Dr. Rena Carlson, a respected veterinarian and leader, grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, and earned a B.S. in Zoology from Idaho State University before completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University. She co-owned and expanded Alpine Animal Hospital in Pocatello while also serving as ISU’s attending veterinarian for 28 years. Her contributions to veterinary medicine earned her the ISU Distinguished Alumni Award and Idaho Veterinarian of the Year.

Dr. Carlson has held leadership roles in the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), serving as AVMA President from 2023 to 2024. She now mentors new veterinary graduates across multiple states. 

Tracy Ellwein, a professional engineer, has built a distinguished career in transportation and civil infrastructure across Idaho and the western U.S. An Idaho State University alumna with a B.S. in Engineering and an MBA from George Fox University, she currently serves as Senior Vice President and Area Operations Manager at HDR Engineering, overseeing 250 professionals in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Tracy has held leadership roles with ACEC Idaho and WTS, promoting engineering excellence and advancing women in transportation. Named one of Idaho Business Review’s Top 50 Women of the Year, she is also dedicated to community service, championing initiatives like All Kids Bikes through the HDR Foundation. Tracy credits ISU for laying the foundation for her successful career.

Federal funding Update and Listening Session

Over the past two months, the U.S. Executive Branch administration has implemented many Executive Orders, policy changes, agency personnel reductions, etc. The impact of each on ISU students, faculty and research & academic programs varies. The ISU Office for Research, with the President's Office and the Office of Academic Affairs and Provost, invite you to participate in this update and listening session. The session will be held Friday, April 4, from 3 to 4 p.m. via Zoom. Previous written updates on the impact of these Executive Orders on ISU are available here.

ISU, CSI To Collaborate for Streamlined Transfer

Idaho State University and College of Southern Idaho will be working together to further strengthen transfer opportunities for students as part of a national professional development initiative. 

The institutions were chosen by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program to participate in the Transfer Student Success Intensive, a yearlong opportunity to learn about research and current practices in creating transfer pathways, making it easier for students from all backgrounds to smoothly transition from community college to earning a bachelor’s degree. 

Save the Date: Second Annual Advising Symposium Scheduled for Sept. 12

The Advising Symposium provides a valuable professional development opportunity to discuss best practices, explore new advising strategies, and strengthen collaboration to enhance student success. We are currently accepting session proposals and invite you to submit one if you have insights, research, or best practices to share. Also, if you would like to be part of the review committee, let us know. Session proposals can be submitted via Qualtrics.

For a complete list of CoSE events, check out the College Event Calendar. Updates can also be found on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. To add events to the calendar, please contact the Administrative Assistants in your department. The university-wide calendar of events is available here.