Private giving provides a critical margin for excellence at the University of Idaho. The University of Idaho Foundation, and its volunteer board, manage private gifts to support Vandal students, faculty, programs and initiatives. This week I connected with Andrew Emerson ’97, our new foundation chairman, to learn more about his leadership and help shine a light on the important work of the foundation. President Chuck Staben: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? Why did you choose the University of Idaho? Chairman Andrew Emerson ’97: I grew up in Lewiston and attended a lot of Vandal football and basketball games in the 1980s, so I had been to Moscow often. Like many high school graduates, the allure of leaving the area was appealing, but it came at a significant price tag that would have meant serious student loans. I have to credit my parents for helping an impressionable teenager understand that concept. Additionally, I planned to study engineering, and U of I had a much better program than the other schools I applied to. In retrospect, I can say unequivocally that I made the right choice. I obtained a great education, made lifelong friends and graduated debt-free. There's not much more you can ask for. CS: You’re a civil engineering graduate. How did U of I prepare you for life and work? AE: The rigor of the engineering curriculum taught me a lot about problem-solving, analytical processes and time management – skills I use daily. I also have a Spanish minor from U of I, and I use my Spanish skills every day. The combination of language and engineering backgrounds opened a lot of doors for me professionally. As a part of the Spanish minor curriculum, I spent a semester studying in Chile, where I met my future wife and gained an appreciation for the people and culture. After graduation I spent a year living and working in Chile before eventually settling in Boise. My employer supplied conveyor systems to the mining industry and the bulk of our projects were in South America, mainly Chile and Peru, so I've had many opportunities to return to Latin America over the years. College is about a lot more than just going to classes, taking exams and writing papers. It's a transformative time where you learn a lot of life skills and transition to adulthood. I was fairly shy when I entered U of I and pledged Sigma Nu fraternity. I credit the guys in the house and the Greek system as a whole for helping me break out of my shell. Those social skills have been invaluable in business and life. CS: Why did you want to take on the role of chairman of the foundation? What do you like about the work so far? AE: I have been on the foundation board for several years, and I can't overstate how impressed I've been by the caliber of people I've met during that time. When Karen Gowland asked if I would succeed her as chairman, I was humbled, excited and a little anxious. I don't take the honor lightly. We’re the largest public foundation in Idaho, with about $350 million in total assets at the end of the most recent fiscal year. Far and away the most rewarding aspect of foundation work is helping students achieve their goals through our financial support. At the end of the day, that's why we are here. In fiscal year 2018, we distributed $10.9 million from our endowment to fund scholarships. Since fiscal year 2000, we have distributed $339 million. We have been a major supporter of Idaho Central Credit Union Arena and other building projects and university initiatives. We’re proud the endowment and accounts we oversee provide opportunities for students and for university priorities. CS: U of I is working on a scholarship campaign called “Vandal Promise.” What is that campaign, and why is it important? AE: We know too many students struggle with the financial barriers of attending college – the average gap students face is $5,000. They come from backgrounds that don’t prioritize college or have the ability to provide the necessary financial support. Oftentimes, a relatively small amount of the overall cost prevents students from changing their lives forever. The university is trying to tackle that problem head-on, establishing the Vandal Promise need-based scholarship campaign. Our goal is to provide students with need-based scholarship support. The long-term benefit to their lives and our state as a whole is tremendous. CS: You’ve been involved with U of I advisory boards, the Alumni Association and other areas. Do you have advice for alumni who might not yet be engaged? AE: I stay closely engaged with the College of Engineering. I have been very impressed by Dean Larry Stauffer's vision and accomplishments. I support Athletics, contributing annually to the Vandal Scholarship Fund, attending Vandal sporting events, and recently getting to know the Women's Tennis Team, where I’ve been impressed by the student-athletes Coach Babar Akbar has recruited. There are many ways for alumni to get engaged. Alumni events around the state and region are great for networking with other alumni and U of I leadership – you’ll often find another opportunity to get involved through that. You can also reach out to people in an individual college, living group, athletics, or other area of interest. I've found that once you establish contact, the power of the Vandal network takes