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News Release
April 27, 2007
Founders Leadership Society Inducts Some of Boise State's Best
and Brightest
The following students were recently inducted into the Founders Leadership
Society at Boise State University. Society members are invited to meet annually
for learning and networking opportunities. Criteria for the award include
leadership skills, commitment to service, an appreciation for diversity and
academic achievement. The Society was established to recognize graduating
students for their outstanding leadership involvement, both on campus and in the
community.
Induction into the prestigious society will provide students with
opportunities to mentor other students and to participate in meaningful
activities to enhance their personal and professional leadership growth
beyond graduation.
Mallory Atkinson, Boise, is studying political science with an
emphasis in international relations. She is active in the Honors College,
and in 2004 she traveled to Budapest, Hungary, as a student for the Study
Abroad Program. A member of Xi Chi, the National Society of Collegiate
Scholars, and the Boise State Honors Student Association, Mallory will also
be inducted to Phi Kappa Phi this year. Her awards include several Honors
College scholarships, several political science scholarships, two study
abroad scholarships, and she was recognized on the Dean’s List six semesters
for outstanding academic achievement. As a research and clerical intern for
Idaho Commerce and Labor-International Business Division, she assisted in
Gov. Kempthorne’s trade mission to Mexico. After graduation she wants to
attend graduate school in the Northwest, in a program focusing on urban and
regional planning.
Trevor Bosch, Cumming, Ga., is majoring in criminal justice
administration and minoring in psychology. He is an ASBSU associate justice,
works for Boise State Student Housing, and is president of the Hall Council.
He creates and facilitates community development programs, provides peer
mentoring, ensures that students are safe and serves as their advocate,
making sure that everyone’s needs are met. Memberships include the National
Ski Patrol, Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Residence Halls Finance Board, the
Boise State Student Appeals Board, and The National Residence Hall Honorary.
Bosch would like to work for residence life at a university while pursuing
his master’s. His ultimate goal is to work for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
Nanette Byerly, Greenleaf, is a nursing student minoring in
psychology. Faculty members and peers nominated her for the Outstanding
Nursing Student Award. She is a school nurse employed by the Middleton
School District. She has volunteered as a Canyon County liaison for the
Student Nurses’ Association, as a facilitator for sexual abuse prevention,
and as a counselor in training for the Lifeline Pregnancy Center. Other
experience includes working at Mercy Medical Center as a registered nurse in
obstetrics, at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church as a Children’s
Ministry Coordinator, and at Pleasant Ridge Preschool as a teacher, where
she researched, developed and implemented preschool curriculum. Her
objective is to promote the nursing profession as a leader in the community,
and she is considering a master’s degree in nursing or counseling.
Ashley Christiansen, Missoula, Mont., is a psychology major minoring
in gender studies. She is employed at Intermountain Hospital as a
psychiatric technician, where she works with adolescents challenged by
substance abuse, bipolarism, schizophrenia and other disorders. A teacher,
researcher, and dedicated student and professional, Christiansen received
the Department of Psychology scholarship for 2006-2007 and a Western
Undergraduate Exchange Tuition Waiver for 2004-2007, a waiver worth $5,872
annually. She is the president of the Psi Chi Psychology National Honor
Society and her professional affiliations include the Rocky Mountain
Psychological Association, Western Psychological Association and the Golden
Key Honor Society. Future plans include attending a Ph.D. program in
clinical psychology with an emphasis in law.
Mary Dawson, Homedale, in 2005 earned her bachelor’s in mass
communication and journalism, and is finishing her master’s in communication
and organizational leadership. She is an ASBSU senator and the president and
founder of Graduate Students of Communications. Memberships include the
Golden Key Honor Society, Rotaract, and BLU Crew/Bronco Pride. Past
positions include editor-in-chief and photo editor of The Arbiter. She was
also president of Delta Beta Nu, and the vice president of the Anthropology
Club. Working as an instructor, producer, writer and photographer, Mary was
honored by the Idaho Press Club for excellence in journalism and is the
recipient of the National ACP Pacemaker Award. Her goals include entering
the workforce as an organizational consultant.
Dang Du immigrated from Saigon, Vietnam, but has lived in Boise since
he was 10. He is double majoring in economics and philosophy and is the
president of the Vietnamese Students Association, an ASBSU senator-at-large,
and a former student ambassador for Boise State. A first-generation college
student, Du’s awards include the Dean’s Highest Honors List, College of
Business and Economics scholarship, and the Cultural Center’s Student
Leadership Award. He has presented on such topics as “Marketing Strategies
to Improve Web Presence” for Idaho State Department of Commerce and Labor,
and “Immigrant Students in Idaho and Higher Education” for the Idaho
Community Action Network. Active in promoting diversity and human rights, he
has also been a speaker during Cesar Chavez Week and at Boise State’s Martin
Luther King, Jr./Human Rights Celebration. He plans to attend graduate
school at John Hopkins University to study public policy.
