, they don’t have that luxury. It’s cool for Taylor Swift to wear scuffed-up shoes and a beat-up jacket, but if someone wore that for a job interview because they had to, they could get turned away. At its core, this internet debate is really about the issue of luxury fashion in general. Having some individuals spend upwards of $700 on a pair of beat-up shoes while so many individuals don’t even have access to shoes at all doesn’t make sense.
Even rising stars Chappell Roan and Noah Kahan have leaned into the effortless laid-back aesthetic when not performing. A tweet featuring Roan in a simple black tank top, oversized sunglasses and a messy bun and Kahan in a tie-dye tee and ball cap has been circulating the internet with the caption: “I love how Chappell Roan and Noah Kahan are two of the absolute biggest powerhouses in music right now but also look like they live together in a 2006 Subaru Outback.”
While this tweet may have been posted all in good fun, it highlights this double standard regarding fashion and wealth. We “love it” when stars embrace this grunge americana aesthetic, but turn up our noses at it when it is simply the only option.
Anne Hamby, associate professor of marketing with a specialization in consumer psychology, explained that the phenomenon of the rich emulating the poor is nothing new. In fact, there’s even a term for it: the status float effect.
“It’s not surprising that the trickle-down effect happens, what upper-class people do gets emulated by middle class and lower class,” Hamby said. “The status float effect is kind of counterintuitive and this is documented in the context of, denim and sneaker culture, certain types of music, even lobster.”
Another major draw that companies like Golden Goose present is their coolness factor. The “too chill to care” sort of attitude that is especially prominent within celebrity culture.
“There’s the psychology of what is cool — and unsurprisingly, nonchalance is cool,” Hamby said. “There’s a lot of research showing that being emotionally inexpressive is considered cool … Caring
too much about things is not cool — in this vein, having some of this distressed fashion embodies nonchalance.”
Hamby explained that in many ways a trend is a response to something else within pop culture or a challenge of the norm.
“It’s related a little bit to optimal distinctiveness and rebel culture,” Hamby said. “Anytime there are prevailing norms where the mainstream is very buttoned down and polished and very quaffed, then anytime you have something that’s a little bit counter-cultural, a little bit more ragged that then is perceived as cool — so bucking norms and social trends.”
While Golden Goose may have succeeded in becoming a talking point within the fashion community, Hamby doesn’t believe that similar brands will see that same level of success.
“Anytime something that was counterculture becomes mainstream, then of
course it’s mainstream, and no one wants to do it anymore — signal their distinctiveness,” Hamby said. “I think Golden Goose kind of nailed it in the sense that they’ve got a lot of high-visibility celebrities … I think that they were probably an exception, and there probably won’t be a lot of, like, copycat brands that are able to pull this off.”
While it’s anyone’s guess whether Golden Goose’ torn-up tennis shoes and horrendous high tops will be a one-off fashion trend, something we chalk up to the ludicrousy of the upper class, it does reveal that pulling from the lower class’ “aesthetic” while simultaneously highlighting one’s wealth is a very real phenomenon. A desperate attempt to establish relatability, coolness or a conscious or unconscious desire to illustrate one’s social status could all be driving forces in the creation and embracement of luxury brands like Golden Goose.
Graphic of Golden Goose Sneakers.
Graphic by Kelsey Mason
You’re not unmotivated — Your screen time is just nine hours
My screen time isn’t a cute or funny little topic I joke about with my friends anymore — it is, at times, debilitating. I’ve had a widget on my phone screen for a while now that lets me know how many hours I’ve spent on my phone that day and let’s just say … It’s humbling.
Even on the days when I try to be good about not going on my phone, I still rack up anywhere from three to five hours, and I’m not alone — an Instagram poll posted from The Arbiter account found that 80% of voters believe that their amount of screen time negatively affects them. What was I even doing on it for those five hours? Sure, sometimes it logs when I play music and leave my phone unlocked accidentally, or do something for work, but a lot of that time is spent doomscrolling on Instagram or TikTok. So, I put on some guardrails.
“One Sec” is an app that you can apply to any social media (or other addictive apps) that forces you to take a breath and decide if you really want to open that social media. It also lets you know how many times you’ve opened that app on a given day. The results are sobering and more often than not I find myself choosing the “I don’t want to open fill in the blank app” option.
The creator of One Sec, Frederik Riedel, shared via email that his initial inspiration for the app stemmed from the long days of lockdown in 2020.
“During the first COVID lockdown in 2020 in Germany, I was spending way too much time on Instagram,” Riedel said. “I didn’t want to delete Instagram completely because I still think it’s a useful tool, but I still wanted to significantly decrease my time spent [on it].”
Rather than eliminating the app entirely, Riedel created “One Sec” to give the user agency over using the app — rather than opening it as second nature.
“I noticed that I was using the app mindlessly a lot,” Riedel said. “To help me eliminate these mindless scroll sessions I invented One Sec: An app that forces you to take a deep breath before you can open social media. This small break helps to realize what’s going on and allowed my brain to make an intentional decision.”
Riedel shared that he believes apps similar to One Sec that aim to limit screen time will continue to be created in the future.
