DC alum update

Cat Fish '08 lands a job in DC:

I'm working for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Independent Expenditure Program, which operates independently of each congressional race and of the DCCC's campaign operation. My job is a Political Assistant. There are four "Pol-Ass"s who each work under two political desks that run the polling and advertising for 30 competitive House races across the country. In brief, my job is to be the point of contact for vendors and on-the-ground field programs, and to track the progress of the research, political, and legal components of the process as we create and implement the campaign polling and advertising.

The DCCC IE is made up of about 25 twenty-somethings from all over, who all live and breath campaign. The staff is in the office about 12hours a day, 6 days a week and still never seems to have enough time to get everything done (talk about a wake up call after only 3 hours of class a day in college!). This first week has been intense, but I'm learning so much, meeting great people and having a blast.

Model UN Conference: Seattle

If you are interested in going as part of a team or individually, let me know; the department will help defray registration costs for majors or minors--

Dear Professor,

My name is Sameer Kanal, and I am serving as the Secretary-General of Northwest Model United Nations 2008. In looking through schools in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and the western portion of Canada, we at Northwest Model United Nations have identified a great deal of schools to invite to join us at this year's conference. We hope you will consider our invitation.

Northwest Model United Nations (NWMUN) is an academic conference teaching about and simulating the United Nations. We simulate five different organs of the United Nations and bring together hundreds of students to learn by action in the process. Additionally, we have speakers who address specific issues of the day to students. Our keynote speaker this year is US Ambassador Carey Cavanagh, who established the United States' embassy in Georgia and will be speaking about protracted conflicts in that region.

Our conference will be held November 7-9, 2008 in Seattle, Washington. No prior experience in Model United Nations is necessary, and it is an affordable opportunity to gain such experience in both Model United Nations and working with international issues generally. If you are interested in attending, or would like more information, please feel free to contact me directly. You can also view our website for more information at http://www.nwmun.org. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

--
Sameer K. Kanal
Secretary-General
Northwest Model United Nations 2008
http://www.nwmun.org

Cell: 360-921-7653
Email: sg@nwmun.org

Alum looking for internship/networking in Seattle

All:

Laurel Bandy '07 is back from her Mountbatten Internship in the UK and on the job hunt in Seattle from Denver and hoping to make some contact with Seattle alums who might have any advice on internships or other opportunities. Anyone out there willing to spend some time by email, phone or in person? She'll be in Seattle next week. If you are, drop me an email: poneil@ups.edu. Many thanks!

Tashi Chogyal '09: Protests for Tibet

Tashi, dressed as a monk, at the protest in Vancouver BC in front of the Chinese Consulate

PG student Tashi Chogyal '09 was busy this summer as part of protests against China's control over Tibet. He was arrested in Canada, while others were detained in Beijing. You can read more about the protests here:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/portlander_detained_in_beijing.html

http://picasaweb.google.com/mbernabei/2008_08_06


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080806.wolycanadaprotests0608/BNStory/National/home

Tashi wanted me to let students know that students for a Free Tibet meet every Wednesday at 8 pm in Trimble; the club can be contacted at sft@ups.edu for questions or to be put on the mailing list.

No politics please, we're at college

From Inside Higher Education:

Sporting an Obama or McCain button? Driving a car with one of the campaigns’ bumper stickers? You might need to be careful on University of Illinois campuses.

The university system’s ethics office sent a notice to all employees, including faculty members, telling them that they could not wear political buttons on campus or feature bumper stickers on cars parked in campus lots unless the messages on those buttons and stickers were strictly nonpartisan. In addition, professors were told that they could not attend political rallies on campuses if those rallies express support for a candidate or political party.

Spring internships with Patty Murray

Internships with
U.S. Senator Patty Murray

173 Russell Senate Building (202) 224-2621
Washington, D.C. 20510 http://murray.senate.gov

U.S. Senator Patty Murray is looking for interns who want to learn more about the federal government and want to be part of a hardworking team dedicated to serving the citizens of Washington state.

Qualifications Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate college students who have completed at least one year of college and whose permanent residence is the state of Washington or are attending a Washington state college or university.

Program Outline Internship sessions are generally scheduled on the academic quarter: fall, winter, spring, summer. Internships are unpaid and are available for school credit if approved by your college or university. D.C. interns typically work full time (40 hours per week), however part-time schedules can be accommodated. All state internships are part-time. Senator Murray’s D.C. office offers legislative and press internships. Outreach and constituent casework internships are available in the state offices.

