One of the things that drew Peyton Badger to The College of Idaho was the ability to pursue both science and art.
The list that drew the College to Badger was lengthy. Tremendous academic achievement, a desire to engage in a broad educational experience, and extensive community service, to name a few.
The Heritage Scholarship made the match official on Tuesday as Badger, a senior at Mountain View High School in Meridian, committed to enroll at The College of Idaho this fall.
“When I learned that I got the Heritage Scholarship, it made my dream to go here possible,” Badger said with a big smile. “It’s really exciting.”
Click here to see some of the signing ceremony that took place on campus.
The Heritage Scholarship provides full-tuition scholarships to highly qualified students with exceptional intellectual ability, as well as admittance to the Gipson Honors Program. Holders of the Scholarship are expected to demonstrate both the qualities of mind and the qualities of person that will allow a student to flourish in The College of Idaho's rigorous and community-oriented academic environment and in the challenging world beyond college.
Badger checks every box on the list. She currently holds a 4.145 grade-point average and scored a 35 (out of 36) on the ACT and 1570 (out of 1600) on the SAT. She’s a National Merit Scholarship finalist and was one of six semifinalists from the entire state of Idaho for the Presidential Scholarship.
That covers the academic side. As for being community-oriented, she has volunteered at St. Alphonsus Hospital, the YMCA, the Ronald McDonald House, the National Honor Society, and the Mountain View student council. She also organized a fundraiser for the Make-a-Wish foundation.
“I love the opportunity to be able to serve, that’s something that I’ve always enjoyed from a really young age,” she said. “That’s something I looked at (when considering colleges), it’s ‘how am I going to be able to serve and find those different groups of people?’”
The goal to serve extends beyond volunteering in the community. Badger plans to use her time at the College to prepare for medical school, where she is considering a career in pediatric medicine, and also studying art.
The College of Idaho has a 128-year-old legacy of excellence. The College is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition and history of producing successful graduates, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three governors, and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.