2023 Journey Magazine

LC State is a small college that does big things. Our students reach their full potential, largely, because we meet them where they are, know them by name, and take pride in guiding them from class to career. Truly, we empower our students to Do More as successful leaders, engaged citizens, and lifelong learners. We are doing big things.

Last year featured myriad examples of how LC State’s small-college care and culture are creating big opportunities for students and laying the foundation for future success. In this Journey Magazine edition, you will read about prison education, one of our most exciting and impactful adult learning initiatives. You will also read about our growing hospitality management program and how LC State is changing how courses are delivered to be able to better address industry staffing shortages, all while helping students earn their degree. COVID-19 decimated the Idaho healthcare industry and, like many states, Idaho is still working to recover from nursing scarcities. LC State is poised and ready to do its part to educate and graduate the next generation of highly qualified nurses to serve Idaho and beyond.

In the Campus News section (page 18) you will read about a few of the ways we’re meeting the needs of students and Idaho, and also maintaining enrollment despite decreasing traditional demographics and increased competition in our region. These initiatives include our adult learner program, the dual credit opportunity and our GED program.

Out of all of our recent adult learning initiatives, prison education might be the most exciting and impactful so far. In 2022, LC State was invited to participate in the Second Chance Pell Experiment, an initiative launched in 2015 to expand access to Federal Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals. That fall we offered face-to-face classes to 21 residents at the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino and we haven’t looked back. In the spring we served 33 residents. This fall we exceeded expectations and have over 60 students in Orofino and we’re looking at opportunities and requests to expand our prison education model statewide. It has taken a mountain of work to get us to this point and I thank the many LC State team members involved in the project.

Our efforts to expand opportunities and build enrollment pipelines have not been limited to non-traditional students. In 2022, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections that allows us to offer dual credit online courses in both general education and Career & Technical Education at the three juvenile corrections institutions in Idaho.

Along with building new opportunities for adult learners and enhancing pathways for traditional students, we’ve also been busy making sure our partnerships and pipelines at sister and junior colleges are stronger than ever. Excellent examples of this include the teacher education pathway at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), our pharmacy school agreement with Idaho State University, and our nursing pipelines – inclusive of co-branded billboards, materials, etc. – at CSI, College of Western Idaho, and College of Eastern Idaho.

Even with all the above, we continue to be steadfast in our focus to grow and enhance a vibrant campus community, meeting the needs of our growing on-campus, traditional (18-24-year-old) students. We are especially excited to have launched our newest LC State athletics team, competitive dance.

At Lewis-Clark State College we’re focused on enrollment, on partnerships, on synergies and efficiencies, and on new innovative ideas – and every bit of this is guided by our undying focus on each individual student regardless of who they are or where and how they learn.

Our students reach their full potential. We are a small college that does big things.

President Cynthia Pemberton

SUBSCRIBE TO MONDAY MESSAGE –If you haven’t already, subscribe to President Pemberton’s weekly Monday Message to stay connected and tuned into all things LC State. To subscribe simply email news@lcsc.edu with the subject line “add me”.

WARRIOR FEATS

# 7

Best Value School in the WEST Region

LC State was the highest ranked public college located west of Oklahoma.

Degrees and certificates awarded in Spring 2023

$137,187 Dollars raised on Warrior Giving Day 2023. Thank you.

DAVID WALKER was honored during the Arbor Day celebration by the Associated Students of Lewis-Clark State College.

LC State’s Radiographic Science online degree program ranked the fourth best program in the country among all college and universities by EduMed.org.

LC State’s Nursing program ranked top among four-year higher education institutions in Idaho for the second straight year by RegisteredNursing.org

Most affordable online social work degree by Best-Universities.net

42 of the 44 counties in Idaho represented

A LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATION

LC STATE LEADS SECOND CHANCE PELL PROGRAM FOR INCARCERATED STUDENTS IN OROFINO, LOOKS TO EXPAND PRISON EDUCATION OFFERINGS

By Tara Roberts

Travas Bickhart never saw himself as being good at school. He partied through high school, then went to work drilling oil and gas wells and hard-rock mining. After being incarcerated in 2017, he worked maintenance in prison. But he wanted a future that was easier on his body and better for his community — so he signed up for classes through Lewis-Clark State College’s Second Chance Pell program.

He was surprised to discover that school was a different story this time around.

Writing a personal narrative for instructor Lisa Goodrich’s English 101 class in fall 2022 gave Bickhart the chance to express his feelings for the first time since his incarceration. When he shared it with other inmates, they praised his writing. That good feeling motivated him to keep going. He took two more classes in spring 2023.

College, Bickhart said, is his way of feeling proud of himself and taking responsibility for his life.

“It’s given me something else to look forward to when I leave the facility. I see it as a way to help adjust, because it’s the only thing that I can take away from here that I can continue on,” he said. “It opens up more doors. I would like to give back to people who are incarcerated. I’m really disappointed in what I did,

and I have a lot of regrets. But I want to take that and turn it into something positive.”

Bickhart was among the first students in the Second Chance Pell Experiment pilot program at Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino (ICIO). In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Education selected LC State to administer the pilot program.

LC State offered its first in-person, for-credit classes in the school facility inside ICIO in fall 2022, with 21 students enrolled. Enrollment jumped to 33 in spring 2023. This fall, the college is serving over 60 ICIObased students

It’s the beginning of a long-term vision: LC State leaders have applied with the Federal Department of Education to become a Prison Education Program (PEP) institution, opening the door to more course and degree options for incarcerated students at ICIO and in other locations in Idaho.

