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| Freshman senator has high goals |
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| Written by Liz Virtue - Argonaut | ||||||
| Thursday, 20 March 2008 | ||||||
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For some freshmen, the first year of college is tough. They have to adjust to new surroundings, learn how to be successful in college courses, balance their academic and social lives and deal with being away from home. Kristin Caldwell is a freshman at the University of Idaho who adjusted quickly and wasted no time getting involved with the university. Caldwell is an ASUI senator, the youngest member of ASUI. Caldwell said an honors American government class in high school got her interested in government and politics. The class presented her with the opportunity to volunteer at the Capital building in Boise. “I chose to work in Sen. Craig’s office,” Caldwell said. “I learned how politics work and I really enjoyed the experience.” Since then, Caldwell has continued her education of politics and government through ASUI. Caldwell ran for a spot on the Senate alongside sophomore Zach Arama this fall. The two helped each other campaign and Caldwell said she thinks that really helped to get her elected. Arama and Caldwell continue to work together while on the Senate and help each other out with projects, she said. Caldwell is a political science and Spanish major and is head of the safety task force at UI. The task force focuses on two different levels of safety, the perception of safety and the level of actual safety on campus. Caldwell said she is working to understand what students think is important as far as safety is concerned. She is working to set up a sexual violence prevention week next year that would teach incoming freshman how to stay safe in their new environment. Although she is young, Caldwell has many ideas she thinks could benefit the university and the student body but it took her some time to develop her confidence within the Senate. “During the first meeting my hands were shaking so hard because I was so nervous,” Caldwell said. “I felt like everyone knew what was going on and I didn’t.” But Caldwell said she paid attention and is now working to make changes. The biggest problem she faces as a senator is the lack of student involvement on campus. She hopes to help students gain interest, especially with opportunities like the alternative service breaks, offered by the university every year. “There are about 200 hundred people who go, but that could easy be 1,000,” Caldwell said. Caldwell was one of the students who took advantage of the service trips and traveed to the city of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi during Spring Break. She is also active in her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, where she serves as the activities chair. As activities chair she is required to run homecoming and Greek Week which also keeping sorority members up-to-date on the events going on at UI. “I think it’s a great experience,” Caldwell said. “When else are you going to live with 74 people from different backgrounds and all walks of life?” To top it off, Caldwell is taking 18 credits and feels a little overwhelmed at times. However she said she is good at managing her time and enjoys being busy. ASUI requires all senators spend a minimum of five hours in the ASUI office a week but Caldwell said she easily puts in an extra five hours, researching and working on special projects. She is typically busy from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with classes and ASUI office hours and then attends meetings and does homework in the evenings. If she has a spare moment, Caldwell said she enjoys eating ice cream with her friends. Mint chocolate chip and peppermint are her favorite flavors. Caldwell also enjoys spending time at Sisters’ Brew Coffee House. “It’s filled with crazy knick-knacks and big comfy couches. It reminds me of someone’s grandma’s house,” Caldwell said. “It’s a great place to go to do homework and get away.” Caldwell said she would like to run for another position in ASUI next year but is also considering studying abroad in Costa Rica to work on her Spanish major. As for now, Caldwell said she isn’t going to worry too much about the future, although she has important goal in mind. “Ultimately I want to be a Supreme Court justice,” Caldwell said. “If I make it through the seven or eight years of school.”  Add as favorites (26) | Views: 392
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