BOISE (AP) - John McCain's running-mate pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was born in the small northern Idaho city of Sandpoint in 1964 and graduated from the University of Idaho with a journalism degree in 1987.

But she didn't spend much time in the state during the years in between.

Palin became the first woman named to a spot on a Republican ticket on Friday, when McCain made the announcement at a rally in Dayton, Ohio.

Shortly after Palin's birth, her parents moved to Skagway, Alaska, where her father taught school. She apparently didn't return to Idaho until her college years, and her time in the state seems to have largely faded from residents' memory.

Kenton Bird, director of the University of Idaho's School of Journalism and Mass Media, said Palin didn't write for the independent college newspaper, The Argonaut, and didn't do any work for the university television station KIUI while she was there.

Most of her journalism professors have retired or died, he said. Bird worked at the local newspaper, The Moscow-Pullman Daily News (then called The Idahonian), during Palin's time at the University of Idaho and he doesn't remember her ever freelancing or interning for the paper.

Two of her past journalism professors don't remember her, either.

"I wish I could say that I knew something about her, but I just don't," said Roy Atwood, the former director of the journalism program and the faculty member who signed her application for graduation. Atwood was teaching large classes at the time, so Palin would have been one of roughly 120 students in his class.

Don Coombs also taught Palin while she was at the University of Idaho, but he doesn't remember her, either.

The University of Idaho was her longest stop as she worked toward a college degree. She started at Hawaii Pacific College in 1982, said Bird, and transferred to North Idaho College for the 1983-1984 school year. She transferred again to the University of Idaho in fall of 1984, and spent her final semester working as an intern for the NBC affiliate KTUU in Anchorage.

In an interview with the University of Idaho alumni magazine, "Here We Have Idaho," published earlier this year, Palin said she decided to pursue a journalism degree because it combined her curiosity with her love of writing. She didn't enter politics until she ran for city council in Wasilla, Alaska.

A social networking site for University of Idaho alumni — http://govandals.ning.com — apparently holds one reference to Palin, a photo posted by one of her employees on his personal page.

The University of Idaho issued a statement saying Palin was part of its "legacy of leaders."

"University of Idaho alumni are sizable in number, but remain a close-knit community," the statement said. "A large number of university alumni, such as Sarah, have gone on to distinguish themselves in public service."

Idaho's political leaders lauded McCain's choice, with Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson called it "absolutely brilliant."

"You've got an Idaho girl there on the ticket. She's fairly tough — Idaho women are fairly tough — so she'll be able to handle anything that Biden or Obama can throw at her," Simpson said. "The nice thing from a policy perspective is that she's obviously knowledgable on Western issues, public land issues, and other things that are of concern in the West."

Sen. Mike Crapo said Palin shares the "concerns and virtues of Idaho's families" and he hopes that given her ties to Idaho, she will make a visit to the state in the near future.

Rep. Bill Sali cited Palin's conservative background.

"Her values represent America's values — and my values," Sali said.

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said Palin's history in Idaho and Alaska shows she understands western problems.

"I think she brings a lot of balance," Otter said. "She has been very involved in the Western Governor's Conference, in the National Governor's Association on primarily education matters, criminal justice, natural resources, and transportation, and she has always provided a lot of leadership and a lot of input to the other governors."