The Commitment to Idaho Award, now in its third year, recognizes individuals and organizations committed to improving the lives of Idahoans. Interfaith Sanctuary, a downtown Boise homeless shelter, serves up to 160 people of all genders, races, religions and sexual orientation, as well as families with children, by providing safe overnight emergency shelter, and practical and supportive services to transition out of homelessness. The shelter was chosen for the award from among dozens of individuals and organizations nominated by the public.

“Interfaith Sanctuary is well known throughout the Treasure Valley for providing a warm meal and safe shelter for hundreds of Idahoans every day,” said Corey Cook, dean of the School of Public Service. “But many might not realize the wide range of vital supportive services they offer to help their guests on the road to self-sufficiency, or that they are known nationally for their innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Beyond addressing the immediate needs of people in crisis, Interfaith improves the lives of individuals and families by treating them with dignity while working with them to find creative, long-term solutions to their challenges. The entire Interfaith community exemplifies a deep commitment to Idaho.”

Dottie Stimpson also will be posthumously recognized with the Enhancing Public Discourse Award for founding and guiding the City Club of Boise. Stimpson, who passed away in October 2017, founded City Club in 1995 after concluding that Boise needed a venue where its citizens could learn about and discuss important issues of the day in a non-partisan, civil manner.

“Dottie recognized that we would benefit from an informed and civil discussion of issues in a respectful forum,” said former Idaho State Rep. Wendy Jaquet. “Her founding of the City Club was inspired.”

Previous Commitment to Idaho award winners include U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson for his work securing National Wilderness protection for the Boulder-White Clouds (now known as the Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness), and former state legislator and educator Bruce Newcomb.

About Boise State University
A public metropolitan research university with more than 22,000 students, Boise State is proud to be powered by creativity and innovation. Located in Idaho’s capital city, the university has a growing research agenda and plays a crucial role in the region’s knowledge economy and famed quality of life. In the past 10 years, the university has quadrupled the number of doctoral degrees, doubled its master’s degrees and now offers 13 online degree programs. Learn more at www.BoiseState.edu.

“I am so pleased with this fantastic accomplishment. AACSB Accreditation represents the highest standards of achievement for business schools worldwide, with less than 5 percent of all business schools earning accreditation,” said Ken Petersen, dean of the College of Business and Economics.

The college has maintained accreditation since 1979 and is one of even fewer schools to achieve AACSB accreditation for both the business school and the accountancy program.

As part of the reaccreditation process, AACSB assesses the college’s ability to perform in critical areas, such as teaching, research, curricula development and student learning. Undergraduate and master’s degree programs both must pass rigorous standards. Factors reviewed include the quality of programs, achievements of faculty, academic performance of students, the number of international students, the number of employers that recruit from the college and the salaries of graduates.

Learn more about accreditation standards at aacsb.edu.

Located at 1435 University Drive, adjacent to the Charles P. Ruch Engineering Building, the four-story, 85,000-square-foot world-class materials science research facility will provide more than 40 research laboratories and spaces, state-of-the-art teaching spaces, a 250-seat lecture hall, two 80-seat classrooms, offices and work spaces for faculty members, staff and graduate students advancing materials research at Boise State, as well as other research faculty. Two classrooms and a lecture hall will be available for university-wide classes.

The new building will elevate the work of Boise State research faculty who already are nationally and internationally recognized for their work in the areas of novel materials, biological sciences and nanotechnology.

“The success of our materials science program and that of industry are intertwined,” said Boise State President Bob Kustra. “Not only will this center further differentiate Boise State University, but a program of this stature also will create new knowledge that is vital to growing high-tech, science and engineering-related industries and associated economic development in the Treasure Valley and beyond.”

The Micron Technology Foundation Inc. pledged $25 million — the largest single gift to Boise State thus far — for the Micron Center for Materials Research. The building will provide the space needed to continue building expertise in the manufacture of technologies using nanomaterials on an industrial scale.

“Micron and the Micron Foundation are pleased to participate in the groundbreaking of the Micron Center for Materials Research building,” said Micron Technology Executive Vice President Scott DeBoer. “Investments in world-class research capabilities are essential to both Micron and Boise State University. And, this facility continues to demonstrate Micron and Boise State’s longstanding partnership in pursuit of building strong science and technology centers of excellence for the Boise area.”

Micron and Boise State have partnered on a number of initiatives throughout the years. In the 1990s, Micron championed the establishment of the College of Engineering at Boise State (the college just celebrated its 20th anniversary) as well as contributed to the construction of a new engineering building in 2000. In 2006, the Micron Foundation contributed $5 million to support an Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. program — the first doctoral program in the College of Engineering — as well as $13 million in 2012 from Micron Technology to create a new interdisciplinary doctoral program in materials science, and the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering.

In addition to supporting engineering education at Boise State, Micron contributed to the construction of the Micron Business and Economics Building that opened in 2012, as well as the Center for Fine Arts, now under construction.

The Micron Center for Materials Research is scheduled for completion in spring 2020. The remainder of the cost will be covered by $10 million from the state of Idaho’s permanent building fund, $15 million in university bonds and $500,000 from other donors.

Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering faculty have expertise and research initiatives in a number of diverse areas, including novel semiconductor nanomaterials and nanostructures; converting lost energy into electricity; computational materials science; DNA nanotechnology focused on DNA origami and DNA catalytic networks; electrochemistry and surface chemistry for energy storage and conversion; sensor development; semiconductor and nonvolatile memory materials and more.

The building was designed by Hummel Architects and Anderson Mason Dale Architects, and Hoffman Construction is the lead contractor.

“We’re beyond excited to be offering new creative writing degrees that will allow our students to immerse themselves in all forms of imaginative writing,” said Brady Udall, associate professor of creative writing. “Small classes, individualized instruction, and a dedication to the art and craft of writing will be key features of these programs.”

There are currently 30 bachelor of fine arts degrees in creative writing in the country. Boise State’s will be the 31st.

“The School of the Arts is built on three key principles: interdisciplinarity, entrepreneurship, and engagement,” said Leslie Durham, director of the School of the Arts and the incoming interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The new degrees will help us advance these ideas by exposing students to artists and techniques across disciplines and practices; by showing students how they can make a life and a living as writer; and by helping students imagine how their words and their stories can make a difference in their communities.”

The new creative writing degrees will offer students a strong foundation in traditional and contemporary letters, creative writing in the classroom, and various approaches to future career goals. All creative writing students will assemble professional portfolios in either fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction. The new degree in narrative arts is aimed at students who want to explore playwriting and screenwriting, as well as other courses in production.

All of the new courses of study are designed for students who aspire to careers that emphasize strong writing skills. Classes will be taught by the esteemed faculty from the MFA program in creative writing, including Mitch Wieland, Brady Udall, Emily Ruskovich, and Martin Corless-Smith. Current students will be able to adjust their course of study if they would like to pursue one of the new degrees.

The creative writing department merged with theatre arts and film to create the Department of Theatre, Film, and Creative Writing in the 2017-2018 school year. Students studying in the new narrative arts and creative writing degree programs will have ample opportunities for cross-discipline work. Department faculty are excited for the myriad possibilities for collaboration. The Narrative TV Initiative, which presented its first series, “And Beyond” in March, 2018, is just one example of how creative writing, film, and theatre can mesh to offer exciting courses for students that produce professional results.

“The new degree programs in creative writing will offer our new majors a variety of ways to pursue their academic and career goals,” said Richard Klautsch, the chair of the Department of Theatre, Film, and Creative Writing. “We are thrilled to establish the first degree programs for those who want to apply their skills and their passion to a variety of fields in which creative writing will be a significant resource. These degree programs complement our new degrees in film and will offer many interdisciplinary and innovative experiences.”

The Idaho State Board of Education also approved a bachelor of art and bachelor of fine art in film and television arts in February. Other additions include a certificate in narrative arts and a minor in arts entrepreneurship.

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Media Contact: Anna Webb, University Communications, annawebb

About the MFA program in Creative Writing at Boise State University
The MFA Program in Creative Writing at Boise State University offers degree tracks in fiction and poetry, emphasizing the art and craft of literary writing and concentrating on the student’s written work. Two of the MFA’s publishing entities—The Idaho Review and Ahsahta Press—are widely regarded as leading national publications that consistently feature the top writers in the country. Vice President of Research Mark Rudin has labeled the MFA in Creative Writing a top five research strength at Boise State. The program runs out of the Department of Theatre Arts, and each year brings distinguished writers to campus through its reading series and its Visiting Distinguished Writer professorship. Past Visiting Distinguished Writers include Joy Williams, Denis Johnson, and Pierre Joris. The current Visiting Distinguished Writer is the poet Bhanu Kapil. Learn more at https://english.boisestate.edu/mfa/.

About Boise State University
A public metropolitan research university with more than 22,000 students, Boise State is proud to be powered by creativity and innovation. Located in Idaho’s capital city, the university has a growing research agenda and plays a crucial role in the region’s knowledge economy and famed quality of life. In the past 10 years, the university has quadrupled the number of doctoral degrees, doubled its master’s degrees and now offers 13 online degree programs. Learn more at www.BoiseState.edu.

“Karl has had a long and successful career in the investment banking industry and is an excellent role model for our students in the Department of Finance,” said Ken Petersen, dean of the College of Business and Economics. “Karl brings a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience to campus that is highly valuable for our faculty and students. We are fortunate to have him joining us as a Professor of the Practice.”

Andrew Finstuen, dean of the Honors College echoed those sentiments adding that he’s thrilled Knapp has been named a professor of the practice.

“For several years, Karl has been mentoring Honors students from afar and served as a counselor to the college as it has grown. I am so pleased to see that his wonderful track record of sharing his expertise with Boise State will be further recognized by this well-deserved appointment,” said Finstuen.

Knapp graduated magna cum laude from Boise State in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Boise State, Knapp was named as the University’s second Rhodes Scholar and went on to receive a master’s degree with honours from Oxford University. Knapp is also a graduate of Harvard Business School, receiving a Master of Business Administration in 1988. Knapp lives in New York City with his wife, Luisa, and has four children.