The University of Idaho remains focused this semester on our land-grant mission: outstanding educational opportunities, innovative research and discovery that impacts Idaho, as well as community connections that improve quality of life. I’m proud of the success we continue to have in delivering on our commitment. I'm the president – I would be proud, wouldn't I? But you don't have to take it from me.
The federal government’s recently updated College Scorecard offers an objective look at important considerations such as affordability, academic quality and career outcomes. U of I is a leader in key metrics: average annual cost, graduation rates and salary after attending. Gone are the Scorecard’s national average indicators, unfortunately. But use the search function to review colleges by location, by type, or by factors like size, degrees offered and more. See for yourself: U of I stands out.
Now more than ever, career success matters to students and to families. PayScale’s 2018-19 College Salary Report highlights how Vandal alumni forge solid financial futures. U of I graduates earned higher mid-career salaries – an average of $95,200 – than graduates of any other Idaho institution, and U of I ranked among the top 400 schools nationwide in graduate earnings. And we know from our own surveys that 90 percent of U of I graduates have a job or plans for continued study at graduation. If you want a rewarding education that helps you grow as a person on your way to a good job, U of I is the place to be.
A high-quality academic experience – hands-on learning, mentorship from faculty who are leaders in their fields, internships and work opportunities – facilitates that post-graduation success. This fall the Princeton Review lauded our student-centered approach when they listed U of I as one of its “Best 384 Colleges” for 2019, saying U of I “is truly a school that invests in its students. Despite its large size, the university manages to create a ‘personalized learning experience’ for all undergrads.” The organization also cited U of I’s “networking opportunities” for undergraduates and noted “the faculty here really cares about the students and genuinely wants to see them succeed.” We’re proud to be recognized with a perennial spot on the Princeton Review’s list.
U of I offers a unique residential learning environment. In August, Moscow was ranked No. 17 among the “50 Safest College Towns in America” by SafeWise, an independent review site focused on safety and security. Nothing is more important to me, our faculty, or our partners in the city than maintaining a safe and welcoming home. Our campus community delivers that. This is a fascinating, beautiful corner of the world. In fact, when the Wall Street Journal recently named the Palouse the “Tuscany of America,” Moscow was singled out for its vibrant downtown and its connection to the university. (Livability also considered some of those factors when it named Moscow No. 1 among the “10 Best Places to Raise a Family.”) Whether you’re here to learn or live or both, this is a great place to be.
I hope Vandals near and far will share these indicators about U of I excellence. They affirm our confidence about the work we do as a great public research university. And they set the tone for how we’ll approach the work ahead – brave and bold.
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Go Vandals!
Chuck Staben
President
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Supporting the Magic of Student Media
Kathy Barnard and Tom LaPointe met as University of Idaho students in 1977: Kathy worked at The Argonaut, and Tom worked at KUOI, the U of I radio station. One day, Tom hand-delivered KUOI’s latest advertisement for publication. Four years later, they were married; they’ve been together ever since. Choosing to support the place where it all began, they’ve successfully raised $7,500 to replace the KUOI master control board. “In addition to the technical skills you need to put together a show or put out paper,” Barnard said, “there are the soft skills you learn like managing a team, motivating employees and handling a budget – those skills are really important.” LaPointe agreed, adding, “Without KUOI-FM, I would not be the person I am today.” KUOI’s project is one of many successful fundraising efforts through U&I Give crowdfunding, a grassroots effort to help with specific project needs. Other live Vandal campaigns happening now include: Humanitarian Engineering Corps, Naval Officer Education Program, Cyber Defense Club and 4-H. Visit U&I Give to learn more.
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MOSS Program Wins National Award
The University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) won a University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Award of Excellence Oct. 22 for innovative educational programs that sustain regional economic development. The award was presented at the 2018 UEDA Annual Summit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. U of I was one of five finalists in the award’s “Talent + Place” category, which was developed to recognize university programs that connect their institutional talent in ways that enrich our communities and help create talent for the future. MOSS, operated through U of I’s College of Natural Resources, brings place-based outdoor learning to more than 2,100 K-12 students and educators across Idaho annually. Since 2001, the first-of-its-kind initiative has delivered immersive science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programing in the Idaho outdoors. It has been successful in building scientific literacy and positive attitudes toward science in Idaho. These efforts have helped Idaho build a STEM-focused population for the benefit of local communities.
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Researchers Publish Nature Comment on Coexisting with Fire
College of Natural Resources' Alistair Smith and Crystal Kolden with colleague David Bowman from the University of Tasmania outline new strategies to live with fire in a recent comment published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. The researchers argue that to co-exist sustainably with fire, human communities need to take the lead from nature and adapt to the fire regimes they reside in. They propose finding solutions through biomimicry – imitating the ways flora, fauna and many indigenous cultures have used to live with fire. Examples include developing building materials that exude fire-retardant chemicals when heated and moving critical resources underground like the fictional subterranean "hobbit holes" of Lord of the Rings.
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