Letters, Arts & Social Sciences

Meet Nancy Chaney

Hooked on Science

After many years of nursing, Nancy Chaney was ready for a career change.

“I Googled words related to things that give meaning to my life: nature, wildlife, people, water, trees, clean air, science, psychology… To my amazement, someone had already conceived of the field of environmental science.”

So, at age 45, Chaney enrolled in the University of Idaho’s environmental science program, and was immediately hooked.

“The energy of being on campus, the unqualified acceptance of nontraditional students like me, and the affirmation that I could still do well in school fueled my enthusiasm, but it was the interdisciplinary subject matter that absolutely captivated my attention,” Chaney said. She earned her master’s degree in 2002.

Now Chaney is the mayor of Moscow. While she did not expect her education to lead to a career in politics, she finds herself drawing on it every day.

“Moscow is becoming a model for environmental responsibility, and many of these efforts were inspired by my education at the University of Idaho, where I learned about the connection between the well-being of this region and the people who live here,” Chaney said.