Job Description Interns work in all areas of the office. Responsibilities include: research, written and verbal communication with constituents and federal agencies, assisting at press conferences, attending briefings, and performing a variety of administrative tasks including fielding calls from constituents and greeting visitors.

Contact D.C. internships: Washington state internships:

Office of Senator Patty Murray Office of Senator Patty Murray

Attn: Ms. Amaia Kirtland Attn: Ms. BethAnn Hoover

173 Russell Senate Office Building 2988 Jackson Federal Building

Washington, D.C. 20510 Seattle, WA 98174-1003

(202) 224-2621 (206) 553-5545

dcinternship@murray.senate.gov interncoordinator@murray.senate.gov

Information and Application: http://murray.senate.gov/internship

(not) Pac Rim Shanghai

The Pacific Rim folks on currently in Shanghai, having already hoofed it through Mongolia. PG major Kate Trinh '09 is part of the group, and she's blogging from there and took the picture above. Check out her blog: meirong87.blogspot.com

Update: See post below--I'm totally wrong. Kate's on study abroad separate from Pac Rim. My mistake. Thanks, Jesse!

Intern with Pat McCarthy for County Executive

Good experience (and you'll get to work with an alum who is running the campaign):

The campaign to elect Pat McCarthy Pierce County Executive is looking for hard working interns and volunteers to work on one of the most competitive races in the state. Pat is a Democrat in a four-way Instant Runoff Voting/Ranked Choice Voting race. This is the first time Pierce County has held an IRV/RCV election. Volunteers will be able to participate in a wide range of activities including door-to-door canvassing, GOTV, and helping organize and put on events. Interns and volunteers will gain valuable hands on campaign experience. We will work to fulfill any requirements for credit.

Contact: pat@patmccarthy2008.org or (253) 238-3629

I'm Arch(es)-famous

A piece in the upcoming Arches all about me and my trip to Iran. Online here.

College and networks, personal and virtual

From the New York Times. An interesting piece not just about the startup, but how a college graduate used the alumni network to find an investor:

Now Goldman goes to work every day on Park Avenue, in an office with an interior window through which he can keep tabs on his 25 employees, nearly all of them even younger than he. This month his Web site, called Unigo.com — a free, gigantic, student-generated guide to North American colleges for prospective applicants and their families — went live for the benefit of tens of thousands of trepidatious high-school students as they try to figure out where and how to go to college. Not coincidentally, it also aims to siphon away a few million dollars from the slow-adapting publishers of those elephantine college guidebooks that have been a staple of the high-school experience for decades. A lot of the classic narratives about a young man’s coming of age may seem fatally old-fashioned in the new century, but apparently, Horatio Alger still lives.

LSAT strategies seminar tonight!

Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and Kaplan have partnered to provide the
tools necessary for you to get into law school. *September 22nd in Trimble
Forum at 6-8:30pm* Kaplan is hosting a FREE law school admission and LSAT
strategies seminar. This is an amazing opportunity extended to all
interested students. The following night, September 23rd in Trimble Forum at
6-8:30pm, Kaplan is returning with test preparatory prizes to be raffled.
Come learn about the most up-to-date admission and LSAT strategies and
discover the UPS pre-law community. Feel free to e-mail
PhiAlphaDeltaUPS@gmail.com if you have any questions.

The presidential election: An electoral tie?

Hat tip: Professor Sousa. From the Blog FiveThirtyEight:

The latest in our occasional series informing you about the country's worst nightmare: a 269-269 Electoral College tie...

As you may have noticed from our scenario chart, the probability of a tie has increased dramatically in recent days and now stands at 3.2 percent. This is partly because, as we draw closer to election day with the race remaining tight, the probability of any one candidate running away with the election diminishes -- meaning that all "close" electoral permutations, including ties, become more likely...

Read more here, if you dare.

Now you'll never get rid of us

The dead wood gets fossilized--

Given the dramatic drops on Wall Street, it’s not surprising that many in academe are wondering about the status of their retirement funds. But a big question for academe may be whether those funds are shrinking substantially enough to prompt professors to delay retirement. Many think that the drops this week — coming in a year in which funds were already going down — may in fact be that significant.

