2024 Volunteer Summit

Drew is in his ninth year at Boise State University, where he has always been part of the Campus Operations team. Originally from Indiana, he studied Urban Planning and Development at Ball State University (the “other” BSU). Since moving west, he has worked as a city planner, a planning and policy consultant, and held a variety of roles at Boise State. Currently, Drew is the Associate Vice President for Campus Operations. This team handles nearly all the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and sustainability work for Boise State’s 200+ buildings and 6 million square feet of space. He holds a Master’s of Public Administration from Boise State and is an avid cyclist in his free time.

With over 21 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Argia Beristain is a seasoned fundraising leader known for her expertise in building sustainable philanthropy growth and cultivating strong donor relationships. Argia has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative fundraising strategies that have significantly advanced the missions of numerous organizations. Argia joined Boise State in 2015 and currently is the Senior Associate Vice President for Development at Boise State University overseeing all academic and athletic fundraising and she also is an Adjunct Faculty member for Basque Studies and the Honors College. 

Argia has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of Washington, Master Certificate in Basque Studies from the University of the Basque Country, and a Master in Business Administration from Boise State University. Her main work is fundraising for Boise State, and she continues to build cultural, educational, and sport-related programs between Boise State, the Basque diaspora in the United States and the Basque Country.

Dr. John Buckwalter serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and is responsible for academic quality and student success at Boise State. Provost Buckwalter leads efforts to expand professional and material support for faculty, improve student success and retention, and develop academic programs that educate the next generation of Idaho’s workforce. His experience as a researcher and an administrator informs his support of development opportunities for faculty at all career levels, as well as an advocate for effective infrastructure to support sustainable growth in academics and research.

Dr. John Buckwalter joined Boise State in July 2021 after serving as the Betty L. Tointon endowed dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Kansas State University. In his role as dean at Kansas State, Buckwalter oversaw a college comprised of a broad range of departments from financial planning to health and gerontology to the creative arts, as well as multiple centers and institutes. In five years, the college averaged $11 million in sponsored research awards and $5.7 million in philanthropic gifts. 

As Vice President of Research and Economic Development, Dr. Nancy Glenn leads Boise State’s research enterprise, which had a record-breaking $91M in awards in FY23. VP Glenn oversees research policy and strategy at Boise State, working with Boise State’s community and partners to engage in the excitement of knowledge discovery and the research process. She brings a deep commitment to developing positive relationships, and an entrepreneurial approach to building research and economic development, and combining these to help others succeed.

Randy is a seasoned executive that has served as the CEO for five different companies with billions in world-wide revenues. Mr. Hales brings extensive business experience in leadership, strategic planning and execution, business development, manufacturing, product management, marketing, sales and global operations. His experience includes leading both private equity-backed ventures and public companies.

Dr. Shinn was named as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management in December 2022. Immediately prior to his current role, Dr. Shinn served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Louisiana State University. Starting in 2010, Dr. Shinn served in various leadership positions at Boise State University, and has also held positions at Indiana University, and Eastern Michigan University.

As a full-time administrator, Jeremiah is also an active teacher and researcher. He has taught more than 25 course sections at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels and recently taught in LSU’s higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate program. He researches organizational design, organizational culture, and the micropolitics of higher education organizations. His current research examines the effectiveness of  graduate preparation programs for aspiring higher education & student affairs professionals.

Dr. Shinn earned his bachelor’s of science from Arkansas Tech University, a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan, and his Ph.D. from Eastern Michigan University.