PoliticalScienceSpotlight

September 2012 Fall Issue #1

A Davidson College Department of Political Science Publication
Traveling
Gnomes
From Russia to
Peru to DC -
What We Did
This Summer
Pg. 3
Davidson at
the DNC
Students, Faculty,
and Alumni
Converge on
Conventions
Pgs. 4-5
New
Faces
The Depart-
ment Welcomes
Dr. Milligan
and Dr. Gurian
Pg. 6
Wildcats in
Elections
Alumni are
Thriving in the
Political Arena
and Elections
Pg. 7
Dr. Shelley Rigger
E
lection years are always exciting for
political scientists, but fall 2012 is
especially thrilling for students of
politics here at Davidson. Te Democrat-
ic National Convention was held last week
in Charlotte, and students, faculty, alum-
ni and friends enjoyed the experience.
Democrats, Republicans, and undecideds
alike took part in this front-row opportu-
nity to observe national politics in action.
Te political science department is do-
ing all we can to take advantage of this
one-time opportunity. Were also branch-
ing out in other new directions: were on
Facebook (like us!) and were sharing a
Middle East Politics professor with Queens
University in Charlotte. As always, we are
eager to hear (and pass on) whats new
with you: our students, alumni and friends.
Te big news is the convention. Students
have been working with the DNC since last
spring. Our DNC spotlight in this issue is just
the tip of the iceberg (see pages 4-5)! We have
several students who interned with the host
committee and MANY others actually attend-
ed the convention in multiple roles. We had
groups there with faculty and several there
on their own through outside organizations.
On the faculty front, colleagues have
used the convention as a springboard for
new courses and course activities. Profes-
sor Susan Roberts has been at the center
of things, making scores of connections
between the college and the DNC. Shes
taken the lead in booking speakers, includ-
ing Mark Shields of the PBS Newshour.
Professor Roberts also was instrumen-
tal in bringing to Davidson two visiting
professors to ofer special courses for this
year. Last spring Charlotte Observer re-
porter Jim Morrill taught a course on the
history of American political conventions.
Tis fall, University of Georgia political sci-
entist Paul-Henri Gurian is teaching two
courses on presidential elections as the col-
leges Batten Professor. Were also very for-
tunate to have Visiting Assistant Professor
Josh Putnam with us again this year. Josh
knows everything there is to know about
state presidential nominating procedures;
his blog, Frontloading HQ has been called
the go-to guide for learning about state
electoral rules. Te Daily Beast described
Dr. Putnam as a star of the [election] cycle.
Two of Davidsons most active alum-
ni DNCers are Charlotte mayor Anthony
Foxx 93, who spoke at the convention, and
Dan Murrey 87, who ran the DNC host
committee along with others, featured
in the DNC spread on pages 4-5. Alum-
ni parents and other college friends were
also involved, including Jim Zogby, father
of Sarah 98 and political science major
Matt 02. Jim, a former Batten Professor,
who appeared on a DNC panel organized
by the Arab American Institute (which he
founded and directs) and J Street, a Jew-
ish organization that promotes a two-state
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
Te convention itself was a brief event, one
most Davidsonians watched on TV. But its ar-
rival in Charlotte along with the tight pres-
idential and congressional elections this year
has sparked student, faculty, and communi-
ty interest in the electoral process. For polit-
ical scientists, thats an opening to introduce
(continued on page 8 - Welcome Back)
Welcome Bac
Chambers Lawn
2 PoliticalScienceSpotlight September 2012 September 2012 PoliticalScienceSpotlight 3
Fall Semester Events
Friday Sept. 7th
Welcome Back Cookout
at the home of Dr. Menkhaus
for current and prospective majors
Thursday Sept. 13th
Dean Rusk Lecture
Syria: What Does the Fu-
ture Hold?
