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Much has been written about how Boise State University has become a major player in NCAA football, and our third Fiesta Bowl appearance in less than a decade shows just how far the Broncos have come on the national scene.

But Boise State hasn’t just graduated to the elite ranks in athletics. We have leveraged the national spotlight to embrace the challenges demanded of our community and state and the fast-changing modern economy — to transform our academics, our research and our campus life to truly become a metropolitan research university of distinction.

As Jon Alexander wrote in these pages on Dec. 9, there is an arms race among American universities — but it goes much farther than the football field. Large public institutions like Boise State simply have to do all they can to engage in the kind of research that can improve lives and fuel the economy. They have to build valuable, long-lasting relationships with local and regional industry, government and nonprofit leaders. And most importantly, they have to boost student success in college and far beyond — to help students achieve their academic goals on time and on budget and equip them with the skills and experiences their future employers covet.