ISU's Gratitude Challenge

As we emerge from the pandemic, we have much for which to be thankful. Idaho State University is celebrating its 120th anniversary and the College of Pharmacy is 100 years old (plus one). ISU recently broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art Alumni Center. And more than anything else, we are grateful for the opportunity to welcome students to campus in-person, to renew face-to-face acquaintances, and to meet new friends.

In celebration of all of these milestones, and with the recognition that letters of gratitude are especially effective ways to build community and increase the well-being of individuals and the people around them (Adair et al., 2020; Kumar & Epley, 2018), we are accepting submissions for an edited volume titled Orange, Black, and Thankful: Stories from ISU’s Gratitude Challenge.

We invite you, as a member or friend of the ISU community, to share your memories, stories, or messages of gratitude for submission to the book.

Submit Now

We are looking for submissions of anywhere from 100 to 2000 words, which could include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Was there a professor or faculty member who taught a course that you particularly liked or provided advice that was valuable? Similarly, was there a staff member who went out of their way to help you?

• Did you meet your partner or a lifelong friend at ISU?

• Do you have great stories or special memories from participating in sports or activities, attending athletic events, hanging out in the residence halls, participating in a club or campus organization, engaging in a service project, having a friend who stayed up late to study with you before final exams, etc.?

• Who has made sacrifices on your behalf to help you to attend college – and how have you or would you wish to express your appreciation to them?

• If you were in school and attended classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, what from that experience were you grateful for?

• If you have a child who attends or has attended ISU, what about their experience are you grateful for?

• If you are an alumnus, what about your time at ISU or the connections you have maintained with the school and other alumni are you most thankful for?

• If you are a resident of Pocatello/Chubbuck, anywhere in Idaho or the Intermountain West, or any community or region that has been positively affected by ISU, what are you most thankful for?

• Other memories, stories, or even direct messages of gratitude.

Submissions should be typed or copied and pasted from a word-processed document into the text box at the end of this survey. By making a submission, you agree that:

1. Your submission does not guarantee acceptance for publication or inclusion in the book.

2. There is no payment for accepted submissions and, if accepted, your submission will become the property of the organizing committee.

3. All submissions will be reviewed for appropriateness, content, and style and those that are accepted will be subject to editing and revision by the editors.

4. In case your submission is not included in the book, we will ask whether you would be willing to have your submission considered for a website of stories and memories of Idaho State University, hosted by the ISU Alumni Association.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this unique project! In this year of renewal, we are excited to bring together memories, stories, and messages of gratitude from the entire Idaho State University community. For more information or questions, please email isugratitude@gmail.com.

submit now

ISU's Gratitude Challenge

Contact Us