Three members of the Boise State University community have been selected to receive the 2021 President’s Community Service Award. The award provides the campus community an opportunity to celebrate and honor individuals, or groups of faculty, staff or students, who are serving our community in extraordinary ways.
In the past year, Diana Doumas, Stephanie Hudon and Peter Risse have exemplified what it means to serve.
Doumas, Distinguished Professor of Counselor Education and Director for the Institute for the Study of Behavioral Health and Addiction, worked to support Idaho parents, stem bullying and improve mental health across a wide range of populations. Her project, Rapid Response to COVID: Prevention of Alcohol Use and Bullying among Idaho Youth, is a series of programs designed to provide education for parents across the state of Idaho, including the development of Spanish language materials to serve Spanish-speaking families, and school-based prevention programming designed to reduce mental health risks for students across the state of Idaho, including rural communities. The project served thousands of Idaho students and their parents.
“This is not the first time Dr. Doumas has provided community service in response to COVID-19. Last year she led the COVID-19 and Beyond Project which included the development of a series of educational videos, educational TIPS, handouts, and activity sheets for parents and children designed to provide support for parents and families during and after COVID-19,” said nominator Jennifer Snow.
Hudon, Boise State University Principal Research Scholar and Clinical Program Director, led efforts to create a campus certified COVID testing lab, followed by a vaccination clinic, for both Boise State and the larger community. In September, 2020, Hudon eagerly joined the University’s Public Health response as the COVID Testing Lab Manager. At the time, the state’s laboratory testing capacity was significantly strained, with slow turnaround times for results as long as 7-10 days. Hudon led the university to overcome the final necessary hurdles to open a CLIA certified laboratory with fast turnaround for results averaging to 1-3 days. Under Hudon, the lab has gained significant efficiencies in a short period of time, both scientific and operational.
“Dr. Hudon’s insatiable curiosity and dedication to community public health has allowed the University to push forward in times of constant change,” said nominator Alicia Estey. “Today, Dr. Hudon continues to lead teams at the CLIA lab and COVID Testing Center on campus, and serves as a top public health advisor to Boise State leadership with significant impact on partnerships benefiting public health both locally and across the state.”
Risse, Associate Dean of Extended Studies, helped Boise State cultivate relationships with rural Idaho communities through innovative programs, including the Community Impact Programs, Rapid Education Prototyping, and Professional and Continuing Education. These critical programs help extend education beyond traditional boundaries and help Boise State achieve its Strategic Plan goals.
“Pete is a wonderful colleague whose dedication, professionalism, attention to detail and flexibility has opened opportunities for communities to pursue their educational dreams. His trailblazing and innovative work has fostered student success, advanced Idaho and Idahoans, and created a culture of innovation and impact,” noted his Extended Studies nominators, Sean Hunter, Fabiola Juarez-Coca, Rebecca Morgan, Yani Kirkendall, Mark Wheeler and Jon Schneider.
Nominations for the President’s Community Service Award are accepted year round, and nominations can be submitted via the form on the We Serve web page. The finalists were selected by a committee with representatives from professional staff, classified staff, faculty and Human Resource Services. Finalists were submitted to the president for review and final determination of the winners.