GV PS

Political Science Major Helps Keep Community Warm

GVSU Political Science major Derrick Mathis coordinated a project called iGREW, which brought 1,000 coats to community members in need during the winter. For more details, check out the GVSU Success Story.

Study Abroad Scholarship Winners

Two International Relations students, Matthew Brainovich and Sean Wooster, have been awarded prestigious, nationally competitive Boren Scholarships for Study Abroad; Wooster was designated as an alternate. Recently, Brainovich was also awarded a GVSU Padnos Scholarship to study in Russia, while Wooster was awarded a GVSU Padnos Scholarship for study in Romania.

IR student Mario Amaya-Velasquez has won a GVSU Murray Scholarship to study in Perugia in the summer and fall, and he won a Sister Cities Scholarship as well, as detailed in our previous post.  

The GVSU International Relations Program has also awarded $500 Study Abroad Scholarships to Sarah Bierlein (Jordan), Sheila Garcia (Japan) and David Gallagher (Spain).

Students Win Sister City Scholarships to Study in Perugia, Italy

Congratulations to GVSU students Mario Amaya Velazquez and Angela Tramontelli for winning Sister City Scholarships to Study in Perugia, Italy. Mario is an International Relations major. He will study at the Universitá per Stranieri and then spend a semester at the University of Perugia, as part of a trilaterial exchange that was established through the work of GVSU Political Science Professor John Constantelos.

Mario Amaya Velazquez and Angela Tramontelli 

GV Now article

Paid Pre-law Internship at Miller Johnson

Pre-Law Student Intern

The Grand Rapids based law firm of Miller Johnson is seeking to hire a college student as an intern for the fall 2012 academic semester.  The internship is intended to provide a pre-law student with exposure to a law firm and attorneys.

The ideal candidate will be a junior or senior in college who intends to go to law school to pursue a legal career.  The student should have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a demonstrated commitment toward diversity and inclusion.

The position is scheduled for 10 hours per week while college is in session during the fall 2012 academic semester.  The student will not work immediately preceding and during exams or during breaks.  The pay is $10 per hour.

The type of work to be performed will include the following:

·  Legal support such as document review and deposition summaries.

·  Opportunities to work with attorneys and observe attorneys “in action” in court and other legal proceedings.

· Assistance with the firm’s diversity and inclusion function.  For example, the intern may help coordinate firm D & I activities and events.

· Assistance with the firm’s Human Resources function.  For example, the intern may gather and compile information regarding the community involvement of attorneys and staff.

Interested candidates should submit the following to Professor Mark Richards by no later than June 4, 2012:

· A current resume;

· An official transcript; and

· A brief statement of suitability in terms of your interest in pursuing a legal career and in terms of your commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Electronic applications will not be accepted. Applications may be submitted in person to the Political Science Department office, 1121 Au Sable Hall. Applications may also be mailed to:

Professor Mark Richards
Department of Political Science
1121 Au Sable Hall
1 Campus Drive
Allendale, MI 49401

 Finalists will be interviewed at Miller Johnson by the Diversity Partner and the Director of Human Resources during the weeks of June 18 and 25.  The successful candidate will begin work September 5.  

Batchelder Scholarship for GVSU Political Science Juniors

The John T. Batchelder Political Science Scholarship honors John Thayer Batchelder who served as a Grand Valley State University professor until his retirement in 1997.

The political science department is pleased to announce that we will be awarding a $2,000 scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year. Applications are due June 4, 2012. 

Follow this link for the application:  Download Batchelder-application-form-2012

Candidates for the scholarship must meet the following criteria:

 -Be entering their Junior year carrying a minimum of 55 credit hours.

 -Enrolled with full or part-time status as a Political Science major, degree-seeking student. 

 -Have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or greater (4.0 system) and an average GPA of 3.3 in prior Political Science courses as determined by the Political Science Department. Recipients shall be making satisfactory academic progress according to the norms established by the University and the Political Science Department.

 -Demonstration of financial need is not required although should the top candidates have equal academic qualifications, financial need may be considered. Candidates who wish financial need to be considered must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. 

-Transfer candidates must be accepted by Grand Valley State University for enrollment and recipients must be attending the University to be eligible to receive this scholarship. 

Politics of Post-Communist Europe

Click on image for full-size version.

