“I am the first person in my family to graduate from college and this is due, in large part, to the scholarship I received. Every penny that I received was a blessing and a responsibility.”
— Stephanie Abbu, Nursing, Nashville, Tenn.
Metropolitan. Research. University.
These words – and the ideals behind them – describe the vision for Boise State University. The institution has evolved over the past 75 years from a small, church-sponsored college in a downtown schoolhouse to the largest institution of higher education in Idaho. Boise State has developed a unique mission with the convergence of its metropolitan character, traditional undergraduate teaching emphasis, and advanced research and graduate studies.
However, one word is missing from the description.
Distinction.
Boise State University is emerging as a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. To get there, this transformation is being powered by the university’s first comprehensive campaign to support students, faculty, strategic initiatives, research and infrastructure. That’s why the campaign to raise $175 million in private support is called Destination Distinction.
Now more than ever Idaho and the region rely on Boise State to educate its future leaders. The degrees, research and training programs support the area’s burgeoning industry and public needs. This places the university in a unique position to partner with its friends, alumni and community leaders to truly be a 21st century university.
Boise State is committed to recruiting and supporting faculty who love to teach and work directly with students. Beyond its reputation as an excellent teaching university, Boise State is expanding another dimension — that of a public research university — to its mission. This integration of teaching and research enhances the student experience by fostering discovery both in the classroom and the laboratory.
A successful comprehensive campaign will positively impact the university’s image, leading to increases in institutional rankings and a greater ability to attract the most talented people. This campaign focuses on obtaining funds to enhance the university’s ability to:
- Serve the state through partnerships that contribute to regional growth and development
- Integrate research and teaching in high-quality programs that spark the process of discovery for faculty and students
- Provide a center for cultural and intellectual exchange that enriches students and the community at large
- Create a research culture defined by exceptional scholarship and quality graduate programs
Historians will look back on this time as a critical juncture in Boise State’s evolution. This comprehensive campaign is the most ambitious fundraising effort in Boise State’s history and an opportunity for everyone who cares about the university and the region to help shape the future.
This campaign is not targeted to a few wealthy alumni and friends. To succeed, it requires the investment of donors at all levels. With donor support, there will be accelerated momentum gained from strategic leadership and planning to address pressing needs and take advantage of tremendous opportunities for the sake of generations of students and citizens to come.
A course has been charted for the future of Boise State University. A direction has been set to take this university to unprecedented heights. Individual investment and involvement are needed as part of a collective effort for Boise State. Join in this journey to Destination Distinction.
Studies in Practice
Werner Hoeger
Kinesiology Professor/Olympian
Still think that those who don’t know, teach? Meet Werner Hoeger. The 52-year-old kinesiology professor has represented his home country of Venezuela twice in Olympic luge competitions in Torino and Salt Lake City. Hoeger easily admits to being the oldest male luge racer in Olympic competition.
“Just because I am getting older doesn’t mean that I have to accept a sedentary lifestyle. One has to have goals in life to stay motivated and keep moving ahead,” Hoeger said. At nearly 90 miles per hour down an icy trough, he is doing just that. Hoeger, who earned his Ph.D. in exercise physiology at the age of 24, has taught at Boise State since 1986. In addition to his courses in exercise physiology, athletic conditioning procedures and fitness-related topics, he is well known for his 42 editions of 10 textbooks. One of the most widely read fitness and wellness college authors in the United States, Hoeger hopes that his textbooks are good learning tools for future kinesiology teachers.
“I’ve taken a vast amount of complex and confusing information and presented it so that students can understand it easily, relate to it, and apply it in their lives,” he said. “The ultimate objective is to improve quality of life by helping students take control of their personal lifestyle and thereby reap the benefits of wellness.”
