New sign to highlight U of I-ISU shared campus in Idaho Falls
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A new lighted sign celebrating higher education collaboration at University Place, the shared Idaho Falls campus for University of Idaho and Idaho State University, will be unveiled Tuesday, Sept. 13.
The sign showing the logos and colors of each university will be visible from the interstate highway and surrounding areas. The signs highlight the longstanding collaboration between the two universities to offer academic degree programs in one location.
The U of I-Idaho State partnership, formalized in the mid 1990s, allows students to earn full four-year bachelor’s degrees and graduate degrees at the same Idaho Falls campus. The universities also share student activities, clubs and student services such as advising.
“We help students with anything they need to get their degree. Because we’re both here, it broadens and deepens everything they can do. The students can interact with more students. The faculty can more easily interact with each other on research,” said Alice Allen, director of recruitment and student engagement at U of I Idaho Falls.
U of I and Idaho State also collaborate with Idaho National Laboratory and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies to provide additional research and professional opportunities. U of I began offering courses in Idaho Falls in 1954, evolving over time to meet science and engineering needs for INL. U of I has awarded more than 1,200 advanced degrees to more than 2,500 graduates in Idaho Falls. Idaho State provides nearly 50 academic programs on the joint campus.
“Our two universities have actively spent the last few years increasing awareness about our presence in Idaho Falls,” said Stuart Summers, associate vice president of marketing and communications at Idaho State. “This highly visible sign is a constant reminder that our two institutions are collaboratively meeting Idaho’s needs for a highly trained and skilled workforce.”
The signs will be illuminated at an 8 p.m. Sept. 13 unveiling event following remarks from university leadership near the Center for Higher Education building at 1770 Science Center Drive. The public is invited to attend.
