My task is simple: I seek out interesting people on campus, get to know them, and then report back to the world via the blogosphere. This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of several reports. Feel free to comment on my attempt at witty and poignant bylines.

What do outhouses, road kill, and Sarah Palin have in common? You'll find them all in Wasilla, Alaska. 

We were fortunate enough to find our very own connection to Wasilla through first year JD student, Tina Mitcalf. Tina and her family lived just outside Anchorage, Alaska until she was three years old; relocating first to California and then finally settling in upstate New York during her high school years. Mitcalf's mom, Debbie, has always had a special place for Alaska and when the opportunity recently came to return to Alaska, she jumped at the chance, ending up in Wasilla.

Tina graduated from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY with degrees in History and Political Science. Saint Rose is a small private institution that offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields ranging from American Studies to Women's Studies. She appreciated the close knit community of Saint Rose and it would later influence her decision to attend Pierce Law.

There's never been any question that Tina would attend law school. Even though friends and family remind her she'll have to defend the guilty as well as the innocent, Tina hasn't let that stop her from pursuing an interest in criminal law. "Someone has to do it...they're people too" she explains. Tina's looking to get involved in Pierce Law's Criminal Practice Clinic.

So what's the latest news from Wasilla? Mitcalf dishes that Palin's lipstick color (which consensus seems to say is a light red / pale pink) is all the rage among the women of the city. Generally, Tina said, people are supportive of her new role as the Vice Presidential pick of Republican Presidential nominee, John McCain. "She's really done a lot for the people of Wasilla as Mayor and the state as Governor. She came in [as Governor] and cleaned up her party...[which] produced direct benefits for the people." Mitcalf refers to Alaska's constitutionally mandated Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), which provides an annual dividend for residents of the state. According to the PFD's website, residents can expect to receive $3,269.00 this year. Think of it as getting paid to live to live in a state that already boasts no sales or income tax (similar to New Hampshire)!

Tina's mom, Debbie, is even acquainted with the trend-setting Governor. When Palin ran for Governor, Debbie worked on her campaign and has bumped into her a few times in Wasilla.

Tina confided that she has a deep respect for people who can make a life in the "Last Frontier" state and it's been something that's stuck with her for the better part of her life. "Alaskan living isn't for everyone; it's a different way of life and requires some unconventionality to get by" she says.

I asked Tina to tell me a few things that people might not know about Alaskan living...I may have gotten more than I bargained for:

1. There aren't six months of darkness and six months of light. It's more like you'll have 15 - 20 hours of daylight during some parts of the year and in other parts it will reverse and you'll have 15 - 20 hours of darkness.

3. Hungry for wild animal meat but don't want to go through the trouble of killing it yourself? Call the Sheriff's department and have them put you on "the list." Next time a motorist hits a black bear at 65 miles an hour; you'll get a phone call to come down to the scene and help yourself to the meat.

As the interview drew to a close I sat back and looked over my notes. "Wasilla....who would have thought."