Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
I knew this time was coming, but I did not expect it so soon. In a month, I will be graduating from UW- Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. I'm excited while also nervous about this change. But this is also a time for reflection. I pondered about what I am most proud of with my time here at UW- Eau Claire. Here are a few of my experiences that led to where I am today.
Campus Organizing
Believe it or not, I started my time here at UW- Eau Claire being invested in electoral politics. If you know me now, you know that I do not share that sentiment anymore. I am still proud of myself though, for being an organizer. I was the campus organizer for the Wisconsin Democrats here at UW- Eau Claire during the 2020 presidential election. While I did not have the best time, this job made me develop skills such as meeting adversity with grace and the ability to network. This job is also what prompted me to switch my interests from electoral politics to wanting to understand the reasoning behind electoral politics. For that, I will always be grateful.
Research
While at UW- Eau Claire, I completed two research projects. My first project "The Past, Present, and Future of the First Amendment and Hate Speech: An Analysis of the Fighting Words Doctrine and Incitement" focused on the changing Supreme Court tests surrounding
incitement and how they need to change as we enter the age of the internet. This project was presented at UWEC's 2022 Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity (CERCA). My other project "The Rise of QAnon: From a Chatroom Board to an International Movement" focused on how the conspiracy theory QAnon spreads on Twitter. I presented this project at the 2023 National Conference for Undergraduate Research hosted by UWEC. Both of these projects were funded by grants from the Menard Center for Constitutional Studies. "The Rise of QAnon" was also funded by a grant from UWEC's Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Getting into Graduate School
Even though I joined halfway through the two-year program, my experience with the McNair program has been invaluable. The program taught me how to present myself and my research professionally all while helping me apply for graduate school. I applied to four graduate schools and got into one: Northern Illinois University. I will be attending Northern Illinois University in the fall to pursue my PhD in Political Science. None of this would have been able to happen if I did not have the McNair program, organizing experience, and research experience.
As this chapter of my life closes, I'm excited to see where the next takes me. My time at UW- Eau Claire has fundamentally changed me, and I would not have it any other way.