Lecture by J oshua Landis
7:00pm Lilly Gallery
Thursday Sept. 20th
Dean Rusk Lecture
Fitful Breathing in a
Month in the Country:
Revolution and Repetition
in Russian Theater
Lecture by Dr. Monika Greenleaf
7:00pm C. Shaw Smith 900 Rm
Thursday Sept. 20th
Policy & the Environment
Panel
Graham Bullock, Sarah Phillips,
and Haywood Rankin
4:30-5:30pm Carolina Inn
Friday Oct. 5th
How to Explain the Human
Genome to Congress in 60
Seconds - Alumni Lecture
Stephanie Courchesne-Schlink 02
2:30-3:30pm Hance Auditorium
Oct. 13 - 16th
Fall Break
Tuesday Oct. 23rd
Batten Lecture
featuring Paul Gurian
Batten Professor of Political Science
Oct. 26 - 29th
Family Weekend
Tuesday Oct. 30th
Dean Rusk Lecture
Aid Dependence in Cambo-
dia: How Foreign Assistance
Undermines Democracy
Lecture by Dr. Sophal Ear
7:00pm C. Shaw Smith 900 Rm
Thursday Nov. 8th
Dean Rusk Lecture
We Never Knew Exactly
Where Conict and Ter-
rorism in Mali
Lecture by Mr. Peter Chilson
7:00pm C. Shaw Smith 900 Rm
Nov. 21 - 25th
Thanksgiving Break
Thursday Nov. 29th
Policy & the Academy Panel
Shelley Rigger, Caroline Fache,
and Mary Muchane
4:30-5:30pm Carolina Inn
Dec. 12th
Fall Classes End
Dec. 13th
Reading Day
Dec. 14 - 20th
Exam Period
For more information on the
Dean Rusk Lecture Series,
please contact their ofce:
[email protected]
Also like us on Facebook for
more updates!
Spotlight Study Abroad
Political Science Calendar
Dr. Brian Shaw was awarded the Hunter-Hamilton Love of
Teaching Award at Commencement this May. Te award is Da-
vidsons top teaching honor and is given to a faculty member
judged by his/her peers to display an exemplary love of teaching.
Shaw was praised for his unrelenting Infectious Perkiness, his
passion for teaching students how to think in and beyond the class-
room, and his timeless ability to inspire students to reach their
utmost potential. In class he constantly plays the devils advocate,
leading students to the most compelling strengths of the theories
of political thinkers... and then poking holes in their arguments.
See the department webpage for the full story .
D
avidson Political Science majors
were busy this summer participat-
ing in study abroad programs that
did more than just boost their resumes.
14 majors attended the Davidson in
Washington Program. Tey took a political
science course while also participating in
independent internships and are as follows:
Liana Corwin 14, Green America; Michael
Diamant 13, American Enterprise Institute;
Paul DiFiore 13 (Goodell Merit Scholar-
ship recipient), Department of State, Of ce
of Central American Afairs; Emma Finkel-
stein 14, Senior Counsel of Ethics for the
Of ce of General Counsel; Connor Johnson
13, Stratitia; Kara Mountcastle 14, Business
Executives for National Security (BENS);
Trey Norris 13, Aetna, Federal Government
Afairs Division; John Papadopoulos 14,
American Hellenic Educational Progressive
Association; McKenzie Roese 13, Catho-
lic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC);
Charles Sangree 13, Representative Tim
Waltz (D-Mn); Tindall Sewell 14, Senator
Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga); Heather Sims 14,
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tx); Shir-
ley Smircic 13, Representatives John Bar-
row (D-Ga) and Jack Kingston (R-Ga); Yuxi
Wang 14, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public.
Our Political Science majors thrived
in many other areas of the world, too.
Stephanie Cook 13 received a Dean Rusk
Grant to attend the Rif Valley Institutes
one week intensive Horn of Africa course
in Kilif, Kenya, with Dr. Menkhaus. She
also interned with the US State Department
in the Politics Section at the US Embassy
in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for ten weeks.
James Mersol 14 participated in a
6-week study abroad program in St. Pe-
tersburg, with a focus on Post-Soviet Poli-
tics and the current electoral systems, and
then traveled through China, Mongolia,
and Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Sun Dragas 13 spent her summer in Ser-
bia interning with Meet the State of Serbia
afer returning from
her semester abroad
in St. Petersburg, Rus-
sia. At the closing cer-
emony in Serbia, she
was greeted by HRH
Crown Prince Al-
exander II and
Princess Kath-
erine of Serbia!