Read more at Inside Higher Ed.

Don't buy that (text)book--download it

From the New York Times:

In protest of what he says are textbooks’ intolerably high prices — and the dumbing down of their content to appeal to the widest possible market — Professor McAfee has put his introductory economics textbook online free. He says he most likely could have earned a $100,000 advance on the book had he gone the traditional publishing route, and it would have had a list price approaching $200.

“This market is not working very well — except for the shareholders in the textbook publishers,” he said. “We have lots of knowledge, but we are not getting it out.”

As a textbook author, one thing I would comment is that even when there is an electronic version available for a fraction of the price, most students don't choose that option. What's the reason? Is this similar to the Kindle issue, where many people simply want to have a physical book rather than an electronic file? Is there a tactile factor?

Talk: This Land is Whose Land?

Intern with Darcy Burner's campaign for Congress

My name is Ed Smith with the Darcy Burner campaign. She is a democrat running for the United States House of Representatives in the 8th Congressional District. It's a highly competitive race that is getting national attention. We are interested in extending internship opportunities to your students and will comply with any aspects of receiving credit for class. The internship will be in the field department of the campaign. Interns will help assist in implementing our get out the vote strategy. My contact information is below if you have any questions.

Best Regards

Ed Smith
Darcy Burner for Congress
21707 Meridian Ave E
Graham, Washington
o. 253-262-1571
c. 314-705-4975
ed@darcyburner.com

Is you coming? Homecoming!

Let us know if you'll be in town; if I hear from enough PG alums we'll try to do some social event!

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

Celebrate Puget Sound's stories and share your own at Homecoming 2008!

September 26 & 27, 2008

View the schedule of all the Logger adventures for the weekend. Be sure to register for events, discover where to stay, and find answers to your frequently asked questions.

Connect with fellow Loggers before Homecoming through LOGGER[net], the newly enhanced alumni online community.

See photos from past Homecoming/Reunion weekends and get excited for the 2008 adventures!

No more poli sci; just give me an MRI

From USA Today:

"I think it is damn interesting that moral beliefs, for example, of one kind vs. another, reliably and reproducibly activate certain brain regions. Don't you?" says Gazzaniga, author of Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique. "In the big picture, we are moving toward a brain-based theory of why we believe the things we do as humans."

Read the whole thing here.

Davies-Jackson Scholarship: Deadline November 12

Go see the folks in the Fellowship Office (Howarth 114) about this:

The Davies-Jackson Scholarship presents a unique opportunity for students with exceptional academic records, who are among the first in their families to graduate college, to participate in a course of study at St. John’s College at the University of Cambridge. After two years of study, candidates are awarded a Cambridge B.A. degree, known as the Cantab degree, which is often viewed as the equivalent of a masters degree in the U.S.

Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich educational environment of St. John’s, which was founded in the 16th century, by reading in one of the following subjects: Archaeology and Anthropology, Classics, Economics, English, Geography, History, History of Art, Modern and Medieval Languages, Music, Philosophy, or Social and Political Sciences.

Application materials for the 2009 Davies-Jackson Scholarship will be accepted September 15-November 14, 2008.

ACLU Internships, Seattle

The Field Department of the ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) coordinates and encourages the activism of ACLU members statewide to promote and protect civil liberties. Activism occurs through the ACLU-WA chapters, student clubs, the e-mail activist network, and members. Our activities to advance an issue include leafleting, organizing phone banks, staffing information tables, and providing resources to community groups. Field Interns are utilized year-round to assist the Field Department in achieving its goals.
The minimum time commitment for academic year interns is one quarter. Average hours per week are 12-20 hours with flexibility for actual days worked. All positions are unpaid; interns are encouraged to earn credit for their time, but volunteers are welcome as well.
Responsibilities include:
• Research for local campaigns and projects
• Volunteer coordination for various campaigns and chapter activities
• Basic office responsibilities such as mailings, database entry, photocopying
• Filing, etc. Phone banking and outreach to targeted groups
Experience in community organizing or grassroots organizations is highly recommended.
Located in Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, the ACLU-WA office is a friendly and fun place to work. Internships with the Field Department offer you a chance to make a difference while you build your experience and resume.
To apply, please mail or email a resume, writing sample and cover letter, to the Field Department. (The writing sample should be no longer than three pages.)
ACLU-WA Field Department
705 Second Avenue, Suite 300
Seattle, WA, 98104
or
field@aclu-wa.org
All interested individuals, including women, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people, disabled people and people over 55 are encouraged to apply.