“I think social media over-consumption is a very big problem right now,” Riedel said. “Solving this problem with yet another app might seem ridiculous at first, but we have shown in multiple scientific studies that One Sec is actually very effective.”
Outrageously high screen time and doom scrolling are not new concepts — Sydney Boutros, a Behavioral Neuroscientist at Boise State, discussed the concept of the reward and motivation that gets people stuck scrolling in the first place.
“Everything in life, whatever we do, is rewarding, that’s why we do it — it’s really hardwired into our brain to seek out rewarding things,” Boutros said. “Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in our brain that send signals, and that’s what creates feelings of happiness or feelings of attention or reward and dopamine. A lot of people think that it is happiness, but dopamine is motivation and reward.”
Boutros explained that the human brain is excellent at identifying patterns of rewards and seeking out cues that we associate with a hit of dopamine — such as receiving a notification on your phone. That addictive burst of dopamine is something Slate Fragoso, a sophomore majoring in psychology at Boise State, intentionally seeks to minimize through which apps he engages with.
While Fragoso described his attempts to supplement his phone usage with reading and other activities, he answered definitively that his screen time takes away
from his overall productivity.
“Oh yeah, for sure. Like, right now I’m watching YouTube,” Fragoso said, gesturing to the phone in his hand. “I think YouTube is a lot better than TikTok and stuff with just the amount of dopamine you receive.”
On average, Fragoso stated he spends around five hours on his phone each day. Fragoso shared that those five hours are typically spent on various social media, particularly Snapchat, or music streaming platforms like Spotify. During finals week, he locks himself out of his phone and has utilized “Opal” — an app similar to “One
Sec” that aims to minimize a user’s overall screen time.
At the end of the day, we’re all humans attempting to grapple with one of the most addictive vices on the planet. Social media and other apps have been designed to grab our attention and keep it, so beating yourself up over spending a day scrolling isn’t productive or fair. All we can do is attempt to implement healthy habits in our lives that steer us away from our devices and push us to experience life firsthand — not with a phone in front of our noses.
Illustration of a woman scrolling through her phone. Illustration by Sydney Smith
Breaking the cycle: The fight for menstrual equity
In a world where many people with periods cannot access necessary resources and education, advocates for menstrual equity are fighting for equal access.
Ella Van Leuven | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Pads, tampons, menstrual cups and other period products are a necessity for people who menstruate — and one that many people around the world are not able to afford. As many menstruators struggle to afford the hygiene products they need every month, activists and policymakers today are working towards achieving menstrual equity. Understanding period poverty
Menstrual equity refers to the idea that everyone with a period needs reliable access to menstrual products and reproductive education. Due to gaps in menstrual equity, many people across the globe experience period poverty, or the inability to afford necessary menstrual products.
Some of these issues stem from the economic impact of menstrual products on the average consumer. Pads, tampons, menstrual cups and other products can be a significant burden for people with periods. The National Organization for Women estimates that the average person spends around $20 on menstrual products for each cycle, and since most menstruators have their period for about 40 years of their life, this can easily become a long-term financial hardship.
Period poverty affects a larger percentage of the population than many people might assume. A survey conducted by U by Kotex in 2021 found that at least 2 in 5 people with a period struggle to afford menstrual products at some point in their lives. Students, including those at Boise State University, are a massive demographic affected by period poverty. Due to economic constraints and limited resources, many students find it difficult to afford or access necessary items. In a survey conducted by The
Arbiter, 49% of student respondents reported having struggled at some point to afford menstrual products.
A variety of consequences can arise from a lack of access to necessary menstrual products, including to psychological and physical health. Individuals may experience stress, anxiety and feelings of shame due to the constant worry of managing their periods without sufficient supplies. The stigma associated with periods in many cultures only adds to the negative mental health effects of period poverty, making it harder for people in need of resources to speak up.
A lack of access to period products also has physical health consequences, especially when pads, tampons, or menstrual cups are used longer than they are meant to be. If they are not changed frequently enough, the prolonged use of these products can lead to toxic shock syndrome, infections and other health problems.
In addition to these issues, period poverty can make it challenging for people to complete their day-to-day responsibilities, such as at work and school. A study from Thinx and PERIOD found that 38% of responding students experienced difficulty completing their homework because of a lack of period products. Period poverty doesn’t just affect the quality of work, attending school or work at all can be a challenge for those experiencing period poverty.
Lisa McClain, a Gender Studies professor and former faculty advisor for Boise State’s Menstrual Equity Club, discussed how period poverty affects a student’s ability to participate in their education.
“One recent study found 1 in 4 high school students are reporting miss -
| Grahics
by Naomi Brown
ing classes, and then among college students, it's 1 in 10,” McClain said. “This means they're missing classes, on a fairly regular basis, because they don't have the feminine hygiene products that would allow them to stay in the classrooms. That means they fall behind, they don't have as much information, they're not having as strong an opportunity to succeed as some other students, and that's an inequity.”
McClain went on to discuss how these issues also affect people in the workforce.
“Many people report that they have missed work because they don't have access to menstrual hygiene products,” McClain said. “That means they lose wages, and that means whatever business they work for loses the productivity of that worker. For the worker, it exacerbates a cycle of poverty in many situations, and for the companies, they're not as productive as they might otherwise be.”
