As the result of a summer’s worth of work, six Emmanuel students participated on a panel of their own design entitled “Syria: Peace or in Pieces” at the Northeast Political Science Association (NPSA) meeting in Philadelphia on November 8th.
Last spring, members of Professor of Political Science Lenore Martin’s “Strategies of War and Peace” class had the opportunity to further their research on Syria by writing papers to submit to the conference for fall 2019. Alyssa Abele ’20, Lama Jaber Azzam ’20, Caroline Ferguson ’21, Christina Heiler ’20, Theordore Miele ’20 and Emily Ryan ’20 served as the only panel completely comprised of undergraduate students at the conference. Their papers addressed topics such as political development, economics, foreign influence, identity and human rights in Syria.
The NPSA is one of the leading regional professional organizations in the United States for the study of politics. At its annual conference, the NPSA brings together hundreds of political scientists from all fields of study and from around the world to enhance and expand their knowledge of politics.
Beyond having the opportunity to present their own work to other members of the field, participating in the conference challenged students to push themselves out of their comfort zones in order to prepare. As for Abele, rising to this challenge has provided her insight for the future.
“My involvement throughout the writing and presentation process for the conference pushed me to adapt and navigate through new challenges within a setting that encouraged me to grow and develop new skills,” said Abele. “Overall, I will use the skills I have learned through my experiences at the Northeastern Political Science Association conference throughout my education and career path to come.”
The content of the panel was created in addition to the work the students had done in their class one semester prior and was completely student-driven. Dr. Martin emphasized the fact that the work of this group of students is exemplary of Emmanuel students as a whole.
“The students worked so hard and they were really into it,” said Dr. Martin. “It showed in their performance at the conference. I think it says a lot about the student body and their willingness to work, be disciplined, and deliver.
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When choosing a college, Eileen knew two things for sure—that she would be able to get to know her professors and peers and that she wanted to be in an area in which she would have myriad opportunities in the research and medicine.
When Melissa started at Emmanuel, she chose what she believed to be two separate and distinct majors—studio art and history—to fulfill her both her personal and professional interests.
Kai has always had the inclination to try to make any situation better. When he was searching for colleges, Emmanuel's social justice mission resounded deeply with his ideals of supporting those who need the help.
Robert’s interest in the workings of the wider world grew in 2011 as the Arab Spring became international news. “I love history,” he said, “so knowing the history of the states as well as their current affairs made their actions and interactions much more interesting to me.”
Growing up in a suburban town outside of Boston, going to college in the city had always been a goal for Jake. After touring Emmanuel's campus he felt it had the perfect mixture of “small campus feel and big city appeal.”
Michael chose Emmanuel because of its location in Boston and its proximity to the city's "big players," specifically its leading names in the financial industry.
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Emmanuel is a place where students broaden their sense of what’s possible and prepare for inspiring careers in an ever-changing world. Be here.
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