Idaho State University 2018 Outstanding Student Award Recipients Announced
Idaho State University and the ISU Alumni Association proudly announce the 2018 Outstanding Student Award recipients who will be honored at Spring Commencement on May 5 in Holt Arena.
The 12 Outstanding Student Awards are presented to recognize outstanding graduating seniors who have excelled in their programs, their extracurricular activities and have epitomized ISU's outstanding student body. Students receiving these prestigious awards exhibit a readiness to graduate, high academic achievement, above-average dedication to academic and professional goals and involvement in professional societies. Work experience and community service are also considered.
The outstanding students from the College of Arts & Letters include Casetin Wade Lybbert, Lewiston – Arts and Humanities; Jillian Christiansen, Meridian– Social and Behavioral Sciences; Doug Colman, Alamosa, Colorado, doctoral candidate.
Casetin Wade Lybbert, Lewiston, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish for Health Professions and Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology – Fine Arts and Humanities
Lybbert was born east of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Cardston, Alberta Canada where he spent much of his childhood fishing and hiking with his siblings, parents and grandparents. Lybbert said he has wonderful parents and seven amazing siblings.
Later he moved to Idaho and eventually settled in Lewiston where he grew up and went to most of his schooling. There he continued to fish, whitewater raft, hunt, wrestle and play football.
After he graduated high school he was called to serve a two-year mission in Southern California. Lybbert’s assignment was focused on the Latino Spanish speaking community. It was on his mission where he grew to love the Latino culture and where he learned to speak fluent Spanish.
After his mission he began his education at Lewis-Clark State College where he majored in biology and minored in Spanish. There he met and married his wife, Megan.
He later came to ISU and joined a top-notch research lab with Jason Pilarski, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences. He took on a second major, Spanish for health professions. He was able to take pre-dental school courses to prepare for dental school. He also became affiliated with and served with Idaho Condor Humanitarian Services a non-profit medical mission trip to Peru, where he was able to combine his love for Spanish and dentistry. Lybbert and his wife are expecting their first baby this August.
Jillian Christiansen, Meridian, Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, College of Arts and Letters – Social and Behavioral Sciences
Christiansen will receive two bachelor’s degrees in international studies and political science. She began her journey at ISU in Pocatello in the fall of 2016 but she started taking classes from ISU during her sophomore year of high school. She graduated with an associate’s degree from ISU before obtaining her high school diploma. Upon graduation, she will be interning with a lawyer in Denver over the summer. Then, she will decide whether to get her master’s in political science at ISU or go to law school to receive her juris doctorate.
Doug Colman, Alamosa, Colorado, Experimental Psychology, Doctoral Candidate
Colman will graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in experimental psychology this May. Prior to coming to ISU, he completed his Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in leadership from Adams State University in Southern Colorado, where he is from.
He has eight publications, half of which he is the first author, 33 conference presentations and he has independently taught 10 different courses. Furthermore, he has numerous manuscripts in the works and was recently invited to write a book chapter.
Outside of his academic life, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their dogs as well as exploring the outdoors, especially fly fishing.