“I can start a fire with one match.”
Caden Fields | Blot
It’s said with a smile, but Camilla Van Natter is serious. She was a Girl Scouts counselor, after all, and knows her way around a campsite.
The Priest River, Idaho, native is set to graduate in May from University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Asian Studies.
Van Natter came to UI as a self-described “Vandal baby.” However, she is not crazy about the hills that roll over Moscow’s campus
Van Natter has dwarfism, defined by the Little People of America advocacy group as a condition of short stature, in which an adult has a height of 4 feet 10 inches or under. Though it can be physically challenging at times, Van Natter said the condition doesn’t define her.
“It is definitely a part of me and who I am, because it is who and what I am, but I’m more than that,” Van Natter said. “I’ve had frustrations with mobility, maybe, and getting around campus, but overall with my classes and my studies it hasn’t hindered me. I just had to drop my yoga class because my body doesn’t work like that — my legs are too short.”
Van Natter said she is open to talking about her condition — something that has helped her socially and academically.
“I have a great group of friends,” she said. “I’m loud and like to think that I’m funny, so I like being around people with a good sense of humor.”
Sarah Herrmann, a fellow UI senior, said she and Van Natter bonded over common interests while they lived in Theophilus Tower freshman year.
“She is an incredibly caring person — almost to the point of being self-sacrificing,” Herrmann said. “She’s a great emotional support. She’ll listen to you and try to help you with all your problems or just be the comfort that you need.”
Along with her friends, Van Natter said her professors have encouraged her to further her knowledge, confidence and passion.
“They’re invaluable resources, because they help encourage you to do what you want to do and provide the resources and tools to do it,” Van Natter said.
Becky Jager, a UI history professor, mentored Van Natter’s senior capstone project on the rise of celebrity culture in America in the 1920s. According to Jager, Van Natter made the experience easy.
“She has a passion for intellectual discovery,” Jager said. “She’s kind of a joy to sit with and talk to about her ideas and what she’s interested in examining.”
Despite her commitment to history, Van Natter isn’t certain about her future. She would like to work in museums, possibly as a curator, travel extensively and live on the West Coast. Van Natter said she feels prepared from her education at UI, but more importantly, knows she has grown — something she hopes other students experience.
“College is our own journey of self-exploration, growing up in all ways,” Van Natter said. “Honestly, take care of yourself … it’s something we don’t put a lot of emphasis on. It’s always academics come first, but it’s important to make sure you’re OK. That you’re in a mental, emotional and physical state. Be passionate and do things.”