L a u r a
Chuckray 14,
Paige Don-
nelly 14,
Ben Gold
14, Adeyemi
Mchunguzi
13, Elizabeth
Mondragon
14, Anto-
nio Rodri-
guez 14,
and Daniel
Seabrooks
14 returned from their
spring semester in the Davidson in Peru
program led by Dr. Crandall. Tey spent
14 weeks in Arequipa, Peru, taking cours-
es and various cultural trips. Tey were
also hosted at the US Embassy in La Paz
by Davidson alum Richmond Blake 09.
Tis years ffieth reunion class spon-
sored a lively discussion on the state of the
world in 1962 and 2012 centered on pre-
sentations by three Davidson political sci-
ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCoooonnnnnngggggggggggggrraattuuulattiiiiiiiiiooooooonnnnnsssss ttttttttttttttooooooooooooo BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBrrrrrrrriiiiiaaaaannnnnn SSSSSSSShhhhhhaaaawwwwwwwww!
Political Scientists and Alumni Look Back to 1962
Poli Sci Majors Return from
Abroad with more than just
a Resume Boost
velling Gnomes TTTTTTTTTTTTrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvv
entists: former US senator and ambassador to Saudi Arabia Wyche Fowler 62, Harvard political
science professor Graham Allison 62, and Brown Professor of East Asian Politics Shelley Rigger.
Rigger kicked of the session with the question, Is China the Soviet Union of today?
Allison called nuclear terrorism the single most signifcant threat to US national security,
though, compared to the Cuban Missile Crisis, todays nuclear danger is far less. According
to Fowler, the eve of the Arab Spring resembled the early 1960s in the US: with massive
cultural, economic and political changes just around the corner, few people anticipated
what was in store. Drawing on the previous two speakers remarks, Fowler observed that
the most momentous developments in human history are rarely predicted or predictable.
A string of thoughtful and challenging questions from the audience rounded out
the event, which lef little doubt that political analysis is an engaging pursuit for Da-
vidsonians across generations. (See the department webpage for the full story.)
4 PoliticalScienceSpotlight September 2012 September 2012 PoliticalScienceSpotlight 5
Spotlight Davidson at the DNC
For more from the mind of Dr. Putnam,
Check out his blog at:
frontloading.blogspot.com
Alumni at Party Conventions
DNC ~
J ill Sypult Marcus 86 catered the
opening media event. Her catering rm,
Something Classic, won the DNC catering
contract to serve 15,000 guests and was
also awarded the Charlotte Business J our-
nals Green Action Program Award!
Sam Spencer 07 was a Delegate to the
Democratic National Convention in Char-
lotte and as President of the Young Dem-
ocrats of North Carolina helped 32 Youth
Delegates and 4 Alternates win their seats
at the convention.
Anthony Foxx 93 is mayor of Char-
lotte, the host city.
Dan Murrey 87 ran the host committee
Both ~
Bill Riggs 05 is working for Public No-
tice in Washington, DC. They were at both
conventions urging candidates to address
the largest drivers of national debt and in-
clude a plan for debt reduction in their plat-
forms, in hopes of reigning in government
spending and overall debt.
J ohn Boswell 81 is the Southeast Bu-
reau Chief for the Fox News Channel and
his team covered both conventions
RNC ~
Kerby Teller 09 is currently lobbying
and doing business development for Pub-
lic Properties in Washington, DC. They are
one of the ofcial sponsors of a three-night
concert series held during the RNC in Tam-
pa and Kerby attended this along with other
convention events.
Billy Hackenson Reects on
his Internship with the DNC
Host Committee
Billy Hackenson
During the last semester, I had the op-
portunity to work with the Host Committee
for the 2012 Democratic National Conven-
tion. I was able to secure the internship
through Davidson and I worked closely with
the Communication Department for the du-
ration of my internship.
