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The events of November 2022 shook our Vandal Family like no other in University of Idaho history. The response of our community helped heal wounds and continues to provide hope while honoring the memories of our fallen friends and family members.
The greatest example of this response may be the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial. I was proud to help open the site last week in the heart of the U of I campus. Hundreds of Vandals attended the opening ceremony, which showcased the unique structure and the beacon of light at the base of the Shattuck Arboretum.
“It was just truly breathtaking,” said Drew Giacomazzi ’24, who spoke at the event and represented Sigma Chi fraternity on the organizing committee. “I’ve never been part of a project that lasted so long, and at a certain point it felt like it might not happen. But to see it come to fruition is amazing.”
Students, employees, alumni and community members all played key roles in designing and building the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial. Mandi Roberts is a two-time alumna of the U of I College of Art and Architecture (CAA) and the current chair of the college’s advisory board. She’s also a principal landscape architect and partner with Otak, Inc. and helped write the call for inspiration for the project in 2023.
“This was a unique experience because of the magnitude of the project and our unique connection to campus and the university,” said Roberts, who also serves as a part-time instructor in CAA. “I’m just so proud of our university, college and students for pulling this off in this amount of time — it would normally take three to five years to get this type of thing done, but thanks to the design/build studio the project could be expedited. The students and their dedication and commitment were truly inspiring from start to finish.”
Community members are invited to write memories of Vandals who have passed on notecards and place them in the slots on the wall of the memorial. The U of I Library is collecting the notes and archiving them as part of a living memorial online tribute.
I recommend all Vandals who visit campus this fall visit the Healing Garden and Memorial to see what our students and faculty have accomplished, remember students we’ve lost and reflect on their impact in our lives. The space is a remarkable testament to the unity and resilience of our Vandal Family.
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