When people cannot access the hygiene products they need, major challenges arise. Period poverty poses a variety of problems to affected communities, including negative effects on mental health, risks to physical health and issues completing day-today responsibilities. In a society where obtaining these necessary products can be so difficult, menstrual equity has become a major topic of debate in political spheres, education and elsewhere.
“Tampon Tim” and menstrual equity in the U.S. today
Tim Walz — or “Tampon Tim” as conservative critics and news outlets have dubbed him — is a major name in current political discourse surrounding menstrual equity. The Minnesota Governor and new Democratic
Vice-Presidential candidate signed HF 2497, a 2023 Minnesota law mandating that menstrual products be made available at no cost to “all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12”, a policy garnering both praise and criticism.
Supporters of Walz, primarily from the Democratic Party, argue that the law is a major step forward in addressing period poverty. They believe that policies such as Walz’s are essential for ensuring menstrual equity, reducing absenteeism among students and promoting public health. Advocates for Walz view his policies as a progressive measure that addresses a fundamental need for students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds.
On the other hand, Walz and his policies have been criticized, largely by members of the Republican party. Some critics said the Minnesota law is an unnecessary government expenditure and an overreach into local school budgets, but a great portion of the criticism of Walz from the right involves concerns surrounding gender ideology.
Several critics from the right believe that supplying menstrual products in
all bathrooms blurs traditional gender roles and norms. For some conservatives, the idea that boys’ bathrooms should contain menstrual products is seen as an attempt to normalize the concept that gender is fluid, rather than fixed and biologically determined.
Advocates for the policy say these conversations ignore the presence of trans and nonbinary students in schools, and often misrepresent the situation, as McClain describes.
“Experts who have looked at the Minnesota schools say, in almost all situations, they're just putting them in the girls' bathroom and in any gender-inclusive bathrooms,” McClain said. “They also say that schools have some flexibility on how best to implement the policy. So perhaps if you have transgender students or gender non-binary students, they don't have to put the dispensers in the boys' bathrooms. They can put them in gender-inclusive bathrooms or in a staff bathroom or a nurse's bathroom that the student has regular access to.”
Other states, including Oregon and Utah, have also passed bills regarding the provision of menstrual products in schools. Oregon’s HB 3294 or the “Menstrual Dignity Act” of 2021 requires that public schools provide free menstrual products to students. Similarly, Utah’s HB 162 of 2022 mandates that local school boards and charter schools must supply free menstrual products in unisex and female restrooms in all public schools.
Several states have individually passed bills surrounding other menstrual equity issues. For instance, Mississippi’s HB 196 or the “Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act” of 2021 includes a requirement that incarcerated women be supplied with necessary personal hygiene products. Mississippi is one of the 25 states with legislation mandating that women in correctional facilities be provided with menstrual products.
On a national level, introduced bill H.R. 3634, also known as the “Menstrual Equity for All Act” of 2023, would expand access to menstrual products through federal programs, including Medicaid and grants, and requires their availability in correction -
al facilities, public federal buildings and workplaces with over 100 employees. It also would prohibit states and localities from imposing taxes on menstrual products, although existing state taxes may remain until individually repealed.
Challenges menstruators face in Idaho
While legislation promoting menstrual equity exists across the country, period poverty is still a prevalent issue, including in Idaho. People with periods face a variety of challenges including economic hardships and harmful stigmas surrounding menstruation. The only legislation in Idaho surrounding menstrual equity — H.B. 313 requiring free menstrual products in female restrooms in public schools — was rejected in 2023 on the basis of being too “liberal” and “woke”. In addition to a lack of legislation promoting menstrual equity, many Idaho residents face economic challenges that contribute to period poverty. Boise Period Project, an Idaho non-profit dedicated to fighting period poverty and distributing free products across the Treasure Valley, reports that “1 in 7 Idaho menstruators live below the Federal Poverty Line.” Mallori Bjerke, executive director of the organization, discussed why menstrual equity is such a pressing issue in Idaho.
“There is a lot of negative stigma around periods and in conser vative states like Idaho, menstruators face chal lenges even being able to bring up periods in an attempt to gain infor mation and learn,” Bjerke said. “We also have govern ment officials in Idaho who shoot down legislation like providing free menstrual prod ucts in schools to students because it's 'too woke', furthering the rhetoric that periods are just something that we aren't supposed to talk about. I think
menstruators in Idaho and other states like it deal with more shame when experiencing period poverty because the access to information and resources is so minimal.”
In conservative states like Idaho, menstruators face difficulties discussing periods to seek information. This lack of support and resources contributes to increased shame for menstruators experiencing period poverty. People with periods in Idaho and around the world are facing a distinct lack of resources and education, furthering the effects of period poverty.
Outcomes of menstrual equity
Providing free menstrual products yields a variety of benefits across various aspects of society. Improved educational outcomes are some of the most immediate advantages, as students with reliable access to these products would be less likely to miss school due to period-related issues. This would lead to better academic performance and more equitable educational opportunities, especially for those from low-income backgrounds.
In the long term, economic and health benefits also emerge. By
Additionally, ensuring that menstruators have access to clean and safe products decreases the risk of health complications such as infections and toxic shock syndrome, promoting overall public health.
