RISE: Future Healthcare Professions Academy

Students will go beyond traditional classroom learning to explore real medical challenges, examine core scientific concepts, and develop critical thinking skills essential for future careers in medicine and other healthcare professions. They will hear directly from local clinic physicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals, gaining an insider’s perspective on how multidisciplinary teams work together to deliver world-class patient care. By the end of the program, students will have a deeper understanding of healthcare systems, greater confidence in pursuing STEM and pre-med studies and a clear view of the many careers in medicine and healthcare available at Lewis-Clark State College (LC State) and beyond. 

The inaugural 2026 cohort is limited to 30 seats, reserved for ambitious high school students with an interest in STEM and a curiosity about medicine who would like to learn alongside clinicians, scientists, and educators at LC State.

Dr. Rachel Jameton is Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Physical, Life, Movement and Sport Sciences Division at Lewis-Clark State College. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Utah and her B.A. in Chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College. She has over three decades of experience teaching and mentoring students and is deeply committed to helping students learn organic chemistry and gain confidence. Her work includes curriculum design, undergraduate research, and science outreach, and she has published in both organic chemistry and science education. Dr. Jameton is passionate about creating supportive, engaging environments that help students succeed.

Dr. Shelley Ringo, MD, CAQSM grew up in Moscow, ID. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Washington State University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.  After working in various fields, including field work for the Department of Fish & Wildlife in Oregon and doing lab research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Shelley made the decision to apply to medical school.

Shelley attended Medical School at the University of Washington School of Medicine as an Idaho WWAMI student, and did her Family Medicine residency in the Seattle area at Valley Medical Center. After two years working in a family medicine clinic, she made the decision to pursue further training in sports medicine.

Shelley attended the Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Idaho Sports Medicine Institute in Boise and afterward worked as part of a mutli-specialty clinical group where she started their outpatient Sports Medicine program and worked there for 15 years. 

She recently moved back to Moscow to be close to family and is fortunate to be working with Gritman Medical Center’s Orthopedic group. 

Dr. Jacob Hornby earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Carroll College in Montana, followed by a Ph.D. in Microbial Physiology and Medical Mycology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003. Since completing doctoral training, Jacob has been a faculty member at Lewis-Clark State College, where he has taught a variety of courses, specializing in Microbiology, Genetics, Cellular Biology, Immunology, and Human Biology. 

For more than twenty years, Jacob has also served as LC State’s Pre-Health Professions Academic Advisor, working closely with hundreds of students pursuing careers across the full spectrum of healthcare disciplines. These students have gone on to enroll in medical, dental, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, and allied health programs at institutions throughout the United States and internationally. In addition, he serves as the primary academic advisor for the Physical Therapy Assistant, Dental Hygiene, and Medical Laboratory Technician programs as part of the Healthcare Education Center. 

Mr. Trent Morgan has practiced nursing as a CRNA- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist for 26 years, serving in many educational and administrative roles. As a Registered Nurse, he has worked in rural, critical care and pediatric nursing for 7 years. Following earning his Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesiology, he enjoyed collaboration with anesthesia, surgical team members, faculty, and students practicing the art and science of Nurse Anesthesiology for 28 years.  Trent is a part-time Nursing instructor at Lewis-Clark State College, and his daily goal is educating, anesthesia practice, and life is to smoothly integrate technology, science, and experience to meet each patient's and student’s needs with rigor, excellence and compassion.

Mr. Mike Larson, RN, BSN, Division Administrator at Public Health – Idaho North Central District. Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education: Biology from the University of Idaho, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lewis-Clark State College and has worked as a nurse for 36 years. Part of that time Mike has worked locally in acute care, including 17 years in the Emergency department. Since 2009 he has been working at Public Health supervising Epidemiology, Immunizations, Public Health Preparedness, Women Infant and Children, and Health Promotion. He was working at Public Health for both the H1N1 pandemic of 2009 and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic. He has no plans to work through a third pandemic! Mike started his experience in the medical field as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) prior to training as a nurse and has had the privilege to teach many different community classes for all age groups including assisting with Paramedic programs, Basic EMT, Adult and Pediatric Trauma Nursing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Anti-Meth, Head Injury, First Aid, and even lead a New Father Support Group. All these opportunities allowed him to share his experiences and knowledge acquired from a fascinating career in health care. 

Mr. Daniel E. Rudolph is an Instructor of Human Anatomy and Physiology at Lewis-Clark State College (LC State) in Lewiston, Idaho, where he also serves as Coordinator of the Healthcare Immersive Learning Lab (HILL). Over more than fifteen years on the LC State faculty—moving from adjunct to full instructor, visiting professor, and now coordinator—he has taught a wide range of life-science courses, including Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Advanced Anatomy, Human Dissection, Embryology, and Introduction to Human Biology, and has served as a dual-credit liaison. 

A graduate of the University of Idaho, Dan earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with majors in Biology and Chemistry in 1977 and returned decades later to complete a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction–Biology in 2011. He holds Idaho Standard Secondary Teaching Certification in Biology and Chemistry and has completed Anatomage Virtual Cadaver introductory and intermediate training, expertise he now shares with LC State colleagues through faculty development workshops at the Center for Teaching & Learning. 

Before devoting himself fully to higher education, Dan spent nearly five decades as President and General Manager of Rudolph’s, Inc., the family automotive enterprise operating as Gray Buick GMC, Rudolph’s Buick Pontiac GMC, and Rudolph’s Auto Service from 1978 until 2024. He carried that same spirit of public service into elected office, representing District 6A in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2014 to 2016, where he served on the Revenue and Taxation, Transportation and Defense, Commerce and Human Resources, and Employee Compensation committees. Earlier, he was elected to the Lewiston Independent School District #1 Board of Directors, serving as a member from 1999 to 2003 and as Chairman from 2004 to 2010. 

Dan’s teaching has been recognized with some of LC State’s highest honors, including the 2025 Fernandez Faculty Excellence Award, the 2017–2018 Academic Professor of the Year Award, and the 2012–2013 Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. He also received the National Society of Leadership and Success Excellence in Teaching Award in 2018 and has served on Faculty Senate, the Research Symposium Committee, and multiple search, tenure, and promotion committees.  

As an author, Dan has produced four anatomy atlases used in his classroom: Catlas (feline anatomy with human homologies), Piglas (porcine anatomy with human homologies), and the two-volume Histology I and II series. He is a frequent invited speaker on topics ranging from neurology and concussion to using anatomy and physiology as a model for K–12 science instruction. 

Beyond the classroom and the legislature, Dan has given back to his community for more than four decades, coaching varsity football for Lewiston schools from 1977 to 1982 and youth soccer, football, and baseball from 1977 through 2018. He has served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Lewis-Clark Valley, Tri-State Hospital Foundation, Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education, Lewiston Babe Ruth, and Lewiston Little League, and on the State of Idaho Law Enforcement Advisory Board, the Whitworth College Advisory Council, the University of Idaho Parent Council, and most recently the LILI Foundation for women’s cancer. 

Whether in a lecture hall, a dissection lab, the statehouse, or his community, Dan brings the same commitment to mentoring others and strengthening the institutions around him.