Miyoung and Galen Schuler share a dedication to advocacy and service. It has been a guiding principle throughout their lives, shaping their careers and personal endeavors. Miyoung is a passionate and skilled ER Nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. Galen retired in 2025 after two decades as General Counsel for Green Diamond Resource Company, a private forest management company.
Despite facing various challenges in their educational and professional journeys, Galen and Miyoung successfully navigated cultural expectations and difficult choices that ultimately enabled them to embrace their true callings.
Galen began his journey on a pre-med track at North Idaho College, before transferring to Boise State University. After careful consideration and many science classes, he ultimately decided his interests lay in political science. He graduated from BSU in ’85, completed his master’s degree, and then attended the University of Washington for his Juris Doctor degree, where he met Miyoung in the early nineties. They both graduated with law degrees and felt it was time to determine their next steps. After they evaluated their aspirations, Galen decided to leave academia and his PhD program to join a law firm specializing in natural resources, which led him to Green Diamond. Together, they started their family and had three wonderful boys. Miyoung later returned to school to pursue a new, fulfilling career in nursing. She graduated as an RN from Olympic College, a community college in Bremerton, Washington.
Miyoung fondly remembers her time at community college, appreciating the quality of instruction she received.
Galen shares a special bond with his community college, NIC. His father, Barry Schuler, served as NIC President from 1968 to 1986 – a transformative period in the college’s history. Ruth, Galen’s mother, also invested in education as a third-grade teacher in Coeur d'Alene. For 18 years, Ruth and Barry devoted their lives to the college and the North Idaho community.
In 2022, Galen and Miyoung established the Barry G. and Ruth J. Schuler Memorial Scholarship. As they seek to carry on their family’s remarkable legacy of empowering others towards personal growth and success, they hope their financial contributions help support those who may need a helping hand to discover their path in life.
Reflecting on their experiences, both recognize the significant role their educational and professional milestones played in their family’s journey. They strive to be an example of growth and authenticity for their children and, through their giving, aspire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students who are just like they once were.
"North Idaho has become a global destination for people who have tasted success,” they say. “It is important to secure opportunities for students there who are just beginning to envision and pursue their own success."
Their generosity will positively influence students for generations to come.