GradWell Student Spotlight

May 2024

Ivane Helias

Ivane Helias is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: Leadership and Global Education. Her aspiration is to secure a role in the field of international education, potentially as an international educational liaison, helping students in finding a community that enhances their sense of belonging. Despite her demanding schedule as a graduate student, Ivane prioritizes her wellness by dedicating one day a week solely to activities she enjoys, such as cooking, playing the piano, golfing, outdoor activities, or Netflix.

Inspired by her own experiences as an international student, Ivane is driven to assist others facing similar challenges. She believes an interdisciplinary approach, blending courses in leadership, education, and sociology, equips her to effectively navigate the complexities of international education and support systems.

Currently, Ivane is creating a podcast to shed light on the challenges faced by international students, aiming to foster cultural understanding and advocate for their needs within the Boise State community.

“As an international student, I am aware of how the challenges they face can impact their engagement in class, inclusion in the community, and relations with peers and professors. I aim to identify and advocate for these challenges and promote cultural competency at Boise State” states Ivane

Ivane is graduating this May and is currently looking for a job in international education, study abroad companies, or general higher education in administration. Ivane is very grateful for all the people that supported her throughout her journey at Boise State and wants to give a special thanks to her Boise mom, Pam. Being far from home, she is looking forward to celebrating her graduation with her father and best friend who will be traveling from France. They will all celebrate this milestone by embarking on a memorable road trip through Oregon and Northern California.

Congratulations to Ivane as she graduates this spring! 

Go check out her Podcast VENTURING VOICES and hear the different experiences of our international students on campus: Podcast Series

If you would like to add Ivane to your network, connect with Ivane on LinkedIn 

May 2024

Amber Lowrey

Amber Lowrey is a graduate student receiving her Master’s of Social Work and is a part of the online program. She was inspired to pursue a degree in social work because she had the privilege of working with so many talented, dedicated, and exemplary social workers at her placement in a hospital. Amber acknowledged that seeing their passion and work inspired her to continue further with her education. As a busy graduate student, Amber makes time for her wellness by carving out space and time for herself. When she is not working or doing schoolwork, you can find Amber usually camping, kayaking, crocheting, or listening to podcasts. 

Amber has many things she hopes to do with her social work career. Currently, some of her career goals include working with adolescents at an alternative high school, juveniles within the court system, or continuing to further her career at the state psychiatric hospital she currently works at. Amber loves the social work field because of how broad it is and how it allows for so many career opportunities.

As Amber reflects on her experience as a Boise State student, a part of an online program, she is very grateful.

“I feel very fortunate for this experience. I didn’t expect to feel so connected to my classmates during an online program and I have been so lucky to develop such lasting friendships – special shout out to Karla and Alicia for being such wonderful friends!” states Amber. 

Amber plans on graduating in December of 2024. After graduation her first priority is to get some sleep, and then she is hoping to plan a relaxing vacation with her husband!

April 2024

Austin Thompson

Austin is a graduate student obtaining his Masters in Counseling, with an emphasis on addiction. He was inspired to pursue this degree because he has a passion for helping people through their toughest moments. He wanted a career where he felt like he was contributing to creating a positive impact on the world. As a busy graduate student, Austin makes time for his wellness by utilizing his time management skills. He likes to stay on top of his assignments during the week so he can spend his weekends with his friends and family; enjoying his hobbies helps him recharge.

Austin is also a Graduate Recruiting Assistant for the Graduate College. He enjoys his GA position because it allows him to connect with students from all different types of academic backgrounds. He gets to have conversations that encourage students to explore their interest in a graduate degree.

“I am passionate about developing and expanding resources for prospective students, and connecting with students interested in furthering their academic careers” states Austin.

Moreover, Austin has experience in working in community mental health and has also taught abroad in Spain. Ultimately, Austin’s career goals include working for mental health agencies in the Treasure Valley area and someday opening his own private practice. Austin plans on graduating in Spring of 2026. After graduation, he plans to enter the counseling field and start building his competencies as a counselor.

April 2024

Alyssa Farrell

Alyssa is working toward obtaining her Masters in CORe (Cyber Operations and Resilience). She was inspired to pursue her degree by her high school teachers. They were very encouraging towards her pursuing her passions, which resulted in her finding cybersecurity. As a busy graduate student, Alyssa makes time for her wellness by making time for the gym and social activities. She tries to go to the gym every other day, while also making time to participate in social activities on the weekend.

