Student Spotlight: Emiliano McLane


 

Coming from strong family values Emiliano McLane is the first in his immediate family to pursue a bachelor’s degree and make a difference in his family legacy. Coming from various Native American tribes across the west coast of the United States, Emiliano has paved the way to make his family proud of his successes in his life. Emiliano is originally from South Fork, Lee Nevada, where he is an enrolled member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone. Growing up, Emiliano had a rich agricultural background with his family having about 80 acres, where they raised cattle and grew hay.


Emiliano is a senior studying agricultural education with the hope to teach agriculture in the future, but he also has a passion for research and environmental work. Emiliano earned his associate’s degree in Agriculture Business, Leadership, and Education through the College of Western Idaho. Being a part of the 2+2 Program paved the way for Emiliano to become a Vandal. “Having the opportunity to go to the University of Idaho gave me confidence, and it means the world to me that I am here.”


Emiliano has a passion for agriculture and research and has had amazing internship opportunities and has been granted scholarships to help continue his education. In the past five years, Emiliano had the opportunity to complete 4 internships that primarily focus on research, and it has given him amazing opportunities to travel to amazing places such as, Washington D.C. for the American Geophysical Union Conference. This year Emiliano had the amazing opportunity of earning a scholarship from the Advancing Agriculture Science Opportunities for Native Americans, and this allowed Emiliano to attend leadership conferences in Phoenix Arizona, and San Diego California. Another scholarship that Emiliano earned this last year was the Science Postgraduate Scholarship Fund and this scholarship is through the American Indian Graduate Center. 


Emiliano has a vision of his future, and attending graduate school is his main focus. His plan is to continue being a vandal, at the McCall Field Campus, home of the Master of Natural Resources in Environmental Education and Science Communication. Emiliano recently just applied for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, if granted will allow Emiliano to finish his schooling. Having more hands-on experience will allow Emiliano to be the Ag teacher he wants to be, but he wants to focus more on research at the beginning of his career. 


For advice for future students coming to the University of Idaho, Emiliano expresses the importance to stay involved and get an unforgettable college experience. “Being in the Agricultural Education, Communications, and Leadership Department really opened up to expressing myself more often and better since starting the program.  I also communicate better academically and in my personal life. It also allows me to reflect on what kind of leader I want to be and what steps I have to take to get there.”

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