A HISTORY OF PARTNERSHIP

A 1994 law eliminated need-based Pell Grants for people in federal or state prisons, but the Obama Administration launched the Second Chance Pell Experiment in 2015. The program

has since provided federal Pell Grants to thousands of incarcerated people to pay for postsecondary education through 200 schools across the country.

The LC State pilot program was part of the experiment’s third round, which added 73 colleges and universities. Beginning July 1, 2023, Pell Grants are once again broadly available to incarcerated adults who are enrolled in an eligible PEP program and meet other requirements. The grants, along with other funding sources, cover students’ tuition and book costs.

LC State has a history of partnership with ICIO. Since 2009, the college has offered non-credit welding classes at the facility. When the opportunity for the Second Chance program arose, LC State leaders began working with ICIO-based educators to apply.

David Manley — an Idaho Department of Correction instructor who leads educational programs at ICIO — said the prior partnership helped the new program start strong. LC was able to immediately offer inperson classes at ICIO, supplementing with online options.

“LC was the most robust and most agile and flexible in terms of just, ‘Let’s build this and get it going,’” Manley said.

Inmates first had to complete a college-prep course at ICIO, then had to apply for college to be eligible for Pell Grants. LC State sent its financial aid and advising teams to assist them.

In July 2022, the college hired Dovie Willey ’20 as its new adult learning coordinator, with much of her job focused on ICIO. She coordinates with ICIO employees and LC State staff in financial aid, admissions and advising, along with faculty and administrators in the School of Professional and Graduate Studies and the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

As a bridge between LC State and ICIO, Willey is a familiar face at the prison. She said LC State’s commitment to being there in person makes a huge difference to the incarcerated students. President Cynthia Pemberton, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Fred Chilson and Dean of

Professional and Graduate Studies Luther Maddy have all visited students at ICIO.

“They see our higher administration, not just our faculty. They have seen various staff members. We’re very involved, and I think that makes a key difference,” Willey said. “It’s nice because the students say, ‘I can’t wait to come to campus. I can’t wait to continue.’”

BENEFITS FOR EVERYONE

Matthew Anderson expects to parole out of ICIO soon, and the Second Chance Pell program is preparing him for that future. He’s active in ICIO’s PAWS dog training program and once directed a nonprofit dog rescue, which he’d like to do again. The math and communications classes he took in spring 2023 will help him pursue further education and run a business, he said — and the professors who taught him have helped give him confidence that he can find a pathway back into society.

“As an incarcerated person, we often do feel like we’ve been forgotten or just kind of discarded, swept away,” he said. “I know LC State has been really into getting into the prison and bringing this college stuff here. So it sort of validates you as a person.”

The combination of education and encouragement pays off for individuals and society as a whole.

Research by the nonprofit RAND Corporation has found that correctional education dramatically reduces the recidivism rate and is associated with higher post-prison employment rates. It’s also costeffective — according to a 2019 RAND report, “every dollar invested in prison education programs saves taxpayers, on average, between $4 and $5 in threeyear reincarceration costs.”

Almost all the men incarcerated at ICIO will be released someday and rejoin the community, said Deputy Warden Kent Shriver ’98, ’05.

“We want them out better, with more skills and being more productive than they were when they came in,” Shriver said, “So we do everything that we can to make the opportunity for them to be successful. One of those things is getting a college degree, because then they’re more hirable. They’re more likely to get a job or learn those soft skills you need to have a job.”

The LC State faculty members who teach at ICIO have found that the program is mutually rewarding for them and the students.

Spring 2023 Math 123 instructor Alan Hain said he initially felt uncertain about the program, but the experience has changed his mind. He wants his students to be good citizens after they’re released, and he has witnessed how dedicated they are to their education.

“I don’t go and ask them questions about what they did, and I honestly don’t care, as long as they’re good students, as long as they are respectful — and my gosh, they’re very respectful,” Hain said. “I found that I just really enjoy it.”

Leif Hoffmann — a political science professor who taught American National Government in fall 2022 — said he got involved with Second Chance Pell because he strongly believes in rehabilitation. He was also excited to teach incarcerated students about the

multitude of ways politics directly affect their lives, from parole board hearings to the opportunity to attend college in prison.

“For a teacher, nothing is more enjoyable than when you actually have people who are prepared, and every student was prepared every week,” Hoffmann said. “They really wanted to learn. They really wanted to participate. They really wanted to be engaged. For me, it was the same thing — as a teacher, you feed off each other.”

INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE

David Hardy said the opportunity for higher education while incarcerated has shocked him out of the routine of prison and helped him imagine what might come next. Like Anderson, he is part of the PAWS program and is considering a career in dog training. He’d like to earn a social sciences degree to help him on that path.

He said he hopes LC State’s leadership results in more people having access to correctional education.

“I think implementing what LC is doing here with the incarcerated population is important,” Hardy said. “It’s actually changing people’s lives. I think it’s going to lower the recidivism rate and it’s going to keep people out of prison. I think advocating for it more would be beneficial.”

Leaders at the college and the prison are working on ways to deepen and expand their educational partnerships.

During the Second Chance Pell program, students choose a liberal arts or business administration degree path, but more will be offered once the Prison Education Program approval process is complete.

President Cynthia Pemberton welcomes students on first day.

(left to right) Warden Terema Carlin, David Manley, Dovie Willey, Financial Aid Director Laura Hughes, President Cynthia Pemberton, Kent Shriver

LC State will intentionally add degree options that will enhance inmates’ employment opportunities, Willey said, such as bachelor’s degrees in business management, business and communications, communications or social sciences.

To help incarcerated students better access their classes, ICIO is working toward being able to issue Chromebooks to every student so they can study in their units, instead of only in the classroom facilities, Shriver said.

LC State is also making progress on plans to eventually offer faceto-face instruction at Idaho State Correctional Center in Boise and Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center, Willey said.

Manley said the federal government has gotten the ball rolling for investing in correctional education with the Second Chance Pell program. Now, he said, the state of Idaho has a chance to do even more.

“The more school opportunities that can become available, that’s only going to save taxpayer dollars in the long run. That’s only going to make for better neighbors in the long run, and a more educated population in the state of Idaho for people that go to prison and then have to get back out and enter reenter society,” Manley said. “It’s a real question for us as a society. How do we want to deal with incarcerated people?”

Why Prison Education Programs are Valuable

• There is a 43% reduction in recidivism rates for incarcerated individuals who participate in prison education programs.

• Education is almost twice as cost effective as incarceration. For every $1 invested in prison education, taxpayers save $4$5 in re-incarceration costs during the first three years postrelease.

• Individuals who participate in prison education programs are 12% more likely to be employed upon release than those who don’t take courses.

Source: RAND.org

Over 60 individuals currently housed in ICIO are enrolled in courses through LC State this fall. LC State is working with the Idaho State Board of Education, the Idaho Department of Correction and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to offer the Prison Education Program to individuals at both the Pocatello and Boise facilities beginning in January 2024.

To support the Prison Education Program at Lewis-Clark State College, visit www.lcsc.edu/give

Non-Credit Creative Writing Class Offered

After teaching a composition class at ICIO, Lauren Connolly, associate professor of English, recognized a gap with the absence of regular classes over the summer. She approached Jennifer Anderson, associate professor, publishing arts and creative writing, with an idea to join forces volunteering their time to teach a creative writing class throughout the month of July.

The course emphasized writing poetry and creative nonfiction. Students read and discussed samples of the form by established writers, practiced the craft through short exercises, wrote their own creative pieces for workshops, and offered constructive criticism on each other’s works. The class was full at 20 students with an additional 20 on a wait list.

“Thank you so much for giving more than you will ever receive. You don’t know how much your time and investment matters to us.”

ICIO Workshop Student

“Thank you for coming here and helping us with this class. It was an experience I have never had, and I really appreciate it.”

“IT’S ACTUALLY CHANGING PEOPLES LIVES. I THINK IT’S GOING TO LOWER THE RECIDIVISM RATE AND IT’S GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF PRISON”

ICIO Workshop Student

SAVE THE DATE

OCT. 16-20

Homecoming

APRIL 9

Warrior Giving Day

APRIL 19-21

Family Weekend

MAY 10

Commencement

MAY 24-31

Avista NAIA World Series

For more details: www.lcsc.edu/alumni

Questions?

Contact Alumni Relations: alumni@lcsc.edu

208-792-2458

JOIN THE ALUMNI BOARD

Dear Fellow LC Alumni & Friends,

So many wonderful events have been happening on campus along with planning for the upcoming year!

In May, President Pemberton and Provost Chilson congratulated and awarded 952 degrees to 754 LC State graduates! An impressive Class of 2023 celebrated achieving their degrees and certificates in three graduation ceremonies held at the P1FCU Activity Center along with family, friends and community members to share in and congratulate their accomplishments!

LC State continues to need your help in recruiting new students. The best illumination of the impact of LC State as a college of choice is the success stories of our alumni. Your advancements in your professional careers, your desire and success in completing advanced degrees and how your life experiences transcend others’ lives in community service, raising healthy families, and moving the dial forward in achieving your personal and professional goals is the best testament to LC State!

A special thank you to all Alumni and Friends who gave during Warrior Giving Day which was a wonderful and exciting fundraising campaign for LC State. The level of excitement during the campaign was incredible with matching funds, the ability to select giving options, and the online experience, along with a fun and inspirational social media presence! LC State raised $137,187 in 1,893 minutes of giving. We are already looking forward to next year’s campaign!

Are you interested in “doing more” for LC State? We need you! The Alumni Association is recruiting new board members. If you are interested in serving on the Alumni board or know an alum who would be a good fit, please submit a nomination form at www.lcsc.edu/alumni/get-involved/ form.

Stay connected to LC State through social media by joining us on Facebook and Instagram! You can now easily update your contact information with LC State by updating your information at the LC Alumni page on the college website.

As we look forward to next school year, we invite you to LC State Homecoming scheduled for Oct. 16-20, 2023 and LC State Family weekend in Apr. 19-21, 2024!

Kindest Regards, Jamie

K. Olson, President Class of ‘89 LCSC Alumni Association

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS ALUMNI AWARDS

• Marion Shinn Distinguished Alumni Award

• Rising Star Young Alumni Award

• Coeur d’Alene Alumni of the Year Award

• Alumni Educator of the Year Award

• Aletha Pabst Honorary Alumni Award

• Extraordinary Service - David Walker Spirit Award

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

11:59 PM (PDT) on Friday, October 13, 2023

For more details, visit lcsc.edu/alumni/awards

LEWIS-CLARK STATE COLLEGE

SAVE THE DATE: October 5, 2023

P1FCU Activity Center

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

Alumni and Friends Social 5:00 – 7:00 PM

MJ Barleyhoppers - 621 21st St. - Lewiston

TITLE SPONSOR:

A FIELD OF OPPORTUNITY

LC State nursing program increases space for students to pursue flexible and in-demand health care careers.

