ISU Homecoming Award Recipients Announced; Alumni Recognition Dinner Set Sept. 24

Released by Idaho State University Sept. 9, 2010
Contact: ISU Office of Alumni Relations, (208) 282-3755

ISU Homecoming Award Recipients Announced;
Alumni Recognition Dinner Set Sept. 24

Pocatello – Idaho State University will recognize and honor special alumni, faculty and staff at Homecoming 2010.
Award recipients will be honored at the President’s Alumni Recognition Dinner at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, at the Red Lion Hotel in Pocatello, 1555 Pocatello Creek Road. A reception at 6 p.m. precedes the dinner. Those wishing to attend should contact the ISU Alumni Office at (208) 282-3755 or e-mail alumni@isu.edu. The cost is $40 per person.
Dr. Ellen Joy Plein is being honored as Distinguished Alumnus; Clarence W. and Velma A.* Byrne are being honored with the William J. Bartz Award; Dr. Corey Schou is being honored with the ISU Achievement Award; Coach Dave Nielsen is being honored with the ISU Distinguished Service Award; Bruce S. Bistline, Senator Robert L. Geddes and William M. Kobus are receiving the President’s Medallion Awards; and David S. Kragthorpe is the recipient of the student selected Homecoming Parade Marshall Award.
Following are the honorees and their awards.
• The Idaho State University Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes exemplary professional and personal contributions resulting in national or international recognition. Dr. Ellen Joy Plein, a professor at University of Washington, earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy at ISU in 1947. She earned a masters degree in pharmacy at the University of Washington in 1951 and a doctoral degree in 1956. Plein continues to conduct research and contributes to a number of courses at the University of Washington. She has established three scholarship endowments at ISU in memory of three classmates from the Class of 1947.
“Idaho State University is proud of Dr. Plein as a graduate of this institution,” said Kent Tingey, ISU Vice President for Advancement. “Dr. Plein’s accomplishments on a national scale and her support for the College of Pharmacy in the form of generous scholarships continue bless the students who attend ISU.”
• The Idaho State University Achievement Award recognizes personal actions, generosity and self-sacrifice on the behalf of the University by a faculty member. The award was established in 1984. Dr. Corey Schou is professor of informatics and computer information systems. He directs the Informatics Research Institute, which works closely with researchers around the world, and hosts the National Information Assurance Training and Education Center and the Simplot Decision Support Center. The Informatics Research Institute also hosts the U.S. government Cyber-Corps Scholarship for Service program.
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• The Idaho State University Distinguished Service Award recognizes ISU staff who have shown exceptional loyalty to the University through an extended period of employment. Coach Dave Nielsen has been the head track and field coach at Idaho State University for 27 years. He is well known for having coached former Olympic champion and world-record holder in the pole vault, Stacy Dragila. A former pole vaulter himself, Nielsen was a Big Ten champion, earned All-American honors and competed at the 1976 Olympic trials.
• The William J. Bartz Award recognizes continued support and development of ISU through personal actions, participation in University affairs and financial support. Clarence W.Byrne and his wife, Velma*A. Byrne, are World War II veterans who met in North Africa during the war. They settled in Rigby, Idaho.
In 2008, Clarence was recognized as a 70-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was also known for flipping the switch that made Arco the first city in the world lit by nuclear power.
In 2003, Clarence and Velma’s family members created an endowed scholarship at Idaho State University in their honor. Four of their five children have attended Idaho State University –C. William Bryne, Jr., Michael J. Byrne, James A. Byrne and Patricia C. Byrne. Now a tradition that all family members subscribe to, on birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and any other special occasion, they make gifts in the names of family members to this and several other scholarships in lieu of gifts to the individual family members.
• The President’s Medallion was established in 2001 to honor friends and alumni whose outstanding accomplishments and exemplary service and support bring distinction to the University and advance higher education.
– William M. Kobus attended Idaho State University. Bill received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Idaho State University in 1981. In January, Bill concluded four years as director of the ISU Office of Alumni Relations. A retired senior executive with the U.S. Postal Service, Kobus was a postmaster/area manager in Pocatello, Boise, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Bill Kobus has served this institution with distinction for a very many years. Even after he retired from a successful career with the U.S. Postal Service, we asked Bill to come back and help us out in the Alumni Office for a few months,” Tingey said. “That help turned into a few years, for which we express deep appreciation to Bill and Rosemary for their sacrifice, unequaled commitment and support. In addition to their time and talents, they have been extremely generous to a variety of different programs at Idaho State University.”
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– Idaho Senator Robert L. Geddes grew up on a family farm in Franklin County and now lives in Soda Springs with his wife, Tammy. He has worked for Monsanto since 1985 and in 1995 Geddes was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Idaho State Senate. Of the nearly 16 years of service in the Senate, he served for two year as Majority Caucus Chairman and for the last 10 years as the President Pro Tempore.
“The overall and broad-based support for Idaho State University that has come from Senator Geddes has been immeasurable,” Tingey said. “He has been, and continues to be, a dear friend to this institution and has worked relentlessly to help build not only legislative support, but support from a variety of constituents for the initiatives and strategic plans of Idaho State University. In particular, his work in helping to build the Meridian campus has been remarkable.”
– Bruce S. Bistline, an attorney with Gordon Law Offices in Boise, is a long-time supporter of ISU and has been an Idaho State University Foundation Board member since 2007. He is the chair of both the Foundation’s Development Committee and the Stephens Performing Arts Center sub-committee. Bistline has practiced law at a variety of firms and companies since 1975 and has been with Gordon Law Offices since 1997.
“Since Mr. Bistline joined the Idaho State University Foundation Board of Directors a couple of years ago, his insight, wisdom and assistance has been invaluable and his efforts in generating financial support for the University have been tireless,” Tingey said. “Bruce’s leadership of the development committee which is involved in generating resources to support the University in its mission has been extraordinary. ”
• Homecoming Parade Marshall recognizes ISU faculty, staff or alumni who have made a significant impact on the ISU community and enjoy popularity among their colleagues and students. Dave Kragthrope coached the Idaho State University football team from 1980-82, and he quickly took a team that had lost 19 straight football games and just 19 games later had a conference championship on the way to a 12-1 record and the 1981 I-AA national title. Kragthorpe was honored with an ISU Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
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