Key Hartwick Activities: Pi Sigma Alpha (political science honor society), Theta Kappa Alpha (religious studies/theology honor society), Housing Advisory Committee, Freedman Prize for Senior Project Development Finalist, Duffy Ambassador Fund Scholarship, John Christopher Hartwick Scholar
Career Plans: Pursue a Ph.D. in comparative politics and teach at the college level
Major decisions: In high school, I was apathetic toward politics, but 9/11 woke me up to the fact that there’s something out there bigger than what we have in our own little lives. The more classes I took, the more I realized that political science was a good fit. I wanted to be in touch with how decisions get made and the effects they can have. After a few more classes, I realized I was really interested in religious conflicts and religious involvement in politics, so I picked up the religious studies major.
Special Experiences: J Term my freshman year, I took Professor Neil DeVotta’s South Asian Politics class. I got interested in how religion and politics get fused together, first in Sri Lanka and then more broadly. Professor DeVotta encouraged me to apply for a Freedman Prize. I didn’t win one, but he encouraged me not to give up on the project. I applied for and received a Duffy Scholarship to travel to Sri Lanka. While there, I interviewed Buddhist monks in Colombo about politics and Buddhism and how they interact, especially in the context of ethnic conflict.
My sophomore year J Term I went to Ireland to study Irish Literature. That was my first time abroad, ever. Junior year J Term I went to Sri Lanka and returned that summer to do my senior thesis research.
About my professors: I think the biggest benefit of Hartwick is how closely you can work with your professors. I’ve never heard of a professor who wasn’t willing to set time aside to work with the student who shows interest. Without that help, you wouldn’t be able to begin to get a research grant off the ground. Hartwick has put a lot of effort into establishing research opportunities and making them accessible to students.