By Tara Roberts

Two nurses work at the bedside of a hospitalized man. They assess his heart and lungs, then start IV fluids. A nervous family member waits in the corner, occasionally asking questions.

It’s a familiar scenario — and in this case, it’s a simulation.

The nurses are students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing pre-licensure track at Lewis-Clark State College. The hospital room is in the simulation lab in Sacajawea Hall, and the patient is a high-fidelity mannequin, complete with realistic vital signs and bodily functions. The family member is an LC State theater student.

The students’ classmates and an instructor observe from a control room. When the scenario is over, the group gathers to discuss the challenges the students encountered, the effective interventions, and what they may consider doing differently next time.

The most important part of simulation is the supportive learning space it provides, said Dr. Krista Harwick, Associate Dean, School of Professional Studies/Nursing and Health Sciences.

“It’s a safe place, because we want them to learn from the experiences in this setting,” Harwick said. “If they make a mistake, it is a learning opportunity for them and the other students in their small group. The goal is the experiential knowledge learned in simulation will prevent future mistakes during patient interactions.”

Alongside classes, clinical rotations, and other training, the simulation lab is among the ways the LC State nursing program prepares students to hit the ground running after graduation. Communities across the United States — and especially in Idaho — are in dire need of well-trained nurses, and the college is responding.

ROOM TO GROW

The nursing program has been adding capacity to its pre-licensure track since 2009, when Sacajawea Hall opened and the program added a spring cohort, doubling the available seats from 40 to 80 annually. The program made another leap in fall 2022, increasing available seats to 60 per semester, 120 per year. This expansion has opened an opportunity to recruit

more students from Idaho and beyond.

Elaina Penney graduated with her BSN in May 2023 and went straight to work in the intensive care unit at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene. She wanted a career in healthcare so she could help people and make a difference in the world. At LC State, she said, she found an affordable program with professors who cared about her and helped her focus on her goals.

“You can tell that they’ve put a lot of work into creating something that’s going to set you up for success in the future,” Penney said. “It’s not like they’re just trying to get you through the tests. They want you to have real-world knowledge that you can work with once you’re out there in the field.”

LC State nursing students consistently pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses at a higher rate than the national average, Harwick said.

The program’s NCLEX firsttime pass rates are the top in

Four Tracks to a BSN

Pre-licensure:

the state for public and private four-year institutions, which has contributed to RegisteredNursing.org naming LC State the best nursing program among fouryear institutions in Idaho.

The BSN program was recently named the top nursing school in the state of Idaho for 2023 by Nurse.org. The program has also received national accolades for its RN to BSN track.

“I think we have the right balance of rigor and support along the way to prepare students to be successful, both passing the NCLEX and also to be a practicing nurse — to come out with a solid foundation and be able to go into any area of nursing,” Harwick said.

PLACES TO GO

LC State BSN graduates are able to find employment and usually have job offers before graduation, Harwick said. Their options go beyond clinics or hospitals.

“I believe that nursing is probably one of the most versatile fields of opportunity that exists,” she said. “Aside from acute care

After completing two years of prerequisites, students apply to enter the foursemester, on-campus nursing program

RN to BSN: This flexible, fully online track is tailored to nurses who already have their registered nurse license

LPN to BSN: Licensed practical nurses can take this foursemester, on-campus track to a bachelor’s

CC to BSN: Students at select Idaho community colleges take online BSN courses while earning their associate degree

nursing, there are public health nurses, there are nurses that work for insurance companies and work on wellness initiatives. There are nurses that work in informatics, so they help build the computer systems that are used in health care.”

Nurses can also easily move between specialties and locations.

“We will always need nurses,” Harwick said. “There obviously is a shortage right now. So really, graduates have their selection of where they want to go.”

NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES

WHY STUDY NURSING AT LC STATE?

“The professors emphasize the importance of taking care of yourself, while also emphasizing that you’re a very smart person and you need to work hard in this program. So, they push us just to be better but they also push us to take care of ourselves. I think that’s an important balance that sometimes people learning the profession can miss out on.”

Maddie Holm Current Student Warrior basketball player

“We have a small program, but we’re all very close so we can all get help from each other. And the faculty, they’re motivating. They help us when we need it, and they never turn us down. They say if they can do it, we can do it.”

Mayra Perez

BSN May 2023

Nurse residency program at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, ID

“I’ve been transformed in the two semesters that I’ve been here. It’s a huge difference. There are so many hands-on skills and clinical experience — and you need that to be successful. For someone who didn’t have a strong healthcare background like me, now going to clinicals and doing what I’m doing, it’s just amazing.”

Fridah Kumenda Current Student

“I think just the community help and the teamwork that they have here in the program was very helpful to make us feel like we are not in this alone. Nursing is a hard career, it’s a hard field. It’s not for the light-hearted. But they’re willing to support and see us through it.”

