Top Ten Scholars
The Top Ten Scholars are chosen from the top ten percent of Boise State's graduating class. They are selected based on academic performance, recommendations from college deans, and club and research activities. Traditionally, each student names a Boise State professor who was particularly influential to their success.
Hailey Wilson of Lapwai. She is a health science studies major with a minor in biology. As a
registered member of the Nez Perce tribe, Hailey has developed a desire to work with
disadvantaged populations in rural areas. For the past two years, she has served as president
for the Intertribal Native Council where she helped the club become more involved in
campus and community activities outside of their annual Powwow which hosts over 3,000
attendants. She has also been involved with the E-Peh-Tes Pow-wow Committee for eight years and
volunteered at the Lapwai Boy's and Girl's club for five years. Her campus involvement includes membership in Phi
Kappa Phi Honor Society and Pre-Med Club. In 2007, she interned in a molecular epidemiology lab at the Harvard
School of Public Health where she researched throat cancers and other respiratory disorders. Hailey plans to apply
for medical school this summer; her goal is to become a family practice physician and specialize in rural medicine.
Honored faculty — Dr. Ed Baker, associate professor of community and environmental health
Mallory Sullivan of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She is a biology major with an emphasis in human
biology. Last summer she was selected as an INBRE scholar to participate in biomedical
research in the Brown lab. This led to presenting a poster at an INBRE conference where she
won third place in fellow-presenter votes. Mallory's campus involvement includes working as
a peer advisor for pre-professional students and membership in both Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
and Pre-Med Club. Her volunteer work includes mentoring a little sister through the Big Brothers Big
Sisters program, doing intake and eligibility at the Garden City Community Clinic with Genesis World Mission,
working at ALPHA, and helping at an art therapy group for dementia patients. This summer she plans to go to Belize
on a pre-medical mission trip. She has shadowed with various physicians for over 100 hours and will be applying for
medical school with the goal of entering in the fall of 2010.
Honored faculty — Dr. Kristen Mtchell, assistant professor of biology
Dane Vanhoozer of Boise. He is a history major with a minor in Japanese studies. As an employee
with the U.S. Forest Service for the last five years, Dane worked closely with helicopters in
the prevention and suppression of wildfires and assists in burned area recovery projects. This
work influenced his current research project, which examines the environmental consequences
of suppressing wildfire in the Boise National Forest. Dane won the Wallace G. Kay Writing
Contest for a paper analyzing the Civil War Battle of Antietam and will present his work at a Phi
Alpha Theta Regional Conference. As part of an on-campus service-learning project, Dane acted as a guide to Japanese
exchange students. From this experience, he built global connections and will teach abroad in Japan after graduating.
Serving as a teaching assistant for History 111 helped Dane realize his passion for teaching. He plans to apply to
graduate schools to study environmental history; his goal is to become a university professor.
Honored faculty — Dr. Lisa Brady, assistant chair of the Department of History
Jessica Verbanac of Boise. She is a double major in Spanish and elementary education with a
focus in bilingual/ESL. Upon entering Boise State, she became the president of BESO, the
bilingual education department's academic organization. Her desire to help children become
lifelong learners has inspired her academic studies and volunteer work. She studied abroad in
Guadalajara, Mexico, where she volunteered at a local public elementary school giving advanced
English instruction to migrant students. As a member of AmeriCorps, she worked at Jefferson
Elementary School as a reading and math tutor and translated for meetings between staff and parents. From 2007-09,
Jessica was awarded the Grow Your Own Teacher stipend and worked as an ESL tutor at Whittier Elementary. She will
complete her student teaching in Kuna and plans to stay in Idaho where she will teach in a bilingual classroom. Her
hope is to break down barriers between race and language by helping students build lasting bonds of friendship, learn
from each other, and question together.
Honored faculty — Dr. Roberto Bahruth, professor of bilingual education
Nicolás Diaz of Argentina. He is a political science and Spanish major, with a minor in
Japanese studies. His interest in international socio-economic factors, in addition to his
upbringing in Argentina, has played heavily into his research and vocational pursuits.
Nicolás has presented work at Clinton Global Initiative University and the International
Studies Association-West Annual Conference and is awaiting acceptance to two other conferences.
Since starting his educational career at Boise State, he has actively participated in several campus
organizations, including serving as vice-president of the Boise State Honor Student Association, treasurer of both Pi
Sigma Alpha and Gamma Beta Phi, and is president of the Boise State Japan Club. Other pursuits have included an
internship at the Ada County Courthouse, where he worked with the small claims and interpreter's department, as well
as volunteer work with UNICEF, Boise State Volunteer Services Board, and Boise State Spring Break Alternative.
