Lynsie Clott, the University of Idaho’s student engagement coordinator, has been a Vandal for as long as she can remember.
From growing up in the university driven Moscow community, to attending UI for her graduate degree in 2008, Clott said even after exploring elsewhere for a while, the area always remained home.
“There is just something special about the North West — it always draws you back in,” Clott said.
Clott said her passion for being involved with social movements and staying an active community member is linked to her active involvement in what UI offered when she was a student.
Through starting new clubs that revolved around gender issues and various other social movements, Clott said her time at UI was well spent with her like-minded classmates and friends.
In between graduating from UI and returning home to Moscow, Clott said she put her psychology and sociology backgrounds to work by working in the educational outreach sector at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“I guess I was just bit by the leadership bug,” Clott said. “The opportunity to be a leader in the school I called home was exactly what I needed.”
Clott began in her position as the student engagement coordinator in November 2016. In this position, Clott said she helps other leaders effectively lead their groups, clubs and students.
In this way, Clott leads programs and sessions that bring groups together in a seminar-like setting, large or small, to help develop leadership and team building skills.
“These are my passions — helping someone achieve their fullest potential,” Clott said. “A true leader doesn’t just think about their leadership, they help build others up.”
So far, Clott said she has presented a curriculum for each of her workshops to a diverse set of UI students to critique. The feedback from these meetings helps her to better understand student needs at the university.
“We are very intentional about our programming,” Clott said. “It is critical that we cater to students and what they require.”
Clott has been working to further develop the I Lead project, a personal leadership development workshop for individual students.
“This project is so important, because we often forget that you can’t lead others until you can lead yourself,” Clott said.
The Vandals Lead workshop that Clott has also been developing helps to further engage groups or multiple members of clubs with team building activities and leadership education.
Clott said all of the programs and their corresponding curriculums can be individualized for specific people and groups.
“We don’t just provide a lecture,” Clott said. “These workshops involve activities and as much discussion as possible.”
Clott said the most important aspects of her job include connecting students with other students, and helping Vandals get involved with the university community.
“This job definitely revolves around collaboration on all levels,” Clott said. “All these departments and students can come together and benefit one another.”
Katie Dahlinger, the assistant director of student involvement said she often gets to see the outcome of the leadership workshops because of Clott’s passion for leadership and leadership development.
“Lynsie just lights up when she talks about leadership,” Dahlinger said.
Dahlinger said Clott has a talent for connecting with students when it comes to being a leader and when it comes to simply reaching out, or lending a hand.
“Her authenticity is contagious and I think students trust in that strong leadership quality when they see it right off the bat,” Dahlinger said.
Clott said becoming a strong leader will always be connected to being involved with what the university has to offer.
‘There are countless opportunities here,” Clott said. “And, if you’re itching to get involved but don’t know how, stop by and we’ll get there together.”
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @hailey_ann97