Ann Mwai BSN May 2023 PeaceHealth, Vancouver, WA

To support the Rosemary F. Shaber Nursing Scholarship or to give to Nursing visit lcsc.edu/giving

Rosemary F. Shaber Nursing Scholarship

The Rosemary F. Shaber nursing scholarship supports nontraditional aged students who are enrolled in the nursing program at LC State. Following in Rosemary’s footsteps, students must also illustrate a commitment to community health shown through volunteerism, involvement in public health advocacy and exemplary leadership in public health service.

After graduating from high school, Rosemary moved to Buffalo, N.Y., to support the war effort, making radios for battleships until being accepted into the Cadet Nurses Corps at the Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, Minn., in 1944. She completed her nursing training on the Navajo Reservation in 1947, which inspired a lifelong interest in American Indian cultures.

Rosemary hitchhiked extensively throughout the U.S. and Mexico working as a nurse. In 1951, she started a career in public health nursing, which remained a passion for the rest of her life. In 1966, she and her husband George and their three children settled in Lewiston and Rosemary began a 23-year career with the North Central District Health Department that distinguished her as a leader and a change agent in the field of public health. Rosemary championed and lobbied for the role of nurse practitioners in Idaho. She was a tireless and courageous advocate for healthy communities and forged a broad base of community support for immunization, fluoridation, family planning, sex education and anti-smoking campaigns. Her support for Rotary International’s promotion of immunization clinics led to Rosemary becoming the first woman in Idaho to join Rotary after the 1987 Supreme Court decision barring private clubs’ from not allowing women to join.

After Rosemary’s death, and to honor her lifelong passion for learning, her family established the nursing scholarship at LC State. Rosemary’s daughter, Kendal, remains active with LC State and connects with each student who receives the scholarship.

“Our family is proud of the quality of education and training nurses receive from LCSC. These graduates and the staff are making an impact in the world. It’s an honor to invest in these students in such a positive and tangible way.”

-Kendal Shaber

CTE PROGRAMS CELEBRATE WITH SIGNING DAY EVENT

LC State held its first NC3 National Letter of Intent Signing Day in April, where 12 new career and technical education (CTE) students participated and signed commitment letters to attend LC State in the fall.

The signing day event mirrors the NCAA’s National Signing Day for athletes who commit to play sports in college. It is designed to honor students who are entering a technical field and celebrate their entry into a CTE career path.

During the signing day event, two LC State students received Skilled Trades – 3M Transformational Scholarships. Mason Gilchrist of Colfax High School in Washington and Ryan Sackett of Kamiah High School in Idaho, each received $1,000 scholarships to use at LC State in support of their education in skilled trades. Only 50 such scholarships are awarded nationally each year.

April 18, 2024

“The student scholarships were quite a pleasant surprise for us. This was LC State’s first year participating in the CTE National Signing Day, the scholarship was open to all 74 participating schools. To have two students qualify and earn that scholarship really shows their commitment to work, which is the goal of CTE National Signing Day.”

- Jeffrey Ober, Dean of Career & Technical Education at LC State

For more information and to register

Mason Gilchrist, Provost Chilson, Ryan Sackett

PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

LC State recognizes that you have life and career experience that you can’t learn in a classroom. That’s why its Prior Learning Assessment options gives you credit for learning acquired outside the classroom. Examples of experience that may help you gain academic credit toward a degree include:

• Military service and training

• Career experience

• Life experience, Community Service, Volunteer Work

• Certifications, Licenses, Industry Credentials

• Workshops, Webinars, Professional Development

If you’ve considered obtaining a degree but are employed full-time, the Prior Learning Assessment option is a time and money saving solution for you. To get started, visit lcsc.edu/finish or call 208-792-2301.

“I have a full-time job and life responsibilities and thought it was too late to start my education. Then I discovered I could receive credit for work experience through the portfolio program. The eight-week course helped guide me in preparing my portfolio, and the instructor gave valuable feedback to help me be successful. The class structure was easy to keep up with even working full time and taking additional college courses. I submitted my portfolio to the Business & Computer Science division chair for review and it was quickly approved. I received 12 credits transcribed to my transcript. This really gave me hope that I was heading in the right direction in beginning and furthering my education. I would highly recommend taking advantage of LC State’s portfolio program to either begin furthering your education or to finish a degree that may have been put off by work and life.”

-Lauren Grijalva

Lauren Grijalva has been employed at LC State eight years and has experience working in the Controller’s Office and as the current management assistant in the School of Professional Studies. Lauren is capitalizing on her work experience toward her degree, and has received 12 credits through the portfolio program.

GRADUATE CERTIFICATES

NURSING MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP

Build on your BSN and gain additional knowledge and skills with this 13-credit graduate certificate.

Online coursework covers health care leadership and management, including skills that are applicable to executive administration with a diverse population in a global society.

For more information contact:

Admission Office

208-792-2378

admissions@lcsc.edu

Earn Graduate Degree Credits at LC State

SPORT COACHING

Advance your coaching career with LC State’s Sport Coaching Graduate Certificate. In this 12-credit, two semester, fully online program, you will explore and advance your leadership methods to train athletes physically and mentally.

The Sport Coaching Graduate Certificate is structured so that students can transfer seamlessly to a Master of Physical Education/Athletic Administration at Idaho State University.

ADULT LEARNER INITIATIVES

LC State has undertaken deliberate and focused efforts to establish the necessary framework for providing accessible and affordable educational opportunities to working adults. This includes:

• Revamping and enhancing the prior learning portfolio option

• Expanding night and weekend offerings

• Adding eight-week courses

• Ensuring the availability of LC State’s most popular programs in a fully online format

GED PROGRAM SUCCESS AND CELEBRATIONS

LC State offers a significant service through its GED program. In 2022, LC State helped 93 students earn their GED.

