University of Idaho: Adding Quality of Life to Northern Idaho

Idahoans take great interest in the education of their youth. With an ongoing statewide campaign that encourages students to pursue higher education, Idaho supports the choice to obtain a degree. Idaho is home to about twenty colleges and universities, three of which are public universities, five of which are state colleges, and five of which are private universities. This large number of high education institutions allows students of all backgrounds and ages to achieve their educational goals. One of these universities is the University of Idaho, located in northern Idaho.

History

The University of Idaho is the oldest of Idaho’s three public universities. Established in 1889, the university welcomed its first professor and modest class of forty students in 1892. Within the traditional four years, those scholars graduated, and two years thereafter the university awarded its first graduate degree. It continued to establish and agricultural college and a department of home economics in its early days. After a fire in 1906 the university rebuilt its administrative building, designed by the architect that modeled the state capitol building. This beautiful building remains the central symbol of the now-extensive university campus, which includes music, science, engineering, business, natural resource, and education programs.

Location

Centered in the rural town of Moscow, Idaho, this university offers a unique experience. It’s proximity to the Palouse hills, lakes, forests, and mountains of northern Idaho rank it among the top thirty universities in the nation for access to “books and backcountry” (http://www.uidaho.edu). After a long week of study at the university, go skiing or biking in the Moscow Mountains. This location also makes it an excellent place for agricultural, environmental, and ecological research. 

Research

The University of Idaho is the state’s primary research institution. In 2011, research expenditures totaled almost 1 billion dollars. With more than seventy research centers throughout the state, this university provides Idaho, surrounding regions, and the world as a whole with vital information about the effectiveness of current practices and opportunities for new methods of land conservation and use. Their current projects include studies on tracking viruses, preventing diseases and childhood obesity, geologic features of Mars, and climate changes in the Arctic.

Athletics

The Idaho Vandals are well known throughout Idaho for their rivalry with Boise State’s Broncos. In the fall of 2012, individuals in their volleyball, basketball, swim, and tennis teams won Western Athletic Conference honors. In addition to that, their WAC honored swimmer broke the Idaho record for the 200 individual medley. This tradition of athletic excellence is coupled with academic success for students throughout their athletic programs.

If you have an interest in higher education, Idaho is the place for you. Check out northern Idaho’s top university centered in the small town of Moscow and see if high quality research, recreation, athletics, and arts are part of the quality of life you’d like to experience.