Boise State University has named the 2024-2025 Distinguished Professor Awards, one of the highest honors bestowed upon faculty members at the university. This prestigious award grants the title of Distinguished Professor and is reserved for a select group of faculty who have made significant contributions to their academic disciplines and the Boise State community. This year, the award has been conferred upon John Bieter, Del Parkinson and Stephanie Witt.
“Congratulations to this year’s Distinguished Professors, three highly accomplished faculty members who have devoted decades to teaching, serving and conducting research at Boise State,” said Dr. Marlene Tromp, president. “Their dedication to their fields of study — Dr. Bieter to history, Dr. Parkinson to music and Dr. Witt to public policy — has informed and enriched our community, inspired our students and contributed to the success of our university. I am delighted to honor them with our most prestigious faculty award.”
John Bieter
John Bieter began work at Boise State as the study abroad coordinator in 1989, and joined the full-time faculty as an assistant professor in 2006. He has served in a variety of roles in addition to his work as a faculty member including director of the Basque Studies Center and the history secondary education program, interim director of University Foundations, and co-director of the Basque Global Collaborative. He has authored and co-authored numerous books, articles, essays and other academic contributions, and co-founded the Arborglyph Collaborative.
“I deeply appreciate all of the opportunities that working at Boise State has offered me. Above all, I am especially grateful to work with such wonderful students and colleagues,” he said.
Shelton Woods, associate dean of the Honors College and a university distinguished professor, nominated Bieter. In writing about Bieter’s approach to teaching, Woods said “John sees his job of bringing his enthusiasm, knowledge, pedagogical skills, and sense of a cooperative journey to each class. As John once told me, ‘Your classroom is as big as you make it.’”
Del Parkinson
Del Parkinson has been a faculty member in the Department of Music since 1985. He has given numerous high-profile performances across the globe, and has performed with the Boise Philharmonic for 35 years. Parkinson has been awarded a number of recognitions from a variety of institutions, including the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and designation for the international roster of Steinway artists, the first Idahoan to do so.
“I am honored and humbled to join the ranks of faculty designated as Distinguished Professors,” Parkinson said. “In reflecting on our vocation, a basic question arises. Why does the inquiring human spirit feel the urge to create works of art, to conduct research, to serve our constituency, and to ignite a spark as we mentor students? Although I often ponder this question, I do not have a concrete answer. But the never-ending question describes something real, something palpable. As surely as a new day dawns, the quest continues. And the pursuit of these ideals yields its own rewards as we forge ahead with our chosen career path. I wish to express gratitude to all who inspire and encourage every step of my personal and professional journey!”
Linda Kline, chair of the Department of Music nominated Parkinson and wrote “A pillar of the musical community in Boise for 38 years, Del’s consistent and significant impact in the field of piano performance and piano teaching continues to resonate with students, colleagues, musicians, and audiences from around the globe.”
Stephanie Witt
Stephanie Witt has been at Boise State since 1989 and in addition to in addition to her work as a faculty member in the School of Public Service, has served as a department chair, director of both the Master of Public Administration program and the Public Policy Center, an interim associate dean, and as an associate vice president over the years.. She is the author or co-author of nine books and numerous articles, chapters, essays, reports and other public scholarship.
“I’m humbled and honored to be named a Distinguished Professor,” Witt said. “I am so grateful for my students, my colleagues, and the leadership teams I’ve worked with at Boise State. It’s truly been a privilege to be a Bronco!”
Nominators from the School of Public Service Emily Wakild, Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for the Environment and Public Lands, and Monica Hubbard, associate professor and program lead for Public Policy and Administration, wrote of Witt and her work at Boise State as a faculty member, “Her record is distinguished by the depth of her knowledge of the public sphere, her adept skills of lifting others up while also serving as part of a team, her willingness to learn and try new things, and her consistent and respected engagement with the public in various fora.”
The three award recipients will be recognized at the annual Employee Appreciation Breakfast on April 22, 2025.
“I am very proud of the excellent faculty that we have at Boise State and their contributions to teaching, research and service,” said John Buckwalter, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “The Boise State Distinguished Professor Award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate the highest levels of achievement at our university, and Dr. Witt, Dr. Parkinson and Dr. Bieter are incredibly deserving of this award. Their work has had profound impacts on our students, the state, this institution, and their chosen disciplines. I am proud to recognize them.”
More information on the Distinguished Professor Award and details on the nomination and selection process can be found on the Distinguished Professor Award website.