[Vision2020] President White's Idaho Statesman editorial

[Carl Westberg]

Timothy White: Go Idaho! scholarships will keep our brightest students in 
state
By Timothy White - Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 03/06/07


Scholarship for high school and home-schooled students translates into "Go 
Idaho!" cash.
Gov. Butch Otter's instincts are right: We must be concerned about finding 
the right kind of educational support opportunities for Idaho high school 
graduates, right here in Idaho. Keeping these young people at home is 
critical to the long-term strength of the Idaho economy and will mean all 
the difference to the future of our state. While the governor has proposed — 
and I support — establishing a $38 million endowment fund to provide 
much-needed financial assistance for the state's university students, I 
believe we have a responsibility at the University of Idaho to enhance our 
own scholarship efforts. And we have. Our commitment is simple: We will lead 
Idaho in keeping the best and brightest students here at home.

I recently unveiled a new scholarship program that guarantees each 
qualifying Idaho high school or home-schooled student $6,000 over four years 
toward their education at the University of Idaho. We're calling our new 
program "Go Idaho!" and it is the best scholarship program now available in 
our state.

The new University of Idaho program underscores our historic commitment to 
retain the best of our young people in Idaho to pursue their college degree. 
These students are the next generation of leaders: the engineers, 
scientists, teachers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, the civic leaders who 
will define the future of Idaho itself. And they are guaranteed access to 
our new program with a 3.5 GPA or an ACT score of 25.

It's not by chance that I announced the "Go Idaho!" scholarship program at 
Boise High School. The school's commitment to academic excellence mirrors 
that of the University of Idaho. Boise High is a revered, established 
educational institution, and it graduates students who qualify for numerous 
prestigious scholarships. It also has an acclaimed advanced placement 
program. Each year at Boise High, several students earn the distinction of 
being National Merit Society finalists.

Academic excellence and National Merit Scholars (the top 1 percent of 
students in the nation) are also hallmarks of the University of Idaho.

Nearly half of Boise High School's distinguished alumni went on to earn 
degrees at the University of Idaho. Those graduates had good reason to come 
to the university, and the next generation does as well. Today the 
University of Idaho continues to emphasize scholarship and research.

• We are the only university in the state, and one of just five in the 
region and 103 in the nation, classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the 
Advancement of Teaching as a research university with "high" research 
activity.

• We brought in $100 million in research dollars during the past year.

• We enrolled 14 of Idaho's 15 new National Merit Scholars.

• We enrolled 367 Presidential Scholars: the top 4 percent in the nation for 
ACT and SAT scores.

• We increased the number of degrees granted by 23 percent this year.

• We graduate 57 percent of all students over six years, compared to the 
statewide average of 27 percent.

• We graduate 81 percent of our student athletes (calculated by the NCAA) — 
the national university average is 56 percent.

• We attracted 37 percent of freshmen as first-generation college students 
this year, direct from high school.

A university education must be accessible, affordable and, in this globally 
connected world, a necessity. We must retain Idaho's best students. Our 
future demands we make it possible, and the University of Idaho is doing its 
part.

Timothy P. White is president of the University of Idaho. More details about 
the "Go Idaho!" scholarship program are available online at 
www.uidaho.edu/goidaho

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