Diversity is one of the great strengths of the University of Idaho. At U of I, diversity is not just about what we look like, but the opportunities we create, the voices we include, and the conversations we have as a community. It’s about what we do, and how we give back. The start of the year is a chance to reaffirm our commitment to being the best possible living and learning environment for all people. This week our Vandals celebrated the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with service, training and seminars. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” Vandals are answering that call during days of service in January, including a community food drive. Students working through the Office of Multicultural Affairs have also put on a training in support of LGBT students. And last night we welcomed prominent Seattle educator and attorney Nikitta Oliver to campus for a thoughtful talk on grassroots activism and organizing. King’s life inspires other important programs. The annual MLK Art and Essay Contest is now in its fourth year, continuing to offer a space for expression that critiques and interprets the world so that it might live up to the ideals for which King fought. This year’s theme is “resilience,” with a quote from King representing that theme: "If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." Essay submissions are due Jan. 31 — I encourage our students to submit, and look forward to seeing and sharing how they address this important topic. A number of other programs stand out, and interested community members should review our calendar and get involved if possible. But I want to mention one more program, in this case organized with help from the Idaho Humanities Council: Author Colson Whitehead visits U of I Feb. 12. Whitehead is the author most recently of the acclaimed novel, “The Underground Railroad,” which won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction — a rare feat. Literature and reading are pursuits that unite us in examination of new ideas and perspectives; we are sure to have plenty to think about. I’m thrilled our community can come together to hear from a leading light of American fiction and letters. The activities we organize this January and February are not just events — they are actions we take to serve, learn and understand each other. As a higher education community, we’re uniquely positioned to live out the spirit of King’s message in a way that makes a lasting impact on our institution and on our communities. As he asks what we’re doing for others and how we’re showing resilience, we should always have a worthy answer. | | Go Vandals! Chuck Staben President | | | Kootenai Health Pledges Support to Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program Kootenai Health has pledged $125,000 in support to the Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program’s building renovation project at the University of Idaho in Moscow. The renovations will provide valuable upgraded space designed specifically to support modern medical education trends and technology with more traditional best-practice teaching methods. Started in 1971, WWAMI is currently in its 45th year of educating Idaho’s physicians. Nationally accredited through its partnership with the UW School of Medicine — top-ranked for primary care, family and rural medicine by U.S. News and World Report — 50 percent of Idaho WWAMI graduates return to Idaho to practice. Kootenai Health’s pledge of support is an important investment in not only WWAMI but also the future of Idaho medicine — medical research, physicians and patients. “There is no better time than the present to advance Idaho medical education,” said Jon Ness, CEO of Kootenai Health. “WWAMI has a proven track record of training quality practitioners who establish themselves in Idaho and provide excellent care for all who need it.” For more information on supporting the Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program, contact Kim O’Neill at 208-885-5371 or kimoneill@uidaho.edu. | | McClure Center Launches Boise Speaker Series The University of Idaho’s James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research is launching a new bi-monthly speaker series designed to engage Idahoans in the Treasure Valley. The inaugural Policy Pub speaker series focuses on Idaho women and public policy and features a bipartisan group of speakers from the Idaho Legislature. The panel discussion is 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mountain time, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at Pengilly’s, 513 W. Main St., Boise. Speakers include Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise; Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee; and Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise. McClure Center Director Katherine Himes will moderate the discussion. Each panelist will describe her background in public policy, convey her inspiration to enter public service and discuss the biggest challenges facing elected representatives in Idaho and the United States. Their remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session. The McClure Center, which works to find common ground and pragmatic solutions through its nonpartisan research and outreach, will sponsor additional Policy Pub events throughout 2018. A March panel discussion will focus on policy and the law. A May 3 Policy Pub will focus on natural resources and policy. | | Associate Dean Lee Ostrom Receives Fulbright Specialist Award College of Engineering Associate Dean Lee Ostrom, director of Academic Programs at the University of Idaho, Idaho Falls, received a Fulbright Specialist award to Finland. Beginning this February, Ostrom will spend five weeks Aalto University in Helsinki working to improve safety in the university's physics and chemistry laboratories. Ostrom is an expert in risk assessment, human factors ergonomics and industrial safety. He is co-author of two texts, “Occupational Ergonomics a Practical Approach,” and “Risk Assessment: Tools, Techniques, and Their Applications.” “I am very excited for Lee, it is a great honor that he has been selected for this Fulbright,” said Larry Stuffer, dean of U of I’s College of Engineering. “The college is lucky to have Lee as a representative of our faculty. His work and this exchange in Finland serves as an excellent example to our students the global impacts of engineering.” | | | | |