Scholarships

Brad Allen Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Brad Allen Endowed Scholarship Fund, established by ISU alumnus Brad Allen, was established to help students from rural communities, similar to Allen. Allen’s family had been farmers and ranchers for generations; he was one of the first in his family to attend and graduate from college.

Allen graduated with an accounting degree in 2005 and passed the CPA exam in the first testing window after graduation. He has worked in public accounting since then, and in 2012, he was the co-founder of the Davies Allen group of companies which provide tax, consulting and assurance services across the western region with headquarters in Utah.

“I’ve long had a goal to be able to give back,” said Allen. “I was a generational farm kid from rural Idaho venturing into an unknown realm of college and the accounting industry. My time at Idaho State was instrumental in helping me learn, grow, gain experience and understand where I wanted to take my career in the accounting industry. I personally benefited from scholarships while at ISU, and it’s my pleasure to now pay it forward. Counting people first is probably the most important thing any member of the accounting profession can do!”

Clyde E. Brinegar Endowed Scholarship Fund

Clyde E. Brinegar, a Burley native, graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Finance in 1981. He had many life-defining moments at ISU, including meeting the love of his life and future wife, Kathleen, who he married at St. John’s Chapel on the ISU campus. He was a hall director and RA for the 7th floor in Garrison Hall and has many fond memories of time spent on campus, as well as Buddy’s, Blimpies, Scout Mountain.

Brinegar worked for several years in banking, but later took over managing the family business in property development and real estate, Brinegar Investments. He is passionate about education and knows the value ISU brought to his life and to the lives of so many in his family. Because of this, and in addition to his desire to help the next generation of Bengals achieve their dreams, Brinegar’s family, including nephew Shane Ostermeier and wife Kathleen, have established this scholarship in his honor.

“We’re proud to establish this scholarship to honor my uncle’s past service at ISU, and to honor his passion for business and its future leaders,” said Ostermeier.

Jerry & Susan Robinson Endowed Scholarship Fund

Jerry “Jer” and Susan Robinson are true Bengals. Their paths crossed when Key Bank, preparing to open a new branch in Pocatello, contacted Jerry to participate in a photo shoot for their promotional brochures. The bank asked if he could bring along another student to pose with him. Jerry immediately thought of Susan, a familiar face from his Biology 101 class and someone he’d often seen around campus. He reached out to her, and to his delight, she happily agreed to join him for the shoot. Their first date was in the summer of 1971 at Bimbo’s Pizza. That photo shoot helped spark a lifetime of love and friendship.

Susan and Jerry celebrated 50 years of marriage before Jerry passed away unexpectedly in 2023. Susan and Jerry appreciated their time at ISU and the opportunities their education gave them. Susan established the Jerry and Susan Robinson Endowed Scholarship Fund to honor Jerry’s memory and to support future Bengals, particularly non-traditional students like Jerry who had significant life demands outside of school but managed to succeed and thrive in spite of those.

“ISU was very important to us,” said Susan. “We wouldn’t have had the same careers without it, and most importantly, we wouldn’t have met without it.”

Founders Circle Support Endowment

Spring marked the second semester of the Founders Circle - a mentorship program and the first of its kind at ISU. Undergraduate and graduate students were paired with College of Business alumni based on interests, geographic location and academic background. The current alumni mentors have extensive experience in fields like accounting, cybersecurity, sales, technology, marketing, healthcare, finance, and more. Students participating in the program receive advice on internships, jobs, resumes, interviewing, entering an industry or specific organization and more. Thanks to an anonymous donor, the program is now supported with an endowment, meaning mentorship meetups, full group events and more can continue in perpetuity.

“I’m deeply grateful for my experience with the Founder’s Circle, which offered me the invaluable opportunity to connect with an inspiring leader and female role model in an industry where women CEOs remain rare,” said Master of Healthcare Administration student, Bentley Weldon. “Beyond professional growth, this experience has given me a meaningful mentorship and a connection I hope to carry with me well into the future.”