Scoville Fellowship for recent graduates

Deadline is October 15 for spring; February for fall 09. Get all the details here.

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Program invites college graduates to apply for full-time, six-to-nine month Fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public-interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy.

Program and Purpose

Scoville Fellows will choose to work with one of the twenty-five organizations participating in the Program. With the assistance of the Program Director, Fellows will select a placement which best matches their interests and the needs of the host organization. Participating organizations provide office space and support, supervision and guidance for Fellows' work. With the exception of Congressional lobbying, Fellows may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and organizing that support the goals of their host organization.

The purpose of the Fellowship is to provide an opportunity for college graduates to gain practical knowledge and experience by contributing to the efforts of nonprofit, public-interest organizations working on peace and security issues.
Stipend and Benefits

The Fellows receive a stipend of $2,100 per month and health insurance, plus travel expenses to Washington, DC.

Issue Areas Covered by the Scoville Fellowship include the following:

* Arms Control/Disarmament, including Nuclear Test Ban, Ballistic Missile Proliferation/Defense, Conventional Arms Transfers, Weapons Proliferation--Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
* Conflict Prevention/Resolution
* Defense Budget
* Dismantling Chemical and Nuclear Weapons in the former Soviet Union
* Economic Conversion
* Environmental Security, including Environmental Impact/Cleanup of Nuclear Weapons Production Complex
* Export Controls
* International Security
* Regional/Ethnic Conflicts, including East Asia, South Asia, Former Yugoslavia, Middle East, Newly Independent States
* United Nations, including UN Peacekeeping

Selection Criteria

Prospective Fellows are expected to demonstrate excellent academic accomplishments and a strong interest in issues of peace and security. Graduate study, a college major, course work, or substantial independent reading that reflects the substantive focus of the fellowship is also a plus. Prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy is highly desirable. It is preferred, but not required, that such activities be focused on peace and security issues.

Experience with public-interest activism or advocacy can include the following:

* Organizing a campus forum, letter-writing campaign, meeting with decisionmakers, or rallies
* Working with or joining a campus, local, or national organization
* Active participation in conferences
* Writing and publication of opinion pieces

Candidates are required to have completed a baccalaureate degree by the time the Fellowship commences. Preference is given to United States citizens, although a Fellowship to a foreign national residing in the U.S. is awarded periodically based on availability of funding. The Scoville Fellowship is not intended for students or scholars interested in pursuing independent research in Washington, DC.

Preference will be given to individuals who have not had substantial prior public-interest or government experience in the Washington, DC area.

Tacoma Defies Recession?

From the Milliken Institute's report on the Best Performing Cities, 2008. Hat tip: Exit133:

Tacoma, Washington, leaps to 8th place, moving up from last year’s ranking of 50th. The area has enjoyed stable employment growth, coming in slightly above 3.0 percent for the period measured in our five-year indicator. Although its housing and business costs are close to the national average, they are inexpensive relative to nearby Seattle. Low housing costs have attracted many young families, including professionals who work in Seattle. As more professionals move into the area, firms have opened offices to tap into the labor pool. For example, Intel employs 1,100 in the metro division. Data processing, hosting, and related services enjoyed average annual job growth of 17.2 percent over the past five years.

International trade plays an important role in the area’s economy as well. The Port of Tacoma specializes in inbound containers from Asia and has benefited from capacity constraints at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Its largest exports are wood products and apples. The industry category of support activities for transportation has the highest concentration of employment in the metro economy, and many other transportation-related categories rank among the leaders.

The military also has a large presence in the Tacoma economy. The U.S. Army base at Fort Lewis is the largest employer, with 37,000 soldiers and workers; along with McChord Air Force Base, it provides a steady source of demand. Aslowdown in construction activity will curtail growth in the local economy, but nevertheless, Tacoma should remain among the best performers in the country.

Political Science Student Association Meets Thursday

The Political Science Student Association is having its first meeting of the year! Thursday, September 11, 6pm in Wyatt 301.
Join PSA in all things social, political and governmental!
(and pizza)

Expanding the university mission?

What do you think?

