From moving to Washington, D.C., to Colorado, then all the way across the ocean to the U.K., Moscow has always pulled Kenton Bird back to its community, no matter how far away he traveled.
“I left Moscow and came back five different times,” said Bird. “A friend described it as the ‘rubber band effect.’ If you come to Moscow and get connected, then go away for so long, you stretch the rubber band out and then get snapped back.”
Bird is a professor emeritus of Journalism and Mass Media and an alumnus at the University of Idaho, but his legacy goes well beyond that. Bird is an editor, mentor, friend and inspiration for many current and former students and associates.
He is a living legend, and 2025 commemorates his first year since retirement and 50 years since he was the editor of the student newspaper, The Argonaut.
He began his journey at UI in the fall of 1972 and has left a meaningful impact at UI and The Argonaut ever since.
Bird graduated from UI in 1976 with a B.A. in Journalism, then went on to get an M.Ed. in Journalism Studies from University College in Cardiff, Wales.
He finished his collegiate journey with a Ph.D. in American Studies from WSU in Pullman.
Bird was attracted to UI due to the availability of being a journalism major and working for The Argonaut.
“I sent a letter to The Argonaut, and I didn’t get any response,” said Bird. “That letter apparently got stuck in the editor’s desk, so after the end of the first semester, in January, I got a call from another student, Rod Gramer, and he said he found the letter.”
After three semesters at UI and working for The Argonaut, Bird quickly became the associate editor, a position considered to be the second-in-command at the newspaper.
Fall of 1974, his junior year, he became the editor-in-chief.
“I supervised 64 issues of The Argonaut,” he said.
Bird retired from teaching a year ago in January of 2024, but he has not halted his involvement in UI and The Argonaut since then.
Bird finds various ways to maintain his involvement such as moderating the weekly Renfrew Colloquium, assisting with planning the annual Oppenheimer Ethics Symposium and even being a scholarship donor for some journalism majors.
To this day, he is a mentor, friend and encouraging figure to many young students studying journalism or working at The Argonaut.
Maggie Hunter, a senior international studies major and former student and teaching assistant, has had nothing but pleasant experiences with Bird and speaks very highly of him.
“I am proud to say that he’s not only a professor but also a friend,” she said. “He has helped me a lot professionally, academically and also personally.”
Bird has helped Hunter make connections with people in the industry and offered her opportunities for freelance writing.
Hunter said he consistently checks in on her and is a supportive mentor in her life. He often invites her to go to lunch or get coffee just to catch up and check on what she’s doing.
“Even when I was studying abroad in India, he emailed me and checked in,” said Hunter. “He’s very thoughtful in that sense, that he genuinely cares about his students.”
Bird is known for being a proactive and engaged person in the journalism community at UI and meets with students often to offer advice and encouragement.
Andrea Roberts, a sophomore English and journalism major, is one of the recipients of Bird’s generous scholarship donations.
Roberts is a student who relies on scholarships to attend UI, especially since she is an out-of-state student from Michigan.
“Dr. Bird is one of my scholarship donors, but he has also given me advice and encouragement for my future career that I deeply appreciate,” said Roberts. “I wouldn’t be able to attend UI without my scholarships.”
Helping students both academically and professionally is one of the many thoughtful acts that Bird is known for.
It’s no wonder The Argonaut newsroom was renamed “The Bird’s Nest” to honor its former editor and longtime supporter during the student newspaper’s 125th anniversary celebration in 2023.
An article from The Argonaut said, “Bird hopes his students, both past and present, will remember the significance and value that a free press offers a democracy and recognize that they, too, are capable of making a place for themselves in journalism’s broader legacy.”
Bird was always drawn back to Moscow and UI, changing lives and solidifying his legacy. Many UI students, professors and community members whom he had a lasting impact on are happy that he has stayed here.
Brooklynn Jolley can be reached at [email protected]