The Host Committee is the non-prof-
it, non-partisan branch of the committee
tasked with putting together all of the
events that complement the actual conven-
tion. I worked on compiling information
about press coverage, tracked journalists
who expressed interest in receiving our
news, and drafted external press releases.
I worked with some great, dedicated people
and spent 12 hours a week at the ofce in
Uptown. Throughout my time there, I in-
teracted with almost every member of the
staff and was able to sit in, and offer sug-
gestions, during staff meetings. I felt as if
I were truly a member of the team and that
I was able to represent the strength of a
liberal arts education from Davidson.
I am a huge proponent of internship
experiences complementing the academ-
ic experiences in the classroom and I am
very grateful for holding this position to put
together the practical experience with what
we are taught at Davidson.
Billy was also featured in the most recent Da-
vidson Journal and Te Davidsonian. He is highly
involved in Davidson life as the current SGA presi-
dent, a member of Kappa Alpha, a tutor for sever-
al diferent areas, and through service on several
college committees.
Te Waiting Game
How 4 years can make a huge
diference for DNC credentials
Dr. Josh Putnam
I
ts that time again. Te Summer Olym-
pics have come and gone and that oth-
er quadrennial rite of passage is upon
us: Another presidential election campaign
is once again in the of ng. In 2012, howev-
er, Davidson College is uniquely situated
with part of the spectacle the Democratic
convention -- taking place in our backyard.
It was only a month afer I joined the political
science faculty in January 2011 as a visiting pro-
fessor that the Democratic National Committee
announced its plans to hold its 2012 national
convention in Charlotte. Tis has proven to be
a boon for not only Davidson but for our de-
partment as well. First, it has given us a chance
to proudly show of how genuinely fabulous
our majors are as several have interned and/or
taken positions associated with the Convention.
But also, and if you twist my arm hard
enough, you might get me to admit that the
convention being in Charlotte was a big deal for
me, too. I say that both as someone who grew
up in the shadow of Charlotte and as someone
who went on to make presidential nomina-
tions and elections the basis of his doctoral
research. Presidential elections are fun to me.
Fun enough that writing a dissertation on presi-
dential primaries was not enough. I had to start
a blog Frontloading HQ on the subject, too.
It is that blog that has opened the door to
both conventions for me in 2012. In 2008, I
gained through the site some national media
attention as a graduate student, and halfeart-
edly attempted ultimately unsuccessfully to
gain credentials to the conventions. Tis cycle
has been diferent. I was ahead of the curve in
2011 in tracking the formation of the primary
calendar to the point that inquiring media ofen
told me they had contacted the RNC for details
only to have the party refer them to me. Later
on, the Romney campaign utilized the site as a
resource in a couple of press releases concern-
ing the delegate counts during the primaries.
Self-aggrandizing aside, this newfound at-
tention had the impact of making the appli-
cation process for credentials much easier this
time around. In both Tampa and Charlotte I
was anxious to see and cover what both parties
do concerning their nomination rules for 2016.
not that anyone many are thinking that
far ahead.
W
hen it was announced that Charlotte
was selected to host the 2012 Demo-
cratic National Convention, a group
of faculty, staf and students immediately set to
work to see how to best incorporate this event into
Davidsons educational mission. Troughout our
deliberations and planning, we remained steadfast
to the conviction that our participation and pro-
gramming were grounded in our non-partisan
approach to a partisan event. As chair of our
committee, my biggest challenge was to consider
the feasibility of our creative and exciting ideas.
Wouldnt it have been nice for Jon Stewart to host
his show from Duke Family Performance Hall?!
As detailed in the latest edition of Te Davidson
Journal, Davidson hosted a variety of speakers.
Some were more marquee guests, such as Kath-
leen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg School of
Communication who spoke on the state of cam-
paign advertising and the distortions that all too
ofen accompany these ads. Mark Shields of the
PBS News Hour spoke on the Presidency and 2012.
Less well-known speakers included Tom Jensen
of Public Policy Polling, and representatives of
Americans Elect, a now defunct group of young
citizens trying to have an online primary to
determine the presidential nominee. Te con-
vention planning committee worked to make
sure Davidson stood out in the community
while also preparing for the coming convention.
