Every story is worth celebrating, especially that of Olgie Castillo ’07. After nearly 50 years of living in Idaho and 16 years of dedicated service to Boise State University, Olgie has retired from her last role, a management assistant in the School of Kinesiology, leaving behind a legacy of care, hard work, and compassion across campus.
Olgie reminisced that her time in kinesiology was her favorite at Boise State. “I felt like an equal to the professors there. They were all so kind, easy to work with, and always put students first.”
Her connection to the school, and her family, inspired her most recent and deeply meaningful gift to Boise State.
Honoring Family through Education
Olgie established the S&J Castillo Memorial Scholarship, an endowed fund that will support School of Kinesiology students forever. Her gift honors the lives of her husband, Steve, and her son, Jeff, while helping future students pursue their education with fewer financial barriers.
Divisional Dean Lynda Ransdell shared her appreciation for Olgie’s commitment to kinesiology:
“Olgie has been a fixture in the School of Kinesiology for several years. She cares deeply about the students, faculty and staff in the school, and her willingness to establish a scholarship demonstrates her commitment to ensuring that students who want to study kinesiology have the support necessary to succeed. We are so thankful for her contributions to kinesiology—both as a staff member, and now with this scholarship.”
“Jeff was always proud of my perseverance and tenacity. He knew anything I set out to do would get done,” Olgie said. “This scholarship has taken me years to save for and it’s a great feeling to know that through this scholarship, my guys will now outlive me.”
Olgie emphasized that Steve valued the power of education.
“He always believed that everyone should go to college, learn a trade, or serve for a few years,” Olgie shared. “He thought education helped young people grow up and learn about life in ways that cannot be learned through hard knocks”
Olgie added that Steve and Jeff would have been extremely proud to see her create this scholarship for young people. The scholarship reflects the values Steve lived by, kindness, generosity, and empathy. Throughout his life, he quietly put these principles into action, frequently opening his home to people with nowhere else to go.
Her son Jeff had a strong connection to kinesiology, too. He majored in athletic training at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and once trained as an Olympic hopeful at the Olympic Training Center near campus. During this time, Jeff faced serious health challenges, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple autoimmune conditions.
“One of the kinesiology professors was involved in Parkinson’s research, and Jeff died from complications of Parkinson’s,” Olgie shared. “With all the research that was going on in kinesiology, how could I not do something to try to help the future?”
“I really enjoyed my time at Boise State,” she said. “I just wanted to give back. This scholarship allows me to honor my family and help students at the same time.”
Supporting Students For Generations
Olgie hopes her story will inspire others across campus, especially faculty and staff, to see that giving back is possible regardless of one’s position.
“Most people think scholarships are created by wealthy donors,” Olgie said. “I’m not a wealthy person, I was a classified employee. I want people to know that even small acts of giving can make a real difference to students.”
Throughout her career, Olgie dedicated herself to supporting students in every way she could. Now, through the S&J Castillo Memorial Scholarship, her impact will continue for generations to come.
Olgie has always shown what it means to be a true Bronco. Because of her generosity, students who might not otherwise have had the chance to pursue a college education will now be able to thrive and experience all that college has to offer.