When Columbia University engineering students were asked to design a better walker for residents of Harlem’s largest nursing home, they were not just helping elderly folks with hip problems have a better life through design — they were working for grades.

In an unusually aggressive push of the popular “service learning” concept, 500 engineering students will earn academic credit this year participating in projects around Harlem: designing swings for people in wheelchairs, building an environmentally sustainable greenhouse at a local high school and creating a trash can that can be used by the severely disabled, and others.

For the past six years, such service learning has been a graduation requirement for all of Columbia’s engineering majors, in what experts say is one of just a handful of programs nationwide to make mandatory what used to be known as volunteerism.

“We obviously want to create engineers and applied scientists who are technically adept, but also effective in this global society,” said Jack McGourty, the associate dean of Columbia’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “We want to create students who are socially aware.”

At Columbia, other academic departments are now considering integrating service into the curriculum, and community projects have become a key part of the university’s sales pitch to prospective students.

Read the whole thing here.

Public Policy and International Affairs Summer Insitutes

Deadline:
Deadline: November 1. All information can be found here.

Junior Summer Institutes

UC Berkeley | Michigan | Carnegie Mellon | Maryland | Princeton

The PPIA Junior Summer Institutes (JSI) have been the hallmark of the PPIA Fellowship Program for over 20 years. JSI is an intensive seven-week summer program that focuses on preparing students for graduate programs in public and international affairs and careers as policy professionals, public administrators and other leadership roles in public service. The JSI curriculum includes economics, statistics, domestic/international policy issues and leadership topics, all designed to sharpen the students' quantitative, analytic and communication skills. Extracurricular activities are also included. These skills are vital for admission into the top graduate programs in public and international affairs. The successful completion of a summer institute is a requirement for PPIA Fellows.

As a PPIA Fellow you are entitled to the following benefits:

* Full tuition at a PPIA Junior Summer Institute.
* Eligibility to receive assistance with travel expenses.
* Minimum of $1,000 stipend.
* University housing with a meal plan.
* Books and related course materials.
* GRE prep.

Fellowship Eligibility Criteria & Guidelines

All prospective PPIA Fellows are expected to dedicate themselves to the traditions and objectives of the PPIA Fellowship Program, have an abiding commitment to public service and contribute to more diverse perspectives in public policy and international affairs. The following are more specific criteria and guidelines:

• Must be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident.
• Must have completed junior year of college by the start of Junior Summer Institute (JSI) and have at least one full semester or two quarters of coursework remaining before graduation.
• Must not have attained a Bachelor’s Degree prior to start of Junior Summer Institute.
• Must be committed to completing a Master’s Degree in public and/or international affairs at one of the PPIA Consortium graduate schools.
• Must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a professional career associated with public service such as government, nonprofits, humanitarian and international organizations and other related programs.
• Must contribute to the diversity of perspectives.
• Economic need is given consideration.
• All academic majors are welcome to apply.

Political Science Student Conference

If you are interested in attending, there is student travel money available from campus and the department. Come see us about applying.

Call for Papers
17th Annual Illinois State University Conference for Students of
Political Science
Bone Student Center
Normal , Illinois
March 20, 2009

All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit papers for
the seventeenth annual Conference for Students of Political Science sponsored by the
Illinois State University Department of Politics and Government.

We welcome papers on any topic related to government and/or politics.
All subfields and political science perspectives are welcome. Panelists at the
previous conferences included 750 students attending 100 colleges and universities.

If you are interested in participating in this exciting event, please
complete the online proposal submission form or submit a cover letter, containing your contact information (including email address), your school, and the name of the faculty member with whom you are working, and a draft copy of your paper (or the actual paper) by February 8, 2009.

Conference website (and submission page):
http://www.politicsandgovernment.ilstu.edu/current/conferences/

If you would like to serve as a discussant on a panel, please send a
letter stating your interest and main areas of scholarly knowledge. E-mail submissions are welcome.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email:
gmklass@ilstu.edu or
call us at (309) 438-8638.

