Three Students, One Scholarship, and the Power of Resiliency

For some, the path to graduation is smooth. For others, it’s a journey of stops, starts, and personal growth. Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger in the face of challenges, adversity, or stress. It’s what helps people bounce back after setbacks.

Thanks to Idaho State University’s (ISU) Resiliency Scholarship, students with very different challenges are finally reaching their goals. From family crises and mental health challenges, to financial obstacles and educational pivots, their stories are a testament to persistence—and the power of support when it matters most.

 

Josh Govan
Resilience: Learning from tough experiences and using them as fuel for growth

Josh Govan’s path at ISU began right after high school through the Bengal Bridge program. But early on, everything changed.

“It was that year when my mind decided to develop depression,” he said. “It took two years for me to figure out how to do school with depression.”

The challenges piled on. He struggled academically, lost his financial aid, and changed majors multiple times from math to education, then communications and human resources. But the difficulties extended beyond the classroom.

“My dad went to prison and I had to help my mom. My brother has autism so there was a struggle with that,” Govan said. “I failed two of the classes I needed to graduate. I had to pay out-of-pocket. I couldn’t keep my student job at the library. I had to get a full-time job.”

That full-time job at Goodwill became a turning point. It allowed him to support himself, take care of his mental health, and, unexpectedly, discover a new career direction.

“While I was there, I found a passion for human resources,” he said.

Then came the call that changed everything. Tate Christensen, Advising Coordinator for the College of Arts and Letters, reached out to tell Josh about the Resiliency Scholarship.

“Tate worked with me to split this into two semesters so I could keep my full-time job at Goodwill and finish the last semester of the classes I needed.”

Now on track to graduate in May 2025 with a Bachelor’s in University Studies, Josh is also just one class away from earning a certification in Human Resources. The scholarship provided crucial financial support—but it also offered something more.

“This scholarship helped me get motivated,” he said. “I’ve finally got all my ducks in a row so I was able to complete this.”

Josh gives much of the credit to Tate Christensen for his personal support.

“Even without the scholarship, Tate himself has been a big help with getting everything ready,” he said. “The pressure of maintaining B’s for the scholarship helped me focus more on school than I have in the past.”

After graduation, Govan plans to move to Salt Lake City to be closer to family and eventually pursue a master’s degree. But this milestone already carries deep meaning.

“I feel ecstatic. I like achieving goals, and being able to achieve this one after so long is amazing. It feels like a weight’s been lifted. I’m going to be the first one in my family to graduate from college.”

Inspired by Josh’s determination, his brother, who has autism, earned his GED and will be starting at ISU in the fall.

“I think this shows that ISU cares,” Josh said. “I have friends who go to other schools and they don’t know anything about these kinds of scholarships. ISU is willing to help those who struggle. ISU does care.”

 

Anonymous Student
Resilience: Continuing to move forward despite difficult circumstances

For this student, whose name is withheld for privacy, the journey through college has been anything but linear. She began her studies at ISU right after high school but stepped away after her first year to serve on a mission in Utah. When the pandemic cut her mission short, she returned home and began working to save money, eventually re-enrolling at ISU in Fall 2021.

Her initial plan was to pursue welding—a hands-on, practical career she was excited about. But once in the program, she faced an unexpected barrier.

“I went through one semester and had so much sensory overload,” she said. “It’s a fantastic welding facility here at ISU. I just couldn’t tolerate the sensory overload. I had to switch majors.”

At the same time, her personal life was shifting. Her parents separated, and her mother moved out of state.

“There were so many ‘new normals,’” she said. “When I tried to come back and figure out a new plan, I had no money, no direction.”

She took time away from school to regroup and reflect. Over five years, she completed the equivalent of three years of college coursework, returning this past winter to take her final general education course, just one class standing between her and a University Studies associate degree.

“I heard about the Resiliency Scholarship for this one credit I needed to finish the degree,” she said. “I was trying to figure out my options. I was worried about the cost and if I’d be able to pay.”

Even a single class, she explained, was a financial stretch.

“In-state tuition for one class is still a good amount of money. The cost factored into whether or not I could afford it or if I had to save up for another year.”

