The start of a new college year is an exciting time filled with opportunities for personal and academic growth. Whether you're a freshman starting on your college journey or a returning student looking to make the most out of the upcoming year, it's essential to kick off the year right. There’s lots of way people go about making a good start to the year, but we’re going to talk about some general tips that can be useful to anyone. 

Idaho State University’s 2023 Homecoming is slated for next week. The amicable weather, in our high-mountain desert town, this time of the year makes for a perfect backdrop for the planned festivities. Homecoming runs from September 18-23 with a plethora of activities for students, staff, faculty, and the community. 

Many of us have seen the purple “Kind Community” signs all over town. This time of year they pop up on street corners and banners throughout the community. For those of you unfamiliar with Kind Week, you’re in luck! This blog aims to get you in the know. 

I am in the throws of trying to re-landscape my yard. This was not a project I necessarily took on by choice. My yard had become infested with weeds and after a few summers of trying to rid my yard of them, I gave up and dug everything up. 

As fall approaches and winter looms around the corner I find myself in a race against time. I have so much to do to prepare my lawn (and home) for winter. Below are a few tips of things to make sure you don’t forget to take care of before winter begins. 

National Mental Health Awareness Week is October 1-7, 2023. Idaho State University’s Continuing  Education and Workforce Training will host Mental Health Awareness Week events on October 2-5, 2023 with Best, LLC hosting events on October 6 & 7. 

ISU Continuing Education and Workforce Training classes are free to attend. This year’s courses feature a selection of professional guest speakers from our area. Topics include Food, Insecurity and Mental Health, It’s OK Not to be Ok, and PTSD in Veterans. 

Last week we wrote about campus resources for current and incoming students. This week, let’s focus on the fun! ISU has many, many activities for students, staff, faculty, and the community. Below are some upcoming fall activities.

This past Monday summer hours for ISU’s staff ended. For those not “in the know” summer hours are midfield working hours during the summer semester. Summer hours see us working from 7:30 am-4:00 pm with a half-hour lunch. The schedule change to the traditional 8:00 am-5:00 pm (with a one-hour lunch break) is a reminder that students will return to campus. 

I look forward to the start of the fall semester. Our building is quiet without the bustle of students who fill our halls and break areas during the school year. In the fall, our student employees return, and with them, their eagerness to learn. 

As we welcome our transfer and freshman students to campus, don’t forget that they may be unfamiliar with resources and clubs on camps.  Below you will find links to a few resources on campus.

Our department covers workforce courses such as apprenticeships, customized training, and health programs. These programs are designed to give students the skills they need to start a new career. Other courses we offer include professional development, culinary, and skills development classes. These classes make up the Continuing Education portion of our offerings. 

Our Continuing Education courses are not designed to move a student into a new career but they can upskill a student's resume. Courses such as our Excel and Quickbooks classes are valuable upskilling offerings.

As you may be aware, our Fall 2023 Catalog is hitting mailboxes soon and is up online now. If you are interested in changing careers, we encourage you to enroll in one of our programs or reach out to us directly. 

For those interested in taking one of our Continuing Education classes, I have listed some of the benefits of lifelong learning below.

I was 24 years old when I traveled outside of my home country for the first time. On a whim, I decided to travel to Europe with another young woman, a girl I barely knew—mutual friends, studying abroad in Malta was the catalyst for our decision to book a flight to Europe (and visit them along the way). 

Europe was the first continent I got to scratch off of the map. It was this trip that spurred my love of travel and although it has been almost 20 years since I stepped on the plane that carried me there, it remains the trip that brings about the most sensory memory to me when I think back on it. Sometimes I can still smell the hint of perfume that lingered in the air, hear the rush of the small cars, trains, and Vespas as they moved past, and feel the Vencian air. Out of the three countries we visited, Italy remains the most vivid in my memory. 

There's something magical about venturing into the great outdoors and experiencing the awe-inspiring beauty of national parks. This June, I took  my 10-year-old brother and a friend to Yellowstone National Park, the USA's first national park, just a stone's throw away from our home. Having visited the park as a child and young adult, I wanted to introduce my brother and our friend to the park's breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and unique geological features.