July 2021
LETTER FROM LYN
Dear Team,
Have you ever thought of oatmeal as a student retention tool?

Let’s think about that now!

Our Communications Team first ran a segment titled “Superheros Show Up With Granola Bars” in our June 28 division bulletin, but I’m repeating the messaging here in case you missed it. 

Some students are attempting college on an extremely limited budget. In fact, recent surveys indicated that 45% of students reported facing food insecurity. A college education is one clear way to change one’s life, but it is difficult to study on an empty stomach or make time for homework if every non-class hour is spent trying to make enough money just to address the most basic needs. Doing something about this particular barrier to student persistence can be as easy as adding a few items for Benny’s Pantry to your shopping list.

I don’t want to assume we’ve all visited the pantry or know how it operates, but Benny’s Pantry is essentially a “store” where students may shop for free twice a month just by swiping their Bengal ID card. The Pocatello campus pantry is located on the lower level of the Pond Student Union, next to the billiards and bowling alley, with access from Chavez street or through the Games Center. 

Every week, our Student Affairs Bulletin will include an updated list of food items needed for the pantry, but we also want to make dropping off your donations as easy as possible. You can always leave your items in one of the two donation boxes in front of the Pantry, which is on the ground floor of the Pond Student Union Building. But you are also welcome to leave donations in the Student Affairs office suite in the SUB hypostyle. We’ll deliver them for you! 

List of Current Benny’s Pantry Needs
  • Oatmeal
  • Vegetable oil
  • Jelly
  • White Rice
  • Cereal
  • Poptarts
  • Granola Bars

The Pantry can now store refrigerated and frozen items, but make sure someone is present to receive your donation if you are donating these items.

We talk a lot about the problem of student retention at ISU. Shattering those barriers is sometimes as simple as making sure our students can concentrate on learning. Want to make a difference? Make a donation. Every item helps our Bengals ROAR!
 
Lyn Redington
Vice President for Student Affairs
   and Enrollment Management
CELEBRATING THE GOOD STUFF
"Leadership is not about being in charge, it's about taking care of those in our charge." - Simon Sinek, Apple News
July Feature Service of the Month:
Supporting Our International Students & Study Abroad Opportunities for Domestic Students
International students and scholars coming from more than 50 countries call ISU their home and enrich the diversity of our campus. The International Programs Office (IPO) provides quality academic and regulatory advising to guide international students in adapting to the American education system.

And we’re committed! IPO advisors help prospective and continuing students right from the admissions, applications, travel, orientation, and advising processes all the way to the completion of their studies at ISU. Read More
EM Staff Covid-19 Response Published in College & University Journal
Student Affairs is proud to announce that an article prepared by Staci Phelan, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, has been featured in the Spring 2021 College & University Journal: “One Enrollment Management Team’s Response to COVID-19: An Interview with James Martin, Debbie Green, Nicole Joseph, and Brooke Barber” (volume 96, issue 2, pp. 24-30). In the article, Staci’s team shares the challenges they faced in moving Enrollment Management services online at the start of the shelter-at-home order, adapting everything from assumptions about how they serve students to the expectations that underlie their own sense of performance and collaboration. Want a glimpse? Read More
Staff Member’s World-class Hobby
Carey Jennings, one of our outstanding financial aid counselors is apparently also outstanding at throwing things!

Horseshoes, to be exact. 

But I learned something while exploring the NHPA World Tournament. It’s not called “throwing”; it’s called pitching. 

Carey will be competing at the 2021 NHPA World Horseshoe Tournament, which is being hosted this year in Winnemucca, Nevada, July 19-31. Read More
Reed Gym Pool Closure
The pool in Reed Gym will be closed for repairs July 2-11, 2021.
Please call 208-282-4854 if you have any questions.
EVENTS
Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group - Updated Meeting Information
Losing a loved one to suicide can be a profoundly painful and isolating experience. The complexity of the emotions can feel overwhelming, and survivors often struggle to know who to talk to for fear others won't understand. Counseling and Testing Service offers a group for survivors of suicide loss to connect with others who have suffered the loss of a loved one to suicide. This group will meet from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. via Zoom on the dates below. This support group is open to students, staff and faculty.

Upcoming dates: July 8, and August 12. 
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for... An Invitation from Lyn
Far too many times I had the urge to scream this last year...sometimes when I was alone and sometimes when I felt unable to really connect even though we were "connected" virtually. I (mostly) resisted the urge to scream. Instead I ate ice cream. 

Now it's July. We're back together, and I am delighted to invite you to have some ice cream with me! 

Join me at 3 pm for the July 14 Student Affairs Ice Cream Social on the quad. 
Student Affairs | isu.edu/studentaffairs