“See it, and you can be it.” That’s the inspiring message you’ll often hear from Jerome High School and University of Idaho alumna Michelle Aragon. Michelle, now a vice president at a global marketing firm, was our Convocation speaker this fall. I asked her to join me and others as we visited Jerome to learn more about our Caminos al Futuro project. Arising out of our Vandal Ideas Project, an internal grant program meant to stimulate unique and collaborative approaches to problems, our Caminos al Futuro “Roads to the Future” program offers highly focused outreach embedded in Jerome High School. Up to 40 students, mainly Hispanic, in eighth to 12th grade receive integrated and enhanced U of I services, including academic coaching, college counseling, summer programs and family engagement. The goal of the project is to promote college going in a rural community, especially among a population where rates of postsecondary attainment remain stubbornly low despite a fast-growing population. What we found in Jerome were students and staff excited about turning those statistics into success stories. Primarily an agricultural community, where dairy, alfalfa, corn and barley dominate the landscape, many students might not expect to do something different, or even to go to college and return to agriculture in a different position. Caminos al Futuro is helping change that outlook. High school students are often reticent around adults asking prying questions, but we did draw students out on the question of what they wanted to do when they grew up. Professional soccer is a popular choice, and not a surprising one, in my view, as the father of two boys who loved sports. We did hear from several students who had their sights set far away – specifically, astronomy. Perhaps spurred by a NASA summer camp experience, that dream was likely also nurtured by talking with the caring and passionate staff at Jerome High. The dinner-table conversations for families of those students are no doubt helping make college seem like a less-distant reality – part of the college-going culture change we want to foster. A visit to any dairy farm in Idaho will make it clear how hardworking the people of an agricultural community are. These are families who want the best for their children. For many, that might mean staying close to home. But for many, it could also mean achievement through higher education – success that could take students to distant places, as with Michelle, or even really distant places, like the stars. It could also mean students come back to Jerome prepared to help the community flourish in new and exciting ways. Thanks to the hard work of Jerome High School staff, and U of I leaders like Yolanda Bisbee, our chief diversity officer and Jim Lindstrom, 4-H Youth Development director, the pathway we’ve established in Jerome will continue. Recently, the Caminos al Futuro project received a five-year, $548,000 USDA grant. That support means we’ll have the time and resources to test this program and see what approaches can scale up to other communities in our state. From Jerome, college might seem far away. But I am excited that more students are learning that it’s closer than they might have thought. See it, and you can be it. | | Go Vandals! Chuck Staben President | | | Idaho Barley Commission Gift Supports CALS Research This summer, the Idaho Barley Commission voted to increase the Barley Agronomy Professorship Endowment, previously funded at $1 million, with an additional gift of $325,000. This support enhances the research of Christopher Rogers, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) faculty member holding the professorship. “The Idaho Barley Commission understands the crucial role of science and best practices in helping our growers be more profitable,” said Laura Wilder, Idaho Barley Commission administrator. “Although we are small compared to many other commissions, funding these projects is vital to the strength of the Idaho barley industry and helps our growers be successful for the long-term.” This gift continues the commission’s legacy of support and collaboration, from ongoing research funding to their $30,000 gift toward the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE). “We’re grateful for the commission’s investment in CALS,” said Michael Parrella, CALS dean. “The partnership we have with the Idaho Barley Commission exemplifies how the university and agriculture industry can work together to drive agricultural progress in the state.” For more information on supporting this endowment, Idaho CAFE or CALS, contact Jen Root at jroot@uidaho.edu or 208-885-4087. | | Report Shows U of I Graduates Stand Out in Earnings PayScale’s 2018-19 College Salary Report shows University of Idaho graduates earned higher mid-career salaries – an average of $95,200 – than graduates of any other institution in Idaho. The university also produced a high number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates – 22 percent. At No. 385, U of I ranked among the top 400 schools nationwide for graduate earnings. That compares well with peers among other national research universities. “Our annual report provides data to inform decisions about which school may make the most sense to attend, and even which major to choose based on a variety of factors. Students and parents want to make informed decisions about future career and income opportunities associated with their college education investment,” said PayScale Vice President Lydia Frank. “While earning potential should not be the only consideration, it is an important factor, especially when evaluating the cost of education today.” | | Vandals in Focus 2018 For Vandals, learning isn’t limited to the classroom. In fact, two-thirds of Vandal undergraduates engage in research, scholarly work or creative activities outside of their classes. In the 2018 Vandals in Focus magazine, undergraduate writers and photographers document the depth of research opportunities available to undergraduates at the University of Idaho. | | | | |