International studies student, born in China and adopted into a U.S. family, overcomes challenges to graduate from U of I

Global studies senior seeks to follow her family’s tradition

Like most future college graduates, Ruby Crooks cannot wait to participate in her commencement ceremony and receive her diploma. But although she will graduate this fall, she’ll wait until Spring ’25 to walk.

Graduation won’t mean as much to her if her family isn’t there, and getting her family from Bend, Oregon, to Moscow involves a little more coordination than finding a hotel room.

“We have 17 kids in our family,” Crooks said. “Many of them are in wheelchairs and have other special needs, so I thought it would be easier for them to navigate around campus in spring rather than winter.”

Born in Nanjing, China, she was adopted at age seven. Her family played a huge role in helping shape who she’s become. Her time at University of Idaho helped her define her global focus and how she will continue her family’s legacy of service.

“I think Ruby brought in a more world-encompassing view to us during her time here,” said Bill Smith, director of the Martin Institute. “Given her background and experiences before coming to U of I, she really became a leader for our group.”

Model student

It took Crooks a little while to figure out which group on campus was hers. She found her way to the School of Global Studies (SGS) after she realized her first choice wasn’t what she ultimately wanted.

She enrolled in Fall 2020 as an environmental science major. During high school, she spent most of her summers working at Uryadi's Village, a non-profit organization in Ethiopia founded by her parents dedicated to providing care and support to local orphans. That experience convinced Crooks that addressing environmental concerns was essential for solving global problems such as poverty.

Caring for the environment remains important to her, but she realized it didn’t completely define what she wanted to do. She took advantage of U of I’s resources to match more of her interests to a potential career.

“I went to Career Services and started talking to them about my background,” Crooks said. “They asked me if I knew about the international studies major and I said no. They said ‘OK, we’re going to Bill’s office right now.’ And I said, ‘I don’t know who Bill is, but let’s do it’.”

Bill turned out to be Bill Smith and the Martin Institute turned out to be the international relations and policy-making arena Crooks was looking for. According to Smith, the fearlessness with which she dove into international studies is something Crooks displayed throughout her time at U of I.

When you see people struggling, you get a better idea of what having a bad day really means. I’ve never said, ‘I have to go to school today.’ I say, ‘I get to go to school today.’ And that has changed the way I view things.

— Ruby Crooks

“Ruby allows herself to be put in situations that challenge her,” he said. “She is really good at taking on something that is not in her comfort zone. She stays with it, works through it and figures it out.”

One of the programs Crooks explored at U of I was Model United Nations. Since she was born in Asia, worked in Africa and educated in the U.S., she already felt like a global citizen. Through Model U.N., she learned how complex global problems are solved.

“I got involved in Model U.N. because I wanted to challenge myself to think beyond the local level and see how different countries address global issues,” said Crooks, who received the ASUI Boyd and Grace Martin award for her work in the group. “It also helped me build confidence in my ability to negotiate solutions and work with others toward common goals. Looking back, it gave me a clearer sense of direction for what I want to do after graduation.”

Putting in work

Even before coming to U of I, Crooks learned how to solve difficult problems that presented obstacles to obtaining her education.

Arriving in Sandpoint with her new family after being adopted, Crooks began the process of learning English. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, she was also diagnosed with dyslexia. Crooks was homeschooled until second grade. Tutors helped her with English and taught her skills to work through her learning disability. Battling through those obstacles at a young age taught her a valuable lesson.

“I had to work harder than other students in my grade and that kind of pushed me,” she said. “I’m very competitive and didn’t want to be the one who was struggling. Working hard to overcome those challenges shaped me into who I am now.”

Who she is now is someone who wants to serve and give back some of what she was given. In addition to service at Uryadi’s Village, Crooks has worked for several years with Essential Services, LLC, an Oregon community support agency serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Crooks sees many possibilities for her future — getting involved in international health initiatives, working with children with disabilities and/or working on larger global issues like helping people in at-risk populations.

However she decides to serve, Crooks will be driven by what she experienced at places like Uryadi’s Village and by the appreciation of her education at U of I.

“So many places I’ve seen, they lacked resources and there was always a constant struggle for the basics,” she said. “When you see people struggling, you get a better idea of what having a bad day really means. I’ve never said, ‘I have to go to school today.’ I say, ‘I get to go to school today.’ And that has changed the way I view things.”

Article by David Jackson, University Communications and Marketing.

Courtesy photos from Ruby Crooks.

Published in November 2024.