March 28, 2007

 

Dear Friends:

I’m pleased to inform you that Howard L. Smith, dean of Boise State’s College of Business and Economics, has been named vice president for university advancement. As the university was about to begin a national search to fill this position, it became clear that Howard was perfect for the job. While working on a number of fundraising opportunities, Howard demonstrated again and again a unique combination of vision, organizational skills, and ease with donors. I am confident that his familiarity with the campus, commitment to our strategic goals, and thorough understanding of the corporate and donor community will assure his success, as well as that of our upcoming comprehensive campaign. Dr. Smith will begin his new duties immediately, while continuing to serve as dean of the College of Business and Economics until May 1. At that time, associate dean Diane Schooley-Pettis will take over as interim dean.

*Speaking of fundraising and our business college, alumni Doyle Heaton and Allen Dykman recently provided prime examples of the expanding private financial support Boise State is receiving with major pledges to a new College of Business and Economics building. Both contributions followed the recent announcement that the Micron Technology Foundation would make a $12.5 million contribution for the new building, which I discussed in this space last month. Heaton, a California businessman in the home-building industry, pledged $250,000, and Dykman, the owner of a Boise-based wholesale electrical company, and his wife, Dixie, pledged $100,000 to the project. In both cases, Heaton and the Dykmans said they were motivated by Micron’s donation and the recent publicity generated by the Bronco football team. Impressive support such as this will enable us to build a state-of-the art business building and help make Boise State’s College of Business and Economics one of the best in the Northwest. My sincere thanks to Doyle Heaton and the Dykmans.

In other news from our campus, two Bronco teams — one academic, one athletic — enjoyed stellar seasons and reached impressive heights in their respective competitions earlier this month. Congratulations to the Talkin’ Broncos, Boise State’s intercollegiate speech and debate team, and our women’s basketball team.

*Led by All-America selections Katy Jibben and Wayne Rysavy, our speech and debate team finished second at the 2007 Pi Kappa Delta National Forensics Tournament. The Talkin’ Broncos’ runner-up finish marks the fifth consecutive time they have finished in the top five at the biennial national tournament. Boise State went into the tournament as the defending national champion, having won the title in 2005. At this year’s nationals, Boise State won 22 individual awards and advanced three debate teams to the tournament semifinals. Unfortunately, the Talkin’ Broncos came up just short in defending their national crown as Southwest Baptist University (Mo.) edged the Boise State team 157 points to 155.

*The women’s basketball team finished as the Western Athletic Conference’s regular season co-champions and tournament champs and qualified for the NCAA playoffs. In addition, coach Gordy Presnell, who guided Boise State to a 24-9 record, was named the 2007 Region 7 Coach of the Year and the WAC Coach of the Year. Unfortunately, the Broncos were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament when they lost to George Washington 76-67.

*On the academic front, I’d like to introduce you to engineering professor Megan Frary. Less than two years after receiving her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Frary has received the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious award for early career faculty. An assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Dr. Frary will receive $488,457 over five years as part of the NSF CAREER program. The program recognizes outstanding faculty from across the nation who have shown exceptional ability at integrating research and teaching, and who are mostly likely to become the academic leaders of the 21st century. The NSF grant will support Dr. Frary’s materials research, which has the potential to improve the manufacturing processes for everything from aerospace components to car parts to the energy production industry.

After graduating from MIT, Frary could have taken a job at any one of a number of top universities across the nation. But part of the reason she chose Boise State was because of the College of Engineering’s commitment to integrating research and teaching and the opportunity to help build a new program in the university’s young engineering college. Megan Frary is but one of many examples of the exceptional scholars who are joining our faculty and helping us to attain our objective to become a metropolitan research university of distinction.

As always, thank you for all you do for Boise State University.

Best Regards

Bob Kustra
President