To tackle today’s greatest challenges, to investigate ideas that matter, to have significant impact on the region, to engage our stakeholders requires multidisciplinary approaches. The Vandal Ideas Project (VIP) is a competitive university-wide grant program to stimulate bold new ideas that support our strategic plan goals. VIP especially encourages projects that address issues important to Idaho and the Northwest that also have national and global relevance.

2018 VIP: Transform — Increasing our Educational Impact

The University of Idaho is excited to begin moving forward on the next round of the Vandal Ideas Project.

President Chuck Staben and Provost and Executive Vice President John Wiencek have charged Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives Cher Hendricks and College of Science Dean Ginger Carney with leading this year's effort, which focuses on our “Transform” goal to increase U of I's educational impact.

The 2017 VIP: Engage projects emphasized work to increase the number of Idaho students who attend college. This year, VIP: Transform will support those students who are already in college by focusing on ways to help our students succeed and graduate.

We want our VIP: Transform projects to tackle innovative ways to improve the college experience for our students. Over the next few months, we will be hosting informational and discussion sessions and a Student Success Conference to help our faculty, staff and students identify potential projects.

At these events, we will share data that can inform project development and provide a forum for sharing ideas and best practices. We hope these opportunities will foster collaboration across colleges, departments and units — as well as among faculty, students, and staff — and that these collaborations will lead to transformative and sustainable Vandal Ideas Projects.

The VIP: Transform seed grant request for proposals will be posted after we've had a chance as institution to discuss the scope and focus of the initiative. Teams will spend the summer and early fall perfecting their ideas, with proposals due in fall semester. Awards will be announced in late fall 2018, with plans being implemented in spring 2019.

Share Your Ideas

Stay tuned for updates about this spring’s Student Success Conference and informational sessions. More information about these events will be announced via email and in The Daily Register.

More Information

For questions about this year’s program, contact Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives Cher Hendricks at 208-885-7941 or cherhendricks@uidaho.edu or College of Science Dean Ginger Carney at 208-885-6195 or gingercarney@uidaho.edu.

Project Funding

More information about project funding, the request for proposals and proposal deadlines will be released later this year.

For more information about the VIP: Transform project, contact Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives Cher Hendricks at 208-885-7941 or cherhendricks@uidaho.edu or College of Science Dean Ginger Carney at 208-885-6195 or gingercarney@uidaho.edu.