Education
BA in Political Science w/ Minor in Law & Politics, 2008

Why did you choose to attend UNI? What factors influenced your reason for studying your major?
I was drawn to the class sizes and student-to-faculty ratio at UNI. My visit to campus & experiences in Cedar Falls helped with the decision: beautiful, walkable campus and all the wonderful access to trails/nature in the Cedar Falls-Waterloo area.

In terms of choosing to study Political Science – I had always been drawn to politics, even at an early age. As I started to engage with Political Science classes as a freshman, I enjoyed the coursework. Looking beyond my undergrad degree, I felt the skill set I would develop could translate into just about any career-path: well-rounded critical thinking, grappling with issues impacting society, understanding policy decisions/direction, and overall quality of life questions.

What do you do in your current position? What do you enjoy about it?
Marketing Strategist at Gannett / USA Today. There is an amazing local-to-national network at Gannett, with local publications all over the country + national reach with USA Today. I get to work telling our audience reach story every day to build partnerships with our advertisers. I also take pride in being aligned with such a well-respected media source. There is inspiring work happening every day across the USA Today Network, and I love being a part of it.

How did your major help prepare you for your current role? What skills are you still using today?
Political Science may seem like an interesting path into a marketing strategist role, but there are many skills I learned at UNI that helped prepare me for the professional space. So much of what I do in my role is driven by audience data & analytics (both qualitative & quantitative). I was immersed in research throughout my major courses and grew to enjoy the experience. That research-minded approach has been with me in every role since graduating and is more prevalent than ever in my current one.

I also developed/honed my writing skills while studying at UNI, which has continued to help in all facets of my life & career.

What is a memorable part of your studies or participation within your major?
I was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society) – it was a great way to get to know / spend more time with some of my Political Science peers outside of the classroom setting.

Other than that, across the board I enjoyed every member of the faculty in the Political Science Department. Engaging lectures, approachable office hours, and genuinely good people. 

What advice would you give to students currently interested in the same major and/or going into your career field?
Take advantage of networking opportunities – peers/faculty/alumni/professional community. Most, if not all, of my opportunities have come from people I met & kept in touch with over the years.

Is there anything else you would like to add or share?
I was a member of the legendary UNI Varsity Men’s Glee Club, and had the pleasure of touring Ireland, Wales, and England with the club in 2006.

I also studied abroad in Krakow Poland, Summer 2007) – I would HIGHLY recommend going abroad for studying, if possible. I was able to align some of the course work with my major, and there was some flexibility to really dig into the experience.