Collaboration leads to better results. By working as a team, we know we can accomplish more at the University of Idaho than any one of us could deliver on our own. Thatâs how Vandals get it done. And itâs stunning to see what weâve accomplished over the past 18 months. We addressed a critical budget shortfall, opened our own in-house coronavirus testing lab, kept the Moscow campus open, been recognized as the Best Value of any public university in the West by U.S. News and World Report, continued construction on the iconic ICCU Arena and negotiated a public-private partnership for our utility system assets that will allow for meaningful investment in the future. These achievements help us build upon the University of Idahoâs strong base. To that end, we have assembled a leadership team, including new additions to our Vandal Family as well as steady veterans, who will together be integral to the future of the organization. Many Vandals know Torrey Lawrence, appointed provost and executive vice president in December after more than 20 years with the university. Torrey is a thoughtful, personable and capable leader for our institution who ensures delivery of the transformational education experience students need to be successful. Chris Nomura is charting the course to R-1 status for the university through a research engine that already delivers a tremendous return on investment while solving the stateâs most difficult problems. Chris joined us from the State University of New York system, where he oversaw forestry-related research. His work at the U of I focuses on improving efficiencies, communication and alignment of state and federal research strategies as vice president for research and economic development. Telling our story brings people together, opening doors to collaboration and investment. It joins us together as a community. Chief Marketing Officer Teresa Koeppel, who joined us from Compass Group at Google, is charged with creating and leading the architectural framework for storytelling that will allow us to capitalize on the momentum of the past 18 months as we elevate the excellent work happening across our statewide footprint. Coordinating initiatives both across the university as well as with industry partners and Vandal alumni is Ben McLuen. Our new associate vice president for development, Ben recently came to the U of I from Oregon State. Benâs work facilitates connections both internally and externally so we can better align the needs of Idahoâs employers with the skills of students and the universityâs own priorities. Youâve heard me say many times that we are a university on the rise. This team, along with countless others across the institution, are working together to build the framework that will further our ascent. By speaking with one voice, by working across operational lines, we can continue to effectively serve our students and communities today while planning for an impactful future that is bound only by our imagination. Itâs amazing to see whatâs possible when Vandals put our minds to it. Working together, we can connect that impact to an even more inspired future for the U of I and the entire Gem State. |