BYU-Idaho’s College of Physical Sciences and Engineering has more departments than any other college at the university, with eight departments.
This STEM-focused college includes the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the Department of Design and Construction Management, the Department of Engineering Technology, the Department of Geology and Environmental Science, the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering and the Department of Physics.
Mike Sessions, the dean for the college, characterizes the college as one that has a high job placement rate for students after graduation. He says those jobs tend to be high paying. Because this is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-based college students will take multiple math-related classes.
Maddie Wahlen grew up in Rigby and went to Utah State University right out of high school. She decided to transfer to BYU-Idaho where she majored in biochemistry and was able to become the president of the Student Success Council where she represented the college. She says the council was a way to help solve problems, like freshman retention.
“We were really focused on getting freshmen involvement in student societies and seeing them continue to participate and increase freshmen retention because of that,” she says.
The mission of BYU-Idaho, which is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is “to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities.” Sessions’ background is in construction design and likes to use the example of Jesus Christ as a carpenter when he talks about fulfilling the mission of BYU-Idaho.
“So many of the symbols in the gospel are carpentry tools,” he says, “and when you’re in the construction field, you learn what those tools are used for, how they’re used, why they’re used. And so the symbols are no longer symbolic, they take on meaning.”
Wahlen says in her classes in chemistry and biochemistry, she also saw direct correlations between what she was learning and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“I learned for myself that God is a chemist. God is someone that puts together these beautiful machines that are inside of us,” Wahlen says.
You can learn more about the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering and explore the majors in each of the departments here.
If you would like to watch the Fulfilling the Mission podcast episode featuring Dean Mike Sessions and Maddie Wahlen on YouTube, you can click here or listen on Spotify and all your favorite podcast apps. You can also watch it below.