Another benefit is reducing stigma and promoting menstrual health awareness. When menstrual products are made readily available and discussions about menstruation are normalized in public spaces, it helps break down the stigma surrounding periods. This can lead to more open conversations about menstrual health and a better understanding of reproductive health issues.
McClain concluded by discussing the power that reducing stigma has on the fight for menstrual equity.
“Having these conversations about menstrual health is a game changer, because for thousands of years, menstruation has been stigmatized. It was considered in many cultures to be dirty, polluting. People who were menstruating were expected to isolate themselves away from the rest of the society. I’ve heard phrases like ‘it’s disgusting’. It's a natural biological
CULTURE
Emily Gordon and Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Editor and Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” is a historically rich theater performance with a dense and complicated history. The play is notoriously difficult to attain rights for due to Beckett’s copyright agreements and stipulations, yet local performers at The Boise Hive created a fresh take on the historic play. Drake Shannon, the director of this rendition of “Waiting for Godot” is aiming to target the tough and stigmatized realm of men’s mental health within this play, accompanied by actors Maxim Dambrin (Estragon), Sean Brosnan (Vladimir), Ethan Emmons (The Boy), Tom Velasco (Pozzo) and Tucker Maile (Lucky).
“Waiting for Godot” strays from traditional theatrical performances, the play follows Vladimir and Estragon as they wait for the titular “Godot”. As they wait, Vladimir and Estragon engage in a variety of discussions and encounters as they continue to wait for the absent Godot.
The play only has five characters throughout the entire performance. Estragon and Vladimir are the leading characters and take up the most space. It is in these moments where the characters delve into the realm of mental health.
“We’ve heightened the suffering in it. And I think if there was ever a time to heighten and shine a light on the suffering, especially the way men deal with
suffering, it would be now…” said Brosnan. “It’s very hard to tell your friend how you feel, it’s very hard for men to reach out and say, ‘I’m hurting’ or ‘I’m suffering’ and yet at the same time, we desperately need to.”
While the play focuses on Estragon and Vladimir simply waiting, there is much to be felt within the characters and their interactions. The waiting of these characters allows for intense and dramatic dialogue, allowing viewers to take a look at something rare: men seeking vulnerability.
“I think it’s going to allow men to see that it’s alright to get uncomfortable,” said Brosnan. “And that you can still be tough and cry. Boys don’t cry, men do.”
While the show bares no specific plot line besides waiting for Godot, the ambiguity of the performance holds space for new beliefs and interpretations.
“We are letting the audience make up what they think about it [the play],” said Dambrin. “Life is really what happens while waiting … dialogue is the action in this play.”
The cast of this play is taking new directions regarding this play in many ways, one of which being the importance of physical and facial movement to further highlight the nuances within their dialogue, furthering the discretion they share regarding the men’s mental health aspect.
“There’s just a lot of talk. So what we’ve done is we see action and we see visceral movement and we see nuance in almost every line,” said Shannon. “So the way to make that rich for the audience is to draw that out on that character’s faces.”
“Waiting for Godot” is truly a unique experience, Beckett created this piece with genuine ambiguity and all viewers can derive their own vision of what their “Godot” is.
“There’s so many different ways that you can view it and that’s what’s so beautiful,” said Emmons. “I think that says so much about life, and I think this play encompasses so much within life.”
The play can be seen at The Boise Hive Aug. 20 - 25. It is not often this play comes to life, see it while it is here.
You can watch “Waiting for Godot” Aug. 20 - 25 at Boise State University’s Special Events Center. It is not often a play of this nature comes to life, so be sure to see it while it is here.
Photo of actors in the play Waiting for Godot.
Photo courtesy of Drake Shannon
Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter does it again with her album ‘Short n’ Sweet’
Confident, sensual and honest — Sabrina Carpenter sums up girlhood on new album
Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
It’s no secret Sabrina Carpenter has what it takes to stay in the spotlight. Along with maintaining a prolific acting career, Carpenter signed a record deal with Hollywood Records at age fourteen. With the label, she released four studio albums, featuring charting tracks including “Why”, “Sue Me” and “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying”.
In 2021, Carpenter made the choice to switch labels, signing to Island Records in order to gain more creative control of her work.
The release of “emails i can’t send” set Sabrina Carpenter’s career apart from other pop artists and her past achievements. The album contained countless more viral moments, including “Nonsense” and “Feather”, which trended exponentially after Sabrina Carpenter began opening forTaylor Swift at The Eras Tour.
On April 11, 2024, Sabrina Carpenter released her viral surf-pop track “Espresso”, announcing it as the lead single off of her upcoming album “Short n’ Sweet”.
Peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, the standout track immediately became quintessential to her discography — and all eyes were on her.
In a 2024 interview with Variety, Carpenter details her relationship with her past work. “I personally feel a sense of separation from them,” Carpenter said. “It’s m second ‘big girl album’; it’s a companion but it’s not the same. When it comes to having full creative control and being a full-fledged adult, I would consider this a sophomore album.”
Carpenter’s use of vulnerable, yet confident writing shines on her newest release of “Short n’ Sweet”.
“Oh, I leave quite the impression / Five feet to be exact / You’re wondering why half his clothes went missing / My body’s where they’re at.”
