Major: Global Studies and Political Science
Minor: Japanese Studies
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Year: 3rd year senior
Favorite book and why?
Japanese Learning Book Quartet I. I really had a good time going through the book in my Japanese class! I genuinely learned so much about the language from that book.
Favorite movie and why?
Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse. I am an artistic person, and I love animation and music. Seeing these two things coming together to create such a wonderfully artistic masterpiece is great!
Why did you choose global studies and political science as your majors?
I chose political science coming into college because I loved to read and write, but I didn’t want to be a journalist or artist. I also knew I wanted to help as many people as possible. So, using these skills while getting into politics was the best choice for me. I chose global studies after meeting with a career coach and realizing I was interested in learning about other cultures. I now use what I’ve learned about other cultures to see what we can improve on in the U.S. Finally for my minor, I chose this mainly because of my Japanese heritage. However, it is nice to have a specific country to focus on for my political interests and comparing the U.S to.
Favorite class you have taken?
The most interesting class I’ve taken has been “Justice and the Good Life” POLS383 with Dr. Ari Kohen. It was my first theory class, and I love thinking deeply about topics, let alone about politics as a whole. Even from a non-politics standpoint, it was a wonderful class that singlehandedly changed the trajectory of what I wanted to do with my politics focus. I definitely suggest that people take this class, even if they aren’t a political sci major.
What are some of your extracurriculars?
I went to Japan for the Spring 2023 semester. I had never been outside the U.S before that point, so travelling across the world for four months away from everything I’ve ever known was a big step! I’ve become much more independent and I made some wonderful friends while I was away. I stayed with a host family and took Japanese language classes, so my language skills skyrocketed! It was always a goal of mine to go to Japan, I was fortunate enough to be able to do it while in college and taking classes that applied to my major and minor. I definitely recommend going abroad. There are plenty of options for scholarships and funds that will help you pay for the experience!
Do you have any post graduation plans?
After I graduate, I ideally would like to work for the federal government. I’m not sure where in the government, but I know working in the government would be great for me! Anywhere that I can help the people around me would make me happy.
