Talk with Kathy Barnard about the University of Idaho for a few minutes, and her passion, dedication and pride are bound to shine through. You could say sheâs brave and bold. Next week, Kathy will celebrate Vandal Fest and Homecoming with thousands of other Vandals. The excitement will be bittersweet, though as this is her final Homecoming as executive director of our Alumni Association before her well-earned retirement at the end of the year. Kathyâs been an invaluable colleague. Sheâs served the Alumni Association for the past five years, but sheâs been the ultimate team player. Kathy filled in as interim executive director for communications and marketing and provided remarkable leadership in a tough time for higher education. Meanwhile, the Alumni Association is thriving. Kathy created new ways for Vandals to get involved with their university â the Vandal Book Club, the Vandals Uncorked Wine Club and the Vandal Voyagers travel groups. She helped teachers across the country Vandalize their classrooms, and started the Cup of Joe series of talks to help Vandals stay connected through the pandemic. Sheâs also helped double our number of alumni chapters â we now have 30 chapters around the country for Vandals to plug into. âOur Office of Alumni Relations team and our board of directors â I couldnât ask for greater partners in this work,â said Kathy, who graduated in 1981 with a bachelorâs degree in journalism. âIâve just been a relentless cheerleader for the whole university and tried to remind alumni that we have a lot to be proud of.â An outstanding point of pride will be unveiled next Friday. The Idaho Alumni Club inside ICCU Arena will welcome Vandals for many years to come thanks to the efforts of our Alumni Association. The association is a key donor in the iconic building â which is now complete and ready to host events and games. Weâre celebrating the 100-year anniversary of our Vandal mascot this year with a full week of Homecoming activities, beginning Sunday. Vandal Fest kicks off on Friday, when weâll officially open the doors of ICCU Arena and kick off our Brave. Bold. campaign. And, of course, the Homecoming parade and football game on Saturday are canât-miss traditions. Now is a great time to consider joining the U of I Alumni Association, or the Student Alumni Relations Board. They are great ways to show your Vandal pride and have a lot of fun supporting your university. |