Troughout the spring and summer, a
number of Davidson students interned with
both Charlottes Host Committee as well as
the Democratic National Committee. Many
of the opportunities for student participation
came at the last minute. Davidson sent groups
of students to events such as a forum spon-
sored by the Congressional Black Caucus and
a town hall meeting Conversations with the
Next Generation sponsored by the National
Journal and Te Atlantic. Perhaps the most
memorable aspect of the DNC in Charlotte
was the excitement and enthusiasm exhibited
by students like Rahael Borchers (2015) who
spearheaded eforts to include almost 200 stu-
dents as volunteers at the Bank of America Sta-
dium for the culminating events of the last night
of the convention. Democratic and Republican
(continued on page 8 - DNC Planning)
Dr. Roberts is the Chair of Davidsons convention planning com-
mittee and was also recently featured on C-SPAN to discuss the
political dynamic in North Carolina heading into November.
(Watch her online at www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SusanRo)
rk Shields of MMMMMMarrr aa PBS NewsHour
ivered a riveting lecture dddddel ell e iiiii
out the 2012 race. aaabo bo ooo
ull video is available on AAAAA ffffffuuuuuuu
ybook.davidson.edu/?p=7650 dayyyy
Planning Committee Helps
Davidson Stand Out
Dr. Susan Roberts
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6 PoliticalScienceSpotlight September 2012 September 2012 PoliticalScienceSpotlight 7
Spotlight Faculty Spotlight Alumni
Wildcats in Elections
J ean DeOrnellas worked as a research assistant for
Dr. Roberts this summer. Her project, the Politics of
Contraception, focused mainly on new regulations for
insurance coverage of contraceptives under the Afford-
able Care Act and the multitude of bills introduced in
state legislatures over the past year relating to repro-
ductive issues.
J ean compiled and annotated primary and second-
ary sources on the Affordable Care Act (also known as
Obamacare) in order to sketch what the regulations
said and how they were received. It was fascinating to
go from reading the regulatory language in the Federal
Register to looking through the huge amount of news
articles, editorials, and blogs surrounding the issue,
she said. I could not only examine how well a fairly
technical regulation on insurance policy was transmit-
From articles by William Rupp in the Barrington Patch
(April 18 and June 25, 2012), with author permission
P
eter Costa Jr. (12) has set his sights
on representing voters in Barrington
and Warren, Rhode Island, for his frst
elective of ce. He formally announced his
candidacy for the District 67 seat on June
25
th
, the frst day to fle declaration papers.
One of his primary reasons for seeking
the seat is accountability, Costa said. Look
at the incumbents record... he missed 355
votes last year the second highest num-
ber in the House. Costa cites the legislative
website, RhodeIslandVotes.org, as his source
for that number, which shows 826 roll calls
and about 42 percent of those votes missed.
I will be accountable, he said. When
legislators dont vote, it is not representative
democracy. You need to be accountable to
your constituents. Communication between
legislators and their constituents doesnt end
on election day. People want representatives
who serve them, he said. Sometimes they lose
sight of whom they serve when they are in of-
fce too long. Costa said, he favors term limits.
land, such as manufacturing, hospitality and
health care, and getting people back to work.
Te recent Davidson College graduate said
he would bring ideas on policy that he has
picked up from other states that have lifed
themselves out of the economic recession,
such as North Carolina, Indiana, and Texas.