Efforts are being actively invested to ensure the recognition of this accomplishment, and to establish a clear path to higher education for these students.

LC State is reinstating a commemorative GED commencement celebration along with offering an educational resource fair in conjunction with other campus departments.

Through celebrating academic achievement at all levels and equipping these graduates – from GED to graduate certificates and degrees – for future success is an essential part of LC State’s culture and mission.

LC STATE DUAL CREDIT OFFERING

LC State has actively taken measures to enhance its approach to delivering coursework to high school students in an effort to increase matriculation. Dual credit students are a large portion of LC State’s overall headcount and the college’s goal is to increase their sense of belonging and connection to LC State. This involves:

• Performing degree audits to proactively let high schoolers know how close they are to earning their AA degree

• Inviting dual credit AA graduates to participate in LC State’s graduation ceremony

• Introducing an “influencer” model that gives dual credit students LC branded apparel to wear at their high schools

LC State has also increased the number of dual credit outreach and on-campus opportunities. Career & Technical Education is also taking steps to build its presence in the high schools. For example, at Lewiston High School, LC State now has a counselor who is charged with helping 9th graders learn of, explore, and pursue the CTE options at college.

LC STATE INVITED TO JOIN FIRST SCHOLARS NETWORK

Because of Lewis-Clark State College’s demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students, the college has been selected to join the First Scholars Network.

The First Scholars Network is a four-phase approach that allows higher education institutions to advance student success through establishing communities of practice, gaining knowledge of resources, and establishing peer networks.

Although national statistics show first generation college students usually have a harder time earning a degree, LC State has consistently helped a high number of first-generation students earn their bachelor’s degree.

The college re-engineered its freshman advising program in 2019 to include a more prescriptive approach to building class schedules and otherwise navigating the first year of college. The program includes student support from peer and faculty mentors as well as an academic advisor.

Welcoming

STUDENTS TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Hospitality management program expands facilities, degree options and opportunities

By Tara Roberts

Hospitality management students at Lewis-Clark State College once had to huddle around a single four-burner stove, taking turns stirring the dish they were learning to cook.

Now, students learn culinary skills in a state-of-the-art kitchen with a 32-burner teaching island. And that’s just one of the recent changes for the hospitality management program.

Hospitality management encompasses careers in the hospitality, travel and tourism industry — the third-largest industry in the world — including food and beverage services, hotel management, event planning and more.

In only a few years, LC State’s hospitality management program has grown from a handful of students on a single degree path to a versatile, industry-connected experience serving dozens of students.

“We have created relationships that elevate the experience not only in the classroom for these students, but then directly take them into industry. That is really something that makes our program so unique,” said Magen Goforth, assistant professor of culinary arts. “Our curriculum can change every semester based on what trends are for our industry. We are not teaching outdated information; we are teaching relevant information that changes constantly.”

EXPLORING THE INDUSTRY

After 42 years in the restaurant industry, Rodney Farrington enrolled as a student in the hospitality program. After graduation in 2013, he opened a new restaurant — until he got a call in 2016 asking him to come back and teach.

Farrington, now an associate professor and director of hospitality programs at LC State, started with only two students. But he was driven to redesign the program to better serve the industry he loves. He recruited Goforth — former owner and chef at Brock’s and Brava’s restaurants in Lewiston — to help.

Together, they reimagined the hospitality management

curriculum from the ground up, guided by a massive technical advisory board. In 2022, hospitality management officially added multiple options for technical certifications and associate degrees, with more on the horizon.

Associate students now start with a “Semester of Exploration” to get to know the industry.

“People think hospitality is just cooking or they think it’s just hotels. They don’t understand that there is almost no industry in existence that hospitality doesn’t touch,” Goforth said. “Our Semester of Exploration was designed to start creating those different ways of thinking, introducing them to different potential careers that they could have.”

Students then choose a pathway — currently hospitality management, culinary arts or hotel/resort management — tailored to their interests.

The professors infuse an “owner mindset” into every pathway, Farrington said. Students don’t necessarily jump from college to owning a business, but they understand the industry’s complexity.

“You learn all of the culinary skills, you learn the design skills, the bartending skills, but Magen and I are very much changing that concept. It’s not just the skills. We are training you to be successful,” Farrington said. “So every single one of our students leaves this program with the idea of how to run the business.”

BUILDING A CAREER

Hospitality management’s new, 7,000-square-foot facility — including the kitchen funded by a Building Idaho’s Future grant — serves as students’ home base. But most of their classwork focuses on real-world experiences.

Students plan, host and cater regular events on campus and in the community, such as the Wine, Whiskers and Wags fundraiser for the Lewis-Clark Animal Shelter. Farrington and Goforth connect students with experiences and internships in their

chosen field. They’re even in the process of designing a program in which students would live on-site and work for an industry partner, such as a resort or cruise line, while taking remote classes.

One of Goforth’s goals is to bridge the gap between going to work or going to school by marrying education and industry experience.

Hospitality Management Options

Associate Degrees

Hospitality Management

Culinary Arts

Hotel/Resort Management

Advanced Technical

Certification:

Hospitality Management

Intermediate Technical

Certification:

Food and Beverage Management

Front Office Management

“We want to make the decision easier for them, to put that value upfront so that they see it and they understand exactly what they’re getting out of their dollars when they invest in LC State and in the hospitality management program,” she said.

