Letter From the President
As I reflect over the nearly four years since I joined the University of Idaho as president, I could not be prouder of our employees, alumni, students and community partners.
We have faced challenges, risen above them and proven that we are the leaders in developing the employees industry wants and the research industry needs to be successful. We have demonstrated over and over that we are brave and bold, and even in daunting circumstances, we are unstoppable.
The themes of our Brave. Bold. Unstoppable. campaign resonate throughout this issue of Here We Have Idaho magazine.
Our faculty produce sustainable solutions for Idaho. Professor Jaap Vos provides insights on Idaho’s changing population that are valuable for government officials and city planners, among others. Professor Amin Mirkouei is teaming up with industry partners to explore safe and sustainable methods of mining our state’s rare earth elements. Investments in U of I research pay dividends statewide. Our recent $55 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture furthers our expertise in soil science that began with the state’s support of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.
Vandals contribute to a thriving Idaho through research that lifts our communities. Professor Omi Hodwitz is working with students to create a database of missing or murdered Indigenous people to help bring attention to the issue and potentially make connections between crimes to help solve them.
Student success is at the heart of our mission at the U of I. Students from across disciplines are playing on the new Vandal esports team, which engages other college teams from around the country in weekly competitions that test their skills and build camaraderie.
These stories and many more demonstrate the wide variety of ways the U of I delivers value for our students and our state. We appreciate everyone who has invested in the Brave. Bold. Unstoppable. campaign. We’re closing in on our $500 million goal, and you can share my pride in the remarkable progress we’ve made together.
Go Vandals!
Published in the Spring 2023 issue of Here We Have Idaho.
