Mackenzie MacDonald has always been involved. In high school, she took part in two sports, student council and the National Honor Society in High School.
Now that she”s at the University of Idaho, the political science major doesn”t plan on stopping that trend.
MacDonald, the newest member of the ASUI Senate, sat as a full-fledged voting member for the first time Wednesday.
“I”m just really looking forward to making a difference here on campus,” she said.
McDonald
Though brand new, she has already joined ASUI”s TurboVote project, a program that aims to get students registered to vote and excited about the upcoming elections.
“Civil involvement is really important to me,” she said. “I knew right away that was the project I wanted to jump on.”
Additionally, she has joined the freshmen enrollment task force – one of the two ASUI task forces.
“I”m really excited for that,” she said. “When I heard enrollment was dropping, I was sad.”
She said she loves the university and wants to bring more students to campus to enjoy the large number of opportunities.
MacDonald said she hopes to work on more projects that promote civil involvement during her time at ASUI.
As a political science major with an economics minor, she said she has always been interested in watching elections, discussing voting and studying law and government – yet, she didn”t become involved in politics until a government class in high school.
After graduating from UI, she said she hopes to study law at Stanford.
“That”s the dream,” she said. “I”ve wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember. It”s something I know I”ll be good at.”
MacDonald said she joined ASUI because it is a great way to get involved.
“As soon as I found out an application was available, that I could apply for an open senate seat, I said, “Yes, this is the time,”” she said.
She said her experience with ASUI has already been great. She said senators have been welcoming and ASUI President Max Cowan has been enthusiastic and supportive.
MacDonald said her job is a link between students and administration, something that is important to her.
“Students should care about ASUI because it is really for them,” she said.
MacDonald is looking forward to meeting and working with faculty and students and said she wants people to see her as available and approachable.
“I had my first living group visits last night,” she said Sept. 22. “The people seemed really engaged.”
ASUI senators meet with their assigned living groups to solicit feedback on issues that ASUI is tackling or could address. Currently, they are getting feedback in support of refunding a bus between Moscow and Pullman.
“I think it”s important to have that involvement between students and faculty,” she said. “We have to work together to make the best experience for everyone here at U of I and to make sure it is the best place that it can be.”
Nishant Mohan can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NishantRMohan