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Yorda Yenenh’s mother has remained an Ethiopian citizen since moving to the United States from her native country in the 1970s, so she doesn’t participate in the political process.
“It wasn’t until I came to school with such an open curriculum that I was able to explore my small interest in government, especially with the huge elections that have happened over my four years here,” says Yenenh, a political science and religion major from Reno, Nev.
She joined the Students’ Association her freshman year, then as a sophomore, she cofounded ’R World ’R Vote, a nonpartisan group that fosters political awareness on campus. Though immediate plans after graduation include a 27-month stint in Southeast Asia with the Peace Corps, followed by law school, Yenenh expects eventually to become a lobbyist or congressional aide in Washington, D.C.
She passes along this recommendation to incoming freshmen: “A professor once encouraged me to get close to one professor in one class each semester, because by the end of your four years you have eight professors that you feel confident know you really well. That is definitely some of the best advice I’ve ever received.”
