Between 1960 and 1968, the University of Idaho was the recipient of grant funding from the National Science Foundation, to engage in the Idaho Academy of Science Visiting Scholars Program. The purpose of the program was to coordinate visits by recognized scientists to Idaho high schools to encourage student interest in the sciences by arranging contact between students and professional scientists. A program brochure with a list of available scientists was created each year and distributed to high schools throughout Idaho. The list showed the scientists’ area of expertise, their career qualifications, possible topics of conversation, and demonstrations. The high schools could fill out a form requesting up to two visits from specific scientists that would match the potential interest of their students. The request forms were matched with the availability of each scientist and trips were arranged. The scientist was required to keep notes from each of the sessions and to track travel expenditures for reimbursement from the grant funds. The high school was required to submit feedback from the administrators, teachers, and students regarding the visit. Grant revenues and expenses were tracked and submitted to the NSF annually.

In addition to program creation materials, the program director also kept records of grant fiscal reports, detailed trip checklists, trip ledgers, correspondence with current and potential scientists, and program brochures from other state Visiting Scholars Programs.

One prominent University of Idaho faculty member, Dr. William Cone, was involved with the program and retired in June 1964. Retirement celebration invitation lists, celebration planning materials, letters of congratulations, and contributions to a scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Cone, are also among the materials in the Visiting Scholars Program archive.

A representative checklist from each high school visited is included for all academic years between 1961-1965 (inclusive). Within each academic year, the checklists are arranged alphabetically by the name of the high school.