ISU’s START Program Propels Student to Triple Degree and Successful Career

There have been many people who exemplify what Idaho State University’s Successful Transition and Retention Track (START) aims to do, but few quite as well as Lynette Godfrey. Beginning in 2019, Godfrey entered START to prepare for a college journey that would eventually lead to the completion of three ISU College of Technology’s Energy Systems Technology Education Center (ESTEC) programs — Nuclear Operations Technology, Industrial Cybersecurity Engineering Technology, and Cyber Physical Systems Engineering Technology — in just four years. Following this incredible achievement, she put in the work and has recently accepted a position at Fluor Marine Propulsion at the site of the Idaho National Laboratory.

START is a one-semester college preparatory program that was originally made possible by The J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation Continuous Enrollment Initiative but is now only available at Idaho State University. The program is free to all students who are accepted into it, and those who complete it receive a scholarship toward the ISU program of their choice. Currently, the program is running under the expert eye of Cherisse Brown, the Director of START.

Godfrey did not initially intend to get three degrees, but between the COVID-19 pandemic making the job search difficult and an interest in understanding how to protect the fascinating systems she had learned how to run in her Nuclear Operations associate’s degree program, she ended up choosing to go through her two Industrial Cybersecurity degrees, starting with the associate’s as it has an accelerated track for people with previous ESTEC degrees and finishing by turning that associate’s into a bachelor’s. In the end, her efforts were certainly worth it as they uniquely prepared her for her new career.

“Lynette is one of the most tenacious students I have had the pleasure of working with since I have been the Director of the START program," said Brown. “Lynette continually pushed herself outside of her comfort zone both academically and personally. No matter what obstacle or barrier she encountered while in the program, Lynette didn’t hesitate to ask for help, challenge herself, utilize her resources, and exhibit the grit needed to finish strong and obtain her goal of becoming an ISU student.”

While Godfrey has moved on to what will certainly be an exemplary career, she is remembered fondly by all of those who worked with her during this incredible academic journey. Both Mackenzie Gorham — program coordinator for the Nuclear Operations Technology program — and Sean McBride — who taught her in both Industrial Cybersecurity Engineering Technology and Cyber Physical Systems Engineering Technology — were excited to share how much she had impressed them. In her time in both programs, she showed herself to be both conscientious and incredibly determined to succeed, each of which led her to become a leader among her peers. Additionally, she was never afraid to take on the extra work necessary to ensure she had mastered the subject at hand.

“Lynette Godfrey is one of the most amazing students I’ve been privileged to work with while I have been an instructor at ISU,” said McBride. “It was amazing to watch as the ideas really started to make sense for Lynette. I remember watching her present the results of the final cybersecurity risk management project to her classmates. I thought to myself ‘She’s nailed it!’”

“Lynette is a conscientious student, always willing to put in the extra work and time to master a concept,” said Gorham. “As a non-traditional student, she was a leader among her peers who were also transitioning back to the role of student, and would often participate in extra credit to further engage with her coursework. I am glad to see the College of Technology has been such a successful endeavor for her!”

For those interested in the START program, learn more at isu.edu/start or call Cherisse Brown at (208) 282-4359.