over. CS: What’s one thing that’s surprised you so far as chairman of the foundation? AE: Probably the variety and complexity of gifts the foundation receives. We have received everything from artwork and rugs to fully operating farms and occupied apartment buildings. Our Gift Acceptance Committee meetings are generally pretty interesting, and we work hard to mitigate risk while maximizing the benefit to the university and its students and programs, and to our donors. President Chuck Staben: Thank you, Andrew. We appreciate your leadership; it means so much to our continued progress as a university. To learn more about supporting the Vandal Promise campaign, contact Kim O'Neill, associate vice president for development, at 208-885-5371 or kimoneill@uidaho.edu. | | Go Vandals! Chuck Staben President | | | Loyal Vandals Darrell and Rosemary Daubert Support Athletics Darrell ’59 and Rosemary ’62 Daubert set an incredible example for all long-time supporters of the University of Idaho and Vandal Athletics. Darrell believes in helping Vandal Athletics reach the next level with contributions to the Kibbie Dome renovation and most recently, the ICCU Arena. Nearing his 60th class reunion, Darrell’s support begins long before he became a U of I alum. He regularly attended Vandal football games as a high school student, eventually becoming a member of the university’s freshman football team. He has continued to be part of the team for seven decades, as a season ticket holder and member of the Vandal Scholarship Fund, Quarterback Club and Round Ball Club. “I continue to be a part of the Vandal family because I love the University of Idaho,” Daubert said. “It is a wonderful university.” For more information on supporting Vandal Athletics, contact Abby McLauchlin at 208-885-0259 or amclauchlin@uidaho.edu. | | Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Seeks Volunteers From greeting guests and managing competition sites to driving artists and educators to locations around town, the University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is seeking volunteers to fill a variety of roles for this year’s festival, Feb. 22-23, 2019. The two-day event, part of the Lionel Hampton School of Music in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, will host thousands of student performers from across the region, who will be competing and attending educational sessions on the U of I campus. Volunteers have the opportunity to earn one evening concert ticket for every four hours of service, including training and orientation meetings. Volunteer registration is open to community members, students, faculty and staff. For a description of the specific volunteer opportunities available, visit uidaho.edu/class/jazzfest/get-involved. To volunteer for the 2019 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, call 208-885-5900 or email jazzvolunteer@uidaho.edu. | | Mikayla Ferenz Featured in Idaho Statesman From the Idaho Statesman: To get an idea of just how good Mikayla Ferenz is with a basketball in her hands, consider the company she keeps. The University of Idaho’s 5-foot-10 senior guard is on a short list that includes 2018 NCAA Tournament MVP Arike Ogunbowale of Notre Dame, reigning ACC Player of the Year Asia Durr of Louisville and All-American Katie Lou Samuelson of UConn. And what exactly do those four players have in common? They are among just 12 active NCAA Division I women’s basketball players with 2,000 or more career points. […] Ferenz set the Vandals’ single-season scoring record in 2017-18 with 742 points, and this season she is just 55 points away from breaking the program’s career scoring record. Alli Nieman holds the school record with 2,140 points from 1996 to 2000. […] The 2019 Big Sky men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be March 11-16 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The women play March 11-13 with the championship on March 15. The men play March 13-16. Single-game and tournament passes can be purchased at CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com. | | New Program Brings U of I Students, Inmates Together for Class From the Lewiston Tribune: As a group of University of Idaho students make their way to class, they have to exchange their IDs for bright yellow visitor badges. They are escorted through a maze of hallways and several locked doors before they reach their destination: a classroom tucked away inside a prison. For three hours every week, the students sit side-by-side with inmates at the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino as they pursue higher education goals through the Inside Out program. It’s the first time the international program has been offered in the state of Idaho. […] For the inmates, the program can build confidence and skill sets they can use once they’re released. Each prisoner must meet certain behavioral standards to participate. The class is free, but if the inmates want college credit for the course they have to pay about $1,200 in tuition. The inmates must have a high school diploma or GED certificate to be eligible. As for the UI students, the majority of whose studies include an emphasis in criminology, it helps create an awareness and understanding of prison populations and the hurdles inmates face when trying to re-enter society. | | | | |