This conference is sponsored by the Undergraduate Political Science
Association, The Graduate Student Association, Pi Sigma Alpha, and
The Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University.
Best Paper awards are funded through a contribution from Pi Sigma Alpha.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the
conference coordinators:

Gary Klass, student conference coordinator
4600 Department of Politics and Government
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61790-4600.
(309) 438-7852
gmklass@Ilstu.edu

Civic Scholarship Initiative

From the president and dean:

The Civic Scholarship Initiative at the University of Puget Sound, commissioned by President Thomas in 2004 and made into a reality by members of the faculty, has been remarkably successful in developing and distinguishing the university’s distinctive scholarly assets, linking academic excellence with civic responsibility, enhancing the learning environment for students and faculty, and raising the profile and reputation of the university nationally. Faculty and student work in sustainability, in race and pedagogy, and in strategies to eliminate homelessness, among other initiatives, has produced important scholarship, influenced policy, generated scholarly partnerships, and earned recognition regionally, nationally and beyond our borders.

We are now working with faculty leadership to embark upon a project to expand the Civic Scholarship Initiative and transition to a full-fledged Center for Strategic Issues. We invite and encourage all faculty, staff, and students to review a memo outlining the goals and objectives of the new center at


A Center for Strategic Issues at Puget Sound will embody the principle that a great private liberal arts college can have a significant public purpose. It is an academic centerpiece of the strategic plan’s goal to establish Puget Sound as a national liberal arts college—with the imprint of the Pacific Northwest—that stands with distinction among the most highly regarded colleges in the nation.

We look forward to collaborating with you on the development and realization of the goals of the Center for Strategic Issues, and the further realization of Puget Sound’s strategic plan.

Sincerely,

Ron Thomas
Kris Bartanen

Intern in Olympia--get paid--lobby for student aid

A nice mix of opportunities for a PG student:

ICW Legislative Internship

January 12 – mid-April 2009 (all or part)

Be on the front lines of policy making and gain unique job experience. The 2009 session is a critical session for student aid funding. We’re looking for students who want to be part of the process and make a difference for students.

Who may apply:

Juniors and Seniors in any discipline

Apply by November 15

Students may work out course credit with a faculty member if allowed by the college.

Job Requirements:

We’re looking for students with an interest in student aid policy, strong writing and speaking skills. Students who are Washington residents and/or receive some from of state or federal aid a plus. Strong candidates must be flexible and ability to respond to changing circumstances with composure. Desire to learn and make a difference for students is important. Ability to get to Olympia on a regular basis will be critical.

Job Description

• Work 10 – 12 hours per week for a minimum of three weeks in Olympia with staff from Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW) to urge increases in student aid funding. ($12 - $15 / hour). (Monday mornings and Friday afternoons are not the best work days)
• Assignments will include research, bill tracking, meeting with legislators, attending and testifying in committees.
• Interns will receive a capitol campus and process orientation from ICW staff, lessons on the legislature’s bill tracking data base, etc.
• Writing assignments will include writing materials to prepare for meetings with legislators and before testimony, and may include opinions pieces for newspapers.

To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, faculty reference letter and essay to ICW@ICWashington.org. Essay topic should help the selection committee understand why you’re interested in this position.

Welcome, Freshmen!

Greetings--

From the Department of Politics and Government I would like to welcome you to campus. As you'll see, the department keeps a regular blog where we post events, opportunities (fellowships, internships, jobs), alum updates and anything else we think might be of interest. Every week or so we send out an update listing what's on the blog.

We hope that if you are interested in Politics and Government for a major or minor you'll give us a shout. My office is in Wyatt 222; feel free to come by if you want to know more. Best wishes for a good school year.

Professor Patrick O'Neil, Department Chair

Students, Profs, and Presidential Conventions

From Chronicle of Higher Education:

St. Paul — When Sarah Palin wanted to do an early-morning run-through of her speech accepting the vice-presidential nomination on Wednesday, Secret Service agents knocked on David Grill’s hotel-room door at 5:30 a.m.

It’s all part of the job for Mr. Grill, who is an assistant professor of theater design and technology at the State University of New York College at Purchase and is the lighting director at this week’s Republican National Convention here.

While a number of faculty members are attending the Republican gathering as delegates or alternates, others, like Mr. Grill, have critical, behind-the-scenes roles...

Read more here.

Caitlin Boersma '09 Interns for Exit 133

An update from Caitlin Boersma on her internship with Exit 133, the all things Tacoma blog founded by PG alum Derek Young '96:

This summer I was an intern for Exit133.com, a website focused on the politics, arts, real estate, and urban development of Tacoma. With a home base at Suite133, a co-working office space downtown, founder Derek Young and Whitney Rhodes field post submissions and tips from local organizations and readers, keep up with the trends and rumors of the Tacoma blogosphere, attend public meetings, organize community events, and keep their ears to the ground for any new developments that could be of interest to Exit133 readers.

