The Idaho State University (ISU) campus in Idaho Falls is located on the north end of Idaho Falls, conveniently tucked between Freeman Park and the Idaho National Lab’s Research and Education Campus. With a combination of face-to-face instruction, online courses and classes televised live from the Pocatello campus, ISU students in Idaho Falls can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology, engineering, computer science, business, education, humanities, social science, and healthcare fields such as paramedics, nursing and medical laboratory science.
Sierra Condie and Johnathon Taylor are both recent graduates of Idaho State University (ISU) who completed the majority of the courses for their Bachelor’s degrees on the Idaho Falls campus of ISU.
Sierra Condie’s Journey
Sierra Condie graduated from Shelley High School in 2017 and immediately enrolled at ISU. Except for Anatomy and Physiology labs in Pocatello one day per week for two semesters, Condie was able to complete her B.S. Biology degree entirely in Idaho Falls. She graduated in May 2021 and started ISU’s PharmD program in Pocatello in August 2021, where she is a student ambassador, class secretary and co-chair of Operation Heart.
“College is a great tool to reach your final goal, whatever that may be, but it can be unfulfilling if you don’t know why you are there,” Condie said.
Condie chose the ISU campus in Idaho Falls to save money and ease into college by living with her parents, which also allowed her to gain pharmacy experience working at the EIRMC hospital.
“I felt that even though it was a small campus,” Condie said. “Everyone there made an effort to give me the best education and experience. Every single instructor was approachable, easy to contact outside of class and invested in my future.”
Jonathan Taylor’s Journey
Johnathon Taylor took a different route, one that is more typical for an ISU student in Idaho Falls. He graduated from Rigby High School in 2008 but did not begin college right away. He returned to school in 2013, commuting to Pocatello 5 days per week to complete his Associate’s degree in 2016 from ISU’s College of Technology. He then completed his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in the fall of 2020 with classes he was able to take primarily in Idaho Falls. Taylor now works at Curtiss Wright in Idaho Falls as an Associate Design Engineer.
By the time Taylor started college, he had a family and was living in Rigby.
“For my B.S., I was lucky enough to have most of my classes on the Idaho Falls campus, which gave me more time with homework and time with the family,” Taylor said. “My family and friends were great. My parents spent many nights hanging out with my kids because I was in class or getting help, and helping with cooking. I couldn’t have done it without them. ISU helped me with my GI bill, getting all my veteran’s stuff figured out, and getting on the right path in Idaho Falls and Pocatello.”
Two Roads Cross
Both Condie and Taylor credit the ISU faculty in Idaho Falls for their success.
“The professors are passionate about their fields of study,” Condie said. “This helped me academically, and as a result, I am having an easier time than some of my current classmates in the College of Pharmacy because of my solid background in science. These classes taught me how to think clearly which has permeated every aspect of my life.”
Taylor also had influential faculty in Idaho Falls.
“Dr. Lundeen is hands down the best math teacher I’ve ever had experience working with,” Taylor said “All the math teachers in Idaho Falls are fantastic. Dr. Lundeen stood out to me because she was always early and stayed late after class to answer questions or just working problems to help me understand. Her teaching style clicks for me. She helped me enjoy math again.”