In its second year, this year’s VIP program asked faculty, staff and students to come up with bold new ideas that support our strategic plan's focus on improving the “go-on” rates in Idaho. Twenty one project ideas were submitted, competing for more than $300,000 in grant funding. President Chuck Staben and Provost and Executive Vice President John Wiencek made final decisions, based on committee recommendations.

Given that many of the proposals have themes or ideas that may touch on our recruiting and high school outreach, Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management Dean Kahler will be coordinating these efforts and providing additional guidance on behalf of the president and provost.

VIP grant recipients were:

Increasing the Go-on Rate in Southeast Idaho Through the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water

Award: $23,984
About: This student-designed project will develop a mentorship program in Eastern Idaho high schools for senior projects addressing the nexus of food, energy and water. Mentors from Idaho universities, Idaho National Laboratory, industry and NGOs will be leaders in their fields and motivated to guide and encourage young adults.
Principal investigators: Kelley Verner, graduate student, and R.A. Borrelli, College of Engineering; Emma Redfoot, Jieun Lee, Seth Dustin and John Peterson, graduate students, College of Engineering; and Marc Skinner, UI Idaho Falls.

Idaho Drone League (iDrone) to Improve the Go-on Rate in Idaho: STEM Activities and Education

Award: $72,248
About: iDrone will engage students through an immersive experiential STEM-based learning program by introducing seventh to 11th grade students to basic concepts in automatic control, robotics and unmanned aerial systems in three different three-day workshops across the state.
Principal investigators: Jae Ryu, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and Sonya Kirsten LaPaglia, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences

UIdahoX: Changing Idaho’s Perceptions about College to Increase Go-on Rates

Award: $60,000
About: Utilizing the popular TED talk format, grade six to 12 students with the best ideas will be brought to a university center for coaching, peer mentoring and research activities, and to compete for a college scholarship and TEDxUIdaho talk. The goal is to change the narrative of college education from “job-readiness” to “life-readiness.”
Principal investigators: Yvonne Nyavor, graduate student, College of Science; and David Pfeiffer, College of Science

Build Your Future: Connecting Career Exploration and Higher Education

Award: $26,015
About: Build Your Future, a peer-reviewed National 4-H curriculum, will be taught to 200 youths distributed among 10 sites throughout the states. Youths who attend 75 percent of the learning activities will attend the State Teen Association Convention for a University of Idaho four-day on-campus experience.
Principal investigators: Brian Luckey, Carrie Johnson, Suzann Dolecheck, Nanzy Shelstad, UI Extension and State 4-H Youth Development

Idaho Go-On Program (I Go)

Award: $75,000
About: Through this project, the University of Idaho will hire their recent college graduates to be placed as advisors into key high schools with low college going rates throughout the state as part of the I Go program.
Principal investigator: Dean Kahler, Strategic Enrollment Management

Engage Pre-College Outreach Project

Award: $75,000
About: This project will test an approach to improving postsecondary readiness with 40 Idaho Hispanic eighth through 10th graders in Jerome. During the three-year project, existing UI services will be integrated and enhanced for delivery to students and families and the evaluation will measure short- and mid-range outcomes.
Principal investigator: Jean Henscheid, McClure Center

Becoming Brave and Bold

Award: $34,584
About: This initiative will provide an exclusive dual-credit transition course titled, “Discover U.” This course will prepare, support and equip students both personally and academically to thrive in the context of higher education and beyond.
Principal investigators: Shawna Bertlin and Erin Doty, College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences