IAAV Fellows

I am retired from teaching, having taught for 37 1/2 years in Boise State’s Economics Department, but continue to organize the Brandt Foundation Lectures and Spriggs Family Lectures for the College of Business and Economics, and the Adam Smith Lectures for the Department of Economics. Through the work of the Institute I hope to see open and respectful conversation restored on economic, political and social issues against the dark forces of illiberalism coming from both the Left and Right. I have great hopes for the Institute on campus and within Idaho.

I am an Associate Professor in the School of Public Service. I teach classes in Global Studies, Environmental Studies and Human Rights. I was born and raised in Boise, ID, and I was thrilled to return to my hometown when I joined Boise State as a faculty member in 2013. Through the work of the institute, I hope to contribute to a process of open, engaged, and respectful dialogue on the pressing issues of our times.

I’m a Senior Kinesiology student, originally from Gardnerville, Nevada. Recently I have become more invested in the idea of civil discourse because it’s so valuable to the communities we are a part of. It can be challenging to break barriers between parties, but it’s worth the effort to understand the  people behind the arguments. I’m incredibly excited to be a part of this initiative to promote conversations that will positively affect the communities around us.

I am a civil engineering senior with a minor in environmental studies. Raised in eastern and southern Idaho, I have devoted my academic career to working at the intersections of infrastructure, environment, and policy, with the goal of building sustainable, resilient solutions for rural, underserved communities. As the Student Body President, I am dedicated to creating a community where every student can thrive. This dedication involves a continuous effort to encourage open dialogue, enabling students to express their opinions and share their unique experiences.

I am from California and am majoring in Political Science and minoring in Business. I was drawn to become an undergraduate fellow for the Institute for Advancing American Values because I firmly believe that our nation is capable of achieving great things, but only when we put aside our differences and work together. The divisiveness and polarization this country has seen in recent years is concerning. However it is important to remember that having different backgrounds and beliefs is one of our biggest strengths as a nation. After all, the United States is known as a melting pot for a reason. As a member of the institute I am looking forward to creating spaces which foster productive discussions and help tear down the barriers that prevent us from seeing eye to eye with one another.

I’m a returning Boise resident after a brief three years spent in Tacoma, Washington. I’m pursuing a degree in political science and am currently enrolled in my junior year. I applied for the undergraduate fellows program because I see division everywhere, our school, our state, our nation and even in my family. It’s important that we remind ourselves and others that despite the many different backgrounds and beliefs we have that we are all one nation that can stand together despite our differences. The institute is working to remind us of that and I am excited to play a part in healing our school and community.

I am a senior at Boise State studying Psychology and Political Science. While I was born in Boise, I have had the opportunity to live in other states and abroad in Taiwan, but I always have been drawn back to Idaho. I share the concerns of the IAAV that discussions in this country around important topics have become debilitatingly polarized, and it seems to me that increasingly we can’t, or won’t, find common ground with our fellow citizens. As someone who loves listening to and debating with people who hold differing perspectives, and as a student studying both psychology and politics, I am interested in where our values come from and why we defend them so fiercely. I hope to work this year to facilitate civil dialogue and lead as a counterexample to the incivility and refusal to engage that now characterizes the discourse on many campuses around the nation.

I am from Boise and my majors are Economics and Social Sciences. I applied to be an undergraduate fellow of the Institute of Advancing American Values because I believe that progression and equality as a society, including in our university, can only be gained through constructive discourse of difference in beliefs or opinions.

I am a senior at Boise State University studying Geosciences with an emphasis in Secondary Education. After living in Illinois and Wisconsin for some of my childhood, I moved to Idaho when I was nine years old. I applied to be an undergraduate fellow for the Institute of Advancing American Values because I believe that everyone should be listened to and that everyone’s story is unique to their backgrounds and experiences. It’s also important to remind ourselves and everyone around us, that despite our differences in beliefs that at the end of the day we can stand together as one. I am looking forward to working with the Boise State student body, the Treasure Valley, and the entire state of Idaho. I know through respectful discussion that we can develop meaningful and equitable solutions to the challenges in our nation today.

I’m a Public Health major, Global Studies minor, and have an associates degree in Health Science. I’ve lived in the Treasure Valley for my entire life. I applied for the undergraduate fellows program at the Institute because I think that cooperation, kindness, and understanding are key parts of our interactions with each other in all aspects of life, and I want to help foster that in our community.

I am an Interdisciplinary Professional Studies Student with an emphasis in Conflict Management, Leadership, and Human Relations with a certificate in Spanish.  I have lived across the United States and abroad as part of a military family. I applied to the Institute because it will allow students and communities from different backgrounds to participate in dialogue and learn how to engage in discourse effectively.

I’m a senior Integrated Media Student from Boise, Idaho. As an aspiring photojournalist, I am interested in asking hard questions, and how to navigate divisive topics. The IAAV gives me a platform to hear perspectives from a wide range of diverse people, and develop my own view on the world. Through the institute, I want to learn more about other people and how to communicate with them effectively.

I am a Political Science major originally from Moscow, Idaho. Prior to transferring to Boise State, I had the opportunity to live in New York City which ignited my interest in entrepreneurship. I plan to explore business opportunities related to politics after my graduation, and joining the Institute for Advancing American Values has allowed me to meet other ambitious students with similar passions. Supporting the Institute’s important mission of fostering civil discourse helps all students build these sorts of connections, rather than allowing partisanship to break them down.