Idaho State University College of Education Hosts Annual Celebrating Excellence Celebration

POCATELLO – Idaho State University College of Education’s annual Celebrating Excellence award celebration will be held at the College of Education on Saturday, Nov. 9. Awardees will be highlighted for their achievements in their designated categories. 

Bengal Partner Award:  Ron Bolinger 

Ron Bolinger has served the children of Idaho as an educator for the past 49 years. An alumnus with three degrees from ISU, Bolinger began his career as a teacher in the Filer School District. During his tenure, he was very active in the Idaho Association of School Administrators, where he served in several offices, including president of the Idaho Association of School Superintendents and later as president of the Idaho Association of School Administrators. He also served on the board of directors of the Idaho High School Activities Association for six years, where he represented the superintendents of the state. Bolinger was recognized for his service to the state of Idaho in 2004 by being named Idaho’s Superintendent of the Year.  

Distinguished Leader Award:  Marilyn Kent Byrne 

As a recipient of the 1999 Professional Achievement and 2017 Distinguished Alumna Awards, Marilyn Kent Byrne has provided inspired and transformational leadership for more than a half-century. Byrne graduated from ISU in 1967. Her professional career in education has led her to positions of leadership and great responsibility across the nation. Her responsibilities have ranged from teaching in middle schools to serving as a college of education dean. Through it all, Byrne’s devotion to ISU and the College of Education has been unwavering. 

Faculty Excellence Award:  Robin Lindbeck 

Robin Lindbeck is an associate professor in the organizational learning and performance programs and has worked at Idaho ISU since 2012. Prior to joining ISU, Lindbeck taught at two other universities, ran her own Global Human Resource Development consulting company, and spent 15 years in senior human resource development leadership roles with a variety of national and global organizations.

Outstanding Early Career Alumnus Award:  Spencer Christensen

Spencer Christensen graduated from ISU in December 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education and earned his teaching certificate in business technology education, Economics, and Spanish. He later earned his Master of Education degree in secondary education from ISU in December 2018. Christensen is the business technology teacher at Pocatello High School where he teaches the Digital Communications courses. His main goal as an educator is to help each of his students get the right experience they need for their own personal and professional growth.

Outstanding Educator Award:  Megan Bullock

Megan Bullock attended Idaho State University and graduated in 1999 with her degree in Elementary Education. She soon started her first teaching job at Lewis and Clark Elementary as a part-time 4th-grade teacher. The very next year, she moved to 5th grade and knew that was the grade she loved to teach. Megan taught at Lewis and Clark for 16 years and then moved to Edahow Elementary. She has been teaching now for 21 years and can’t believe how the years have flown by. Teaching is her passion and she feels lucky to get up every morning to go to a job that she loves to do.

Staff Excellence Award:  Amy Dressel 

Amy Dressel is originally from the suburbs of Chicago where she was born and raised. Amy graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree  in sociology focusing on education knowing she wanted to make an impact in the education sector outside of the classroom. Currently, Dressel has the important task of working with the College of Education’s social media platforms in recruiting and retaining our Bengal students. Dressel manages all digital media content that both encourages and inspires prospective students to attend ISU.

For questions about the event please contact Amy Dressel, dresamy@isu.edu or Tana Christensen basttan2@isu.edu at (208) 282-3807.