Carpenter starts the album with a bold track titled “Taste”. Alongside the album release, Carpenter debuted the music
video for “Taste” starring actress Jenna Ortega. On YouTube, the track has been labeled as #1 Trending for Music since its premiere on Aug. 23.
While the music video may feel reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s 2014 release of “Blank Space”, it is actually inspired by the Oscar-winning film “Death Becomes Her”.
In the music video, a jaded Sabrina Carpenter sneaks into her ex-boyfriends home with revenge in mind, only to find a decoy of his new lover laying next to him in bed. The video closes with the start of an unlikely friendship between the women.
Following “Taste” is the viral second single from the album, “Please Please Please”. The synth inspired track follows Carpenter begging her partner to prove rumors wrong and treat her right.
This track features some of the most iconic lyrics on the album, including, “I know I have good judgment, I know I have good taste / It’s funny and it’s ironic that only I feel that way.”
The next two tracks “Good Graces” and “Sharpest Tool” both feature repetitive post-choruses that are almost addictive to sing.
“Good Graces” was a standout track on the album. Coming from the perspective of a scorned lover, Carpenter warns a potential partner of boundaries she sets within a relationship.
The song feels like a Britney Spears and Ariana Grande track in one, with Carpenter ’s undeniable charm sprinkled throughout.
“‘Cause no one’s more amazing’ at turning’ loving’ into hatred / I won’t give a f**k about you”.
Track six on “Short n’ Sweet” is “Bed Chem”, a sensual pop track that feels reminiscent of an early 2000s song you’d hear on the radio.
On “Bed Chem”, Carpenter describes her fantasies about exploring chemistry
‘Short n’ Sweet’
felt with a newfound crush, alongside R&B synths.
“Are you free next week? / I bet we’d have really good bed chem.”
Is bubblegum pop not your thing?
Country, twee and folk lovers alike will adore the tracks “Coincidence” and “Slim Pickins”. Both songs have a campfire, singalong feel — different from anything Carpenter has done before.
After track seven, “Espresso”, the album seems to fall flat.
“Dumb & Poetic”, “Lie to Girls” and “Juno,” feel almost like “emails i can’t send” B-sides, and lack the personality that shined throughout the first few tracks.
Closing the album with the lo-fi inspired track “Don’t Smile”, Carpenter puts a twist on the common phrase,
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
On the track, Carpenter asks a past lover to feel remorse and think of her fondly as she works through heartbreak.
“Don’t smile because it happened, baby / Cry because it’s over / Oh, you’re supposed to think about me everytime you hold her.”
“I think as a songwriter I do romanticize,” Carpenter told Vogue in a 2022 interview. “But at the same time, those moments of innocence and humor are the moments that I find really special.”
Sabrina Carpenter is single handedly rewriting the “how-to” book on female pop stardom. With a mix of unapologetically feminine storytelling and visuals, “Short n’ Sweet” only further proves her artistic longevity.
Image of the cover for Sabrina Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet. Image courtesty of Island Records
CULTURE
Three childhood books to reopen in your twenties
How revisiting old tales can help navigate adulthood
Emily Gordon | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
There are very few books that most of the general population have read, however most of these shared stories are found in the books we read as children. As we grow up and hobby-reading becomes more and more obsolete, maybe it is time we go back to what we know and remember our lives as they once were.
Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
We are all aware of the 1951 Disney adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland”, the original story is rather dark and depicts childhood as potentially dangerous yet extremely whimsical and outlandish.
The adults in the story are powerful yet absurd, they do not make any sense to Alice and she struggles to understand the paradoxical nature of the world they live in. As children this story was daunting and may have scared us, but as adults there may be an entirely new meaning for “following the white rabbit”.
Perhaps the Red Queen was not the sto-
ic and menacing character Disney made her to be, but maybe she was much closer to us. She says to Alice, “My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.”
The Red Queen begs the question; “Where are you going and how are you getting there?” As children we see this as a confusing sentence, but as we grow we know exactly how fast we must run to stay in place and how hard we have to run to get somewhere we wish to be.
As we grow up we tend to lose our sense of wonder and curiosity, though as the world around us gets scarier and mundanity creeps into our lives, it is vital to reconnect with what once was. After all, the Cheshire cat said it best, “Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables is a collection of fables credited to a slave and storyteller from ancient Greece. The stories were passed
down orally for decades before they were collected and printed.
The fables go beyond the stories we all know such as “The Tortoise and the Hare”. Instead, many other stories live within this collection and offer many insightful musings that we still need to hear as adults.
Another example of children’s stories serving as cautionary tales for adults is “The Fox and the Sick King”. This story follows a lion who claims to be sick, and so all of the animals set out to visit the sick king. One fox notices that all footsteps lead into the cave but none come back out, he stays out and in return, does not fall for the trick and avoids being devoured.
As children this can be seen as a reminder to simply “not follow the crowd”, while that is a significant element of the story, we can also see this as a reminder to preserve your own well-being. You do not have to risk your own well-being to help someone else. You are responsible for
yourself and the same goes to others, you must reserve sympathy for yourself.
Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends”
Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” is one of the most recognizable forms of children’s poetry. Many children have encountered this book in one way or another, however Silverstein’s whimsical and outlandish poetry still serves a purpose after we grew up.
