Note: Archived materials may contain broken links.
Our newest Vandal alumni are starting their lives outside of college, our current students are enjoying sunny days, internships and part-time jobs, and faculty and staff are getting caught up on projects – yes, it’s summer at the University of Idaho.
Finishing weeks of action-packed commencement ceremonies, we can now take a breath and reflect on the year’s events.
Full of rich history, the University of Idaho has touched many lives during its time. As we prepare to celebrate our 125th anniversary next year, we’re inviting members of the University of Idaho community present and past to help tell our story. Do you have a favorite memory to share? Does your family photo album include some priceless photos of your parents or grandparents as students, or events of the day from a son or daughter?
Please email us about your discoveries at 125years@uidaho.edu.
Check out more Idaho memories in today's edition. Learn about the Office of Alumni Relations' current home, Hays Hall, from those who lived in it when it was used as a women's dormitory. Take a tour in photos of the 63-acre Arboretum & Botanical Garden. And recap 2013 with a collection of memorable moments that capture the spirit of what it was like to be a Vandal over the past four years.
Share in the robust story of our Vandal family!
Steven C. Johnson ’71
Director, Office of Alumni Relations
Upcoming Events
May 30 – Legacy of Leading Award Gala in Boise | 
May 31-June1 – Bronco-Vandal Challenge Golf Tournament in McCall |
June 6 – Kootenai County Silver and Gold Celebration |
June 8 – Vandal Night with the Seattle Sounders |
June 13 – Thirsty Thursdays in CDA |
June 18 – Alumni Social in Twin Falls with Interim President Don Burnett
June 20 – Thirsty Thursday in Twin Falls |
June 21 – Spokane Vandalfest |
June 22 – Idaho Falls Golf Tournament |
June 27 – Vandal Night with the Boise Hawks |
June 28 – American Falls Golf Tournament and Picnic |
The Vandal Football season begins Aug. 31. Season ticket holders can purchase away game tickets now! Orders will be seated based on Vandal point rank once tickets are received from the host institution. Starting June 3, tickets will be available to the general public. Get your road game tickets today!
Then and Now: Gertrude L. Hays Hall
Women were never seen downtown in anything other than a dress. Yelling out dorm windows to friends or dates arriving through the courtyard was strictly prohibited. Weekday curfew was 10 p.m., and if residents were late, they accumulated “late minutes.” Too many late minutes, and the privilege of going out on a Saturday night was lost.
A lot has changed over the years in the University of Idaho's Gertrude L. Hays Hall. Now home to the Office of Alumni Relations, Creative Services & Print Management, and Navy ROTC, the building was first built in 1926 as a women's dormitory - home to about 125 Vandals a year.
Learn more about Hays Hall from the Vandals who lived there 
A Tour in Photos
Did you know ...
- The Arboretum & Botanical Garden was established in 1980. The university started planting trees in 1982. Often referred to as the "new" arboretum, the garden was established after the Charles Houston Shattuck Arboretum. In 1909, the campus was essentially treeless before Shattuck initiated planting on the slope west of the Administration Building.
- The south side of the Arboretum & Botanical Garden is 10 degrees cooler than the north side. So cold, the south portion can freeze in August.
- The John and Winifred Dixon Butterfly Garden, located near the south end of the new arboretum, was established using funds garnered from the sale of golf balls. The balls were found in the arboretum from the nearby university golf course. John and Winifred sold the balls at the Moscow Farmers Market for 25 cents each.
- The Alberta Spruces in the new arboretum are all the same species of tree, even though they differ drastically in size. Some are more dwarfed than others. These trees aren't pruned either, they grow that way naturally.
- The Contorted Douglas Fir in the new arboretum is a species patented by a local Moscow resident. The tree is one of the largest Contorted Douglas Firs on earth.
Learn more about the 63-acre garden
The Year in Review
A lot has happened in 2013 on- and off-campus at the University of Idaho. Check out this video collection of memorable moments that capture the spirit of what it was like to be a Vandal over the last four years.
Joe Knows ... Awesome Vandal Gear!
Get 40 percent off your VandalStore web purchase when you shop Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2.
Pick out your favorites now