Idaho State University Kasiska Division of Health Sciences

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Idaho State University Kasiska Division of Health Sciences Idaho's leader in health sciences education including pharmacy, nursing, oral and medical health.

Since the late 1980s, the Kasiska Family Foundation has donated $18 million to ISU and pledged additional support, bringing the total gift to over $20 million. The money has funded scholarships, health science programs, equipment, special events and conferences. Kasiska support for ISU began in the 1960s and 70s, thanks to sisters Eva and Mabel who inherited their father’s philanthropic spirit. William Frederick Kasiska emigrated from eastern Europe in 1881 and settled in Pocatello in the late 1890s. A skilled financier and former Pocatello mayor, he amassed a fortune in business, banking, ranching and real estate. Kasiska, who died in 1945, was known for helping young people finance their education or dipping into his pocket to help a friend in need.

“He always said he made his money here and he wanted to show his appreciation to the community that made it possible. It gave him great pleasure to help people and we like to carry on his work…’’ said daughter Eva in an Idaho State Journal newspaper article published in February 1974. That same article highlighted the Kasiska sisters’ early support of ISU—Eva and Mabel were often the first in the community to donate to an academic program or annual scholarship drive.

“We like to think we are helping to attract worthwhile students to the university,” Eva said. Mabel died in 1976 and Eva in 1986, but their spirit of giving continues through the Kasiska Family Foundation. Since 1987, close to 7000 ISU students have received Kasiska scholarships. Many have pursued advanced degrees—becoming nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, speech-language pathologists and physical therapists. Others have chosen to practice in rural Idaho communities, improving access to quality health care for thousands of citizens.

10/16/2026

We've shown you some of our amazing nursing faculty this week, and now it's time to hear what ISU President Robert Wagner has to say about 70 years of nursing education here at Idaho State!

Our final nursing faculty highlight for the 70th anniversary celebration is Dr. Janet Terry! Dr. Terry is a clinical ass...
10/16/2026

Our final nursing faculty highlight for the 70th anniversary celebration is Dr. Janet Terry!

Dr. Terry is a clinical assistant professor of nursing who has dedicated her career to nursing student wellness and success. With research focusing on mitigating nursing burnout in students, it was no surprise when she recently received the ISU Impactful Teaching Award. Dr. Terry has designed and implemented the class NURS 3141: Promotion of Nursing Wellness and Resilience, an intentional course built around keeping nursing students mentally healthy and within the field.

Community engagement is also a focus for Dr. Terry, with her organizing Benny’s Teddy Bear Health Clinic at the annual ISU Health Fair and other community events that students can participate in.

Thank you Dr. Terry for everything you do for our School of Nursing students and the community!

Today’s School of Nursing faculty feature is Dr. Mary Nies!Dr. Nies is a tenured nursing professor who contributes signi...
10/14/2026

Today’s School of Nursing faculty feature is Dr. Mary Nies!

Dr. Nies is a tenured nursing professor who contributes significantly to the field of nursing through her research. Her work focuses on obesity prevention, social determinants of health, and physical activity interventions in vulnerable populations.

The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) recently appointed Dr. Nies to the State of Nursing Science Standing Committee, where she will be elevating the role of nurse scientists in the field, within science policy sectors, and as health care leaders. Dr. Nies is one of 12 AAN Fellows appointed to this committee by the AAN President and Board of Directors from a pool of 3400 Fellows across 45 Countries. She will serve a two year term.

Congratulations, Dr Nies and thank you for your service to the field of nursing!

10/14/2026

Good luck on midterms this week!📚 Here’s how some of our Bengals are bettering themselves and their brain.🧠

Continuing our celebration of 70 years of our nursing programs, we wanted to highlight some of the wonderful things our ...
10/13/2026

Continuing our celebration of 70 years of our nursing programs, we wanted to highlight some of the wonderful things our faculty have been doing this past year. First up is Dr. Michelle Anderson!

Dr. Anderson received Idaho’s Outstanding Contributor Award from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) at their national conference this summer. This award is given to AANP members who demonstrate exceptional professionalism and ethical leadership, while also contributing to research and the promotion of excellent patient care. During that time, she also assumed the role of AANP Region 10 Director, where she serves as the elected representative on the AANP Board of Directors for the region, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Here at ISU, Dr. Anderson currently serves as our director of ISU-Meridian Healthcare and interim director of Graduate Nursing Studies.

Congratulations and thank you for all you do for our students and the School of Nursing!

10/12/2026

Our KDHS Bengals showed up and showed out for homecoming last week! Now, onto midterms this week.

Make sure to rest, eat healthy, study hard, and utilize campus resources to ensure you’re not only testing your best, but feeling your best. Check out our story to see some of the great stress-relieving activities happening this week!

Congratulations to biochemistry student Nathaniel Kopp on receiving the Pioneer Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kapp...
10/09/2026

Congratulations to biochemistry student Nathaniel Kopp on receiving the Pioneer Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and largest collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Nathaniel is one of fifty students in the country to receive this award out of an organization with more than 100,000 active members. These awards are designed to encourage and reward undergraduate members for developing the research, engagement and leadership skills necessary to become a successful scholar. He was selected based on his academic achievement, honors and awards, relevant research experience, service and leadership experience, on and off campus, a personal statement and letter of recommendation.

Great job, Nathaniel!

We are one week away from our annual Health Science Experience Night on our ISU-Meridian campus! Come tour our facilitie...
10/08/2026

We are one week away from our annual Health Science Experience Night on our ISU-Meridian campus!

Come tour our facilities, meet our awesome health sciences experts and learn more about what it means to study health sciences through hands-on activities and demonstrations.

We hope to see you there!

Everyone's voice in healthcare matters! That's why ISU holds the annual Ginny Thomas Healthy Aging Symposium: to give ol...
10/07/2026

Everyone's voice in healthcare matters! That's why ISU holds the annual Ginny Thomas Healthy Aging Symposium: to give older adults the opportunity to tell students training in healthcare fields what matters most to them in their stage of life.

The 2026 Ginny Thomas Healthy Aging Symposium was held in three locations, giving students and adults in Pocatello, Meridian, and Anchorage a space to have these conversations and learn from each other.

We would like to thank all of our community members, students, panelists, presenters, and facilitators for coming and participating in our event! We'll see you next year 🐯

Fried, baked, boiled, or grilled - Potatoes can do it all.But what do they actually do besides taste delicious? As we ro...
09/30/2026

Fried, baked, boiled, or grilled - Potatoes can do it all.

But what do they actually do besides taste delicious? As we round out National Potato Month, we've asked our Nutrition and Dietetics program that very question:

🥔 Fiber - Have you eaten your fiber today? Skin on potatoes can provide up to 7% of your daily fiber intake.

🥔 Vitamin C - An essential antioxidant that helps in wound healing and boosts iron absorption.

🥔 Potassium - You might think of bananas when hearing about potassium, but potatos have more! They are almost at the top of the potassium containing foods.

🥔 Carbohydrates - Gives us energy we need to go about our lives. Not the enemy!

🥔 Vitamin B6 - Plays an important role in converting carbohydrates and proteins into that energy.

If you are interested in studying how food affects our bodies, check out ISU’s Nutrition and Dietetics programs here: https://www.isu.edu/dietetics/

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921 S 8th Avenue, Mail Stop 8055
Pocatello, ID
83209

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