Honored Employees of the Year

Nicole Bender

Each year, the Professional Staff of the Year Award is presented to someone who has used Blue Turf Thinking to improve the success and wellbeing of their coworkers, unit or division, and the university through exemplary service.

Nicole Bender is the 2025 Professional Staff of the Year recipient, the Professional Staff Association announced.

Bender is a counselor and crisis care coordinator in the counseling center. Her colleagues said “she has increased counseling services’s ability to provide continuity of care for students, as they are connected to both Boise State resources as well as community services” and that her “genuine, kind and welcoming demeanor ensures that staff can manage stressful situations efficiently and with the best quality of care for students.”

Wendy Wong

Wendy Wong, business operations manager in the School of Public Service, was named Professional Staff of the Year by the Professional Staff Association. The award honors an employee who has demonstrated: a significant contribution to their department; involvement in campus-wide activities supporting students, faculty or staff; participation in community service and/or professional organization involvement; and contributed to the university mission and the Blueprint for Success.

Of Wong, her nominators said: “She is someone who ‘knows everything’ – in a positive way, a true professional, flexible in her work, has a friendly and warm demeanor, is a lifelong learner, and someone who makes all students, alums, and external guests feel welcome and at home.”

Melinda Keckler

Marketing Director Melinda Keckler has been named the Professional Staff Association Outstanding Employee of the Year. Recipients of this award are nominated by their colleagues in recognition of their commitment to the university and its mission.

“Melinda is a primary reason behind the Boise State University success in branding. It is hard to quantify or isolate the units, programs and people she has impacted, because that would be the entire campus,” one nominator said.

Keckler is a member of the university’s Brand Committee and leads the Marketing Minds working group, which is made up of marketers from across campus. She and her team are responsible for the planning and activation of numerous campaigns across the university, working with on-campus and external partners to meet the desired marketing objectives.

“Because of Melinda, we were able to achieve a monumental milestone this past year the launch of our exciting brand campaign, Out of the Blue, which has been incredibly successful. She has stayed true to our brand and the success of this campaign has been strong, because it is grounded in our people and their stories, and the Blueprint for Success,” another nominator said.

Criteria

• Full-time employment
• Involvement in campus-wide activities
• Community service and/or professional organization involvement
• A significant contribution to the University mission
• NOTE: Nominee may not be a current member of the Professional Staff Senate

Process

• Submit a nomination form from the department (or nominator) with details regarding campus activities, organization support, and/or community service activities of the nominee.
• Email any other support documentation that provides details for the nomination (letters of recommendation, photos at events, achievement certificates, student impact statements) to drewalexander@boisestate.edu.
• Nomination deadline: Friday, March 29, 2024

Please carefully review the criteria. Your nomination letter and supporting materials may be the only information on which the selection committee has to base the decision. When completing your nomination, include as many details as possible with an emphasis on achievements or contributions/activities from the last year or two.

Questions? Contact Drew Alexander

Jane Curtis

Jane Curtis, a management assistant for Housing and Residence Life, is the 2025 Outstanding Classified Employee of the Year, the Association of Classified Employees announced.

The honor is awarded to classified employees who have displayed a deep and sincere commitment to the quality of their work. It’s an award that is earned by those who have chosen to go above and beyond, and who are true examples of the very best the classified staff at Boise State has to offer.

Curtis’ nominator had this to say:

“This individual’s dedication and expertise consistently elevate our department’s success. They hire between 250 – 300 student staff members, ensuring a smooth and efficient onboarding process that is essential to our operations. She manages the background check process and affiliate vendor process with precision and care, upholding the integrity of university standards. Her professionalism, insight, and commitment to excellence make her an outstanding colleague and a vital part of our success.

“She consistently extends her impact beyond our department through her active engagement across campus. She builds strong collaborative relationships with campus partners, ensuring effective communication and coordination that support university-wide initiatives. She has taken on a mentorship role, helping onboard and supporting new staff within her division. Her willingness to share her knowledge and experience fosters a stronger, more connected university community and exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and service that defines Boise State.

“Outside of work she is deeply involved in her community, working year-round for the City of Meridian scoring for youth sports and volunteering her time for State of Idaho legislative campaigns playing a key role in their marketing and outreach efforts.

“She listens, she advocates, and brings concerns forward in a way that leads to meaningful change. Her ability to communicate with empathy and clarity helps foster a culture of respect and inclusion. She consistently reminds leadership to consider the voices and experiences of classified staff, ensuring they are included in conversations that impact their work. She is truly the heart of her department and her presence, care, and insight make her team stronger every day.”

Saul Meza

The Association of Classified Employees has named Saul Meza, a materials handler and mover in Facilities Operations and Maintenance, its Outstanding Classified Employee of the Year. This award honors an employee who displays a deep and sincere commitment to the quality of their work.

