The results are in, and six new students have been elected to represent the student body on the Associated Students University of Idaho Senate. Here’s the senators who will serve in the next academic school year.
Kaiya Sanchez
Kaiya Sanchez is a freshman studying wildlife resources and a member of Gamma Phi Beta. Sanchez attained most of her experience as the treasurer of her high school’s Future Hispanic Leaders of America chapter.
Contrary to most standard platforms, Sanchez is partially running on increasing creativity. She says that “if we aren’t able to exercise our creativity and use our imagination, how are we supposed to think of innovative ways to solve our problems?”
On top of her creative aspirations, Sanchez is calling for better sustainability on campus and more inclusivity between students. Among her plans, she hopes to implement drop-off locations for unwanted clothing and to create workshops that educate the student body on the various minority groups on campus.
Kayla Nguyen
Kayla Nguyen is a freshmen double majoring in biology and medical sciences with an emphasis in pre-dental and is a member of Alpha Phi. In high school, she was the vice president of her student government and was elected as house floor leader before COVID-19 complicated things.
Nguyen is running on three different platforms: diversity and inclusion, influence and enrollment and communication and connections. The first of the three means a larger deal to Nguyen as an Asian American women.
“It’s a huge part of my life,” Nguyen said. “I want to be able to educate people on different cultures and stand with minorities by giving them a voice.”
Herman Roberts
Herman Roberts, a freshman double majoring in anthropology and international studies, won his first seat on the ASUI Senate. Roberts is a member of Theta Chi fraternity and co-ran with current Senate Adjutant Cassidey Plum. Prior to his campaign, he’s held several leadership positions throughout high school, including president of his school’s Future Farmers of America chapter.
Roberts shares two focuses with Plum – community outreach and student involvement, with a personal goal of inclusivity.
“This is very important to me as a queer man,” Roberts said. “I have a lot of experience that is similar to other minority students, and I find it valuable to represent them and to hear their needs and wants.”
Cassidey Plum
ASUI Senate Adjutant Cassidey Plum co-ran with Roberts for a senator position. Plum is a freshman majoring in Agriculture Education and a member of Gamma Phi Beta. Before her nomination as senate adjutant, Plum served as her school’s FFA Secretary alongside Roberts as president.
Plum shares community outreach and student involvement as platforms with Roberts, hopes to improve Vandal networking. Plum aims to bridge the gap between residence life, Greek chapters and athletes, as well as strengthen the alumni networking system.
“I want to create a more unified campus and make students proud to be Vandals again,” Plum said. “It’s been a rough year, so that internal connection is going to be a really big thing come fall.”
Brianna Navarro
Brianna Navarro, who co-ran with Nallely Gonzalez, is a junior triple majoring in sociology, international studies and Spanish and is a member of Delta Delta Delta. Navarro held several leadership positions throughout high school and through her years at UI. Alongside Gonzalez, Navarro is a member of the College Assistance Migrant Program and SSS-TRIO.
Navarro and Gonzalez ran on the same platform of bettering sustainability, increasing unity between students and granting better access to resources on campus. Navarro plans to host a social media campaign in conjunction with Women’s Center and Sustainability Center that will promote sustainability on campus.
“I intend to make education in relation to economic, environmental, and social sustainability more prominent and accessible to University of Idaho students and faculty,” Navarro said.
Nallely Gonzalez
Nallely Gonzalez, who co-ran with Brianna Navarro, is a junior majoring in marketing with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. On top of her shared experience in CAM and SSS-TRIO, Gonzalez is a member of Organización de Estudiantes Latino Americanos and Movimiento Activista Social.
Holding the same platform as Navarro, Gonzalez is taking a special focus on increasing student unity. She currently holds the diversity, equity, and inclusivity position for a national organization and plans to “develop a movement of celebration and conversation that connects students to organizations, faculty, and resources on our campus.”
Elected senators will be installed into their positions before the school year closes.
Carter Kolpitcke can be reached at [email protected]
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