Megan Egbert, Rathdrum, is majoring in multiethnic studies and
minoring in gender studies. An active member of the Organization for Gender
Equality and Education, she is also involved with the Idaho Progressive
Student Alliance and serves on the board of the Boise State’s Women Center,
where she continues to volunteer. Egbert is an activist committed to
promoting social justice and equal rights and was one of 26 women selected
as a “Woman Making History” for the 2007 Women’s History Month. In 2006, she
was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Human Rights Scholarship and was a featured
speaker at the Boise PRIDE Rally and the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights
Celebration. Before going on to graduate school, she would like to work for
a nonprofit organization and continue advocating for human rights.
David Estrada, Nampa, is majoring in electrical engineering with an
emphasis in device physics and reliability. He served in the Navy for six
years and was twice awarded the Naval Achievement Medal for superior
leadership, professional knowledge, and technical expertise. He is a skilled
research engineer, the secretary of Eta Kappa Nu, a member of the Institute
of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and a McNair Scholar. He was also
recognized as one of two Outstanding Seniors in Electrical Engineering by
Idaho IQ Magazine in 2006. David has received many national, state, and
local scholarships and other awards from the National Science Foundation,
Micron, General Motors, Motorola and Northrop Grumman, among many others.
His future plans include a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.
Molly George, Emmett, is double majoring in human resource management
and general business management with a communications minor. She is the
ASBSU vice president, the chair of the Health, Wellness and Counseling
Advisory Board, and the co-creator of the survey for the Student Health
Insurance Program. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, the Distinguished
Lecture Series committee, and the Affirmative Action Committee. Actively
involved with the Volunteer Services Board and the Agency for New Americans,
Molly is also a past ambassador for Boise State. After graduation she wants
to secure a business management position with a major company.
Audra Green, Louisville, Ky., earned her bachelor’s in history in
December. She also earned a bachelor’s in recreation with a minor in
consumer and family sciences from Western Kentucky University in 1998. She
is a teacher of English as a second language at Boise State, and a tutor at
the Marion Pritchett School for pregnant and parenting teens. Her studies
have taken her to Central and South America where she volunteered as an ESL
teacher, aiding families in need of resettlement as a result of war. Audra
continues to work with environmental and human rights organizations such
Idaho Peace Coalition, Idaho Community Action Network, Snake River Alliance
and Amnesty International. She is the recipient of the Boise State History
Department’s Chaffee Award, and the IPSA Student Club Community Service
Award.
Jamie Hardy is from Mountain Home and is double majoring in Spanish
and in international business with a minor in finance. She is the assistant
manager at the Student Union Information Desk. In 2006 she interned for the
Idaho Trade Office in Guadalajara, Mexico, performing marketing research,
coordinating business meetings and translating documents. She is an Honors
College graduate and has won several awards, including the Anthony Robert
Scott Scholarship, the Hutchinson Memorial Scholarship, and the Ernie and
Carol Hoidal Business Scholarship. A marketing officer with the
International Business Organization, Jamie also is the global leadership
project director. Locally, she has been a participant in the International
Economic Summit and has volunteered at the St. Luke’s Women’s Celebration,
the Saint Alphonsus Festival of Trees, and the Boise River Sweep. She hopes
to earn a master’s in business administration.
Kersti Harter, Boise, is an anthropology major who is minoring in
Canadian studies and French. She is an interpretive specialist and has
presented on subjects about the natural history of the Snake River Plain and
Native American culture. She is a past secretary of the Anthropology Club
and a past vice president of the Environmental Affairs Honors Student
Association. Her volunteer work ranges from helping Idaho Fish and Game with
habitat reconstruction projects to delivering flowers and assisting with
patient dismissals at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Her many
awards include the Brown Honors Scholarship (full tuition, room and board
for four years), Idaho Promise Category A Academic Scholarship ($3,000 a
year for four years), and the Honors College Study Abroad Fellowship. She
will attend the University of Washington’s doctoral program in bio-cultural
anthropology.
