The community we value here at the University of Idaho goes well beyond our campus borders. We have a stake in the success not only of Moscow and our neighbors on the Palouse, but in each of the 44 counties that make up the Gem State, the industries that hire our Vandals and the 11 Native American tribes across the Northwest that share our commitment to improving educational opportunities. Idaho helps Idaho, and we wouldnât be able to provide the transformational learning experience that has been our mission for 130 years without support from the greater world we inhabit. Vandals take pride in giving back through their work as community leaders and volunteers. That strength of this community has been reaffirmed over the past six months in the wake of a pandemic that has changed much of the way we do business. Gritman Medical Center is an exceptional partner and has deployed medical personnel to swab over 8,000 of our Moscow-based students, faculty and staff for COVID-19, which has resulted in a 1.1% positivity rate. Now that our university COVID-19 testing lab is up and running, the university is able to use excess capacity to help test long-term care facilities here in the community and nursing students at Lewis-Clark State College. As the university is the only institution in the state with this kind of testing ability, we will also be using extra capacity to supplement the stateâs COVID-19 testing needs during this winterâs flu season. In the absence of many in-person county fairs, University of Idaho Extension employees throughout the state have been working long hours to ensure annual 4-H livestock auctions and programs continue in a new way. Thatâs happened in places such as Kootenai County, where 400 4-H students sold their animals in a virtual auction that brought in more money for the students than a year ago. A single steer was sold multiple times in Washington County, raising $70,000 to benefit a resident facing health issues. Itâs an effort that wouldnât be possible without funding from counties, which contribute more than $5 million each year in support of Extensionâs research-based endeavors. Here in Moscow, the University of Idaho is proud to support the communityâs economy through organizations including the Partnership for Economic Prosperity, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport. Amid COVID-19, we also proudly endorse the FARE Idaho Healthy Pledge, a commitment by restaurants, coffee shops and other small businesses to safe and healthy practices. Moscow is consistently recognized as one of the best college towns in America because of the welcoming and energetic feeling these groups bring to the community. It takes all of us working together to support our region. The impacts of COVID-19 have strengthened our community bonds and that newfound strength will most certainly provide extra assurance for a bright future in Vandal Country. |