POCATELLO — Thousands of graduates walked across the stage Saturday at the ICCU Dome as Idaho State University celebrated its students — and its own 125th birthday.

ISU reported a record-breaking first-year class and overall enrollment this fall, along with record retention rates.

Adorned in black and orange regalia, more than 1,000 ISU graduates assembled at the ICCU Dome on May 9, surrounded by family, friends and faculty, to receive their diplomas and reflect on their accomplishments. ISU held two commencement ceremonies — one at 10 a.m. and another at 3 p.m.

Despite recent staff layoffs and structural changes across four colleges to meet a state-mandated 3 percent budget holdback of approximately $8.3 million, the university hosted one of its largest commencement ceremonies ever.

The ceremony honored several distinguished guests, including honorary doctoral recipients Frank VanderSloot and Linda Clark, along with Idaho State Board of Education member Cindy Siddoway.

ISU student and The Bengal newspaper Editor-in-Chief Hadley Bodell delivered remarks during the afternoon ceremony, reflecting on gratitude and belonging as central themes of her time at the university.

“I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support I have received in my time at Idaho State and stand here today to receive my diploma knowing that I didn’t do it alone,” Bodell said. She urged fellow graduates to recognize those who shaped their journeys — professors, advisors, peers and family — noting that each diploma represents far more than one person’s achievement.

Bodell also spoke to the sense of belonging she found in Pocatello.

“Idaho State has the special ability to make each and every student feel known and like they have a place at the university,” she said. “With every new class I stepped foot in, I felt more and more sure of myself that I was in the right place.”

Local author, historian and model for the U.S. Sacagawea Golden Dollar coin Randy’L Teton served as the afternoon commencement speaker.

“Don’t be afraid of the ‘detours,’” Teton said. “Success is not a straight line. It is a series of adjustments made with courage. As you walk across this stage, take a breath. Look at the families cheering for you. Carry your community with you, just as I carry the spirit of my people in everything I do. Go out and be more than just successful. Be kind. Be brave. Be the storyteller of your own life. The world has been waiting for your specific brand of magic.”

The ceremony featured several performances, including the national anthem sung by graduate Mavity Shaw in the morning and graduate Gabriel Beckman in the afternoon. The Shoshone-Bannock Ghost Canyon Singers performed an honor song for the graduates, and the ISU Treble Choir delivered the ISU Alma Mater Hymn.

ISU President Robert Wagner also addressed the crowd, reminding graduates they are the reason the university’s faculty and staff work hard every day.

“You represent the very reason why our institution exists — you are the focal point of all our efforts,” Wagner said. “As a public institution we fulfill our contract, or our public responsibility, by our graduates who leave this institution to serve, work and enrich communities, support families and contribute to society.”

Saturday’s graduates came from a variety of cultures, upbringings and experiences. During the morning ceremony, student speaker Ganesh Sapkota shared his journey from Nepal to Pocatello, embracing bravery and optimism in the face of uncertainty.

“Real growth does not happen when things feel comfortable,” Sapkota said. “So I chose to step forward, not because I felt ready, not because I was confident, but because I didn’t want to look back one day and ask myself, ‘what if?’ And that is what it means to be a Bengal. It’s not about having everything figured out. It never was. It’s about choosing to move forward when things are uncertain.”