A Blackfoot native who has worked in a law office since age 15 has been named the 2026 Lindley Award recipient at the University of Idaho, the highest honor given annually to a student in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences.
Alexa Benitez, who will graduate in May with a double major in political science and psychology plus a philosophy minor, maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average while serving in student government, conducting undergraduate research, and leading multiple campus organizations.
The Lindley Award recognizes outstanding scholarship and character as determined by a panel of faculty and administrators. Benitez is a first-generation college student whose family roots in eastern Idaho shaped her career ambitions.
Family History Sparked Legal Ambitions
Benitez traces her interest in law to watching an attorney assist her grandfather through the naturalization process when she was a young child in Blackfoot. Her grandfather had immigrated to Idaho from Mexico decades earlier and worked with a lawyer to obtain U.S. citizenship.
The experience left a lasting impression. Benitez said her grandfather spoke highly of the attorney who helped him and viewed legal education as the pinnacle of academic achievement. She told her kindergarten class at age five that she planned to become a lawyer.
Her grandfather, who never completed high school, passed away during Benitez’s first semester at the University of Idaho. The loss prompted her to reevaluate her goals, but she ultimately decided to continue pursuing the career path that would have made him proud.
Campus Leadership and Research Accomplishments
Beyond classroom performance, Benitez built an extensive record of campus involvement. She served as an ASUI senator and director of student services, and spent two years as president of the PoliSci Society, the undergraduate club for political science students.
She also joined the editorial board of the department’s undergraduate research journal and conducted her own research project examining American attitudes toward immigrants and immigration. The work was presented at the Office of Undergraduate Research Symposium and later published in the Cook Undergraduate Research Journal.
Additional activities included service on the advisory board for U of I’s Center for Disability Access and Resources, a role as fundraising chair for the Association of Latino Professionals of America, and membership in the Pre-Law Society.
Florian Justwan, an associate professor of political science, described Benitez as extremely driven and hard-working, noting that she brings skills beyond what her academic resume immediately reveals.
Benitez said her involvement in student government and encouragement from political science faculty gave her confidence she initially lacked. She had not believed she was capable of conducting research until professors pushed her to try.
Legal Experience and Future Plans
Benitez has worked as a legal assistant at a Blackfoot law firm since she was 15 years old. Her mother is a paralegal, giving her additional exposure to the legal profession from an early age.
Witnessing how attorneys help families and children has reinforced her career choice. She recently applied to the University of Idaho College of Law and plans to work at the Bonner County prosecutor’s office this summer.
As a first-generation college student, Benitez had no family members to guide her through the enrollment process when she first came to campus. She first visited Moscow while in high school and said the campus beauty and welcoming atmosphere made U of I her only choice, despite the distance from her Twin Falls home.
University recruiters helped her navigate the application process and apply for scholarships, providing critical support she could not get from family.
What Comes Next
Benitez will receive her bachelor’s degrees at May 2026 commencement ceremonies. If accepted to the University of Idaho College of Law, she would continue her education in Moscow. Following law school, she has expressed interest in immigration law and family law, fields where she could assist others the way an attorney once helped her grandfather achieve his American dream.