PLS 382 is offered in the fall and explores the politics of countries such as Poland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Albania, etc. It fulfills your 300-level and World Perspective General Education requirement. It also counts for the Political Science and International Relations majors.  Sign up today!

 

 

Ready to Run Michigan: Women in Elected Office

From the GVSU Women's Center: 

(Click on image for full resolution.)

Michigan ranks 36^th in the nation when it comes to women in elected office, with women making up only 20.9% of the current legislature.  When you consider research from the University of Michigan showing that diverse groups of people are more productive and come to better solutions than homogeneous groups (see “In Professor’s Model, Diversity = Productivity,” The New York Times), the lack of women in our state, county, and municipal offices means we are missing an opportunity for healthier public debates and stronger public policies.

The low number of women in office is not a partisan problem; it is a Michigan problem.  But you can help to reverse this trend.  As a local political leader, you hold the keys to determining whether Michigan will remain near the bottom of diverse representation, or whether there will be opportunities for all Michiganders in elected office.  We ask that you look into your community and invite up-and-coming women leaders to attend Ready to Run Michigan!

Ready to Run Michigan will take place on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale.  This nonpartisan training is sponsored by the Grand Valley State University Women's Center, with funding provided by Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  The Ready to Run Michigan agenda features two tracks designed to accommodate the needs of women at different points in their political careers: "I'm Ready to Run...Now What?" and "I'm Not Ready To Run Yet, But..."  The first track is for women planning to run for office in the immediate future, while the second track is for those interested in getting more information about different ways to get involved in politics and how to position themselves for a possible run in the future. 

 

Fujimori and Peru: Two Events

Events hosted by Latin American Studies this week:

 

 

"Socio-Political Overview of Peru after 1990: The President Fujimori, The Washington Consensus and the New Challenges"

Date: April 4, 2012 
Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Location: Cook DeWitt Center - Allendale Campus

Dr. Jorge Parodi will discuss:

• An approach to the political process in Peru after 1900, President Fujimori's election and his downfall in 2000, the 'neoliberal' ideas after the Fall of Berlin Wall and the relationship with the United States and Japan.
• A cultural approach to Peruvian society. From Machu Picchu and the Inca Empire to new food revolution and Peruvian cuisine. The 90's free market ideas, a new Constitution and the new Peruvian spring for investments.
• The 90's violence agenda, Shining Path and Tupac Amaru movement and the defeat of terrorism. The failure of the war against narcotraffic. Vladimiro Montesinos, the "vladivideos gate" and the downfall of President Fujimori.
• Peru now and new challenges.

 

 

 

 

The Fall of Fujimori

Date: April 4, 2012 
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. 
Location: Cook DeWitt Center - Allendale Campus

2005/ 1 hr 24 min

Director: Ellen Perry
 

President Alberto Fujimori risked everything to win Peru's war on terror, but in doing so he became an international fugitive, wanted for corruption, kidnapping and murder.

Synopsis

In 1990, an unknown candidate named Alberto Fujimori rode a wave of popular support to become the president of Peru. He fought an all-out war on terror against the guerrilla organization Shining Path, and won. Ten years later, accused of kidnapping, murder and corruption, he fled Peru to his native Japan, where he was in exile for four years. Fujimori has remained virtually silent about the abrupt end of his controversial presidency, until now. He granted an unprecedented, in-depth interview to filmmaker Ellen Perry, who presents an intimate, chilling portrait of this enigmatic leader's rise and fall, interweaving never before seen footage from his regime with Fujimori's own words. As events unfold in his quest to return to Peruvian politics, The Fall of Fujimori offers a cautionary tale about power and corruption in the age of terrorism.

 

For more information, or special accommodations, please contact the Area Studies office, areastudies@gvsu.edu or 331-8110.

Ryan Meyer Wins Henry Internship

Ryan Meyer has been named the winner of the Henry Internship Competition. He will intern in Washington, D.C. this summer. Congratulations, Ryan!

The Paul B. Henry Foundation is named in honor of the late Paul B. Henry, who served West Michigan in the House of Representatives from 1985-1993

Outstanding Graduates in Political Science and International Relations

Alena Hontarava is the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Award for the International Relations Major for the 2011-2012 academic year. She graduated in December with a 3.9 GPA.  

Andrea Schedlbauer is the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Award for the Political Science Major for 2012. She graduated in December with a 3.9 GPA. 

Hontarava and Schedlbauer will be recognized at GVSU's Annual Awards Celebration next month. Congratulations!