Idaho State University-Meridian selected as one on the top branch campuses in the United States

A national website has selected the Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center as one of the top 10 branch campuses in the nation for 2013.

Thebestcolleges.org cited ISU-Meridian for its annual Health Science Experience Night, free Community Health Screenings for uninsured adults, and its affiliation with The CORE, an economic development corridor that creates core competencies in the state for health and health-related research.  ISU-Meridian is the educational anchor of The CORE, an Idaho Coalition for Innovation in health, research and medical technology located in Meridian. 

"Branch campuses and satellites, whether a stone's throw from the main campus or halfway around the world, can be quite accomplished in their own right, leveraging their smaller sizes and particular locations to offer college experiences the flagship can't match. These 10 schools have developed big enough reputations to pull themselves out of their big brother's long shadows," according to Thebestcolleges.org.

Other top branches selected by the website include Carnegie Mellon University, Silicon Valley; The Behrend College, Penn State, Erie; University of Michigan, Flint; The University of Texas Medical School, Houston; Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; University of Pittsburgh, Bradford; Tufts European Center; and Colorado State University-Global Campus.  ISU-Meridian was listed as No. 9.

"Establishing a collaborative culture with public and private partners for the purpose of aligning economic development with a health care emphasis to positively impact this growing economic sector, is essential to the vitality of ISU-Meridian," says Bessie Katsilometes, ISU-Meridian's dean of academic programs.

"Innovations such as creating seamless education in conjunction with Meridian Joint School District No. 2, providing high school students with the opportunity through dual enrollment to graduate with an ISU Associate of Arts degree and enter post-secondary education with junior standing, are among the hallmarks of maximizing education for the future," she said.

ISU-Meridian, located on the north side of Interstate 84 between Locust Grove and Meridian roads, opened in August 2009.  It houses more than 20 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral programs in the health professions and three clinics—dental, counseling and speech and language, and features research in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.

In March 2010, the campus began providing free health screenings for uninsured and vulnerable adults in the Treasure Valley through a partnership with Ada County, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and Central District Health along with community health providers.  The Community Health Screenings include basic physical and dental examinations; mental health, nutrition, hearing, HIV and hepatitis C screenings; and health education. Services are performed by ISU-Meridian health science students under the supervision of clinical faculty.

Health Science Experience Night is an annual event in which high school and transfer students have the opportunity to learn about careers in the health professions.  Prospective students meet with ISU faculty members, participate in interactive demonstrations, and tour the Meridian campus.

ISU-Meridian is a founding member of The CORE, along with the city of Meridian.  "Being The CORE's anchor collegiate affiliate has helped grow its [ISU-Meridian] reputation of being a driver of both economic and research development in the state," according to Thebestcolleges.org.

The National Association of Branch Campus Administrators, an organization that champions the effectiveness of administration in higher education in meeting the program needs of constituencies at regions, centers, branches, and sites located away from the main campus has added its congratulations to ISU-Meridian on its achievement.

Visit www.isu.edu/meridian to learn more about the campus.

###