An honor to both give and receive, endowed professorships provide faculty opportunities to connect with a wide variety of scholars, provide research opportunities for students and bring cutting-edge ideas and insights to Idaho State University. The College of Business houses all six of the endowed professorships currently on campus.
Holding the title of Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) Endowed Professor of Management, Dr. Alex Bolinger has been able to capitalize on opportunities he never would have been able to without his endowed professorship. This includes attending a variety of conferences, some being invite-only. He has also been able to present research he co-authored with recent Master of Business Administration alumnus Josh Luker. Luker has since been accepted into the PhD program in Management at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
“In addition to his incredible work ethic and irrepressible talent, I am convinced that the strength of Josh’s research experience was one of the factors that enabled him to stand out and earn a coveted full-tuition graduate assistantship for his PhD program,” said Bolinger. “[This experience] could not have happened without ICCU’s generosity.”
Bolinger also noted his endowed professorship has allowed him to offer new insights in his classes and to the local stakeholders he consults with. “My goal is to do my very best every single day to show a positive return on ICCU’s investment.”
“Alex is an inspiring professor, and I’ve watched his work in action for many years,” said now-retired ICCU Chief Executive Officer and College of Business alumnus, Kent Oram. “I know students are better prepared for the workforce when they have studied with him.”
Other endowed professorships at the College of Business include the Dr. Bill Phillips Memorial Endowed Professorship in Finance, the Michael C. Ruettgers Endowed Professorship in Marketing, the Nelson Family Charitable Trust Endowed Professorship in Accounting, the Portneuf Medical Center Endowed Professorship and the Bob Cutler Endowed Professorship in Marketing.
“We view education as an investment, not an expense,” said Gary and Susan Campbell, who established the Dr. Bill Phillips Memorial Endowed Professorship in Finance. “Idaho State University and the College of Business offered numerous classroom and extra-curricular opportunities for us to experience, learn, practice, be encouraged, as well as to grow personally and have the tools necessary to have successful professional careers. Idaho State is our North Star. Why? Our careers and community involvement are the direct result of our Idaho State and College of Business experiences. It is our privilege to continue donating time and treasure so that others may experience opportunities to learn, grow, prosper and give back to their communities.”
“Professorships not only help the University attract faculty, they are also major pieces in retaining the outstanding professors that make the most difference in the student experience,” said College of Business Dean and Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing Dr. Shane Hunt. “This impacts student retention and success as well. It’s through support from our amazing donors that these professorships are possible.”