High school students packed campus Friday to experience the Vandal life for a day.
About 175 students toured campus and learned about University of Idaho programs as part of Envision Idaho.
Administrators anticipate about 350 students for next month”s Envision Idaho event.
“I believe these events do play a part in getting students to enroll,” said Associate Director of Admissions Angela Helmke. “Getting students to campus, showing what we have to offer, it definitely plays a part in their decision-making process.”
Helmke said Envision Idaho events on Saturday tend to be more popular.
“A lot of students are worried about missing class, and parents who come from a distance have to miss work, so the Saturday event attracts more students and families,” Helmke said.
Juan Corona, UI admissions counselor for the Treasure Valley and Eastern Oregon regions, also helped bring potential UI students to the event by working with high schools.
Students in these regions can submit an application through their high school, and get the opportunity to ride a free charter bus to UI. The trip also includes lodging and food.
This year, the students spend the night at Camp Sanders, which is about 30 minutes north of Moscow.
Students also stayed at Camp Sanders for Vandal Friday last year and it had a great result, Helmke said.
She said Envision Idaho allows students to get a behind-the-scenes look at the departments, learning spaces, learning environments and laboratories at UI.
The first two events were the academic information fair with coffee and pastries, and a welcome event to prepare students for the rest of the day.
“The students really get a sense of what it”s like to be a student on campus, rather than just seeing other students be a part of campus,” Helmke said.
After the college tour, UI provided students with a catered lunch in the Bruce Pitman Center.
Next, students chose to attend Outside the Classroom Sessions which included presentations on studying abroad, on-campus living options, multicultural resources, student involvement, the University Honors Program and Army ROTC.
To finish off the event, students chose between campus tours, residence hall tours or Greek house tours.
“I love to see students check in and all their excitement, and out and about on campus, then asking them how their day has been going at the end,” Helmke said.
Diamond Koloski can be reached at [email protected]