GV PS

Student Postscript: Henry Fellow David Johnson

Grad interns in Washington

After graduation, Grand Valley alumnus David Johnson of Three Rivers found himself in the halls of Congress, working for U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland. Hoekstra selected Johnson to work as an intern in his Washington, D.C. office for the summer of 2004. "Working in a Congressional office has allowed me to play a direct role in the federal legislative process, and I am grateful to Congressman Hoekstra for bringing me on board for the summer," Johnson said. "The position has allowed me to gain a clearer understanding of issues affecting my home state, and I will return home with an experience that will not only look good on my resume but prove invaluable as I work to build a career." Johnson graduated from Grand Valley with a bachelor of arts degree in international relations. He was the recipient of Grand Valley's Paul B. Henry Scholarship, which included a stipend to help cover his living expenses during his time in Washington. He is the son of Chris and Cindy Johnson of Three Rivers. As an intern, he served in a supporting role for Hoekstra's Washington staff. He is responsible for attending hearings on behalf of staff, conducting research and leading tours of the Capitol with constituents. Upon completion of his internship, Johnson will return to Grand Rapids to resume his international sales and consulting position with HMI Worldwide, an international business firm. Among Johnson's highlights as an intern with Hoekstra, he met Detroit Shock Head Coach Bill Laimbeer at a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House with President George W. Bush to honor the basketball team for winning the 2004 WNBA championship. He also attended an address by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to a joint session of Congress.

SOURCE: www.gvsu.edu/successstory

Student Postscript: UM Law Students

Alumni attend top law school

The University of Michigan Law School is one of the most prestigious -- and selective -- in the nation. And this fall, five students from Grand Valley began their legal studies there. "We're talking about one of the top law schools in the country. It's extremely selective," said professor Mark Richards, the adviser of Grand Valley's pre-law program. "I think it says that The University of Michigan recognizes the quality of Grand Valley's programs if they're going to take five of our students in one year." Jennifer Weenum, of Muskegon, graduated from Grand Valley bachelor's in political science. She credits Grand Valley's political science faculty with helping her get into law school. "The political science faculty at Grand Valley are great. I felt most comfortable with them as they really understood what pre-law students were aiming for. With my political science professors and fellow students I discussed different law schools' benefits and disadvantages, strategies for applying, and what to expect once there." Angela Graves of Farmington Hills majored in Spanish and political science. She said she found herself pushed to excellence by her professors. "The professors I had at Grand Valley were really great at interacting with their students. This feature of my educational experience was influential in driving my desire to constantly improve the work I was doing for my classes," Graves said. "Additionally, many of the experiences I had outside of the classroom--such as studying abroad and working at the Grand Valley Children's Center--really stretched me and encouraged my personal and educational growth." Michael Mandarino of St. Joseph majored in history and minored in political science at Grand Valley. He said he benefited from the personal touch Grand Valley's small class sizes afford. "The ability to discuss things with the professor both during class and outside of class helped to build a relationship between the students and the professors that is completely absent at many other universities. I never knew a professor who would not take time to discuss something with a student if they showed interest in a particular subject. This interaction helped me develop skills that I use in school today and other personal attributes," Mandarino said. Pictured, from left, Michael Mandarino, Pennie Alger, Jennifer Weenum and Angela Graves. SOURCE: www.gvsu.edu/successstory

Student Postscript: Jenny Ventimiglia

Grad selected for Teach For America

Jennifer Ventimiglia, an April 2005 graduate, wanted to do something meaningful with her education. It was out of that desire that she applied for Teach For America. She has become one of the few accepted into the highly-selective program. Teach For America is a national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools. She was chosen from more than 17,000 graduating seniors and alumni. Only 16 percent of total applicants gained admission in 2004. Ninety-three percent of those accepted held leadership positions on their campuses or in their communities and on average earned GPAs of 3.5. Ventimiglia was assigned to the Washington, D.C. area to begin teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in the fall of 2005. "That area was my number one choice," said Ventimiglia. "My desire and focus is on narrowing the educational achievement gap in the U.S. In order to accomplish this, teachers -- including myself -- must not only focus on subject matter and standardized tests, but also on teaching students the intrinsic rewards that result from learning and independent thinking." She credits Grand Valley's Community Working Classics (CWC) program and Michael DeWilde, assistant professor of philosophy, with preparing her for Teach For America. The CWC is a service-learning program in which Grand Valley students apply knowledge obtained in the classroom to designing a curriculum based in the Humanities and teach it to members in the community. Ventimiglia taught her designed courses at the Muskegon Correctional Facility and the Grand Rapids Job Corps Center. Ventimiglia earned a 3.8 GPA with a double major in Group Social Studies and International Relations. She said after her two year teaching appointment in Washington, D.C., she will have met the requirements to earn her teaching certificate and master's degree. The Clinton Township native said she decided to become a vegan (doesn't eat meat or dairy products) four years ago and enjoys reading, writing and traveling, especially after studying abroad in England. SOURCE: www.gvsu.edu/successstory