Alyssa is grateful for finding Boise State’s online program because it accelerated her knowledge and helped her learn more than she would have on her own, and on her own time too!

“I definitely recommend Boise State Online for those that are able! Not only is it affordable, I feel the professors are beyond understanding of life outside of the computer/school”, she states.

Ultimately, Alyssa’s career goals are to transition into a cybersecurity field. She plans on graduating in May of 2024 and intends on making a trip out to Boise for graduation. After graduation, she is planning on looking for jobs in the cybersecurity realm so that she can use her CORe Masters degree, as well as her computer science bachelors.

If you want to add Alyssa to your network, connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn.

March 2024

Jet Taylor

Jet Taylor is obtaining her Masters of Science in Kinesiology. She has spent a majority of her life surrounded by athletics; she even participated on Boise State’s varsity volleyball team last year. During her time as an undergraduate, Jet sparked an interest in research. She continues to have a passion for research and loves learning. As a busy graduate student, some ways that Jet makes time for her wellness is through dedicating time in her schedule to running, even when she is busy. This is very important to Jet because running also allows her some “me time”. 

Jet is from a small town called Rigby, Idaho. She grew up playing sports, and eventually attended Eastern Oregon University (EOU) for her undergrad on a volleyball scholarship. During her time there, she fell in love with kinesiology because it piqued her interest in the human body, and her love of sports. After graduating from EOU, Jet transferred to Boise State to play on the volleyball team for her extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic. While at Boise State, Jet got involved in research opportunities. She is currently a research assistant in the Skill Acquisition Psychophysiology (SAP) Lab working under Dr. Mariane Bacelar. 

“What I love most about my position is the opportunity to learn so much about brain activity through using EEG, as it is something totally new to me and is a fun challenge. I also love working with my lab team and learning from all of them since they are all so smart” stated Jet. 

Jet has plans to graduate in Spring 2025. After graduation, Jet wants to continue being involved in research and education. She plans on pursuing her PhD, and ultimately her dream would be to teach at the university level and have a lab to conduct research in, specifically in her current area of research, psychophysiology.

March 2024

Jun Park

Jun Park is a graduate student obtaining his Masters in Business Administration. He was inspired to pursue this degree by his mentor. Jun’s mentor helped him realize that he needs more knowledge and skills in order to achieve his goals and dreams. Jun admits he had a hard time finding an employer and organization who is willing to sponsor him after graduation. These experiences all humbled him and made him reconsider the real business world, leading him to pursue a master’s  degree. As a busy graduate student, Jun finds that he doesn’t have too much free time, but when he does he tries to separate his personal and school life. Jun enjoys being active, and likes to hike around the Treasure Valley, or greenbelt, with his dog. He also likes to go to the gym regularly. After he got into the master program, cooking became another hobby that helps him unwind, so he tries to cook as much as he can. 

Jun has been very involved in Boise State. He is currently a Graduate Recruiting Assistant for the Graduate College and has  also been an orientation leader and peer advisor. 

“As an international student, I have gained a huge perspective and knowledge of both domestic students and international students’ needs throughout my  years at Boise State”, said Jun.  

Jun’s ultimate career goal is to become a leader who is trustworthy, reliable, and genuine to the team and community. Currently, he is working on getting a summer internship from a big corporation. Jun plans on graduating in Spring 2025. After graduation, he plans on staying here in the Treasure Valley area to get started on his professional career. 

If you want to add Jun to your network, connect with Jun on LinkedIn.

February 2024

Sierra Santosuosso

Sierra is a graduate student attaining her Masters of Biology. She was inspired to pursue her degree due to her love of animals and nature; they have always brought her joy and peace. She believes that the earth is beautiful, and there are so many lessons to learn from the natural world around us. Sierra’s feelings of connectedness to nature inspire her not only to work at conserving it for future generations, but for fostering an attitude of love and appreciation for the planet and all of its life. As a busy graduate student, Sierra makes time for her wellness through traveling because she has a desire to see as much of the world as possible. When she is not traveling, she enjoys spending time with her friends, going to concerts, working out at the gym and walking the greenbelt. Through staying active and being outside, Sierra notices it makes a significant difference in improving her mental health.

Sierra wants to work in an organization where she can apply her passion, skills and attitude to make a difference.

