Family and friends filled ExtraMile Arena for three ceremonies on Saturday, May 10 to celebrate 3,229 students who finished their coursework in spring 2025 and were eligible for 4,025 degrees and certificates. They bring Boise State’s total number of graduates for this academic year to more than 5,300.
Saturday’s commencement was the final one for Dr. Marlene Tromp, who has served as Boise State’s president for six years and is departing to serve as the president of the University of Vermont.
“Remember, Broncos, that the goalposts are ahead of you and — just like our beloved Ashton Jeanty — when others try to knock you down, tap into that same courage, tenacity and spirit to pick yourself up and run,” Tromp told students.
The Idaho State Board of Education honored Tromp during the ceremony.
“You and your team have significantly increased enrollment; improved student retention and graduation rates; expanded research; increased fundraising; reduced student debt; and promoted Boise State throughout Idaho, the country and beyond,” said board member Linda Clark. “You have much to be proud of during your tenure at Boise State and the legacy you leave behind is stellar.”
Graduates were represented by three exceptional student speakers: Jenna Kline, Tryphene Bulape-Mishambo and Molly Balison.
Kline established a student-led sales team, and led an initiative that resulted in the largest-ever financial contribution to the College of Business and Economics.
“It’s uncomfortable and terrifying not knowing what’s next,” Kline said in addressing her classmates.. “On the other hand, the beautiful thing about uncertainty is that it forces change and growth. It pushes us beyond our comfort zones and into places where we become the people we were meant to be.”
Bulape-Mishambo was born to Congolese parents and is a former refugee who was named a Gilmam Scholar while at Boise State.
“My fellow graduates, as you enter this next chapter, remember individual success may be how the world measures growth, but true success lies in the relationships we build and the impact we leave behind,” said Bulape-Mishambo. “Go out and make your mark. And when you walk into those rooms, remember you carry the strength of Bronco Nation with you.”
Balison recently became editor-in-chief of Word on the Street, the Interfaith Sanctuary newspaper written by and for Boise’s unhoused community.
“There’s power in telling our stories, since each of us holds a story worth telling,” she said. “Our journeys connect us all. And when we speak honestly about where we’ve been, we create space for others to feel less alone.”
Summer session at Boise State begins Monday, May 12, and about 10,000 students are expected to take part in online, remote and in-person summer classes.