Lindsey LaPrath of Middleton, Idaho, said she knew she was meant to be a Vandal long before she started her first year at the University of Idaho.
“I am actually a fifth generation here at the University of Idaho,” said LaPrath, now a UI freshman. “It goes back to my great-great-grandfather. It was actually the only school I applied for and the only school I wanted to go to.”
Within her first weeks on campus, LaPrath had applied to be an ASUI Representative on Faculty Senate, joined Alpha Phi sorority, to which she is a legacy member, and enrolled in multiple 300-level classes.
She said her involvement on campus and with Faculty Senate has already taught her much about ASUI, faculty and the university. She said she was pleasantly surprised by how methodical and involved the members of Faculty Senate are during meetings, for example. She also said her involvement has made her more comfortable around other faculty and her instructors.
LaPrath said she tries to be observant and take in new things every day.
“I”m a freshman this year, still kind of learning the ropes,” she said. “But it”s been a great year so far.”
LaPrath works with the ASUI policy team to come up with ideas to present to Faculty Senate. Last semester, ASUI Sen. Rachael Miller proposed a resolution that calls on professors to post grades on Blackboard, which LaPrath reviewed for Faculty Senate. Despite receiving criticism from many members, she said she valued the feedback.
“I think that the input we got from that meeting was great,” she said. “We are currently reworking and changing it up a little bit to make it more effective and to make it more instructor friendly.”
LaPrath said she plans to propose a revised version of the resolution later this semester.
LaPrath said she was drawn to leadership at a young age. While she is a student at UI, she said she hopes to grow as a person, and she believes being involved in the community as a leader is a good way to do that.
“I like being able to help others find their inner leadership,” she said. “And I think all of the positions that I”ve had have inspired somebody to do that.”
As a fifth-generation Vandal who has been making yearly family trips to Moscow since she was a child, LaPrath said the community has so much history for her. She said she hopes to continue her family”s legacy, as well as make her own mark on the university.
“It”s fun because all of my family comes up here and has their memories that they share with me, and I can”t wait to do the same eventually,” LaPrath said.
Erin Bamer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ErinBamer