True Love, True Bengals: ISU Alumna Establishes Scholarship to Honor Late Husband and Support Non-Traditional Students

 Jerry “Jer” and Susan Robinson are true Bengals. Their paths crossed when Key Bank, preparing to open a new branch in Pocatello, contacted Jerry to participate in a photo shoot for their promotional brochures. The bank asked if he could bring along another student to pose with him. Jerry immediately thought of Susan, a familiar face from his Biology 101 class and someone he'd often seen around campus. He reached out to her, and to his delight, she happily agreed to join him for the shoot. Their first date was in the summer of 1971 at Bimbo’s Pizza. That photo shoot helped spark a lifetime of love and friendship.

Jerry graduated from ISU with a degree in business in 1973. He was a non-traditional student who started at ISU at the age of 25 and worked at a local Safeway during school, sometimes attending classes on a part-time basis. Jerry was very involved in campus life. He was in Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, he was ASISU Student Body President, and he served as an RA in Redfield Hall. He was also in the business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi.

“Originally, Jerry thought he could have a career [in sales] without a degree, but he saw where the field was going and knew a degree would help him succeed,” said Susan. “He was a non-traditional student because of his age, but that didn’t stop him from participating in and embracing everything ISU had to offer.”

Susan was born and raised in Pocatello. She graduated from the dental hygiene program in 1972. Susan was also highly involved on campus. She was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and a member of Scotch Guard, which was a drill team associated with the ROTC. After graduating, both Jerry and Susan maintained a strong connection with ISU. At different times, both served on the Alumni Board of Directors and both had a term as President of that Board. Jerry and Susan returned to campus almost every year for homecoming.

Susan and Jerry enjoyed successful careers in dental hygiene and sales, respectively. Jerry's work took them across the country - from Salt Lake City, to Denver, to Texas, to California, and finally to Vancouver, Washington.

“Jerry was the first dorm-mate I met our sophomore year at ISU,” said College of Business alumnus and friend of the Robinsons, Gary Campbell. “As business majors, we shared classes, studied together and, with his encouragement, became Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity brothers. Our lifelong friendship included friendly teasing and numerous shared laughs, especially as early Sunday morning golfing buddies the four years our careers overlapped in Houston. After he and Susan were transferred to California, an envelope arrived periodically in my mailbox containing a copy of the scorecard from the only golf game he won; and nothing else. Just one example of Jerry’s mischievous sense of humor.”

Susan and Jerry celebrated 50 years of marriage before Jerry passed away unexpectedly in 2023. Susan and Jerry appreciated their time at ISU and the opportunities their education gave them. Susan established the Jerry and Susan Robinson Endowed Scholarship Fund to honor Jerry's memory and to support future Bengals, particularly non-traditional students like Jerry who had significant life demands outside of school but managed to succeed and thrive in spite of those.

“He would be delighted with this scholarship, knowing that it will provide other students with opportunities to be successful and create their own legacies,” said Campbell.

“ISU was very important to us,” said Susan. “We wouldn’t have had the same careers without it, and most importantly, we wouldn’t have met without it.”

To learn about supporting ISU and the College of Business, visit isu.edu/give or contact College of Business Director of Development Kristine McCarty at kristinemccarty@isu.edu or (208) 282-4608.