A college education makes us healthier, wealthier and wiser. In addition to earning an average of $1.2 million more over a lifetime – a contribution to the tax base and local economy – studies show college graduates lead healthier, longer (nine years longer on average), happier lives and are more likely to engage and be involved in their communities. Not every high school senior can relate to these statistics, until you put all that money on the table for them to see. Dean Kahler, our vice provost for Strategic Enrollment Management, is doing just that. Armed with $1 million – or at least what sure looks like it – Dean and a cohort of Vandals are on a tour of Idaho high schools to make the case for higher education. They’re literally dumping $1 million on the table so students can visualize what they are giving up if they do not continue their education. The tour is called Enroll Idaho, a road trip program that meets high school students in their hometowns to discuss and promote the benefits of a college education. Joe Vandal makes an appearance – and the team is traveling in a black and gold van – but the message itself isn’t specific to the University of Idaho. We want students to go-on to higher education, any program at any institution. While we would like all high school graduates to become Vandals, getting any graduate to go on to any of our sister institutions is a win for both the student and the state of Idaho. The message dovetails with the presentation Idaho’s four-year public college and university presidents gave to state lawmakers just last week. Nine of the Idaho Department of Labor’s top 10 “Hot Jobs” call for some sort of education beyond high school. About 80% of jobs created in the past 25 years require some sort of post-secondary training. Put another way: The cost of not going to college is rising. The Enroll Idaho tour started earlier this month in the Silver Valley. I was fortunate to tag along this week during assemblies in Troy and Genesee. Our team will hold presentations at locations throughout the state, where we’re pairing assemblies with alumni chapter networking nights when possible. ![](https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/objects/fridayletter/images/c4c8669f-43be-4185-b8c5-c5ce36a91185.png) At each stop, financial aid representatives and admissions counselors are on hand to answer questions, help students find scholarships or grants, and advocate for continued study after a student finishes his or her senior year. Our role at the University of Idaho is to help students elevate themselves, to help them with access to school and to help them succeed so they have the chance to go on to a fulfilling professional life. We’re committed to telling the story of higher education in this state. It’s our hope Enroll Idaho will convince more Idaho students to take that next step. |