Meza’s nominator had this to say of him:

“Saul ensures the safety of Bronco fans as a security officer at Albertsons Stadium. He also makes sure that campus gets their important packages fast and reliably so they can continue doing their important work. His attention to detail makes him exceptional in both these roles, and his service to the university has helped cultivate meaningful relationships with folks all across campus. He’s always willing to lend a hand: whether it’s an emergency package delivery, or helping folks stuck in an elevator, you can always count on him.”

Jeremy Shaw

Central Receiving Foreman Jeremy Shaw has been named the 2023 Outstanding Classified Employee of the Year. This award is presented by the Association of Classified Employees to a member who has displayed a deep and sincere commitment to the quality of their work, going above and beyond in service to everyone they meet.

“Jeremy makes intentional connections across campus and will go out of his way to understand the unique needs of our campus departments, finding solutions with an exceptional level of care and service,” one nominator said.

Shaw and his team are responsible for moving a large amount of materials all across campus in a safe and timely manner. He also manages the university’s surplus and storage facility, Gage Warehouse.

“He is never above any task and is always willing to lend a hand to anyone with anything they might need,” another nominator said.

Criteria

Who can I nominate?

• Classified employees who are employed a minimum of one year at Boise State in a permanent, benefit-eligible, full-time (30 hours or more) position at the time of nomination.

Who can’t I nominate?

• Current ACE elected or volunteer positions (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Advocate, Senator, or Ambassador).
• Past recipients of the award

What if the person I nominated changes jobs?

• If an employee is nominated and then takes a professional position or retires, they are eligible to win the award if they were a classified employee at the time of nomination, are still employed by Boise State (or have emeritus status), and meet the previously stated criteria.

Process

How to nominate

Fill out the Outstanding Classified Employee Nomination form

How will the winners be decided?

• Must be employed by Boise State University, full-time, for at least one year.
• Contributions to their department
• Contributions to Boise State
• Contributions to their community (outside of Boise State)
• Additional comments made by the nominator

NOTE: please provide as much information as possible on the nomination form in order to assist the selection committee with their decision.

Nomination deadline: March 29, 2024

Questions?

Contact Corina Cruz

William Kilborn and Bridger Landle

Adjunct faculty play a critical role and are essential to the delivery of high-quality academic programming, and help to achieve the first goal of the Blueprint for Success strategic plan – Student Access and Student Success.

The purpose of the annual Adjunct of the Year Award is to honor adjunct faculty members the university who are demonstrating excellence in teaching. The Adjunct of the Year is selected by their peers, and the selection committee receives supporting input from the nominees’ colleagues and students in testament to their good work as educators.

The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce that the committee has selected William Kilborn and Bridger Landle as this year’s recipients.

Kilborn and Landle work together as a team in the Department of Philosophy to teach online classes. Their classes are highly ranked in assessments and have inspired numerous students to pursue philosophy as a discipline. They are dedicated academics, and have helped make it possible for the department to offer core requirement classes over the summer by establishing online courses in those required subjects.

For more information on the award criteria and process, see the Academic Leadership and Faculty Affairs website.

Ben Quintana

Ben Quintana, an adjunct faculty member in the College of Business and Economics, received the Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year Award from Provost John Buckwalter.

“To deliver our academic programs at Boise State, we rely on faculty in both tenure and non-tenure track roles,” Buckwalter said. “Adjunct faculty play a critical role and are essential to the delivery of high-quality academic programming, and help us achieve our first goal of the strategic plan – student access and student success.”

The award honors adjunct faculty members who are demonstrating excellence in teaching, particularly by using evidence-based instructional practices and student engagement techniques to support student success, as well as by their engagement with faculty development opportunities.

Student and peer testimonials recognized Quintana for the significant impact he’s made in the Professional, Online and JD/MBA programs in the College of Business and Economics, and his students speak highly of the care he devotes to his classes both as an educator and as a mentor for rising business professionals.

Three members of the Boise State community are the newest recipients of the President’s Community Service Award. The award provides an opportunity to celebrate and honor individuals, or groups of faculty, staff or students, who are serving their community in extraordinary ways.

Brittany Brand

Brittany Brand, a professor in the Department of Geosciences, cultivates “Blue Turf Thinking,” engaging in many projects aimed at community engagement. Brand founded the Hazard and Climate Resilience Center to work with external communities across the intermountain west. Examples of Brand’s work include The Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program (a program providing support to local governments and communities), the Lewis County Tax Revenue and Economic Resilience Assessment Tool (a tool for helping local stakeholders better understand how to build economic resilience), and various wildfire and earthquake preparedness workshops for English and Spanish speaking communities in Idaho and Oregon.

