Kaden Scott Bybee knew that he wanted to be a pharmacist in eighth grade. But in May 2016 he was working as a bagger at Albertson’s instead of walking across the stage to receive his high school diploma. Now in his third year of pharmacy school at Idaho State University (ISU), Bybee has proven to himself and others that it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.   

Several factors led to Bybee’s dropping out of high school during his senior year. Starting in middle school, he struggled with self-confidence and often played video games to escape his responsibilities.  

“I guess 12-year-olds aren't the best at making decisions,” he said. “I started putting the video games in front of schoolwork and telling myself I’d do my homework on the bus, and then it just never got done.”  

Bybee also suffered from chronic migraines and dealt with unexpected family challenges during his junior and senior year. These experiences impacted him emotionally and affected his family financially. 

Amidst compounding setbacks, Bybee jumped between multiple high schools in Idaho Falls and even attended online and summer school. Finally, in 12^th grade, he had enough. He stepped away from high school just a few months before graduation. 

He watched his friends graduate as part of the Class of 2016 while he worked part time. It didn’t take long for him to realize he was missing out on better opportunities and a better future. That summer, he visited what was then Eastern Idaho Technical College (now College of Eastern Idaho) to pursue his GED. 

“I remember the lady at EITC that was giving me my practice test scores,” he recalled. “‘You performed really well,’ she said. ‘You could probably take the test right now, and I think you would pass.’” 

For Bybee, that was the confidence boost he needed.  

“Ever since seventh grade, so for five-plus years to that point, I'd been really struggling academically,” he said. “Despite all the hardship I put myself through, I was ready to go take the GED, and I didn't have to worry about studying.” 

He scheduled the test a few days later, and sure enough, he passed.  

When CEI became a community college in 2017, Bybee was one of its first students. With the help of scholarship funding, he graduated with his Associate of Arts in 2021.  

“Everyone at the Financial Aid office was really helpful in making sure I got funding, so it was very helpful in helping me pay for college,” he said.  

“My family, especially at that time, experienced a lot of financial uncertainty. Through scholarships and grants and everything, I was actually able to complete my associate degree without any debt, and I actually didn't pay anything out of pocket. It was such a blessing.” 

Bybee graduated from CEI in Spring 2021. After finishing other prerequisites, he applied to ISU’s pharmacy program for Fall 2023. He’s now on track to graduate with his PharmD in 2027, and his resume is stacking up.  

In his second year at ISU, he was class president on the Pharmacy Student Senate. This year, he’s the chair of their Operation Immunization program and holds a leadership position in Phi Lambda Sigma, also known as the Pharmacy Leadership Society. He’s also worked at almost every Walgreens Pharmacy in the Greater Idaho Falls area. 

Despite a rocky start to achieving his dream, Bybee wouldn’t change anything. 

“I'm definitely grateful that I took the unconventional route,” he said. “I wouldn't necessarily recommend dropping out of high school to anybody. I definitely made it harder on myself than I needed it to be. But the path that I went on I don't think I’d change at all, because it gave me perspective, resilience, and a lot of life lessons that I don't know that I would have learned otherwise.” 

“I stalled out in high school. And I avoided a lot of responsibility for a really long time. But, you know, the key for me was that I didn't stay there forever. And I do think that failure is a part of the journey, and I feel like a big thing for me was taking the time I needed to reflect on myself and reflect on what I wanted.” 

Since Bybee finished his associate degree during the COVID-19 pandemic, completing his PharmD will be the first time he’s attending his own graduation ceremony. Among the many people who have supported him along the way, he’s grateful for his family, his girlfriend, his mentors, and the support system he found at CEI for getting him to where he is today. 

“CEI allowed me to get a great education at an affordable price that allowed me to pursue my lifelong dream.”