Dear Friends,
As the Office of Alumni Relations staff and alumni volunteers passed out blue and orange pancakes on the quad for the first day of school, it was apparent that this campus has grown since I attended Boise State. Speaking to the students about where they are from, what they are studying and why they chose Boise State was eye-opening. In a short time, Boise State has grown from a commuter school to a destination location for out-of-state students.
Of the 2,845 first-year students who enrolled in classes in the fall of 2020, 50 percent were Idaho residents. All of these freshman students have an average GPA of 3.48. The office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management tracks this and other enrollment data worthy of review.
Many factors have contributed to the changing campus demographics. Our nationally recognized research and faculty, the success of our athletes, our ability to provide in-person and online learning and our connection to the Boise community have attracted students from afar, while still allowing us to provide a very personal college experience for each student.
Research impacts students at all levels of their education, is fully integrated into how people teach and learn, and helps students become innovative thinkers and leaders. Despite the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Boise State broke records in 2021 with 425 research grants and contracts totaling more than $65 million in research funding. This amount represents a 13 percent increase over 2020 awards and a 58 percent increase over the past five years.
Boise State continues to offer unique opportunities to Idaho students who may be the first in their families to pursue higher education and weren’t sure that goal was even attainable. The True Blue Promise Scholarship has helped Idaho residents attend college since 2016. These current-use funds are awarded to residents for four years, based primarily on financial need and merit. A President’s True Blue Endowed Scholarship has been started to keep the funds available in perpetuity so even more Idaho residents can attend college in the future. Learn more about these scholarships and ways to support students.
When you look at all of these factors, it is no wonder we are setting record enrollment numbers each year. I am proud of the growth and changes, but more importantly, I am proud of the innovative ways we have been able to serve ALL students.
Go Broncos!
Lisa Gardner
Executive Director
Office of Alumni Relations
