Homecoming Awards Registration Open

Help us honor the 2025 Homecoming Award recipients—a distinguished group of alumni who exemplify the excellence, leadership, and spirit of Idaho State University.

Join us in celebrating their accomplishments at the Alumni Recognition Dinner on Friday, October 24, 2025. Visit alumni.isu.edu to register and explore more Homecoming activities. Registration is required to attend. Please submit your registration by October 13.

Our Awardees:

Dick Luebke ‘76,  ISU Distinguished Alumnus

Dick Luebke arrived at Idaho State University in 1974 to run middle distances under Track and Field head coach Bob Beeten. A two-time All-American in 1975 and 1976 as part of ISU’s record-breaking two-mile relay team, Dick often says his greatest achievement at ISU was meeting his wife, Connie Tamura Luebke—their first date was an ISU Homecoming football game over 50 years ago. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education before joining the family business, Pima Medical Institute, where he served as CEO and helped expand the institution to 17 campuses across seven Western states, making it a leader in allied health education.

Dick has remained deeply committed to service, volunteering with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts of America, American Lung Association, and Hands Offering Hope. In 2017, he and Connie established their family foundation, Abba’s Storehouse, which has awarded nearly $25 million in grants to date. Dick attributes much of his personal and professional success to his time at ISU—including the humble beginnings of living in a converted snack bar at Davis Field, a story now part of ISU track team legend. The Luebkes reside in Tucson, Arizona, and have four adult children.

Laura Hill ‘83, President's Medallion

Laura L. Hill is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and former Assistant Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, where she provided executive leadership for one of the agency’s largest IT programs. Her distinguished 23-year military career included key leadership roles worldwide, notably as the S3 officer of the 440th Signal Battalion during Operation Joint Guard and as Chief of Operations for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She later commanded the Washington Area Communications Command, White House Communications Agency, supporting Presidential communications with distinction.

Following her military retirement, Hill worked for Cisco Systems and later returned to public service, serving as Assistant CTO for the State of Idaho and then as Fire and Aviation Management Branch Chief for the USDA. She was a Secretarial appointee to the VA Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Combat Veterans, and holds advanced certifications from Cornell University, Harvard Kennedy School, and USDA leadership programs. Among her many honors are the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the White House Presidential Service Badge. She and her husband, LTC (R) Bart J. Hill—also an ISU graduate—were the first married ROTC couple from Idaho State to serve in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. They now reside in Garden City, Idaho.

John Kent, William J. Bartz Award 

John Kent is an accomplished engineer and executive with a 47-year career in technology, specializing in semiconductor development and chip design. Since beginning his career at Morton Thiokol through Michigan State University’s co-op program, he has held key roles at companies such as IBM, AMI Semiconductor, Rambus, Global Foundries, and Skywater Technologies, and continues to consult through his firm, Garnet Peak Associates. He is currently supporting a Chicago-based startup focused on carbon dioxide capture technology. John is a Senior Member of both IEEE and AIChE and was honored with the Red Cedar Award in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State in 2022.

A committed volunteer and advocate for Idaho State University, John has served on the College of Engineering Advisory Board and the ISU Foundation Board of Directors, including as President and committee chair. He and his wife, Susan Moore Kent, have lived and worked across the U.S. and abroad and now reside in Bozeman, Montana. Susan assists in managing their consulting firm. Their daughter, Jennifer Sterbentz, and her husband, Nik, hold three degrees from ISU. John credits his late friend John Spicer for inspiring his deep connection to the ISU community.

Catherine Rider ‘13, ‘15, Young Alumna Award

Catherine Rider is a proud alumna of Idaho State University, where she earned both her bachelor’s degree in health education and a master’s degree in athletic administration. As a student, she was named Health Education Student of the Year, served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and was a Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation Scholar. Her experiences at ISU—both academic and philanthropic—inspired a lifelong commitment to advancing student success through education and giving.

Catherine currently serves as Executive Director of Development and Chief Development Officer for the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She previously held several leadership roles at Idaho State, including Senior Director of Development for the College of Business and Director of Development for the College of Education, where she significantly increased endowed scholarships and professorships. She and her wife, Amy, established the Catherine and Amy Rider Leadership Scholarship at ISU to support students in education and business. Catherine lives in Western Massachusetts with Amy and their three pets.

Joanne Tokle, ISU Achievement Award

Dr. Joanne Tokle began her career at Idaho State University in 1988 after earning her Ph.D. in Economics from Iowa State University. She followed a unique professional path, initially joining ISU as a visiting assistant professor and economist for the Center for Business Research. While raising her children, she taught part-time across disciplines in business statistics, finance, and economics. Joanne returned to full-time teaching in 2008, earned tenure, and later served in a variety of leadership roles before retiring in May 2024.

Throughout her tenure, Joanne held key administrative positions including Associate Dean and Acting Dean of the College of Business, as well as Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Affairs and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. She coauthored numerous academic articles and case studies, often in collaboration with her husband, Dr. Robert Tokle. Her extensive service to the university included leading ISU’s 2021 NWCCU accreditation report, directing the Society for Case Research, and serving on several key committees including the State General Education Committee and ISU’s General Education Requirements Committee.

Dave B. Harris ‘99, ISU Distinguished Service Award

Dave B. Harris is a lifelong resident of Bannock County, raised in Tyhee, Idaho, and a proud graduate of Idaho State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in 1999. He began his career at ISU in 1993 as a student employee and has since advanced through various roles to become the Assistant Vice President for Research. In this capacity, Dave plays a key role in supporting and promoting the university’s growing research enterprise.

Dave and his wife, Janelle, share a blended family of five daughters and are proud grandparents to five granddaughters, with a grandson on the way. Deeply committed to both his family and his community, Dave finds joy in spending time with loved ones and unwinding on the golf course whenever he can.

Gary D ‘72 and Susan G ‘81 Campbell, Parade Grand Marshals

Gary graduated in 1972 with a degree in Finance. A walk-on for the varsity swim team, he earned an athletic scholarship and held leadership roles in Alpha Kappa Psi. He spent 11 years in banking, specializing in commercial real estate, before becoming CIO at a major real estate investment firm in Houston. After retiring, he and Susan moved to California wine country, where Gary became a sommelier and wine educator.

Susan earned her Finance degree in 1982, graduating with honors and named the Wall Street Journal Business Student of the Year. An active student leader, she went on to a 41-year career in commercial lending, retiring as Senior VP of a northern California bank. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards and remains active in community service.

Together, Gary and Susan have supported ISU for over 30 years, establishing scholarships and the CoB’s first endowed professorship in Finance. They’ve served on the ISU Alumni Association Board, ISU Foundation Board, and CoB Leadership Board. Gary has received the CoB Professional Achievement Award and the President’s Medallion. He currently serves on the CoB Leadership Board, and Susan chairs the Foundation’s Investment Committee.

Save your spot today at: https://alumni.isu.edu/e/homecoming-alumni-recognition-dinner-2025/

For questions, please contact the Alumni Office at (208) 282-3755.