The ASUI senate recently filled their half-empty table with six fresh faces, but only one of them has been elected for a full year-long term.
Senator Shaundra Herrud, a native of Eagle, Idaho, has many interests on campus. She has spent four years on the Vandal Marching Band, Jazz Choir and has a passion for dance. She is a senior at the University of Idaho, majoring in operations management and finance. She also has minors in statistics, psychology and marketing.
“The reason I chose (operations management and finance) is because I really enjoy knowing how a process works,” Herrud said. “I like efficiency, knowing how things go together — how a component can go from raw material to a finished product, and how to use those same tools to benefit society.”
Nicole Etchemendy | Argonaut
Newly elected ASUI Senator Shaundra Herrud works at her computer Friday in the ASUI office
Herrud said she enjoys the finance side of things because it gives her insight on how to achieve her goals in a realistic and attainable fashion.
“I appreciate the finance side because if you can’t back up the financial means for wanting to achieve a goal, there really are no reasons, or means for success,” Herrud said. “This major gives me the best of both. Knowing what I want to do, and knowing why it is feasible is a great thing.”
Herrud said although she loves her major, her heart belonged to psychology, which is why she chose it as one of her minors.
“I originally wanted to be a psychology major, but I shied away from being in school for that long,” Herrud said. “I instead dropped it down to a minor, because I still really appreciate it.”
In fact, her interest in psychology and mental health in general is one of the reasons why the ASUI Senate elected Herrud to a year-long term.
Herrud said one of her biggest goals as an ASUI senator is focusing on students who suffer with mental illness in any form. From her own experiences, Herrud said she recognizes the struggles with things like anxiety and depression. Her ultimate goal is to spread some light on a subject that, in her mind, isn’t addressed as much as it could be.
This goal, according to ASUI Pro-Tempore Jordan Kizer, was one of many reasons why Herrud was put on the senate.
“One of the things we (ASUI) look for are students who are proactive,” Kizer said. “One of the things that we shy away from are students who are well qualified, but aren’t actually going to do anything. We look for people who already have ideas, and goals for the university.”
Kizer said Herrud’s ambitions toward improving conditions for students with mental health issues made it clear that she was driven, and motivated to help UI.
“Shaundra’s plans to improve mental healthcare facilities on campus is a very real-world application that she wants to take on,” Kizer said. “I think that would be a substantial benefit to the students.”
Kizer said Herrud was chosen for the full-year term because she was the best choice in terms of performance and timing.
“The reason we gave the seat to Shaundra — she was at the top of our list for people we liked the most, and the year-long terms coincides with her being a senior,” Kizer said. “This way we have her in a prominent role, and it will remain like that until she graduates in May.”
Kizer said the senate put Herrud at the top of the list because of her ability to be articulate, kind and driven for success. He also said he is very optimistic about the senate, and their ability to get things accomplished this year.
“Last year’s ASUI was not terribly productive,” Kizer said. “There wasn’t a lot of direction. This year, there were so many people who applied for a role in the senate and we were able to pick some really high-quality people, like Shaundra.”
Herrud said being an ASUI Senator means a chance at representing voices on campus that may otherwise go unheard, and that she implores students of any background to voice their campus concerns to her.
“I want to know what students are thinking. Whether it’s in my office hours, Fridays from 10 a.m. through 12 p.m., or during open forum in one of the meetings — we are here to represent the people,” Herrud said. “I want to make sure everybody has a chance to be listened to.”
Andrew Ward can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @WardOfTheWorlds