Portland, Oregon, is known for roses and microbreweries, but for Derrick Owusu and Dr. Marie Stango, Portland was known for one thing. The Rocky Mountain Workshop on African History was taking place there this year. The conference provided an opportunity for Idaho State University Graduate Scholar Owusu to present his research on mental health care in colonial Ghana. 

The pair is waiting for Owusu to present his thesis to other scholars. Stango had already presented her research on Liberian diplomacy and sat next to Owusu as they waited. She feels his anxiety and assures him that he will do fine. 

The journey to get to this conference was difficult and stressful. As noted by Stango, “getting anywhere from Pocatello isn’t easy, you’ve got a full day of travel ahead of you”. 

Despite travel stress and conference jitters, Stango enjoyed getting to know a new side of Owusu on this trip, beyond his serious academic nature. Owusu is a Graduate student from Ghana who spends most of his time focusing on his research. But when he isn’t studying, Owusu loves to watch WWE. As a kid, Owusu would come home from school to his dad playing WWE on the television. 

“It was unexpected because Derrick is a very, very, serious and professional student,” Stango said. “So learning he liked WWE was like ‘oh, you do like fun things!’” 

Owusu chose ISU after reading the work of African History Scholar Dr. Raphael Chijioke Njoku. Owusu wanted to work with him, and after reaching out, Njoku encouraged him to apply to the ISU Graduate School. 

At ISU, few faculty members specialize in African History. Owusu specializes in Ghanaian history, and there is not a faculty member at ISU with the same specialty.  At this conference, however, fellow Ghanaian scholars would be there to network with. 

Despite the overlap with his work, this opportunity was not something that Owusu was seeking; rather, the conference was brought up to him.

Owusu was working as Stango’s teaching assistant when she emailed a call for submissions to the History Department. When Stango saw that Owusu was not applying, she met with him and encouraged him to submit. 

Owusu noted how he may not have submitted without Stango’s push. “My advice to other graduate students is - don’t be like Derrick,”  he said. “Trust me, maybe if she didn’t have that meeting with me, I wouldn't have submitted any paper.” 

After Owusu submitted to the conference, his paper was accepted, and the pair began to prepare.

“Students, I think, often need that kind of nudge because they don’t see themselves as researchers quite yet who can contribute to a body of knowledge,” Stango said, “But the whole point of graduate school is that you are creating new knowledge, right?” 

Having a graduate student alongside her was a chance for Stango to reimagine academic conferences. After years of presenting, the minutiae of conferences felt more exhausting than energizing. 

“Seeing Derrick so excited helped me remember that these conferences are an amazing opportunity to talk about your work with other people,” Stango noted. 

Back at The Rocky Mountain Workshop on African History, Owusu went up to present. Once he started speaking, he knew that he was capable. After the presentation, Owusu received positive feedback. He was told that many didn’t realize this was a graduate student’s paper until after they had read it. 

“I really felt great hearing all that positive feedback on my work,” Owusu said. “It makes you feel like, yes, you are really doing something incredible. It just puts you out there and kills any imposter syndrome.”  

This conference was a highlight of Owusu’s ongoing experience at the ISU Graduate School. He also enjoyed the 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) event, and plans on applying to compete this year. 

Stango mentioned how proud she was of Owusu. “Obviously, I think very highly of his work and the things he’s done, but it was so great to see that connection made with other faculty members,” she said.

Owusu appreciated Stango’s help.  “I’m not just saying this because she’s right here next to me, but Dr. Stango is really great,” he said. “ She sent the papers, she motivated us to apply, and she even looked through my slides before my presentation.”

After completing his Master’s, Owusu wants to apply for a Ph.D. program, and this conference was a step in that direction. 

“Hearing positive feedback made me think positively about getting into a Ph.D. program,” Owusu said. 

Raevonne Cox is a master's student in the Idaho State University Counseling program, with an expected graduation date of May 2026. Raevonne chose ISU because she said it offered the ideal combination of a strong counseling program, supportive faculty, and a location close to home. 

"The faculty’s reputation and their commitment to student success really stood out to me during the application process," she said. "Being near my family was also an important factor; having that support system makes a big difference while pursuing a graduate degree. Ultimately, ISU felt like the right place to grow both professionally and personally as I work toward earning my Master of Counseling degree."

Recently, Raevonne and her research team presented a research poster, "Exploring Cognitive Dissonance of Meat Eaters Who Believe in Animal Sentience: A Phenomenology." The study explored how meat-eaters reconcile ethical concerns about animal sentience with their dietary choices, using a phenomenological lens.

One of the accomplishments Raevonne is most proud of as a Grad Bengal has been traveling to Saskatoon, Canada as part of ROAR Lab (Research on Anthrozoological Relationships) to present her research at the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conference.

"It was an incredible experience to share my work with an international audience, connect with scholars in the field of human-animal studies, and represent ISU on a global platform," she said. "The experience deepened my interest in research and affirmed my commitment to integrating advocacy and ethics into my future counseling practice."

