Every year during Dads’ Weekend, one Vandal dad is selected to receive the Dad of the Year award.
The award is given based on essays submitted by students at the University of Idaho.
The Student Alumni Relations Board (SArb) planned all of Dads’ Weekend and has placed a committee of students in charge of deciding who the Dad of the Year will be.
The decision is made based on the 500-word essays that were submitted to them over the last couple weeks, said Kristina Godinez, Dads’ Weekend commitee chair. In the essay, students are given an opportunity to recognize their dad by writing about the ways he inspires, motivates and impacts them, she said.
“We are looking for someone who can really describe how their father inspires them and basically what sets him apart from other dads,” Godinez said “We are looking for that heartfelt essay.”
Essay submissions opened Nov. 20 and were accepted through Nov. 28. On average, about 10-20 essays are submitted each year by UI students nominating their dad for the award, Godinez said.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to really show their dad how much they appreciate him,” Godinez said.
SArb advertised the contest on its Facebook page and other media outlets, as well as other places on campus to make students aware of this opportunity, Godinez said.
With Dads’ Weekend being at a different time in the year than usual, SArb members were able to change up the events they included. The beer tasting event was moved from the Moscow Alehouse to the Best Western. But this event stuck, because it is an important part of the Vandal tradition, Godinez said.
Godinez has been part of planning for Moms’ Weekend for the past couple of years and said she decided to become a part of Dads’ Weekend this year as she stepped into her position as secretary.
Director of SArb Kathy Bernard will present the award to the selected dad toward the end of the week at a time which will be a surprise to the dad receiving it, Godinez said.
Nicole Etchemendy can be reached at [email protected]