News, Events, and Awards
BRANDON ERNST ACCEPTED TO U.N. SUMMER INTENSIVE STUDY PROGRAM
Brandon Ernst (class of 2012), honors political science and business major is accepted to the United Nations Intensive Summer Study Program to be held from June 4th to June 8th, 2012. The U.N. Summer Intensive Study Program, through the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University, brings Brandon one step closer to his ultimate goal of pursuing a career working for an international organization. As a national fellow for the Institute for International Public Policy, Brandon’s objective is to earn his graduate degree in international relations so that he may someday work for the United Nations or a Non-Profit organization to better serve the global community. After graduation Brandon will spend a few years working for Apple Inc. here in the Bay Area. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors.
DANIELA LEYVA, WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL MARIN CHAPTER INTERN
Sophomore, political science major, Daniela Leyva is selected as the World Affair Council’s Marin Chapter intern. Her duties include overseeing and maintaining the Chapter’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marin-Chapter-World-Affairs-Council-of-Northern-CA/178332385561357. This past March (30-31) at the St. Regis in San Francisco, Daniela participated in the World Affairs Council annual conference, Navigating Through A Shifting Global Landscape. Daniela’s participation was facilitated by a scholarship from the Council.
POLITICAL SCIENCE ALUMNA TO RUN A SUMMER CAMP IN KENYA
Adrienne Formentos (Class of 2010), political science and English major, as a Vincentian Lay Missionary will head to Africa this summer to run a summer camp for kids in an area of Kenya plagued by drought and famine. After graduation Adrienne spent a year volunteering with the St. Vincent’s Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles. The volunteer service enabled Adrienne to reach out to the most underserved, underrepresented, and underprivileged residents of the area. Her services included providing free medical examinations and delivering food to the needy. Adrienne’s long-terms goals are to attend graduate school and pursue a career in Global Health.
EMMA ANDERSON TO INTERN FOR NADANYA TRUST IN INDIA
Sophomore, honors political science and international studies major, Emma Anderson, will spend summer 2012 interning with Nadanya Trust, a non-profit organization committed to Earth Democracy, a movement that calls for agricultural, food, water, and land freedom. At the Bija Vidyapeeth Earth University campus in Dehradun, India (which is connected to Schumacher College in the England) she will be getting hands on experience at all levels of the movement: from working with local farmers who are developing and learning techniques for sustainable agriculture to researching policies that currently impinge on the rights of farmers worldwide. The organization was founded by a group of women, headed by physicist Vandana Shiva, who is also involved in women’s rights activism.
JESSICA WINBERG TO STUDY AT THE MONTEREY INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Jessica Winberg (Class of 2012), honors political science and international studies major, has been admitted to the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS). She will be pursuing a Master’s degree in international policy studies. This summer she will partake in a full-immersion intensive Arabic language program through the Monterey Institute, on the Mills College campus in Oakland. Dominican University of California has a strategic partnership with MIIS. Dominican students and alums, who meet certain qualifications, stated in the Memorandum of Understanding signed in summer 2011 (http://www.dominican.edu/academics/ahss/polisci/ima/miis.mou.pdf), are eligible for several accelerated Master’s degree programs offered at MIIS.
ALVARO GARCIA TO BE A SUMMER INTERN IN WASHINGTON, DC FOR CONGRESSWOMAN LYNN WOOLSEY
Al Garcia (Class of 2012) will be a summer intern in Washington, DC for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. Al has spent the spring semester as an intern for Assemblyman Jared Huffman's congressional campaign and has caught the political bug! The experience in Washington will be fantastic and we are so pleased that he is pursuing his passion.
ALUMNA DARCEL SANDERS SELECTED AS A CALIFORNIA SENATE FELLOW
We are proud to announce that alumna Darcel Sanders (honors political science and psychology, class of 2009) will join the California Senate Fellows Program for the 2012-2013 term. The California Senate Fellows (CSF) Program “is one of the oldest and most distinguished service learning programs in the country. The CSF program offers college graduates a paid, full-time legislative staff position in the State Capitol for 11 months.” While at Dominican, Darcel played on both the volleyball and basketball teams, worked as a Director of Community Outreach for the Associated Students, served as the president for both Phi Alpha Delta (the pre-law co-ed fraternity) as well as Pi Sigma Alpha (the political science national honor society), and founded the Dominican Political Science Association (DPSA). In fall 2008, Darcel interned for Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office in Washington DC through the selective Panetta Institute’s internship program. Prior to graduating in May 2009 Darcel was selected to Teach for America. In this capacity she has been working for Frick Middle School in Oakland while simultaneously earning a teaching credential and working toward a Master’s degree in Education at Alliant International University. In 2011 she was a Bay Area finalist for the Sue Lehmann Excellence in Teaching Award. In her spare time she has also coached with Marin Juniors Volleyball Club and worked as interim head volleyball coach at Mills College for which she was recognized as the NCAA Association of Division III Independents Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year. We wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.