Laura King

Laura King, an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, works to provide support and justice to crime victim survivors in the state of Idaho. She works as an advocate for crime victim services, serving as an expert witness in domestic violence cases, and partnering with the organizations such as the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, Idaho Victim Assistance Academy, Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Idaho Legal Aid Services. Her work has led not only to academic contributions but also to the creation of many actionable programs and policy solutions that benefit countless community members.

Megan Smith

Megan Smith is an associate professor in the School of Public and Population Health. Her work surrounding mental health is an example of how to successfully engage with external stakeholders and partners to achieve strong results. Smith works with the Communities for Youth (C4Y), a team that is addressing the ongoing youth mental health crisis in Idaho. The C4Y team has forged strong partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders and community service organizations, including St. Luke’s Health System, Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation, Department of Health and Welfare, the Idaho State Department of Education, YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, over 17 Idaho school districts and so many more. This works involves offering protective service such as family support, physical activity, kindness, and teacher support; the communities they work in have experienced significant decreases in youth depression rates.

Two members of the Boise State University community were honored by Boise State University President Dr. Marlene Tromp with the 2024 President’s Community Service Award. The award provides the campus community an opportunity to celebrate and honor individuals, or groups of faculty, staff or students, who serve the community in extraordinary ways.

Nere Lete

Nere Lete, professor in the Department of World Languages, is helping to preserve Basque language, culture and history. Over the course of nearly three decades, Lete has been exceedingly generous in dedicating time for service to the department, the college, the university, the community and the profession. She works within the university to educate others about Basque language, culture and history, and actively works beyond the university to preserve and promote Basque language, culture and history.

Mike Stefancic

Experiential and Career Learning Coordinator Mike Stefancic worked with Idaho Partners for Good to facilitate a workshop to help community members understand how to partner with the university and successfully support student volunteers. He took on the challenge of starting their first grant relations team and the selection process. Stefancic is careful about developing and nurturing connections and turns them into relationships that support the good he wants to do, both personally and professionally, and he is committed to making meaningful and fulfilling connections for Boise State students.

The Presidential Innovation Awards at Boise State recognize excellence in innovation from across campus. Awards celebrate creating a culture of innovation, imaginative approaches to problem-solving, and evidence of experimentation and a growth mindset.

Staff winners – Brittany Watson, Theresa Grace, Candice Johnson, Rachael Bledsoe and Kaylin Holmquist

The Clinical Leadership Team in the School of Nursing are the 2025 awardees: Brittany Watson, Theresa Grace, Candice Johnson, Rachael Bledsoe and Kaylin Holmquist

The Clinical Leadership Team in the School of Nursing developed an integrated suite of digital tools and processes that have transformed how clinical placements and student compliance are managed. Their innovation has significantly reduced non-compliance rates, increased administrative efficiency, and supported a 25% expansion in student capacity—all while streamlining coordination with over 45 local clinical partners and creating a more efficient, student-centered process.

Read more about the team on the nursing website.

Faculty winner – Jennie Myers

Jennie Myers is a clinical assistant professor in the College of Innovation and Design. Her AI-Prompted Personalized Experiential Learning (APPEL) Framework is an innovative way to integrate AI into higher education. Rather than relying on AI for quick answers or static lesson planning, APPEL immerses students in realistic, profession-specific challenges.

Student winner – Nicholas Lloyd

Nicholas Lloyd is the 2025 student innovation award winner. Lloyd exemplifies leadership and innovation at Boise State University, driving impactful initiatives like Feed The Funnel and record-breaking scholarship advocacy, while empowering others through mentorship and service to create lasting change for the campus community and beyond.

View past award winners on the Presidential Innovation Awards webpage.

Faculty Winner

Jared Talley

Talley’s research focuses on community collaboration in the environmental governance of the American West. He received a Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenge award this year. This interdisciplinary initiative elevates societally relevant questions around finite and critical resources, sustainability and community needs. He led the team that focused on regenerative ranching and carbon project potential in Idaho, seeking to better understand how diverse communities relate to the land and how this relationship poses both obstacles and opportunities for collaboration and governance.

Student Winner

Makena Chase

Chase single-handedly founded the Special Olympics Club at Boise State. She pioneered this path for student involvement by reaching out to deans, publishers, student clubs, faculty organizations and other groups to inform students of the opportunity. She also raised almost $500 for the initiative during Bronco Giving Day. This is just the beginning of the positive impact this organization will have.

Staff Winner

Kristin Olson, Ashley Nichols, Andy Giacomazzi

This staff-faculty trio created Conflict Support Services, an impactful experiential learning opportunity that helps students learn to solve problems. Through this program, Boise State students, primarily those who live in student housing, connect with peers trained in the Conflict Management Program who provide conflict coaching, facilitate conversations and mediate disputes. Students receiving the services are introduced to a field of study and opportunities for earning a certificate, if they are interested.