Meara van Dyke ’18 says her experience working at a Lewiston hotel while earning her degree helped her directly apply knowledge from her classes. She’s now the general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn Tri-Cities/Kennewick, and she said the “potential and passion that I had coming straight out of college” helped fast-track her career.

Andrew Thompson ’20, said the hospitality management program taught him a wide range of skills that have helped him in jobs such as his time as assistant manager of casino floor beverage services at Northern Quest Casino.

“I have to work alongside people who work on the hotel side, people who work in the entertainment side, and so getting such a wide range of knowledge about hospitality from the program better prepares me to be a good team member for those people, because I understand a lot of aspects of what they’re doing,” Thompson said. “It also just gives me opportunities to go work in so many different fields.”

Dear LC State Alumni and Friends,

In June, I was installed as the new President of the Lewis-Clark State College Foundation. Those who know me may wonder why a University of Idaho alum would want to be the President of the LC State College Foundation. The answer is simple; I want to do my part to support LC State. I have been a supporter of LC State for many years. Why? Because I enjoy supporting an underdog and I really love a true success story.

When I graduated from high school in 1970, LewisClark Normal School (LCNS) was still recovering from significant budget battles in the Idaho Legislature, which actually closed its doors from 1951-1955. When LCNS re-opened, it operated as a two-year branch of the University of Idaho limited to training elementary school teachers. In 1963, LCNS regained its autonomy and expanded its offerings to include four-year degrees. In 1970, LCNS was still getting its legs beneath it, but was much stronger than it had been just ten years earlier. I considered enrolling at LCNS, but chose the University of Idaho, instead, due to a generous ROTC scholarship.

Over the past 50-plus years, LC State has continued growing stronger and better. Through the hard work of exemplary administrators and teaching professionals, LC State has developed a national reputation as a premier educational institution. For example, in its 2022-2023 rankings, US News and World Report named LC State as a Top 10 public regional college in the West, and in the Top 10 for Best Value in regional colleges in the West. US News also recognized LC State as having one of the best undergraduate degree nursing programs. In June 2023, Nurse.org named LC State as the top nursing school in Idaho. Hard work and dedication produce success.

I have watched the progress of LC State for over 50 years and am proud and excited to be a part of the LC State College Foundation. The Foundation has been investing in students and providing educational opportunities since 1984. The Foundation supports and invests in LC State through its mission of promoting access, excellence, and relevance in higher education.

I look forward to leading the Foundation Board this year and hope that you will join me in supporting its mission.

Chris Moore President, LCSC Foundation

Most of the students who attend LC State are first-generation. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today to make a lasting impact on their future!

THANK YOU

Larry and Marianne Williams Family Foundation and Doug Gross and Mary Hasenoehrl’s Donor Advised Fund for kick-starting the LC State Women’s Basketball Locker Room Remodel.

Ella Uhlenkott

Ella Uhlenkott is a recipient of the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health Scholarship The scholarship, which is funded by the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Heath, is awarded to deserving students pursing health care related fields at LC State.

Uhlenkott hopes to return to Cottonwood, a rural area that has a shortage of healthcare workers, after she graduates.

WARRIOR ATHLETICS

LC STATE ALUMNI TABBED TO LEAD ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

Caelyn Orlandi ’17 (women’s basketball) and Katie (Hinrichs) Palmer ’11 (volleyball) were standouts on the court for LC State as fierce competitors. Heading into the 2023-24 school year, the pair will enter their first seasons as the head coaches of the programs in which they both excelled. Orlandi takes the reigns of the women’s basketball program after leading the team to a national runner-up finish in 2017 and assisting Brian Orr for six years, and Palmer will take over the volleyball team looking to revamp a program that she helped to four straight Frontier Conference titles as a player.

To support Warrior Athletics visit lcsc.edu/giving

Caelyn Orlandi and Katie (Hinrichs) Palmer

Lewiston native Jennah Carpenter made LC State history in just her second year as a Warrior. The sophomore became the first female Warrior to win multiple national titles when she swept the indoor and outdoor high jump at the NAIA Track and Field National Championships last season. After just two years, Carpenter is a four-time All-American and the most decorated female athlete in LC State history.

Devon Caruso became the first LC State golfer to earn the highest academic honor a student-athlete can achieve when he was voted a CSC Second-Team Academic All-American. The only Warrior to earn the honor this year, Caruso completed his career as a two-time All-Cascade Conference honoree and graduated with a 3.87 GPA, and earned a degree in accounting with minors in marketing, business administration and communications.

LEAVE A LEGACY FOR LC STATE

HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?

When you support Lewis-Clark State College, you show how you value critical thinking skills, community engagement, and a private-school education at a public-school price. A gift in your will or estate plan will put your values into action and inspire excellence for generations to come.

WHY LEAVE A GIFT TO LC STATE?

LC State prepares students to become successful leaders, engaged citizens, and lifelong learners. We are Idaho’s college of choice for an education experience that changes lives and inspires a commitment to lifelong learning and civic engagement. To continue our mission, we need the help of supporters like you. Your support with a gift in your will, trust, or in some other way will sustain LC State and further our mission for generations to come.

WAYS TO MAKE A LASTING IMPACT

CLASS NOTES

LC State congratulates these Warriors on their achievements.