Jeremiah Hudson, Star, is majoring in political science. He works for
the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as a water rights clerk. He is also an
ASBSU chief justice, a member of the Honors Student Association, and the
president of Pi Sigma Alpha, which is the honors political science
association. His experience also includes two years of volunteering as a
child’s advocate for CASA, a program for children involved in court cases
who need someone to look out for the children’s welfare. Jeremiah also
volunteered at the YMCA with the youth government program. Awards include
Boise State’s Dean’s List with Highest Honors and the National College
Dean’s List. After graduation, he plans to attend law school and is
considering criminal law.
Whitney Johnson, Overland Park, Kan., is a sociology major, minoring
in gender studies. She is the president and a founding member of the
Organization for Gender Equality and Education. As a program assistant for
the Boise State Women’s Center, she organizes major events such as the
Clothesline Project, the Bra Project and the Vagina Monologues. Whitney has
helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity, tutored students in special
education for Boys and Girls Clubs of America, worked as a camp counselor in
New York, and planted trees for the Blackwater Wildlife Foundation in
Maryland. After graduation she wants to attend graduate school, then
eventually travel overseas to teach people about community building and the
issues surrounding AIDS and HIV.
Lynsey Juel, Boise, is a graduate student in the Public
Administration Program. She earned her bachelor’s in anthropology at
Willamette University. She is a coordinator for the Idaho Care and
Prevention Council at Mountain States Group, and has volunteered for various
organizations such as AmeriCorps, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and The Names
Project Foundation: AIDS Memorial Quilt. She was also a case manager for the
Agency for New Americans. Awards include the Carl Burke Academic Scholarship
(Boise State), and the Willamette University Academic Grant. In 1999, she
studied abroad at James Cook University in Australia, and for two years was
an assistant English teacher in Towa-cho, Iwate, Japan. She plans to
continue working as a coordinator for the Idaho Care and Prevention Council.
Erin Leonardson, Boise, is majoring in social work with a minor in
political science, and is from Boise, Idaho. During the 2006 legislative
session, she worked as an organizer for United Vision for Idaho. Her
extensive experience as a volunteer coordinator includes recruiting hundreds
of people for the Jim Hansen for Idaho campaign for Congress. Her campaign
work included everything from door-to-door canvassing to data entry
projects. She helped develop a solid grassroots network of people from
diverse backgrounds who are interested in working for political change.
Leonardson’s goals include joining the Peace Corps and eventually earning a
master’s in public policy.
Kathryn Matsuura, Blackfoot, is a music major and a private music
teacher. She is a member of the International Clarinet Association and the
Honors Student Association, and has performed with various groups such as
the BSU Symphonic Winds, the University Singers, and the Morrison Center
Chamber Players. Her extensive volunteer work includes participating in
Service Saturday events, food drives, and giving to Locks of Love, a
nonprofit organization to which she donated her hair to help cancer victims
who have suffered hair loss from medical treatment. Katie has also
contributed many hours to the Foothills School of Arts and Sciences, various
music competitions, and other events. Awards include the Campbell Memorial
Scholarship, the Brown Music Scholarship and the Jim Hopper Music Endowed
Scholarship, among many others. After college, she wants to teach music,
preferably band, in the Treasure Valley.
Gaylene Munroe, Twin Falls, is a nursing student. She earned her
associate’s degree in nursing from the College of Southern Idaho in Twin
Falls. As a registered nurse for St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, she
works in surgery and in the preoperative and postoperative care units.
Memberships include the OR Education Council and the Professional Ladder
Committee. For four years, Gaylene served on the board for the Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare and on the Governor’s Immunization Task
Force. Her volunteer experience includes helping the American Cancer
Society, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and assisting at the
Prostrate Awareness Booth at the Western County Fair by taking blood
pressures and checking blood sugars. After graduation, she wants to pursue a
master’s in nursing education and public health and teach at the university
level.
Kate Neal, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is majoring in English with a
creative writing emphasis. She is a program assistant for the Boise State
Cultural Center. Her numerous awards include several All University
Scholarships, the Larry G. Selland Humanitarian Award, the GLBTQ Seedling
Award, and the David & Beverly Taylor Service Scholarship. In addition to
writing poetry and playing the guitar, Kate is a hip-hop artist. Known as
Kritik (critique), she is passionate about human rights and helps to raise
awareness — on and off stage — about social issues. In 2006, she gained
national recognition for her musical talents by being featured in Curve
Magazine. Through her own politically-charged lyrics she continues to speak
out against oppression. After some traveling abroad, she would like to move
to Seattle, Wash., to pursue her music and writing career.
