Justin Vipperman

Today during graduation, Justin Vipperman was recognized as CSI’s Faculty of the Year, an honor voted on by students and a reflection of the impact he has made both inside and outside the classroom.

Justin has been at CSI for nine years, first serving as the HCDC grant writer and adjunct history instructor before joining full-time faculty in 2021. A fifth-generation Idahoan from Wendell and a CSI alumnus himself, Justin brings both personal connection and passion into every history course he teaches.

He describes his teaching style as discussion-based and interactive, encouraging students to speak up, ask questions, and connect historical events to the world around them today. His classes focus not only on history itself, but on the durable skills students build along the way including communication, civil dialogue, source evaluation, and critical thinking.

Justin says one of the reasons he enjoys working with CSI students so much is because he sees himself in many of them. He understands the challenges of balancing school, work, and family responsibilities, and enjoys helping students find ways to succeed while pursuing the things they are passionate about.

Outside of CSI, Justin spends time fly fishing, coaching his children’s baseball teams, serving on several historical and philanthropic boards, and documenting the history of the Magic Valley. Students are often surprised to learn he still skateboards and tries to catch a Dirty Heads concert every year.His advice to students: follow the path you are passionate about, even if it feels scary at first.