It began as dissertation research while a doctoral student at Baylor University in 2010. In 2019, it became a check mark on life’s bucket list for College of Idaho Associate Professor of Anthropology & Sociology Scott Draper.
With her mother and aunt in the audience, College of Idaho English Professor and 1983 alumna Diane Raptosh accepted the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts on Nov. 8 in Boise’s Capitol Rotunda, receiving an engraved silver medallion from Idaho Governor and fellow C of I alumnus C. L. “Butch” Otter.
College of Idaho English Professor Diane Raptosh has received numerous accolades across her prestigious career in the literary arts, including a stint as Idaho’s Writer-in-Residence, Boise’s first Poet Laureate, and a longlist nominee for the 2013 National Book Award for “American Amnesiac,” one of her five collections of published poetry.
Julia Phelps was used to her group straying from the beaten path – the Scottish Highlands are known for their rugged, challenging mountains, after all. But as she and the other eight College of Idaho study abroad students began to climb the steepest part of Na Gruagaichean, she admitted feeling a bit anxious.
College of Idaho Co-President Jim Everett asked this question as he stood before a group of 75 high school students, assembled on the C of I campus as part of the 6th Annual Caldwell Youth Forum. Some of the students looked uncertainly around the room; a handful slowly raised their hands.
“Come on, who in this room is a role model?” Everett challenged the students. “I’ll keep this going until everyone’s hands are up.”
Before long, the students had all confidently raised their hands. Everett smiled encouragingly at each of them.
Born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau lived a full and fascinating life. Thoreau’s political writings went on to inspire future leaders in Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, and his naturalist writings and transcendentalist thought took a stronghold in American popular culture, with his books, articles, and decades of journals and essays remaining widely read, analyzed and enjoyed today.
Over the last year, Thoreau aficionados and scholars alike have gathered worldwide to celebrate Thoreau’s continued legacy in the context of Thoreau’s 200th birthday — including Dr. Rochelle Johnson, Professor of English and Environmental Studies at The College of Idaho. The renewed international interest in Thoreau thanks to the bicentennial led Johnson into participating in what she called “a year-and-a-half blitz” of Thoreau scholarship, resulting in her producing numerous essays, lectures and classes in the Treasure Valley and well beyond, including a keynote lecture earlier this month in Sweden.
According to statistics gathered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75 percent of those affected by lifelong mental illnesses develop their conditions by the age of 24. It’s an especially resonant statistic on high school and college campuses, where the stress and pressure of studying and success can contribute to the development of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among students.
A group of six business students in The College of Idaho’s Enactus club — Hannah Dalsoglio, Ryan Elsberry, Kennedy Alvaro, Matt McLaughlin, Shawn Zhang and Monique Lopez — wanted to help bring greater attention to these issues and improve them, to demystify the stigmas and the struggles associated with discussions on mental illness. They wanted to provide more than just a new product — they wanted to start a social movement.
Since The College of Idaho began offering classes through its Community Learning program, over 1,000 individuals have enjoyed the variety of exciting activities the classes have hosted, from new skills like beer brewing and ukulele playing to educational opportunities in gender identity and religious icons.
This summer, C of I Community Learning is back for another season of classes geared toward fun, applying all the enjoyment of picking up new skills and hobbies without the added stress of grades, tests and homework. And between over 30 classes and summer camps offered in person and over 100 online courses to choose from, there’s a class available for every interest.
The College of Idaho will host a number of local media representatives to examine the changing landscape of the 21st century media in the wake of “fake news,” social media influence and anti-media attitudes. The forum is entitled “Mediated Lives: The Future of Media in American Society” and will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2.