Silverstein’s “Listen to the Mustn’ts” may have once been read as a simple poem about following big dreams and ignoring naysayers.
“Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, listen to the DON’TS, / Listen to the SHOULDN’TS, the IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS, / Listen to the NEVER HAVES, then listen close to me — / Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.”
However as adults it can be applied much more personally. As we navigate classes, careers, relationships, and all the daunting eras of life, we must acknowledge the “impossibles” and the “shouldn’ts” and keep going.
Silversteins“With His Mouth Full of Food” was once a silly poem about table manners or a satirical dig towards those who speak too much.
“Why is it some people can’t / Keep their mouths shut? / Well, why don’t you ask a fool / With his mouth full of food?”
But as adults it seems there is a significant nuance regarding the principle of speaking and more importantly, listening. Sometimes the loudest voices in the room are the ones that have nothing to say.
Children’s literature is almost entirely written by adults, meaning some childhood struggles do not go away entirely. Perhaps going back to the simplistic words of children’s literature can offer an entirely new insight to the way in which we continue to grow up.
Photo of a stack of books.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
God Save the Knitting Factory — Alex G puts on a rockstar performance
Indie rock artist Alex G makes highly anticipated return to the Boise music scene
Emily Carmela Nelson | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Alexander Giannascoli, known artistically as Alex G, has been recording his own music since 2010, carving out his own sector of the indie-rock scene. In a 2014 article, The Fader deemed Alex G “the internet’s secret best songwriter.”
Alex G hasn’t performed in Boise, Idaho since his 2016 performance at Treefort Music Festival. More recently, Alex G’s “House of Sugar” tour planned to stop at Neurolux, but the show was canceled due to the start of the pandemic.
Selling out the Boise Knitting Factory, Alex G put on a highly awaited show that did not disappoint.
Alex G kicked off the show with S.D.O.S, the fourth track on his 2022 release of “God Save The Animals.” S.D.O.S has a sound unlike any other, with haunting auto-tuned vocals echoing throughout the track.
The lines, “Naked in my innocence / Tangled in my innocence” are repeated throughout the first two minutes of the show, with accompanying instrumentals that sounded even better performed live.
In a 2022 interview with Pitchfork magazine, Alex G explains his intention behind using vocal modulation within his productions and live performances.
“It’s more like I’m trying to capture a feeling more immediately,” Alex G said. “I’m trying to depict the thing physically, as opposed to just saying the words and hoping the listener will come around to the image.”
Immediately following “S.D.O.S” on the setlist was “Runner”, the second leading single off of “God Save the Animals”, and “Southern Sky”, a personal favorite track of mine off of Alex G’s 2019 release of “House of Sugar”.
Alex G can be defined as not only an artist, but a storyteller. Playing a variety of songs from his discography, he kept the audience mesmerized with fresh instrumentals and sounds throughout the night.
Nearing the end of the concert, the song “Powerful Man” had the audience captivated. Alex G and his band put a twist on the sound, with brighter live instrumentals than on the digital version of the song.
“Powerful Man” is the 11th track on the 2014 release of “Rocket”, where Alex G reflects on growing up and what it could mean to be perceived as a man with power.
The song comes across earnest with a satirical edge, with some of my favorite Alex G lyrics, including “Maybe he had hurt me bad / But a brother is a brother, and that is that,” and “Had a dream about a promised land / Walking around with a big gun in my hand / And when I look you in the eye / You’re gonna tell me that you love me and hold me tight.”
The show also featured a few instrumental moments with Alex G and his band impromptu jamming out.
After thanking the audience, Alex G did the one thing every good performer loves to do — come back for a lengthy encore.
Closing with a list of deep-cut tracks, including “Mis” from the 2012 release of “Rules”, the encore was almost the best part of the show.
In his typical mysterious fashion, Alex G closed the show with an unenthusiastic performance of “Sarah” from his 2012 release of “Trick”. “Sarah” recently gained mass popularity on TikTok, with over 21 million users utilizing the sound.
Over Alex G’s recent tour cycle, internet discourse has been rampant with discussions of indie artists becoming mainstream, and the atmosphere it creates
within concert venues.
While some fans appreciate their favorite artist growing a larger platform, it can lead to unfavorable behaviors at live events, such as not interacting with the music or young fans interrupting the artist.
“I can’t take it for granted that people actually care,” Alex G said in a 2022 interview with Pitchfork, regarding his growing audience and maintaining ambiguity in his music. “That’s still pretty nuts to me.”
Alex G is truly one of the few stand out indie-rock performers of this generation. With unique vocals and instrumental tracks that sound even better performed live, this show will likely be one of the most innovative and authentic performances to hit the Boise music scene.
Photo of musician Alex G performing.
Photo by Omar Saucedo
SPORTS & REC
August 29, 2024 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Alumni to Olympian: Marisa Howard’s Cross Country Journey
Boise State graduate, Marisa Howard, goes on to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics
Roszy McGeorge | Sports and Rec. Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State Alum, Marisa Howard, had a not so traditional route to the 2024 Paris Olympics. From collegiate competitions, to school nursing, to motherhood, to qualifying for the Olympics — Howard has done it all.
