uiargonaut.com
Friday, May 8, 2015
Commencement
Of all the lessons learned Senior Karlee Kirking reflects on her college career as graduation approaches
F
By the numbers
1,536
University of Idaho students statewide are eligible for graduation this spring
1,179 52 80 10 302
Baccalaureate degrees Doctoral degrees Law degrees
Specialist degrees
David Betts | Argonaut
UI senior Karlee Kirking holds various awards she has won through her undergraduate years.
Master’s degrees
Corrin Bond Argonaut
our years in college can hold a lot of good experiences to reflect on, and for Karlee Kirking, her favorite memories are the evenings she spent with friends, being goofy, playing games and talking about life. “I treasure the nights my roommate and I sat on the couch and ate mac and cheese,” she said. “Or the times freshman year when I hung out in the dorms with a bunch of friends.” Kirking, a Lewiston native who will graduate from the University of Idaho May 16, said she was drawn to UI because of its international studies program. “I applied to a bunch of different schools around the country and to be honest I saw myself in Boston or New York,” Kirking said. “Freshman me severely underestimated how great this school is and four years later, I am so grateful to have chosen UI.” Kirking, a triple major in international studies, economics and Spanish with a minor in international political economy, said after four years of studying and traveling abroad, she is excited for her future following commencement. “Graduating is equal parts terror and excitement,” she said. “I’ve been a student since I was five and now I won’t be a student anymore so it will be a big change but I feel ready for it.” Kirking said her experience studying abroad for the 2013-2014 academic year in Santiago, Chile was invaluable for both her personal growth and education. “Studying abroad was one of the greatest experiences,” she said. “It helped my Spanish so much and I really bonded with my host family.” SEE lessons, PAGE A16
Crafting a commencement A glimpse of graduates excitement when he was asked to speak at the 2015 Spring Commencement ceremony. “I was overwhelmingly appreciative and this opportuCorrin Bond nity means so much to me, but Argonaut it’s also really nerve wracking,” Playwright Samuel Hunter Hunter said. “My idea of a commencement speaker is said although he moved someone who is wise out of state after high and has lived a lot of life, school, his Idaho heritage and here I am, at 33, still is an important part of trying to figure it all out.” who he is today. Commencement Hunter, 33, is a will begin at 9:30 a.m. Moscow native and next Saturday and well known for his Hunter general seating is free award-winning plays and open to the public. “A Bright New Boise” and “The Whale.” He said he was sur- Jamie Garlinghouse, graduation prised and overwhelmed with and commencement coordina-
Moscow native Samuel Hunter to give commencement speech
tor, said each year the University of Idaho president chooses the commencement speaker. “There is a Faculty Senate Commencement Committee that compiles a list of people they would like to see speaking at the graduation,” Garlinghouse said. “Then this list is sent to the president, who makes the final decision and chooses the specific individual.” Hunter is an ensemble playwright at Victory Garden, as well as a core member of the Playwrights Center. He graduated from New York University (NYU) only 11 years ago. SEE crafting, PAGE A15
Jake Smith Argonaut
Uriel Benichou — law Uriel Benichousaid he blames America for breaking his shy personality. Hailing from Nice, France, Benichou Benichou, a graduating senior from the University of Idaho College of Law, said America has benefitted and challenged him. Benichou, who already holds two law degrees, said there are numerous differences between France and the United States, both
in profession and culture. When Benichou began studying law in France, he said his lecture halls contained approximately 450 students. He never knew the names of his professors and if the class found an abbreviated letter for the professor’s first name, students joked about what it could be. U.S. classrooms, Benichou said, are a much more intimate setting. Benichou said a challenge was learning how to adapt to a new writing style. French legal writing is about showing off, he said, whereas English writing is about dumbing down the writing and getting to point. SEE glimpse, PAGE A16
IN THIS ISSUE
Three championships and play in three different conferences. sports, B1 News, A1 Sports, B1 Opinion, B10
A year of transition and change for UI. Read Our View.
Head to the curbs and dumpsters because one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
Opinion, B10 University of Idaho
rawr Volume 115, Issue no. 62
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