Student Postscript: Sam Moore

Grand Valley Political Science major Sam Moore got his political start in his home town of Grayling when he was just 14. He successfully ran his mother's campaign for county clerk/register of deeds. At 22, he was the youngest Michigan delegate to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. Moore, a senior and political science major at Grand Valley, was elected at the state convention in May to represent the First District, which covers Grayling. "There were nine people running for three spots; I got in by one vote," Moore said. His time in New York was jammed with briefings and receptions because Moore is also the chairman of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans. "It was a working trip, a time to rally the party base before the November election." Moore says Grand Valley did a wonderful job of preparing him for a career in business and politics. He credits the administration for looking out for students' needs and faculty members for pushing students to get involved. "The political science professors encourage students to get real-world experience and to get involved in one of the great internships offered through Grand Valley." SOURCE: GVSU's Success Stories, www.gvsu.edu/successstory

Student Postscript: Erion Veliaj

Alumnus remains committed to social change in Balkans

As graduation day drew near at the end of 2002, Grand Valley political science major Erion Veliaj was faced with two career paths. He could work at the United Nations, where he had served as a delegate for the 2001 U.N. World Conference Against Racism, or join a grassroots social crusade in impoverished Albania, his native country. He put it simply: "Between a high-paying job in the U.N. and a satisfying citizens' campaign for my own people in Albania, I chose the second." Veliaj began 2003 as campaign director for Enough!, a comprehensive effort to reverse the massive corruption and poverty that blight Albania. Veliaj's choice didn't surprise Grand Valley political science chair John Constantelos, who calls his former student a "shining star" of the department. Veliaj's resume includes managing relief efforts for Kosovar refugees, participating in post-apartheid reconciliation initiatives in South Africa, and co-founding a leadership-training organization for Balkan youth. He has consulted with U.S. and European government agencies, traveled to more than 60 countries, and is fluent in at least four languages. He is 23 years old. "He's done more in his 23 years than most of us would ever hope to do," Constantelos said. "He's the most enterprising student I've met." As a teenager in Albania when the country was going through tremendous political upheaval in the 1990s, Veliaj found a niche in working with street children and orphans. In 1998 he traveled to the United States, where he was named an honorary citizen of Memphis, Tenn., for his philanthropic work with Eastern European orphanages. Veliaj was a freshman at Grand Valley when the war in Kosovo broke out in 1999, drawing him back to the Balkans with the Michigan-based organization, International Aid, Inc., to manage relief efforts for Kosovar refugees. In 2000, weary of working to patch up the devastating after-effects of war and corruption, Veliaj and his friends decided to instead focus their efforts on the Balkan region's future leaders. The result, the far-reaching organization Balkans YouthLink (www.balkansyouth.org), was recently commended by the U.S. Congress. Over his time at Grand Valley, Veliaj consulted for agencies of the United Nations, the U.S. Department of State, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and several civil, relief, and philanthropy groups. His awards include Best Prime Minister at the model European Union (from among 400 students) and being named GVSU Distinguished International Student three years in a row. SOURCE: GVSU Success Stories; www.gvsu.edu/successstory

Pi Sigma Alpha

Did you know the Political Science Department has an honor society?

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, was established at the University of Texas in 1920. It is the only national honor society for college and university students of government. There are currently 621 chapters of Pi Sigma Alpha around the United States, including the Kappa Phi chapter at Grand Valley State University. Information on the national chapter can be found here.

Initiation into to Pi Sigma Alpha is a prestigious award for upper division students who have demonstrated consistent excellence in political science and related majors and minors. Initiation into Pi Sigma Alpha also establishes one's eligibility to participate in Pi Sigma Alpha scholarship and internship grant programs, and to publish research in the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics. For information about eligibility requirements and campus activities contact Paul J. Cornish, Advisor to the Kappa Phi chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, at (616) 331-3502 or cornishp@gvsu.edu.

Welcome

Welcome to GV PS, the blog of the Political Science Department, including the International Relations and Pre-law programs, at Grand Valley State University.

Why PS? Besides the abbreviation for political science, we think of it as a "postscript" to your usual interactions with faculty and peers. We will use the blog to increase networking and interaction among faculty, students and alumni. We will be blogging about "our" (that means your) own stories. Here are some examples of what we will be covering:

Students
Did you have an interesting internship?
Are you studying abroad?
Did you get accepted to law school?
Do the seniors have advice for students just starting out?
Do you have a blog or website that you want to share with our community?

Alumni
Where are you now, and what are you doing?
Did you get an advanced degree?
Did you get a promotion or a new job?

Faculty
What research are faculty members working on or having published?
What awards and grants have been won by our faculty?
Does your favorite professor have expertise to share on breaking news?

As you can see, there will be many possibilities for you to share your stories. Please email Dr. Mark Richards (richardm@gvsu.edu) if you have something to share.