Howard at Boise State:
Howard left quite the mark at Boise State, when competing on the cross country team from 2010-2015. She excelled in the 3000m steeplechase which has 28 hurdled barriers and seven water jumps.
While at Boise, she earned an impressive amount of titles including: 2x NCAA First Team All American, 2x Mountain West Champion, 2x NCAA Preliminary Round Qualifier and NCAA National Championships Qualifier.
Howard and her teammate, Emma Bates, became the first female Broncos to earn All-American honors in the same season.
In her redshirt sophomore year, Marisa took 25 seconds off her previous best time and has continued to push herself to rise in the ranks ever since.
Post Collegiate Journey:
After graduating with a nursing degree in 2015, Marisa became a school nurse whilst continuing to pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics. Following an injury in 2016, Howard was desperate to get healthy again.
Her solution was to turn to former (and now returning) Boise State Coach, Pat McCurry, who has personally coached 21 Olympic Trial Qualifiers and five Olympic Championship Qualifiers.
This sparked the beginning of an eight year partnership that helped shape Marisa into the athlete she is today.
She went on to compete in the World Championships in 2017 as well as the Pan American Games in 2019 and 2023.
Unfortunately in 2020, the Covid-19 Pandemic postponed Howard’s aspiration to compete in the Olympics.
Despite this dream being put on pause, Howard continued to train until she welcomed another dream: motherhood. Marisa became pregnant with her son, Kai, in 2021. Within a year after giving birth, Howard bounced back to training for the 2024 Olympics.
Olympic Trials to Olympics:
Howard finished third at the Olympic Trials with a personal best time of 9:07.14, securing her spot on team USA. She competed in the 2024 Paris games as 1 of 3 U.S. competitors in the 3000m steeplechase.
Howard made history as the first female Boise State alum to compete in the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Team. She finished seventh place in her steeplechase heat with a time of 9:24.78, 7.39 seconds shy of fifth place.
Future Plans:
Marisa Howard is now pursuing her masters degree in nutrition and human performance and is set to join Boise State’s Track & Field staff as assistant coach alongside Head Coach, Pat McCurry. McCurry is looking forward to what the former Olympian will bring to the team.
“The biggest thing that I’m excited about is her being a really healthy mentor for our women’s distance runners, to have someone that is at the absolute, top world class level, that has managed to do it in a healthy way, with good life, athletics, balance and stay healthy,” McCurry said. “Marisa has had one injury
in the last seven years now, which, at her level, is a remarkably low rate.”
So what will success look like for the upcoming track and field season at Boise State?
“Our biggest shift in philosophy is we really want to be team, track and field focused, meaning, we’re trying to build a program here over the next, one, two, three years, that can contend for
Mountain West team championships and be really balanced,” said McCurry. “But another more important part of success is that our student athletes have an elite experience. We want their experience to be success, not the other way around. We’re trying to create the best student athlete experience out there, and we believe that will build a culture that will get competitive success.”
Photo of Marisa Howard competing in the Paris Olympics.
Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics
Former Bronco Athletes: Where
are they now?
The NCAA transfer portal has been in full effect for almost six years, here is where past Broncos are now.
Cainon Rogers | Sports and Rec. Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
The transfer portal has changed the way that college sports are played, as the best players from all around the country can transfer to other universities with ease with hopes that the change of scenery can create new opportunities for the player. Boise State University has been on both sides of the transfer portal in recent years, acquiring talent from universities that are across the country and also losing stars to said universities.
With that being said, where are these former Broncos’ now?
Taylen Green:
After a promising freshman year playing on the Blue in 2022, Taylen Green struggled in his final season as a Bronco in the 2023 season. Despite playing the entire season, Green posted a worst completion
percentage, touchdown to interception ratio and quarterback rating (QBR). At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Green entered the transfer portal.
Green is now the projected starting quarterback for the Razorbacks at the University of Arkansas, as he takes his talents down to the SouthEastern Conference (SEC). Green’s fresh start begins on Aug. 29 with the Razorbacks hosting the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
Sadraque NgaNga:
On April 14, 2022, the highly anticipated three star Power Forward from Arizona, Sadraque NgaNga, committed to play for Leon Rice and the Boise State Basketball team. NgaNga’s freshman year for the Broncos was underwhelming, as he rarely saw the court, averaging a total
of 6.5 minutes per game.
NgaNga then entered the transfer portal where he would then commit to play in the Big East Conference, with the Seton Hall Pirates. However, a new scenery did not change his previous issue, as NgaNga rarely saw the court as a Pirate.
On May 13, 2024, NgaNga committed to play for Boise State rival, San Jose State University, as Broncos fans will be shot with a blast from the past in their rivalry matchups.
Hank Bachmeier:
Boise State fans remember the Hank Backmeier days. From 2019-2022, Bachmeier started 29 games for the Broncos as quarterback. In his early days, Bachmeier showed promise, starting his career off with a 11-2 record in his first two seasons as the starter. In his third season,
Bachmeier broke out, throwing for 3079 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. It wasn’t until the 2022 season that things started to spiral for the Broncos quarterback. Though statistically he wasn’t playing his worst, as he posted six touchdowns to his three interceptions in his four games, His final game on the Blue was one of the most embarrassing losses in Boise State history, losing to the University of Texas El Paso 27-10 on the Broncos home turf. Bachmeier entered the transfer portal following the game, ending his career as a Bronco.