’70

Steven Branting had an article chronicling the career of August Bunker, published in Columbia, the flagship publication of the Washington State Historical Society.

’75

Lisa (Guenther) Knight retired to Soap Lake, Wash. in 2021 after 46 years as a staff RN in the Operating Room (Group Health, Kaiser Permanente Bellevue, Wash.) including 20 years as Medical Laser Safety Officer for three operating rooms.

’84

David Blaszkiewicz retired from Buhl High School after 25 years; 35 years overall in education.

’90

Raylene Sipes Houck retired after almost 30 years in Education, spending time teaching at Highland Schools (Craigmont, Idaho); the Distance Learning Center for the Nez Perce Tribe (Lapwai, Idaho); ELS Language Services (Pocatello); and at Idaho State University.

’91

Charlette (Presnell) Kremer named the 2022 Outstanding Commissioner of the year by America’s Service Commissions for her community service and work with AmeriCorps.

’07

Beverly Kloepfer opened a mental wellness clinic in Lewiston in 2022: OHM Mental Health Wellness. The clinic offers substance use disorder treatment, treatment for medication resistant depressions, and medication management to assist with mental wellness.

’09

Whitney (Lingke) Hartwig married husband Casey in 2019 and has worked in Boise for a family practice provider since 2009. She also received her certification in ambulatory care nursing.

’11

Katie (Hinrichs) Palmer hired as LC State Women’s Volleyball head coach.

’13

Dawn Berreth switched career paths from law enforcement to purse her hobby as a full-time woodworking and paint party business.

’15

Dustin Wendt teaching at Grantham Elementary in Clarkston since 2016. In 2021, he graduated from Western Governors University with a master’s in educational leadership and is looking to grow his career in becoming a school administrator. Married Samantha Mefford ’17, accepted her daughter Diamond Hasenoehrl (9) into his life; welcomed Evalynn (2) in May 2021.

’15

Leticia (Scott) Seloske promoted to Regional Director for U.S. Senator Mike Crapo’s office in Lewiston.

’17

Caleyn Orlandi promoted from assistant coach to head Women’s Basketball coach at LC State.

IN MEMORIAM Friends We’ll Miss...

July 1, 2022 - July 30, 2023

Mr. Robert Akers*

Mr. Lyle Akkerman ’79

Ms. Carol Anderson ’57

Mr. Roy Anderson

Mr. Stanley Arnett ’81

Ms. Beverly Beaulieu ’57

Mr. Harold Behler

Mr. Chad Bickford

Ms. Gladys Branson

Mr. Danny Brown ’70

Dr. Greg Buratto

Mrs. Janet Burke

Ms. Vivian Burns ’68

Mr. Leo Butler*

Mr. Rodney Calen

Ms. Vonda Lee Carlin ’92

Ms. Grace Church

Mr. Stephen Combellick

Ms. Debra Courtney ’93

Mr. Kevin Cushman

Mr. Darrell Daubert

Mr. Paul Desroches ’97

Mr. Gerald Duncan

Mr. Daniel Emerich ’90

Mr. Ronald Fiscus ’85

Mr. Gary Floch

Mr. Virgil Garland

Mr. Terry Geltz ’71

Mr. Ronald Gustin

Ms. Dawn Harlow

Mr. Frederick Hart ’86

Mr. Harold Hastings ’71

Ms. Marcy Hazelbaker ’00

Mr. Robert Heitstuman ’91

Mr. Paul Hendrickson ’81

Mr. Wayne Hirschel

Ms. Yvonne Hjelm

Dr. Jack Hogan

Mrs. Georgie Hudson ’87

Mr. Vaughn Jasper

Reverend Arthur Johnstone

Ms. Helen Jonutz ’12

Mr. Allen Jordan ’95

Mr. Ronald T. Karlberg ’62

Mr. Cork Koethke

Ms. Juanita Langley

Ms. Delia Lloyd ’85

Mrs. Bernice Lorentz

Ms. Dona Eileen

Mr. Drake Marshall ’47

Ms. Melinda Matthews ’83

Mrs. Norma Mellick ’74

Mr. Kenneth Moore ’01

Ms. Jeanette Morgan ’51

Mrs. Shirley Morris ’77

Mr. Steven Munn ’70

Ms. Doris Olin

Mr. Darrel Olson ’61

Mr. Albert Paul ’73

Ms. Ada Pearson ’78

Mr. Jackson Pease ’61

Ms. Carla Pfaff ’81

Mr. Jim Pinch ’70

Mr. Michael Quigley ’77

Ms. Barbara Reddekopp

Ms. Nancy Reeder ’81

Mr. James Reynolds ’94

Mrs. Barbara Riggs

Ms. Blanche Rockwell

Mr. Rick Scyphers ’87

Mr. John Sonnen

Mr. Roy Sparks ’72

Mr. Michael Sprenger

Mr. Kenneth Stouffer ’68

Mrs. Mary Sugden

Mr. Bob Tatko

Ms. Loretta Taylor ’89

Ms. Yvonne Todd ’96

Ms. Doreen Topp

Mr. James Walker

Ms. Amanda Irene Wallace ’17

Mr. Lanny Watkins ’71

Ms. Donna Weyen ’42

Ms. Lorraine Wilkerson

Mr. Ronald Wilmonen ’73

Ms. Leslie Jean Wilson ’14

Ms. Michelle Wilson ’05

Ms. Lori Wittman ’82

* LC State Alumni, but no class year listed