Student Government (ASB), KPH Radio, New Student Trip Leader (Creative Arts), Senior Experience, New Student Orientation
What three words would you use to describe L&C?
Love and Community
Life at L&C, Spring 2024
What’s your favorite class? Why?
Indebted Lives with Associate Professor Maryann Bylander is by far the best class I took. This class unravels the history of debt in our financialized society, and invites students to reimagine a world without credit. A second favorite, Introduction to Data Science, warrants an honorable mention for setting me on my current trajectory. Now, I am enthralled with analytics; I want to utilize data for the social good.
What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?
I fell in love with campus on Valentine’s Day 2020, maybe magic was in the air! Honestly, I have no idea.
What do you like or find most interesting about your major?
Starting college, I was set on being a lawyer. So, I took all of Professor Todd Lochner’s law classes (POLS 301, POLS 305, POLS 425) where he teaches with legal pedagogy (i.e. cold calling). During this time, I realized that I preferred my quantitative-based political science classes because I enjoyed scripting in R. Now, I no longer want to go to law school immediately after graduation! I appreciate that I could test drive these different trajectories within my major. Political science allowed me to explore a breadth of interests: public law, Russian politics, and data science. That being said, I joke about graduating from Lochner College of Law.
What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?
Before college, I had a very negative mentality toward math. I never anticipated picking up a data science minor because of the computer science and statistics requirements. However, through classes with Professor Seljan, I adopted a growth mindset. This perspective fostered my quantitative confidence which in turn improved my analytical toolkit!
Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.
To start college, I decided to pick two activities that I never did in high school: student government and student radio. Here, I found the opportunity to build community. In Associated Student Body (ASB), I could advocate for my peers and effect change on campus. Through KPH Radio, I could connect to the Portland creative community with local bands playing the Co-op and the Platteau. As a New Student Trip Coordinator for Creative Arts PDX, I prepared incoming first years for life at Lewis & Clark and the Portland Metro area in a quirky fashion! I exerted my energy by investing in the community, whether that was on or off the hill.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Reach out if you feel an inkling: “I want to do this, how do I get there?” You will find your path so long as you ask! Take initiative in your newfound independence.
How has Lewis & Clark changed you?
My experience here has shaped me into a more confident individual. Educating myself through the liberal arts, I sharpened my critical thinking skills. Hosting a radio show, I started speaking without second-guessing myself. Serving as student body president, I learned resilience to uncertainty. Ultimately, I fought my impostor syndrome to become a better version of myself.
Humanities Summer Research, July 2023
Name of research project:
Examining the Relationship Between Campaign Finance and Polarization in Oregon State Congress
Describe what you are researching this summer. What is your exact role?
I am researching the role of donors in contributing to polarization in the Oregon State Congress. I focus on compiling public data, wrangling that collected data into a dataset, and then analyzing the relationships between variables.
Political science summer research team: (top, left to right) Madeleine MacWilliamson BA ’24, Valerie Naborska BA ’24; (bottom, left to right) Professor of Political Science Ellen Seljan, Associate Professor of Political Science Todd Lochner Credit: Devan FreemanWhat’s the best part of this experience?
I am learning valuable skills in data science like text analysis and developing experimental methodology. One of the issues in our dataset is that we wanted to include unelected challengers, but we needed a way to score their ideology. Our elected individuals in the dataset had ideology scored based on their voting record. To create a counterpart for challengers, we leveraged the voter pamphlet ballot text available through the Oregon Secretary General of State. We are still in the process of conducting the analysis stage, but I am thrilled to see how this next stage turns out (especially after copy-pasting 200+ candidate statements by hand)!
How were you supported in finding and securing this research opportunity?
I worked with faculty members, Professor Ellen Seljan and Professor Todd Lochner, by asking whether they needed support this summer. I am thankful Ellen brought me onboard to this project after we discussed what skills I hoped to develop for my summer before senior year.
How do you see this experience leading to a career in your chosen field and/or aiding in your career development after L&C?
Ellen, an expert on internships, has consistently championed my career growth by facilitating various valuable connections. Through my experience as a research assistant, I have honed my skills significantly, allowing me to confidently assert my proficiency. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunities that the political science department has provided to its students.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Ask your professors, talk to faculty members, and reach out to staff about how to further your future! It will pay off to be straight forward here at Lewis & Clark College.
