Celebrating its Residence Hall Association, the University of Idaho as been named the 2025 School of the Year by the National Association of College and University Residence Halls.
The NACURH, the largest student-run non-profit in the world, announced the award last month. UI was chosen out of more than 400 schools across the U.S. and Canada.
UI’s RHA is a student-run body committed to enhancing life on campus in the residence halls. Along with this sweeping award, multiple individuals from UI’s RHA were nationally recognized at the NACURH conference in May.
Claire Gorham, the Resident Director for the North Campus Communities and on-campus apartments, was named National Professional Staff Member of the Year. RHA President Isabelle Higgins was honored as a top-10 presenter for her project on the value of recognition within student leadership. Claire Wesby, former RHA Director of Leadership, who now serves as a member of the NACURH corporate office, was nationally recognized for her outstanding contributions to student leadership across the country.
In a university release, Higgins said, “Being named School of the Year is a testament to the hard work and passion of our RHA members. We’ve worked hard to build a supportive and welcoming community and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
This outstanding performance can largely be attributed to UI’s RHA’s use of “housing area teams” rather than the older representative system. The housing area teams bestow more responsibility onto students, enhancing accountability and encouraging input from all residence halls and areas.
“This national recognition underscores the University of Idaho’s commitment to providing an enriching on-campus living environment that puts our students first,” UI President Scott Green said in the release. “Our RHA’s dedication to leadership and community building exemplifies the spirit of the Vandal Family.”
Julia Kolman can be reached at [email protected].