Taylor Newbold, Saratoga, Calif., is majoring in psychology and in
English with a writing emphasis. He is the secretary of public relations for
ASBSU and is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society and Boise
State’s Honorary Psychological Association. He is the co-founder of Allies
Linked for the Prevention of HIV and AIDS. Taylor once served as the
Director of the Volunteer Services Board and now serves on the Student
Publications Board, the Student Union Board of Governors, and the Student
Conduct Board. A recipient of the Scott Rodriquez Leadership Scholarship and
the James and Colin Lee Wozumi Scholarship, Taylor also received first place
for Boise State’s 2006 President’s Writing Award. As a peer educator for
Health, Wellness and Counseling Services, he facilitated workshops about
everything from stress management to healthy eating habits. He also
volunteered as an HIV test counselor for HIV Services Clinic. His plans
after graduation include pursuing a master’s in public administration,
specializing in public policy.
Amanda Peña, Boise, is majoring in social work and is also enrolled
in Boise State’s Dispute Resolution Program. She works as an assistant for
the Service Learning Program. For Ada County Juvenile Court Services, she
facilitates groups in school and court settings as a diversion probation
officer. For Ada County Court Mediation Services, she mediates small claims
cases in the Fourth District Court to better understand the issues of
conflict between individuals. In addition to making the Dean’s List the last
four semesters, she has made time to serve on the legislative committee for
the Idaho Women’s Network, volunteer as an advocate for the Family and
Domestic Violence Court for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, and cook
meals for the Boise Rescue Mission. After graduating in May 2007, she plans
to pursue her master’s in social work.
Julianne Peters, Eagle, is a nursing student. She is a registered
nurse and also works as a research assistant in the College of Health
Sciences Department of Nursing. She is a lifetime member of the National
Society of Collegiate Scholars and the historian for the Student Nurses’
Association, BSU Chapter. A summa cum laude scholar, she has also earned
numerous awards such as the USAA National Coalgate Nursing Award, the
Cambridge Who’s Who Among Executive and Professional Women (2006), and the
U.S. Congressional Award Medals — gold, silver and bronze — for volunteer
public service, personal development and physical fitness. In 2005-2006, in
addition to serving as director-at-large for the Idaho State Student Nurses’
Association board of directors, she was a delegate for the National Student
Nurses’ Association. She plans to work at a Boise hospital and stay involved
in nursing research.
Katherine Street, Federal Way, Wash., is majoring in business
economics. Her volunteer experience includes working with youth in outdoor
recreation programs. Since 1999, she has been a cabin counselor, an
activities coordinator, and a survival instructor at different summer camps.
She serves on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, representing student
athletes of the Western Athletic Conference, and is captain of the BSU
Women’s Golf Team. Awards and honors include the President’s Award for
Leadership Excellence, the Economics Scholarship for Academic Excellence,
and the Len B. and Grace Jordan Economics Scholarship. She plans to attend
law school in Seattle, Wash.
Maria Venegas, Nyssa, Ore., is double majoring in anthropology and
Spanish. The founder of Interested Ladies of Sigma Lambda Gamma Colony,
Maria is also a member of the Anthropology Club and the Organización de
Estudiantes Latino Americanos. A McNair scholar and a CAMP scholarship
recipient, her numerous awards also include the National Society of
Collegiate Scholars, the Anthropology Department Scholarship, and the CMEO
First Generation Award. As a volunteer for the Girls Scouts of America, she
helped a group of Bantu refugee girls, ages 5 to 12, adapt to American
culture. As a site specialist for TRiO Dissemination Partnership, she
planned and implemented youth programs in Boise’s Franklin Elementary
School. Her professional objective is to earn a Ph.D. in cultural
anthropology.
Jennifer Verdon, Marsing, is an international business major. She is
an office assistant for the TRiO Pre-College Program at Boise State where
she does everything from data entry to chaperoning students. Since 2004, she
has been awarded the Langroise Scholarship, Tom and Annie Morgan
Scholarship, International Business Scholarship, and three times received
the Lightfoot Foundation Scholarship. An active volunteer, Jennifer has
helped feed the homeless at the Boise Rescue Mission, delivered books for
low-income families for Bells on Books, and assisted at the Idaho Foodbank.
She likes market research and wants a full-time job with a company
affiliated with international business. She believes experience in the
workforce will help her decide what she’ll eventually pursue in graduate
school.
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Contact: Mahi Takazawa, Student Activities, (208) 426-2877,
mahitakazawa@boisestate.edu
Media Contact: Julie Hahn, University Communications, (208) 426-5540,
juliehahn@boisestate.edu
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place of science, business, nature and art. Discover the New U Beyond the
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The Office of Communications and Marketing - Boise State
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1910 University Drive - Boise Idaho 83725-1030
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Last reviewed on
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
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