Bachmeier played his 2023 season with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, posting over two thousand passing yards, and 10 passing touchdowns. For his final season of eligibility, Bachmeier will be playing for the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons, as he is currently competing for the starting quarterback job.
Jade Loville:
In the 2020 season, Broncos female basketball player, Jade Loville, dominated the Mountain West. In her junior year she averaged an efficient 17 points per game, which was the second highest average in the conference.
After the shortened season, Loville decided to enter the transfer portal where she played for the Arizona State Sun Devils for her senior season, then the Arizona Wildcats for her fifth year season.
After an impressive college career, Loville entered the WNBA draft where she was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Storm. Loville competed for a roster spot for nearly a month, but was cut a month after she was drafted.
Loville has recently played a season overseas, where she played for the Club de Baloncesto Islas Canarias in Spain, as she averaged roughly 16 points per game in her 2023-24 season.
Loville now plays for Halcones de Xalapa in Mexico, where she has averaged 12 points per game in her nine games played.
Photo of former BSU Football player Taylen Green #10.
Photo courtesy of Steve Marcus (Las Vegas Sun/AP)
SPORTS & REC
Ready to Rally: A Look into the Upcoming Volleyball Season
Schedule breakdown, toughest competitors, key players and more
Roszy McGeorge | Sports and Rec. Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Coming off a record breaking season with over 15,000 in attendance, the Boise State Broncos expect to have another sold out volleyball season upon ticket renewals.
Non-Conference
This season will kick off in Tucson, AZ for the Cactus Classic where the Broncos will play the University of Arizona, Tennessee State and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The team will make their way north to the Ellesyn Invitational in Montana, followed by the Boise State Classic where they face California State, Gonzaga University, and in-state rival Idaho State University. Boise State has an all time record of 58-45 versus the trio.
The Stephen F. Austin tournament will conclude the non-conference games. Here we’ll see the Broncos take on McNeese State University, the University of Texas San Antonio and host Stephen F. Austin University. Boise should be warmed up to take on these three teams, whom they’ve only encountered a handful of times.
Mountain
West
The Mountain West schedule will set the Broncos up to compete at an extremely competitive level. They’ll play 11 teams, two of which made the 2023 NCAA Championship last fall. Boise is 135-95 all-time in the Mountain West. They are coming off a 14-15 overall record and a 10-8 in the league where they tied for fourth place.
“I think the conference schedule teams are all really good. We were picked third in the preseason poll, but I feel like there are seven really good teams,” said Head Coach Shawn Garus. “Seven of the 11 have the talent to win this league, if they stay healthy and win the close matches. So, week in and week out, we’re going to have really good competition coming
through Bronco gym.”
Colorado State University is favored to win the regular season title as they’re coming off a season with a 19-12 overall record and were runners up in the Mountain West Tournament last year.
Other tough competitors to keep an eye out for in this conference are Utah State, Fresno State, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Wyoming and San Diego State.
Key Veterans:
Annie Kaminski:
The Bellevue, Idaho native, is coming back for her sixth year with the Broncos and will be pursuing her masters degree in Athletic Leadership.
Kaminski has earned several honors as middle blocker at Boise State including 3x Academic All-Mountain West, 2x Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, Mountain West Newcomer of the Year, All-Mountain West Honorable Mention and All- Mountain West.
Paige Bartsch:
Paige Bartsch has been all the talk around Boise State athletics as she was
named Mountain West Player of the Year for the second time.
To add, Bartsch has received countless other titles such as 3x All Conference Team, 3x Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, 3x Academic All-Mountain West, 4x Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, Boise State Female Student-Athlete of the Year and the list goes on.
She was also the first Boise State athlete to be named to a Bronco Ford NIL deal, one of the most profitable NIL deals in school history.
Bartsch was recruited as a middle blocker but was able to quickly transition to right side, to now outside hitter. Coming off an incredible year where she gained 20 kills in 13 games, fans are eager to see what she will accomplish in her final year with the Broncos.
“She serves tough, she passes well, she blocks big and she hits great,” Garus said. “So she’s a multi dimensional player, and teams will try to slow her down, but she has too many facets to her game, and she’s always there for us.”
Reagan Casey: Redshirt senior started off her collegiate career at Missouri State University, transferred to Blinn College and came to Boise State her junior year. She will be returning for a fifth year as the third member of this leadership trio.
Newcomers:
Lilli Etter and Kiki Remensperger: Garus is looking forward to what these incoming freshmen will bring to the team as setters this season.
Etter is from Spokane, Washington and won three consecutive Washington 4A State championships.
Remensperger is from San Diego and helped lead her high school team to the regional semifinals as captain and MVP.
“Those two have a tremendous skill set for incoming freshmen. They’re also a type of competitor that I think our seniors are excited to play with,” said Garus. “Because they say, show up to compete, they’re embraced by the seniors that much more. And I think that gives them a chance to impact our lineup right away.”
Graphic of BSU Women’s Volleyball players, Annie Kaminsky #14 Reagan Casey #4, and Paige Bartsch #21.
Graphic by Naomi Brown
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