My job included going around each neighborhood business district to take photos of businesses, confirm their location, and enter loads of business address and contact information for the new Neighborhoods section of the site. I also attended city council meetings and wrote short posts for the blog. Overall I enjoyed learning about local government and getting to know Tacoma from a local perspective - which can be quite different from the perspective of UPS students. I also learned how to play bocce ball, which will probably turn out to be an important life skill.

Exit133 is currently looking for more contributors to write posts and attend public meetings. Yes, it pays. If you're interested in Tacoma or local government, this is a great opportunity to get involved. Contact derekyoung@exit133.com for more information.

Work for Obama in Tacoma

GOP has opportunities as well--contact the King County GOP.

Internship Opportunities with Obama Campaign for Change

The Washington Obama Campaign for Change is looking for hardworking, dedicated, individuals who want extensive, hands-on campaign experience.

Internship responsibilities include but are not limited to various administrative and field duties including:
• Managing and recruiting volunteers
• Contacting voters, both on the phone and door-to-door
• Registering new voters
• Distributing campaign materials
• Coordinating events in our Students for Barack Obama on your Campus
• Other tasks that the campaign may dictate

Qualifications:
A successful candidate will be an energetic self-starter and should have exceptional communication, technology and administrative skills. Applicants must be passionate about the political process and motivated to work hard to promote the campaign goals. We are looking for students who want to work in a team, who enjoy the dynamic of a fast-paced organization where we manage multiple tasks on tight deadlines, and can work anywhere from 10-20 hours per week unpaid. Interns must also be responsible for their own transportation. We are sensitive to the busy schedule of students and are flexible. The campaign functions 7 days a week through November 4th, so interns will often be able to work around their own schedules. Recommendations are offered to interns who make positive contributions to the campaign and there is an option for class credit pending department requirements.

To apply, please contact the Campaign for Change Field Organizer:
Bethannie Nielsen
(253) 683-4187
bethannie@wa-democrats.org
711 St Helens Ave Ste 104
Tacoma, WA 98402
http://washington.barackobama.com

Seniors: NSEP Fellowship

Professor Weinberger is the contact person for this award, so talk to him first if you're interested--

DAVID L. BOREN NSEP (National Security Education Program):

Graduate - Seniors: The NSEP Graduate award is for seniors or graduates who are either enrolled in or have applied to a graduate program at a U.S. college or university. The award is up to $20,000 for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of 24 months of study. Preference is given to applicants wishing to study: Business & Economics; History; Political Science & Policy Sciences; International Affairs; Applied Sciences & Engineering (including biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, mathematics, & physics); Law; Health; and other Social Sciences (anthropology, psychology, sociology). Applicants are encouraged to seek assistance from the Fellowships Office. Website: www.iie.org/nsep. Email: nsep@aed.org. Campus deadline late November.

Summer Research Awards

Yes, deadline is waayyy off in March; but think about it now so that you're not scrambling at the last minute when everything else is due and it's spring break--

The University of Puget Sound, with the support of the Richard Bangs Collier Institute of Ethics and Science and an anonymous donor, has established summer research programs for undergraduates in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. These programs offer students the opportunity to engage in independent research projects during the summer. Stipends of $3,000 and $3,500 will be awarded on a competitive basis to students who demonstrate research interest and ability.

http://www.ups.edu/x18564.xml

Our Kiva update

Here's the department's most recent Kiva loan:



Rafiqa Qafarova is a 47-year-old woman who breeds calves and, at the same time, sells milk to local people. She is married and has 4 children. Rafiqa started her business in 1982 in her home village in the Imishli region. As she and her husband are unemployed, her business in the only financial resource for her family.

Rafiqa would like to expand her business which can help her to increase her income and improve her family's living conditions. For this purpose she has applied for US$ 1200 to purchase a milch cow for US$ 800 and two calves for US$ 200 each.

If you Kiva, don't forget to reinvest that money once it comes back--the department is now on its third loan.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to all our students, and a hello to freshmen joining us for the first time this fall. See you in class--