Nicolás plans to attend graduate school where he would like to specialize in Latin American and Asian relations.
Honored faculty — Dr. Adrian Kane, assistant professor of Spanish
Landon Grange of Boise. He is a Spanish major who has also satisfied most of the requirements
for a biochemistry degree. His on-campus involvement includes leadership positions with
the LDSSA, tutoring at the drop-in math center and serving on the Boise State Policy and
Appellate Board. Landon utilizes his fluency in Spanish and medical knowledge as a volunteer
at the Garden City Community Clinic and has also volunteered to help with translation at
parent-teacher conferences at local elementary schools. Last summer, he was invited by the University
of Alabama in Birmingham to participate in a funded research program. He's currently working on a project on
synthesizing carbonyl reeductase inhibitors to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines.
Landon plans to become a neuro-ophthalmologist contributing to stem-cell research that will lead to cures for people
who suffer from blindness and vision-impairment. He has been invited to interview for UAB's medical scientist training
program and the University of Utah's joint MD/PhD program.
Honored faculty — Dr. Steve Barrett, adjunct faculty of English
Wade Lanning of Pocatello. He is a materials science and engineering major with an emphasis in
biomedical engineering. Wade's interest in his field of study was influenced by his participation
in the 2005 National Youth Science Camp in West Virginia, a month-long camp experience
meant to develop and enhance the aptitude of high-achieving students. His university involvement
includes acting as treasurer of the Engineering Honors Society and serving as facilitator of the 2008
Honors College retreat. As a volunteer, he worked at the Boise Discovery Center during an Invent
Idaho event and helped organize a Cookies for Troops service event. Wade's research includes finite element analysis of
metal microstructures. He is continuing this research through independent study this semester. He has also been chosen
to present research and his senior project in posters at this year's Boise State Undergraduate Research Conference. Wade
plans to attend graduate school and pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering.
Honored faculty — Dr. Megan Frary, assistant professor of materials science and engineering
Emma McInturff of Pocatello. She is a chemistry major with a minor in Spanish. She has utilized
her interest in math and science working as a tutor at the drop-in math center and a teaching
assistant in the chemistry department, as well as instructing two freshman chemistry lab courses.
In studying aziridinomitosenes, a group of potential anticancer drugs, she completed the synthesis
of a target compound, and after training in biochemical techniques at Pacific Lutheran University,
contributed to the discovery of novel protein-DNA interactions of aziridinomitosenes. In addition to
studying abroad in Málaga, Spain, Emma traveled to Baja, Mexico, for a service-oriented kayaking trip and participated in an
environmental studies trip to Lake Powell. Her service work includes organizing an annual Locks of Love Cut-Off for students
through the honors society and volunteering at a homeless shelter and for the Salvation Army. Emma has been accepted
into some of the top graduate programs in the country and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.
Honored faculty — Dr. Don Warner, assistant professor of chemistry
Pankhuree Dube of New Delhi, India. She is a double major in history and political science with a
minor in Latin American studies. She is fluent in Spanish, studied Mandarin, and has native
fluency in Hindi. Her volunteer work includes working as a Spanish-speaking TA for children
of migrant workers in the Boise State High School Equivalency Program. She served two years
as president of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society, for which she organized "Reel vs.
Real" events bringing faculty and students together. Pankhuree's honor's thesis focuses on indigenous
mobilization in India and Mexico. Her project for graduate research on Oaxaca-central India was well received by
Oaxacan, American, and South Asian academics at the 2008 NCCLA Conference. Last summer, she was chosen to
participate in a workshop on global sustainability at UC-Berkeley. That same year, her panel proposal was accepted at
the ISA-West Conference in San Francisco. Pankhuree plans to pursue a Ph.D. and teach at the university level.
Honored faculty — Dr. nick Miller, chair of the Department of History
Dan Simenc of Chico, California. He is a double major in applied mathematics and economics. He
spent his high school years as a professional freestyle kayaker where he paddled extensively
throughout the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe. Throughout his collegiate
studies, he tutored various subjects including philosophy, math, business, chemistry, and economics
and helped students find their own academic success. His research endeavors include working as a
research assistant for the economics department where he studied air pollution in the Treasure Valley.
He presented a collaborative class project on Boise State's carbon footprint at the Idaho Conservation League 2008
Wild Idaho Conference and administered a self-designed individual carbon footprint calculator to the attendees. Dan's
volunteer experience includes teaching kayaking to injured veterans during a weeklong tour of Colorado. He is
president of the Economics Club and past president of the Kayak Club. After taking a year to travel and work, Dan
plans to pursue a Ph.D. in economics.
Honored faculty — Dr. Chris Loucks, professor of economics