The Friday Letter
A Newsletter for University of Idaho
 Alumni and Friends 
November 7, 2008

Dear Friends,

I continue to be encouraged when I watch how Idaho students and faculty make such a positive impact in our state’s communities. From designs for parks to building renovation proposals, our students and faculty are working to address economic, ecological, cultural, societal and other challenges in communities near and far. As an example, the University Extension Horizons Program, with funding from the Northwest Area Foundation, collaborates with our new Bioregional Planning Program to address the needs of the state’s growing population and development. The Foundation is focused on reducing poverty in northern Idaho communities through leadership development. In partnership with the planning program, the Foundation offered Idaho students internship opportunities that focus on sustainable community development in impoverished northern Idaho communities.

These remarkable and engaging service-learning opportunities attract University of Idaho students who time and again reach beyond the classroom to bring solutions to the communities of this fine state. In turn, they develop leadership, project management, and professional skills and, in many cases, develop a commitment to service that transforms the way they view their careers and lives. I would like to share with you some of our students who are actively engaged in transforming our state’s communities, with the support of faculty mentors:

·         Bovill: Angie Vanhoozer, a graduate student in environmental science and landscape architecture from Twin Falls, proposed plans to renovate the Bovill Opera House, installed community welcome signs, and designed landscape concepts for town parks and roadsides.

·         Cascade: Jesson Buster, a senior in landscape architecture, developed design options for a whitewater rafting facility and surrounding landscape area.

·         Coeur d’Alene Reservation/Plummer: Iris Mayes, a graduate student in landscape architecture from Moscow, continues a spring semester project on tribal housing.

·         Cottonwood: Cody Gehring, a senior history major from Cottonwood, worked on an oral history and folklore project for surrounding communities.

·         St. Maries: Kristi Overfelt, a graduate student in family and consumer sciences, worked with community members to look at establishing a tax district to support park and recreation programs.

I applaud these significant projects that reach out to Idaho’s citizens in the areas of learning, research and service. Opportunities like these provide transformational learning experiences that have a lasting impact on our students and their future as engaged citizens of an ever-changing world.

Steven B. Daley-Laursen

President

Here’s the latest news from the University of Idaho: 

One of the nation’s most experienced educators in entrepreneurship will speak on Thursday, Nov. 13, on campus. Jeffrey Stamp will present “Thinking: Creating and Managing Ideas that Matter.” His visit is part of the VIEW Entrepreneurship Speaker Series sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. Stamp has worked for PepsiCo as the principle scientist and brand manager for the Frito-Lay snack division, where he led the product and brand development of Baked Lays. He currently chairs the University of North Dakota’s entrepreneurship program. His presentation will kick-off Global Entrepreneurship Week to be held Nov. 17-23 at the University. For more details about the speaker series, go here. Link: http://www.today.uidaho.edu/Details.aspx?ID=4589.

Two very different exhibitions of contemporary art will be featured at the Prichard Art Gallery beginning Friday, Nov. 14. Sally Graves Machlis, associate professor of art and design, will present contemporary brush paintings inspired by her sabbatical in Taiwan. Seattle artist Margot Quan Knight will present a series of photographs and video works that capture concepts of time, motion and reflection in daily life. For more details, go here. Link: http://www.today.uidaho.edu/Details.aspx?ID=4601.

Rotchy ’61 and Julie Barker, of Cody, Wyo., recently made an addition to the Barker Dangerfield Wealth Management Fund in support of the trading program within the College of Business and Economics. Barker added $200,000 to his initial $1 million gift that established the fund that allows the College of Business and Economics to set up accounts for experienced business students to trade live in the commodities and financial markets. Barker created the fund because he believes students learn best when the trading experience mirrors real time trading with real money. Dean Jack Morris said, “Especially in the current climate, understanding the complexities of risk management is a skill that gives our graduates a strong competitive edge when looking for jobs in the financial sectors. Rotchy’s involvement has profoundly changed our ability to educate our students in a way that is making us a unique training ground for risk managers. We can’t thank Rotchy enough for his support, leadership and the inspiration he provides to our students.” For information about giving to the College of Business and Economics, contact Chandra Ford, assistant dean for development, at (208) 364-9908 or chandra@uidaho.edu.

For more information about these items, please contact University Communications and Marketing at (208) 885-6291 or uinews@uidaho.edu.