Vandal Vibe Newsletter

Happy New Year, Vandals!

I hope your holidays were restful and fun-filled. Students are returning to the Moscow campus despite the “snowmageddon” of the past week. Classes begin today.

This is also the time of year when prospective Vandals are making choices about whether and where to attend college. As satisfied customers, we know what their choice should be, and I am happy to report that alumni are stepping up in new ways to tell the U of I story.

Many of you may already know about our “Vandalize the Classroom” initiative. The brainchild of alumni chapter leaders at a retreat last summer, the project entailed sending U of I alumni who are K-12 teachers a package of bling to decorate their classroom and show their Vandal pride. With help from our partners in University Communications and Marketing as well as Strategic Enrollment Management, along with a healthy social media campaign run by the Office of Alumni Relations, we ended up vandalizing more than 1,000 classrooms.

The majority of those classrooms are in high schools in Idaho, but we also sent materials to elementary, middle school and high school alumni teachers throughout the state and around the country. If on average every Vandalized classroom serves 20 students, and I think that is a conservative estimate, at least 20,000 prospective Vandals are being exposed to our alma mater’s brand every day of the school year. That makes me very happy!

Another initiative sparked by the chapter leaders is a card-writing campaign. Currently, alumni have signed up to write and send more than 1,000 specifically-branded cards to students who have been admitted to U of I but are not yet enrolled to congratulate them on their choice and share their own success stories. That personal touch reaffirms what it means to be part of the Vandal Family.

U of I also is taking its story on the road, thanks to a project initiated by President Scott Green ’84 and implemented by our colleagues in Strategic Enrollment Management. Beginning later this month, university officials, often including President Green, will travel the state, stopping at Idaho high schools to make presentations about the value of a higher education, what it takes to afford college, what resources are available at our alma mater, etc. In some of those locations, alumni will join in the effort to help tell the story and celebrate being Vandals. I will keep you posted about the details of when and where the "Enroll Idaho" van will be.

Every new year brims with possibility, but 2020 is definitely going to be the year of the Vandal!

Go Vandals!

Kathy Barnard, '81
Executive Director
University of Idaho Alumni Association

P.S. If you’d like to help recruit students to U of I, please fill out the Alumni Interest Form. You can also nominate a specific student to join the Vandal Family through Grow the Gold.

Upcoming Alumni Events

Jan. 18 – Vandal Night with the Spokane Chiefs, Spokane, WA
Jan. 22 – Alumni Office Sign Dedication, Moscow, ID
Jan. 24-25 – Kappa Alpha Theta Centennial Founders Day, Moscow, ID
Jan. 25 – Palouse Chapter Bowling Night, Pullman, WA
Jan. 31-Feb. 1 – Vandal Ski Day, Grand Targhee Ski Resort, Alta, WY
Feb. 7 – Palouse Chapter Murder Mystery Night, Moscow, ID
Feb. 9 – Vandal Ski Day, Bogus Basin, Boise, ID
Feb. 13 – Eastern Wash. Chapter Basketball Pregame, Cheney, WA
Feb. 17 – Portland Chapter Basketball Pregame, Portland, OR
Feb. 21-22 – Vandal Ski Day, Lookout Pass, Mullan, ID
Feb. 28-29 – Vandal Ski Day, Brundage Mountain Resourt, McCall, ID
Feb. 29 – Vandal Ski Day, Pomerelle Mountain Resort, Twin Falls, ID
March 6 – Phi Gamma Delta 100th Pig Dinner Weekend, Moscow, ID
March 16 – Junior Achievement Volunteer Opportunity, Boise, ID
March 20, 21 – Arizona Spring Training Baseball, Tempe/Mesa, AZ
March 22 – Arizona Chapter 13th Annual Golf Tournament, Phoenix, AZ

View more events on the alumni calendar.

Loss in the Vandal Family: Pete Isakson

It is a sad day in the Vandal Family. Pete Isakson '03, a longtime leader at the University of Idaho, passed away suddenly Tuesday morning.

Pete has worked as a tireless advocate for the university during two different terms. From 1998 to 2003 he served as the assistant athletic director for development, marketing and promotions. He went to work at Washington State University Athletics in 2003 and later worked for WSU President Elson Floyd. Pete returned to his Vandal Family in 2017 and served as the associate athletic director for revenue generation. Pete stepped in to serve as interim athletic director in 2018, which he performed with distinction. Since 2019, he continued to serve the university in Advancement, with a focus on student success and building our Vandal Promise scholarship fund.

Pete had a deep desire to create a positive environment, always leading with optimism and energy. His sense of humor, passion for student-athlete success and willingness to step into any situation to help will long be remembered.

Pete and his wife, Kelly, have three children. Both he and Kelly have served the youth of Moscow as coaches and mentors for many years.

Our condolences go to Pete’s family and friends and to all those who knew Pete. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. (Pacific) Monday, Jan. 20 at the Church of the Nazarene, 1400 E. 7th St., Moscow. A “post game” gathering will follow at the Latah County Fairgrounds. Wear Idaho Vandal or Moscow Bear gear.

Scott Green
President

Here's My U of I Breakthrough

By James Jordan '75, '80, '89

I was born in Moscow in January 1950 where I grew up until 1959. My father, Dr. James V. Jordan, was a professor of agriculture at Idaho. I attended many Idaho football games as a child at Neil Stadium and became a Vandal supporter.

My mother’s father was stranded in Australia due to World War II and became involved in the concrete industry. My father became interested in the industry as well so the family moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1959. I grew up and went to school in Sydney and graduated high school in 1968. My dream was to return to Moscow and attend U of I. In January 1969, I returned to Moscow as a freshman in Chrisman Hall. I went from summer weather in Australia to Moscow's 10 below zero and snow that was taller then me in places. Culture shock hit rather quickly, which resulted in not a very successful freshman year. I managed to survive. One of the saviors was the Fraternity of Alpha Kappa Lambda, which was a life-saving fit.

I graduated finally in 1975 with a bachelor of science in education. I returned Australia where I taught science in Canberra. In 1978, I returned to Moscow and completed a master's in guidance counselling and landed a job in the Meridian School District. After eight years I returned to Moscow and completed a specialist certificate in school psychology. In August of 1989, I moved my family to Townsville, Queensland Australia, where I worked as a guidance officer until my retirement in 2013.

Go Vandals!

Share your U of I breakthrough story

Alumni Programs Highlight

Over 1,000 packages went to Vandal teachers, now we want to see those Vandalized classrooms! Post a photo and tag @uidahoalumni to be entered to win an extra plush Vandal alumni prize pack. Make sure to like and follow our page, too. Submit photos by Jan. 20. Winner announced Jan. 21.
Post your photo >> (https://www.facebook.com/uidahoalumni/)

Join Vandals on the slopes across the state (snowboarders welcome too).

Our land-grant mission extends to each of Idaho’s 44 counties. Let’s show it with signs and building wraps along our state’s roadways.  

Alumni News

Gary Baker '67, Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame charter class, remembered.

College of Law graduate Neomi Gilmore '14, confirmed as district court judge by 14th Navajo Nation Council.