Colfax local new member of ASWSU

COLFAX – Colfax local, and Washington State University freshman Collin Bannister, 19, moved to Olympia Tuesday, Jan. 3 to take on his role as the Director of Legislative affairs for the Associated Students of Washington State University (ASWSU).

Bannister is from Colfax, attended Pullman High School, and is currently a freshman studying Philosophy and pre-law at WSU.

To obtain the position Bannister had to give a speech in front of the ASWSU, in which he mentioned that his grandparents Stan and Helen Bannister met at WSU, and farmed here.

"I'm really excited to go to Olympia," Bannister said, noting that he not only gets to represent WSU but the community of Colfax, Pullman, and the Palouse as a whole. "I feel really connected to the area as a local, and will represent it well," he added.

As Director of Legislative affairs, Bannister explained that he will be lobbying for WSU students in the legislative session, and attending the senate with state senators.

Bannister is really looking forward to the opportunity to make a difference for WSU, and represent his peers, in a way that he's never had the opportunity to before.

Two of the major issues that Bannister seeks to address include tuition waivers for indigenous students, and mental health on campus. Bannister noted that tuition waivers have been a really big push for other universities as well, and that WSU needs more expanded resources for mental health due to their only being one office on the Pullman campus.

"It's on the other side of campus, so in the winter a lot of students don't walk that far," Bannister said of the one office WSU has for mental health services, "The goal would be to open up another location so that all students can be served efficiently," he added, noting that he would also seek to get more professional counselors to represent a diverse student population.

Bannister had applied for ASWSU as a freshman delegate, but when he didn't get that he decided to go for the job of director of legislative affairs.

"The main reason I decided to apply is because I'm really interested in politics," he said, noting that he saw this as the perfect opportunity to jump in and make a difference.

Bannister plans to attend a graduate school for law, and is considering pursuing a career in public service.