Idaho State University, College of Eastern Idaho Collaborate to Grow Programs in Response to Statewide Shortage

This enhanced collaboration reaffirms a shared commitment to advancing academic opportunities, enhancing student success, and creating seamless pathways for transfer mobility for students.

The agreement commits both schools to working toward improved and expanded articulation pathways in high demand fields including education, engineering, business, health sciences, nursing, and associate’s degree to bachelor’s degree programs, with room for future growth as well. 

These pathways will be supported by the development of course transfer equivalencies, ensuring that transferred courses meet equivalent content, quality, and rigor. The institutions will also work on reverse transfer opportunities to maximize credit completion for students.The partnership between ISU and CEI will also enable students to receive enhanced advising and career mentoring as they make their course selections. ISU Idaho Falls and CEI advising departments will work together to ensure seamless transfer processes and ISU advisors will be consistently stationed on the CEI campus, making support more accessible than ever for students planning their future.

The partnership also prioritizes the expansion of nursing education, recognizing the critical need to address workforce demands in healthcare. ISU commits to increasing BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) completion opportunities by dedicating additional faculty to the Eastern Idaho region, providing enhanced and improving facilities to support nursing education and other fields in health professions. 

“This collaboration is driven by our shared vision of empowering citizens in eastern Idaho with greater access to higher education, fostering innovation, and supporting the development of a highly skilled workforce,” said ISU President Robert Wagner. “Clear articulation pathways and seamless transfer opportunities support student mobility and access while increasing opportunities to meet the workforce needs of our communities.” 

CEI President Lori Barber is heartened by this partnership. 

“When we collaborate, everyone wins, especially the students,” Barber said. “At CEI, we believe every student, no matter where they live, deserves a clear path to a meaningful career. This collaboration with Idaho State University opens doors for our students, especially in critical fields like nursing, and ensures they can pursue their dreams close to home and at an affordable cost. It’s about meeting students where they are and helping them go further than they imagined.”