Chloe Pampush, from Tillamook, Oregon, will be the student speaker at a special commencement ceremony to honor graduates who could not attend in-person celebrations due to the global pandemic. Pampush graduated in 2020 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design and a minor in German.
“I am excited to return to campus for this,” Pampush said. “It is great to have an opportunity to gather with all my classmates and officially celebrate our achievements.”
When she first arrived at Boise State, Pampush was not exactly sure what path she would pursue, but that was one of the features that attracted her to the university in the first place.
“Boise State had a broad variety of majors so I knew I would have options,” she said.
Pampush initially pursued economics, but an interest in art led her to enter the graphic design program. She was also able to expand her studies to include a minor in German, adding to the knowledge of the language she gained after studying abroad in Austria.
In both of these areas of study, Pampush pursued leadership and mentorship roles. She worked in the World Languages Resource Center helping students practice their speaking and conversation skills, and was involved in the Pathways Project which develops open educational resources (OER) for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.
“When it came to capitalizing on the opportunities available to our Broncos, Chloe clearly made the most of her time at Boise State,” said Amber Hoye, director of the World Languages Resource Center. “Many students benefited from her work on-campus and she created lasting, impactful projects for the university and teaching materials used by language instructors in Idaho and across the country.”
As an officer in the Student Association of Graphic Arts she focussed the organization on better preparing interested students to succeed in the intensive program.
“I really tried to help the lower-division students gain confidence in themselves and be prepared for what the upper-division courses demand,” Pampush said.
These extracurricular activities helped Pampush make connections to students and faculty that benefited her on and off campus.
“Amber Hoye was very supportive, empowered us to work independently and allowed me to grow into leadership and management roles,” Pampush said. “And in graphic design, Brian Wiley was a tremendous resource as our world shifted in March with the pivot to online learning. He was always so supportive and worked really hard to make COVD times as normal as possible. He also helped me a lot as I prepared to enter the design world after graduation.”
Pampush has remained in Boise since graduation and was recently promoted to project manager at a local digital design agency.
“Chloe is one of the most exceptional students that I’ve had in my classroom since joining Boise State and it’d be hard to overstate the contributions that she made to our program and community during her time here,” Brian Wiley, associate professor of graphic design said. “She was a curious, enthusiastic, and engaged student, and her comfort with both the academic and practical side of design is not often seen at the undergraduate level.”
Though her experience was disrupted by COVID, and her first commencement was virtual, Pampush fondly remembers her time at Boise State.
“It was the perfect college experience,” she recalls. “The campus is a good size, it’s close to downtown, the grounds are beautiful, there’s an iconic sporting legacy and a vibrant student life. Boise State played a huge role in making me who I am today and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my class at commencement.”