Receiving the Resiliency Scholarship lifted that burden.

“The scholarship took off the strain of the worry of whether or not I could pay for it,” she said. “If I didn’t have this scholarship at this time, I would not have been able to complete my degree. I would have continued to be delayed another year.”

She credits her mom’s determination as a motivating force.

“My mom went back and forth on college and didn’t go back until she was in her mid-30s and had four kids. She did physical therapy and realized she loved that environment,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of changes just being an adult and a lot of discovery of who I am and what I want. I know I’m trying to ride the waves as they come.”

Now, with her degree nearly in hand, she’s proof that resilience doesn’t always look like a straight line—but it does look like moving forward, one step at a time.

 

Abbey Thompson
Resilience: Maintaining hope and motivation even when things feel uncertain or overwhelming

Abbey Thompson’s journey toward earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a Minor in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), has been anything but straightforward.

“I started at Southern Virginia University and loved it,” she said. “Then I came back to the Twin Falls area, and later moved to Blackfoot and started studies at ISU. But when COVID hit and financial struggles followed, I had to stop. That was really hard and frustrating. It was a time of unknowns.”

After taking a two-year break from college, Thompson wasn’t sure how or if she would ever finish her degree. But then an unexpected email from her academic advisor at the time, Virginia Barnett, brought a shift in perspective.

Thompson took up her studies again, this time online from her home in Twin Falls, all while raising three young children, including a one-month old. The timing of the Resiliency Scholarship couldn’t have been more perfect.

“When they reached out to me, I had a newborn baby, and my husband had a new job,” she recalled. “The impact for me personally has been huge. The scholarship opened the door for me. I realized I can do this. I’ll have help along the way.”

Thompson’s connection to the field of mental health goes back to her childhood. “My mom is a LCSW, so from a young age, I’ve been immersed in that world. It’s always been fascinating to me—the study of people, communication, behaviors, and the brain,” she said. “Through that exposure, I developed a love for the field.”

Her personal life also deeply influenced her career path. “I have a brother with Down Syndrome. That was the inspiration for the ABA side of my degree.”

Throughout her journey, Thompson credits her family and her advisor, Tate Christensen, for providing unwavering support. “Tate has been so wonderful. We’ve been on this journey together, and now we’re at the end. He was so instrumental in helping me stay on track. I couldn’t have done it without him. It made all the difference to have that one person by my side.”

She added, “I’m fully online, so it’s really easy to lose motivation and fall through the cracks. Having Tate there checking in made a big difference.”

Thompson is now considering master’s programs, with plans to become a mental health therapist. “I think there’s a big need for more therapists and counselors,” she said. “It’s a growing field, and it’s exciting to help people.”

Instead of attending commencement, Thompson will be cheering on her brother as he competes in a Special Olympics cycling event, a testament to her values and the support system that has sustained her.

Thompson is proud to have been part of the Resiliency Scholarship program since Fall 2023, even when her course sequence meant taking classes one at a time. But she says, “it was definitely worth it.”

“If that opportunity comes your way, jump in. Take it. You’ll be happy you did. College is an investment, both in terms of time and finances. The scholarship changes lives. I can’t speak more highly of it.”

 

Resilience, Powered by Support

Each student’s journey is different. Some face delays, detours, or doubts. Others navigate personal hardship, unexpected life changes, or the quiet weight of starting over. What unites these students is not a perfect path—but their choice to keep moving forward, even when things feel uncertain or overwhelming.

“I love learning,” Govan said. “Learning is amazing and it’s a wonderful thing for anyone to have an opportunity to learn.”

“I was really close to graduating when I stopped,” Thompson explained. “Here I am now at the finish line, and it feels really good.”

Thanks to the Resiliency Scholarship and the people who help administer it, that opportunity is within reach, even for those who might have thought their chance had passed.

The first Resiliency Scholarships were awarded in Fall 2023. To date, six students have crossed the finish line to graduation! To help the Resiliency Scholarship support more students, please contact Tabitha La Force at 208-282-1404, tabithalaforce@isu.edu.