“It is important to me to have a job that offers variety (working in the field or in the lab, collaboratively or independently), and that allows me to constantly learn, grow, and engage with the community that I am a part of”, states Sierra.

After graduation, Sierra hopes to work as an agronomist for Simplot, or have a role in ecological surveying and research within a government organization. She is very excited to find a full-time, permanent position to really get her career started.

If you want to add Sierra to your network, connect with Sierra on LinkedIn.

February 2024

Kate Benfield

Kate is a graduate student obtaining her Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering. She has always been interested in the medical field.  When she was younger, she was interested in orthopedic surgery, thanks to Grey’s Anatomy. However, at the age of twelve, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and was tethered to an insulin pump. Kate recalls being fascinated by the medical device and was curious about how it worked. She was interested in how she could make it better in order to help make people living with T1D’s lives easier. This is what made her interested in pursuing engineering, in general. She chose biomedical engineering because it tied in her love of the medical field. Moreover, as a busy graduate student, Kate makes time for her wellness by physically scheduling time for herself. She enjoys going outside in her front yard and feeding the squirrels peanuts with her partner. 

Kate’s career goals consist of working in Research and Development (R&D) for a medical device or health related company. She enjoys the research side of R&D, such as investigating material performance. She has recently become interested in Forensic Biomedical Engineering; she credits her interest in the field to her love of True Crime Podcasts.

“I always say that earning a PhD is my Everest – it’s challenging, it will beat me down, it’s going to take my blood, sweat, and tears…but…I will make it to the top and it will be my greatest accomplishment”, states Kate.

Kate is very proud of the work she has done to get to the place she is at in her academic journey. She even has two first-author peer reviewed published articles. Kate plans on graduating with her PhD in Spring of 2025. After graduating she plans on taking a few weeks off before she enters the workforce. 

If you want to add Kate to your network, connect with Kate on LinkedIn.

January 2024

Cheyenne Lillis

Cheyenne is working on receiving her Master of Athletic Training. She was inspired to pursue this degree after meeting with a preceptor who introduced to the field of Athletic Training. She was always interested in emergency medicine and rehabilitation, so the field of Athletic Training combines both of her interests. Cheyenne likes to make time for her own personal wellness by taking study breaks and setting time limits so that she doesn’t overwhelm or overload herself; this strategy allows her to retain the material she is studying better. Cheyenne also likes to go on runs and be physically active. She also believes it is important to try to maintain a healthy diet because it positively supports her overall wellness.

Cheyenne has thoroughly enjoyed her experiences and internships within the Athletic Training setting. She is very passionate about every aspect of the field, which ultimately  inspired her to pursue this degree. 

“If you love what you do and do what you love, you won’t work a day in your life” says Cheyenne. 

After graduation, Cheyenne plans to have her MAT and pass the BOC exam. Her goal is to work with athletes in either football or motorsports. She really wants to provide an elite level of care to athletes  within a variety of areas including emergency care, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. She hopes to begin working with high school athletics and then eventually, work towards a professional sports environment. She eventually wants to pursue a doctorate, so that she can increase her quality of care and utilize a larger library of trained techniques. 

If you want to add Cheyenne to your network, connect with Cheyenne on LinkedIn.

January 2024

Brittany Aller

Brittany is currently working towards her Masters of Social Work. Brittany was inspired to pursue her degree by her mother. Her mom received a license in Social Work, which led Brittany to see all the good her mom was able to do with the individuals she worked with. Brittany’s mom worked to build healthy relationships with many children and adults that had never experienced stability in their lives. Additionally, she watched her mother support many individuals in their academic, occupational, and personal endeavors. Brittany wants to work with vulnerable populations, such as children or people with disabilities, and be a source of support and care for them and their loved ones. As a busy graduate student, Brittany enjoys baking with her daughter, going on walks with her husband, listening to True Crime podcasts, and taking naps.

Brittany ultimately wants to work with children in the public school system by helping them enhance their confidence, emotional regulation skills, and social emotional well-being. She  would like to incorporate mindfulness into their daily learning environment, so they can feel grounded and supported while achieving their academic goals. 

“Boise State University has been such a highlight in my life”, states Brittany.

She admits that grad school has not been easy but BSU has made it an incredible experience where I have met lifelong friends and received great mentorship from my professors along the way. Brittany is graduating this spring and is expecting a baby, due in July 2024, so she wants to balance a growing family, find a career in her local school district, and work toward her license in social work. 

Congratulations Brittany!