Idaho State Awards President’s Medallion to Joe Jensen

Idaho State University has awarded a President’s Medallion to Joe Jensen, a longtime donor and alumnus. Jensen was presented the award and recognized at the ISU Foundation’s April board meeting.

The President’s Medallion is one of the University’s highest honors. It is awarded to friends and alumni whose outstanding accomplishments and exemplary service bring distinction to the University and advance higher education.

“Joe is incredibly deserving of this honor,” President Kevin Satterlee said. “His lifelong commitment and dedication to Idaho State is unmatched. As busy as Joe was in his life, for 20 years, Joe traveled to Pocatello twice a year for foundation board meetings. Today, many of ISU’s significant and loyal donors owe their support, and we owe the fact that they support us, to Joe’s outreach on our behalf.” 

Jensen enrolled at Idaho State in 1961. As a student, he served as senior class president, chapter president of the Blue Key national honors fraternity, student body government finance committee chair, and French club president. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in French and went on to earn an MBA from Dartmouth’s School of Business. After Dartmouth, Jensen started his distinguished international career with Pfizer, working in England, Belgium, Portugal, Africa, and India. 

For the past two decades, Jensen has served on the ISU Foundation Board of Directors, including a term as its president. His efforts were key in moving the Idaho Museum of Natural History to a new level of support and community engagement in his role as chair of the Natural Heritage Project advisory board. 

Jensen and his late wife Cheryl funded the Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center. Their generous support led to the completion of the facility, which is nationally renown as one of the best performing arts venues on a college campus. The Jensen Grand Concert Hall seats up to 1,200 patrons and incorporates state-of-the-art acoustical technology to optimize sound and theatre experiences for audiences in a wide range of performances. The venue opened to the public in 2004.

“Our University is not able to thank Joe enough for the many things he has done for Idaho State. His dedication to the education of our students is tremendous, and we are incredibly lucky to have Bengals like Joe propel us forward in meeting our mission to provide the best educational experience possible,” said Satterlee. 

Jensen grew up in Pocatello and currently resides in New York.