Giving Back: ISU College of Education student raises funds to build ticket booth for southwest Idaho high school

Just ask the residents of the southwest Idaho community of Marsing where construction began in April on a ticket booth at the entrance to the high school football field. Pierce spearheaded the drive to build the booth.

“This means so much to us. It’s the kind of project that can build pride in a community,” said Marsing High School principal and athletic director, Tim Little.

Little and Pierce came up with the idea for the ticket booth a year ago. Pierce was enrolled in ISU’s athletic administration program on the Meridian campus and was looking for a project to complete her master’s degree this academic year. She presented the plan to her professors who loved it.

“This is an incredible example of how our students are giving back to the community,” said Caroline Faure, professor of sports science, who with associate professor, Howard Gauthier, approved Pierce’s project for graduate credit.

Why Marsing High? Pierce’s brother Danny played football there years earlier and she wanted to give back to a program that had given so much to her family.

“Our family has a lot of memories and attachment to the high school. Every Friday night we knew we’d go to a football game and even travel to the out-of-town games,” Pierce said. The family moved from central California to Idaho in 2006.

Pierce tackled the project head on. Using computer software, she designed a booth prototype, handled publicity, raised funds and secured vendors, including a Marsing steel business whose owner agree to donate some of the construction materials.

Pierce sold 65 engraved bricks at $100 a pop—each engraved with the donor’s name and a brief message of support for the Marsing Huskies. She exceeded the number needed to finance the $5,000 project. The bricks will line the walking path to the ticket booth which will measure 6 feet by 8 feet.

Little admits he wasn’t certain Pierce could pull off the project when she first approached him, but his doubts quickly evaporated as she met her goals. “She is a true professional,” he said.

The community of 1,000 residents will celebrate the booth’s completion in August with a ribbon cutting, just in time for football season.

 In March, Pierce—with her newly minted Master of Physical Education degree in athletic administration—became coordinator of athletic operations at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.

“I’ve seen what athletics can do for students. The perseverance behind it and all of the life skills a student athlete develops,” she said.

And her professors couldn’t be more proud of her.

“I’ve never met a student more organized. She has a high deal of integrity and will undoubtedly have an outstanding career,” said Gauthier, who taught Pierce in his research, leadership and sports marketing classes at ISU-Meridian.