‘We changed the campus climate .’ Satterlee delivers last speech as ISU president

POCATELLO — A retiring university president took to the stage Thursday night to give his final speech to the Bengal community.

President Kevin Satterlee delivered his farewell address at the Idaho State University Bengal Alumni Center. He spoke about his accomplishments during his almost six year long tenure as president and the bright future ISU has ahead of itself.

RELATED | ISU president announces his retirement

“We rebranded this institution,” said Satterlee, who has been in the position for five years. “We re-engaged our community partners… and once again, this entire community is proud to be Bengals.”

Upon taking the stage, Satterlee said that when he saw the size of the crowd that had come out to hear him speak, it was “awe-inspiring.”

Throughout his entire decade-and-a-half career in higher education, his favorite day of the school year is the first day of fall classes.

He said that he would “go outside to the quad and watch students walk by, knowing that they are on a journey that will improve the trajectory of their lives.”

As Satterlee watched the students head off to get food, do homework or go to their next class, he knew their minds and souls would be enriched.

“I know this because it happened to me,” Satterlee said.

Satterlee was the first in his family to go to college. He said that as he began that journey in 1986, he took a path that improved his life and his family’s.

Being a university president is a stressful job, even in the best of times, he said.

“Having done so through a worldwide pandemic that disrupted all aspects of our lives, and compound that with doing so through the most divisive, caustic and vicious political times that this nation has seen in a long time — well, that takes a toll,” Satterlee said.

Satterlee said that he kept going because he believed that everyone should be able to live a life with joy and have a career that matters and is meaningful.

“That is why we do what we do,” Satterlee said.

Satterlee found it incredible over his time as ISU president to watch the Bengal community make “enormous strides” to improve the university for future students.

Satterlee said the university improved retention rates and reversed a decade of enrollment declines, increased the amount of research awards and expenditures, built the Alumni Center and put the historic “I” back on Red Hill.

“The accomplishment I am most proud of is that we changed the campus climate at this university,” Satterlee said. “Together, we have shown the value of building a culture based on trust, compassion, stability and hope.”

Satterlee said that he was grateful to serve ISU as president.

“I did so because when I started I made you all a promise. I promised that I would give this position my all,” Satterlee said.

Satterlee said that he saw a bright future ahead for ISU, and knew that the university was in good hands with its leadership team.

“So I am ready to move forward into the next phase of my life, one that is very different from the one I am living right now,” Satterlee said.

Satterlee is planning to travel and spend time with family and friends. His last day is Dec. 31.

His successor has not yet been named.

RELATED | Outgoing ISU president talks retiring young, travel plans and expectations of next president

RELATED | Here are the 5 finalists being considered as the next president of Idaho State University