I dont think the legislature realizes how
much public policy can impact the econo-
my, said Costa, who describes himself as
something of a policy wonk. I have had
some unique experiences with things that
work out of state. To improve the business
climate in Rhode Island, he would elimi-
nate the minimum corporate tax and lower
the corporate income tax to make Rhode
Island more competitive with neighbor-
ing states. To help property taxpayers he
Elizabeth Langton 07 is working in New
York for a US Senator that is up for reelec-
tion.*
Andrew Wilkins 11 is Campaign Manager
for his fathers campaign for NCs second
congressional dis-
trict.*
Sarah Cottrell
Probst 01 was re-
cently elected Pres-
ident of the Board
of Directors for
Conservation Vot-
ers New Mexico
(CVNM) - a non-
partisan, non-proft
501c(4) organiza-
tion that works to
DDDDaviidddson Reepreeesennnntttteeeedddd in
p Eleccctiooonns iin Multttttiiiippppllllle SSSStaaaattteeeessssss
Maren Milligan
Teaching: Intro to the Politics of the Middle
East and North Africa
Dr. Milligan joins the department this
semester as a Visiting Assistant Profes-
sor through a joint appointment with
Queens University in a position designed
to strengthen Middle East Studies offerings
at both institutions. She received her PhD
at the University of Maryland in 2010. Her
work on institutions, identity and conict
appears in Comparative Politics (forthcoming) Middle East Report, ISIM,
and the Sada Journal of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
She has won a variety of awards and fellowships, including a Ful-
bright Islamic Civilizations grant. She has worked for the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, the National Democratic Insti-
tute, and the Middle East Research Information Project, along with
others in D.C. and overseas.
Paul-Henri Gurian
Teaching: Campaign Politics and a seminar
on the 2012 Presidential Campaign
Paul-Henri Gurian is this years J ames K.
Batten Visiting Professor of Public Policy.
He earned his Ph.D. from the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is on
leave from the University of Georgia, where
he has been a professor for 26 years. He
has taught graduate and undergraduate
courses on Campaign Politics, quantitative
methods, and on the 2000 campaign, recount and legal battles.
Pauls research focuses on presidential campaigns. He has pub-
lished a number of studies on presidential primaries, campaign
strategy and the electoral college. His current research includes
the impact of primaries on general election outcomes, the under-
lying structure of state electoral outcomes, and applying American
campaign theory to South Korean elections.
Costa believes there is a strong
need for more Republicans in the
legislature who will focus on the
needs of people for jobs, lower
taxes and getting government of
our backs. He considers himself
a fscal conservative but a mod-
erate Republican on social issues.
I want a limited government that
lets people live their lives he said.
Costa plans to focus on three ar-
eas if he is elected: Common sense
reforms of the tax code; relying on
industries that work in Rhode Is-
would push for a 1 percent tax cap on resi-
dential property and eliminate the car tax.
To reform government and improve leg-
islator accountability, he would push for
zero-based budgeting and term limits for
state legislators.
Costa plans to enroll at Roger Williams
University Law School in August. He is on
the April 24 ballot as a delegate for Repub-
lican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Costa does know his way around the State
House - He was a page for Barrington
Sen. David Bates while at Barrington
High School, and he spent a couple of
months early this year as a policy intern.
Why not start his political career on the
local level? I think I can make a big-
ger impact as a representative, he said.
make sensible conservation policies a top
priority for elected of cials, political candi-
dates, and voters across the state.
Lauren Khater 12 is an Organizing Fellow
for the Obama Campaign.
Doug Jackson 06, Finance Director for Janet
Cowell for North Carolina State Treasurer.
Rand Hartsell 86 will be a precinct election
judge in Champaign County, Illinois.
Bill Ferguson 05 was elected to the Mary-
land State Senate in 2010.
Ryan Gough 10 is the 2012 Iowa Victory
Director for the Romney Campaign. RNC
Chairman Reince Priebus said Iowa will play
a pivotal role in the upcoming election and
Im confdent that with Ryan Gough at the
helm, the RNC will run one of the most com-
prehensive voter outreach and voter turnout
operations in Iowas history.
*Alumni working for anyone involved in reelections may
not be able to comment on their exact function until
afer the election.
Recent Alum
Running for Ofce
in Rhode Island
ted through the media, but also how a nationwide dis-
cussion around insurance, contraceptives, and religious
freedom ultimately coalesced into two clear narratives,
each supported by a political party. I learned a lot about
both contraceptive policy and how to wade through the
mountain of analysis produced by a 24/7 news cycle.
