Faculty in residence Andrew Giacomazzi, Kelly Arispe, Jonathan Krutz, Krishna Pakala, Tim Kempf, Caile Spear, Joe Champion, and program coordinator Vince Applegate
There is an influx of new student faces in the residence halls this semester, along with some new and familiar faculty who also are living there. The Faculty in Residence (FIR) program was established to create better opportunities for students in the housing community to connect with professors outside of the classroom. The University Housing Living and Learning Community is pleased to welcome and introduce the 2016-2017 Faculty in Residence for this academic year.
Kelly Arispe is an assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages. She is the FIR representative for the College of Arts and Sciences. Arispe came to Boise State in fall 2012 and this is her third year as a Faculty in Residence. Arispe first learned of the FIR program during the interview process at Boise State and was drawn to participate.
“I am hoping to gain meaningful relationships with students. That’s the heart and soul of being a FIR,” Arispe said. “I love my students in the Spanish and Foreign Language Secondary Education Program, but I often have them in their final year and they leave me. Being a FIR means I get to cultivate an academic mentorship with freshmen and see them through to graduation. The most meaningful part of the job is helping them get connected to faculty in their programs immediately.”
Joe Champion is beginning his fourth year of teaching at Boise State as an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics. Champion came to Boise State from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. Champion, his wife Melissa and their two young daughters all live on campus alongside the students in the STEM Education Living-Learning Community. Coming from a background of attending smaller universities in the past, Champion recognized the importance of student and faculty bonding and was on the lookout for the perfect opportunity.
“Students come to our university with lots of excitement and passion, but also with lots of nervous energy,” he said. “I’ve looked at my job as a faculty-in-residence as being a lot like a coach – helping young people when they need support, challenging them to keep doing their best in and out of school, and always letting them know that they are worthwhile and valuable regardless of their grades, major or progress at the university. One great thing I’ve learned from this role is just how rich and interesting are the lives of our students at Boise State.”
Andrew Giacomazzi has been a faculty member at Boise State for 18 years. As a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and the associate dean for the School of Public Service, his choice to join the Leadership and Engagement Community was simple. Giacomazzi is dedicated to supporting the Living and Learning communities through their goals for academic success, community building and lifelong learning. He also is interested in mentoring freshman students and taking advantage of the opportunity to help students achieve vital experience with leadership and self-discovery.
“I decided to be a FIR to challenge myself as a professor, mentor and advisor in ways that I have never been challenged before. Out of all that I have done at Boise State over the last 18 years, from publishing books and articles, to teaching in a variety of formats, to serving on boards and commissions, to advising student organizations, the faculty in residence experience has been, by far, my most professionally rewarding experience,” he said.
Jon Krutz joined Boise State in 2011 as a professor in the Department of Marketing and Finance, as well as in the Boise State Graduate College in the professional MBA program. Krutz chose to participate in the College of Business Living-Learning Community to gain a better understanding of student life.
“One of the hardest parts about teaching for me is when students disappear from class,” he said. “They start the semester well, sputter and drop out. I was interested in the FIR position in part to better understand what’s happening in the lives of the students, so I could adjust my course to provide better support to help them recover rather than wipe out when they hit a bump in the road.” Boise State is a family affair for Krutz, as his wife just began the nursing doctoral program and his children are both Boise State students.
Krishna Pakala began working for Boise State in 2012 and is in his third year as FIR for the Engineering and Innovation Living-Learning Community. Pakala is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, as well as the faculty associate for mobile learning in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s IDEA shop. Pakala, his wife Aparna and young son Moukthik, all live on campus and as a family have become dedicated to enhancing the lives of his students by instilling strong oratory skills, renewed confidence and the will to persist with engineering.
“I want my students to appreciate diversity and working in teams, and I try to motivate students to excel beyond achieving passing grades. I believe our students have potential and I have learned in my career that tapping into their inherent abilities can lead to huge success for them and the school in general,” Pakala said. “Incredible people need incredible places to thrive and succeed, and I believe with support we can make every nook and corner of our campus achieve this.”
Caile Spear is in her second round as a FIR for the Health Professions Residential College. Spear has worked for Boise State for 21 years and is a professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Health. She was a FIR from 2007-2009 and chose to come back because of her commitment to forging close relationships with students, helping them succeed and increasing student retention. Spear and her husband strongly believe the living and learning communities are vital in providing an environment for new students to grow and feel part of the community.
“It’s a great way to personally connect and mentor students and see them as something more than just people in your class. You see them for their wonderful personalities, their quirks and their excitement to be here . It’s a great opportunity to have a positive impact on students’ lives, but you learn about yourself, too. It’s a mutual learning and living environment and to me that’s powerful,” Spear said.
Tim Kempf is the Bronco Fit Living-Learning Community Faculty out of Residence (FOR). Kempf has taught at Boise State for five years and is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology. As a strong supporter of the Bronco Fit initiative, he thought that the FOR position would be an excellent fit. Kempf feels that the Living and Learning Community is an invaluable resource for students.
“I appreciate the objectives of the living and learning community program, which are to support incoming freshmen students, help them make connections with faculty, and do so in the context of discussing and promoting wellness,” he said. “I am hoping to make a real contribution to the lives of each individual living and learning Community student in the Bronco Fit community, as well as share the field of kinesiology and wellness.”
By Becca Burke
BY: SHERRY SQUIRES PUBLISHED 1:50 PM / SEPTEMBER 22, 2016