John D. Foss Jr. Memorial Biology Scholarship
The John D. Foss Memorial Biology Scholarship was established in 2001 by Pattie Todd in memory of her brother, John D. Foss. John Foss died from a kayaking accident in Peru, where he was writing a guidebook. John was very dedicated to his work in Chile. He was doing research work to study the raptor population. His sister Pattie set up the scholarship to be used by a full-time student at Boise State University who is studying to earn a degree in Biology. With John’s passion for raptors, the hope is that the scholarship would go to a student who is committed to conservation in South America or Latin America, river conservation and raptor research.
Why did you chose to create your scholarship at Boise State University?
My brother, John Foss earned his Master’s Degree at Boise State University in 1994.
What would you want the recipients of your scholarship to know about the person for whom your scholarship is named?
It’s very difficult to put in a few short sentences what John meant to our family, friends, and many others in 10 countries. John was an amazing person and friend to everyone he met. He embarked on a life-long learning adventure and generously shared his knowledge with everyone he met. This summer, July 5, 2018, will be 20 years since we lost this incredible human being. I’ve never met anyone like John and his loss hasn’t gotten any easier over the years. Generous, sweet, compassionate, selfless, kind to all, hard working, strong, survivor, intelligent, well read, articulate, quick witted, and always a terrific sense of humor to name a few of his traits. We all miss him tremendously.
Tell us about your Boise State story, favorite tradition, a “Bronco” moment, or what Boise State has meant to you.
My brother John Foss, earned his Master’s Degree at Boise State University. John was a recipient of the 1991 Leslie Brown Memorial Grant for raptor research in Chile, South America. John was also a Biology and Botany Lab Teaching Assistant under: James C. Munger, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, Department of Biology.
What do you hope your recipients will gain through your scholarship?
Let’s face it, college is very expensive. College is also very stressful. Not everyone can afford it, and a college student should be able to focus on their studies, not having to work full time while going to college, and/or graduate with unreasonable long term debt.
Scholarship recipients should be grateful to their donors and in turn maybe they will be in a position to give back some day.
In my bother’s case, he was very much an environmentalist, (as am I). I hope students will have a greater appreciation for our environment and how we are all contribute to its well being, or lack thereof.
About John Foss
John Foss started whitewater paddling in 1978 by surviving a kayak trip down the lower end of the Grand Canyon. An ACA certified instructor, John ventured forth while working as a kayak, raft, and sea kayaking guide, specializing in multi-day explorations of remote, un-run rivers; his paddling logbooks include pioneering dozens of first descents in several countries, including the United States, Perú, Bolivia, and, of course, Chile.
After earning a degree in Geology at Durango’s Fort Lewis College, he worked for River Conservation International during the fight to save the Río Bío-Bío, while simultaneously completing field research on the river to complete his Master’s degree in Biology at Boise State University. An accomplished photojournalist, his work has appeared in electronic media, print magazines, and catalogues. His paddling career includes the 1997 award winning Banff Mountain Film Festival entry and televised Adventure Quest film, Bolivia: Andes to Amazon, and the video, Cotahuasi River: The First Descent, a documentary about the first river trip down Perú’s (and possibly the world’s) deepest canyon.
Founder of Aventuras Andes, Foss was one of the foremost expedition kayakers of his (or any) time. Over the span of nearly a decade, he came to know the rivers and people of Chile like no other paddler before or since, helping to make it known as one of the planet’s true whitewater gems. In addition to repeatedly taking a kayak where none had gone before, Foss was a birdwatcher, environmentalist, genuine connoisseur of rock and roll, and a consummate grinner.
“In the close of the twentieth century here, we’re kind of seeing the demise of our natural world and you get the feeling sometimes like all these things that we are seeing and experiencing aren’t going to be around . . . for the next generation; and so I actually feel very privileged to be alive right now to experience this, and to be able to do these trips in this high tech equipment . . . and yet still access places that are totally undeveloped.”
—John Foss
John Foss suffered a fatal kayaking accident while attempting a first descent of the
Río Huallabamba Canyon in Perú on 5 July 1998.