Raevonne's favorite graduate school experience has been stepping outside of her comfort zone and doing things that once felt intimidating. She noted being elected treasurer for the 2025-2026 Phi Omicron Chi leadership team as an example. 

"Taking on a leadership role was something I never imagined myself doing, but it’s helped me grow both personally and professionally," she said. "It’s been empowering to challenge myself, build confidence, and contribute to our program in a meaningful way."

Post graduation, Raevonne would like to open a private practice that provides inclusive, affirming care, especially for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and also incorporate mindful self-compassion into her work to help clients build resilience and deepen their sense of self-worth.

"I’m passionate about creating a safe space for people to explore their identities, heal, and grow," she said. "Long term, I want to be part of the movement to make mental health care more accessible, compassionate, and affirming for all."

Raevonne is originally from Elko, Nevada. In her free time, she loves spending quality time with her partner and their 10-year-old daughter, three energetic Bengal cats, and one miniature Italian Greyhound. She says that creativity is an imporatn part of her lifestyle, and enjoys working with stained glass, macramé, and other forms of art as a way to unwind and express herself.

"I think what makes me me is a deep sense of curiosity, a drive to grow, and a love for finding beauty in both people and the world." around me."

Congratulations to Alam Alvarado, a Ph.D. candidate in Experimental Psychology, who recently presented at the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior (SQAB) 2025 Conference in Washington, D.C. He presented his research, "The Relations Between Chronotype and Time of Day on Food Discounting." Alam has been in the Experimental Psychology program for 5 years, and is planning to defend his dissertation in Spring 2026. Alam's conference attendance was funded by the ISU Graduate School's Conference and Research Travel Support Fund, which is awarded every month.

Holger Nickel is a recent Idaho State University graduate with an M.A. in History, of which he is very passionate. His work focused on comparative analysis of the legacies of the student movement of the 1960s in the United States and Germany. 

Holger said he decided to pursue graduate school at ISU because of the faculty in the history department. His favorite part of the graduate school experience has been meeting new challenges head-on. 

He has considered the idea of continuing his education to pursue a Ph.D., but is unsure of his future endeavors. 

Holger is a retired tennis director and still plays tennis often. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family, including his eight great-grandchildren. 

Amanda, a doctoral candidate and teaching assistant in English and the Teaching of English, recently attended the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS) annual conference in Los Angeles, California. She presented "Outside is Transgressive: Western Space as Social Freedom in The Love of Landry" at Cal State LA. Congratulations, Amanda!

Choudhury, a doctoral student in Political Science, recently presented his research, "Response Paradox in Multi-Emergencies: COVID-19 amidst Floods in Bangladesh," at the American Society for Public Administration Conference in Washington, D.C. This is his first year as a doctoral student, and he plans to graduate in 2028. Congratulations Choudhury!

Undergraduate Poster Presentation 1st Place | Diana Cortez - Biological & Natural Sciences

Undergraduate Poster Presentation 2nd Place | Kyla Johnston - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences

Undergraduate Oral Presentation 1st Place | Prem Shah - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences

Undergraduate Oral Presentation 2nd Place | Andrija Sevaljevic - Education, Learning & Training

Graduate Poster Presentation - Biological & Natural Sciences | Anna Sniadach - Geology - MS

Graduate Poster Presentation - Business, Economics & Public Administration | Susana Agudelo - Business Administration - MBA

Graduate Poster Presentation - Education, Learning & Training | Emilee Knapp - Nursing Practice -DNP

Graduate Poster Presentation - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences | Saugat Dotel - Civil Engineering - MS

Graduate Poster Presentation - Health, Nutrition & Clinical Sciences | Christopher Nicolet - Pharmaceutical Science - PhD

Graduate Poster Presentation - Humanities, Behavior & Social Sciences | Spencer Moore - Anthropology - MS

Graduate Oral Presentation - Biological & Natural Sciences | Pooja Sapkota - Pharmaceutical Science - PhD

Graduate Oral Presentation - Business, Economics & Public Administration | Rehnaz Karanjia - Business Administration - MBA

Graduate Oral Presentation - Education, Learning & Training | Emily Fitterer - Deaf Education - MS

Graduate Oral Presentation - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences | Md Fazel Rabbi - Engineering & Applied Science - PhD

Graduate Oral Presentation - Health, Nutrition & Clinical Sciences | Dallen Farmer - Homeland Security and Emergency Management - MS

Graduate Oral Presentation - Humanities, Behavior & Social Sciences | Kierra Burns - English - MA

Creative Works Presentation | Riley Ortiz - Undergraduate

Congratulations to Alexandra Amico and Lillian France, who both attended the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Section Meeting (CSM). #APTACSM is the largest physical therapy conference in the country. Learn more about Idaho State University's Physical Therapy degrees.