She also compiled background on the HPV vaccine and
the morning-after pill. I am honored that Dr. Roberts
gave me the freedom to investigate independently un-
der a broad research question. We met periodically to
discuss our ndings and rene the plan going forward.
The other portion of her project culminated in a
spreadsheet cataloguing around 500 bills introduced
through state legislatures in 2011 on issues of repro-
ductive policy. Topics ranged from creating choose-life
license plates to providing a civil cause of action for
the murder of an unborn child. Some of the bills had
made national headlines, such as Arizonas Susan B.
Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimi-
nation Act of 2011 banning sex- or race- selective abor-
tions, but many others ew under the radar despite
their ability to enact big changes. It was eye-opening
to see the amount of work and change that is being
done in legislatures across the nation, J ean said. As
a political science student this project was a remind-
er of the sheer amount of information available to us
today, but also a reminder of how carefully social sci-
ence research must be analyzed since behind almost
all statistics there is a person just like me making
hundreds of judgment calls as they code their data.
Student/Faculty Collaboration
Jean DeOrnellas and Susan Roberts
Hard at Work on Reproduction Politics
Working with Dr. Roberts was an incred-
ible learning experience, and I hope my small
contribution will assist wherever her research
leads. - Jean DeOrnellas
PoliticalScienceSpotlight

Class of 2012 Awards
Ashley Augsberger has received a Fulbright English Language Teaching As-
sistantship for a year of teaching and research in Malaysia.
Alexandra Francis 12 has been named a junior fellow at the Carnegie En-
dowment for International Peace.
Cheng Bill Jin 12 was ofered a fellowship to attend the Wake Forest Uni-
versity Master of Science in Accountancy program, though he has decided to
work with a fnancial company in NY for the time being.
Tis years Proctor Award was given to Andrew David Evans. Andrews per-
formance in political science classes has been consistently excellent. From his
earliest forays into political theory to his honors thesis on John Calvin and
liberal democracy, Andrew has shown a penchant for digging deeply into texts
and articulating his thoughts with clarity an d grace.
Congratulations to all of our recent grads!!
Welcome Back, continued from pg 1
the questions, insights and methods that
animate our discipline to a wider audience.
Excitement over the DNC and the presi-
dential election may attract students to the
courses and lectures were ofering this year,
but its the great teaching and fascinating
material in those courses and many others
that will keep them coming back for more.
Interacting with alumni and other friends
is also critical to our success, because it en-
livens students experiences and helps them
recognize opportunities to work and serve.
Were happy to be back at work, and
were looking forward to a great year. We
hope you enjoy the newsletter, and, as al-
ways, we look forward to hearing your
news and feedback. Keep those emails
and Facebook posts coming our way!
Contact Us
Send us your questions,
updates, and greetings
[email protected]
www.Davidson.edu/PoliticalScience
Like us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/DavidsonCollege-
PoliticalScienceDepartment
DNC Planning, continued from pg 5
students worked feverishly on details such as
transportation and tickets. When weather forced
the DNC to keep all of the events in the Time
Warner Arena, students were crestfallen, but they
just regrouped and watched in the Student Union,
exemplifying the go-getter attitude of Davidson.
To keep the election spirit going, students
are turning their energies to activities such as
debates between the College Republicans and
the College Democrats and of course, getting
out the student vote on both sides of the aisle.
Recent Alums Engaged
in the White House
Congratulations to Alice Phillips 12 and
Bryce Bancrof 11 on their recent engage-
ment!!
Alice was interning in Washington this
summer and Bryce surprised her in the
White House one day with a ring and a
proposal - and she said yes!
Tank you to Lou Ortmayer for sharing
this great story (and picture) with us.
(Can you tell which famous room this is?)
In our Next Newsletter:
Davidson in India will be led
by a Political Science Faculty Mem-
ber in Fall of 2013 - the rst time
the department has had a hand in
the program since 1991!
Find out about local businesses
that are owned by our own alumni!
Read a prole of our previous
department chair, Tom Kazee
(you ask, we deliver!).
We will also highlight other alum
successes and campus happenings
so stay tuned!