Veronica Chinchilla, Rhode Island AmeriCorps RICJ Juvenile Justice Coordinator
Congratulations to Veronica Chinchilla, Class of 2012 double major (International Studies and Psychology) for being selected to spend a year in Providence, Rhode Island working for AmeriCorps. Veronica will be a RIJC Juvenile Justice Coordinator working to help create programs for at-risk youth and expand a variety of services that will serve Rhode Island's at-risk youth to help keep them out of the justice system. She is being sponsored by AS220 http://www.as220.org/about/about-as220.html an organization that provides a forum for the local arts community. They offer facilities and services to artists who need space to exhibit their work or perform.
Laurel Druke, summer internship in Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's, Washington, DC office
Laurel Druke, Class of 2012 will be spending the summer in Washington, DC as an intern for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. This is a fantastic opportunity for her. She recently completed her senior thesis "Combating Human Trafficking: Interest Groups and their Influence on Public Policy in the United States." While in Washington this summer she will have an opportunity to closely examine what Congress has been doing regarding this issue.
Dr. Gigi Gokcek selected as Teacher of the Year, 2012
We are thrilled to announce and wish a hearty congratulations to Dr. Gigi Gokcek for being selected as Dominican University's 2012 Teacher of the Year! The Teacher of the Year is nominated by students and selected by a committee of students and former winners. Dr. Gokcek has been at Dominican for 6 years and has been an incredibly dedicated teacher, scholar, and colleague. She continually challenges her students to be the best they can be and works with many students individually so that they are able to develop areas of interest into academic conference presentations. Students respect her and admire her ability to find new and creative ways to present material. Most recently, Dr. Gokcek has incorporated her love for the Science Fiction genre and the Star Trek series to teach World Politics. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Gokcek has served on the Student Life Committee where she continues to support and advocate for all students on campus. We are very proud to have her commitment to undergraduate education be recognized by the University.
Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program
We are pleased to announce that Sydney Lewis has been selected to participate in the Leon & Sylvia Panetta Congressional Internship Program. Sydney is a Political Science and English double major who has expressed an interest in participating in this program since she was a freshman. She will spend the fall 2012 semester in Washington, D.C.working for a member of the California congressional delegation. We will miss Sydney on campus, however, we are extremely proud of her and thrilled that she will be representing the department and Dominican University of CA in Washington,D.C.. We look forward to hearing about her experience upon her return.
STUDENTS INVITED TO PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH AT THE WPSA 2012 CONFERENCE
The department is pleased to announce that several students have been invited to present their research at the 2012 Western Political Science Association annual conference to take place in Portland, Oregon this March. Jessica Winberg, senior honors political science and international studies major, will be presenting a poster on Islamic Feminism Moving Muslim States towards Reform, and junior Nora Nicholl-Lewandowski, also honors political science and international studies major, will be presenting a poster on Changing the Game: Nuclear Proliferation and Its Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy. Caitlin Vejby, a 2011 graduate of political science and international studies, will be presenting a paper on Replicating the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme: Addressing the Problems of Conflict Coltan. All three students are also members of Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science national honors society.
ALPHA DELTA OMICRON CHAPTER OF PI SIGMA ALPHA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
The Alpha Delta Omicron chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science National Honor Society) welcomes five new members. On October 12, 2011 the chapter initiated, senior international studies and psychology major Veronica Chinchilla (not pictured), senior honors political science and international business major Brandon Ernst, junior political science and English major Sydney Lewis, junior political science major Minuete McKernan (not pictured), and junior political science and international studies major Nora Nicholl-Lewandowski. All members have fulfilled the requirements for membership, which include minimum of ten semester-credits of coursework in political science (including at least one upper-division course) with a B average in those courses and a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.
JUNIOR POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR RUNS FOR MAYOR OF LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA
Minuete McKernan, junior political science major with a minor in pre-law and member of Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science National Honor Society), is a candidate for mayor in her hometown of Livermore. The mayoral election, which will take place this November, has enabled Minuete to put into practice what she has learned about the political process through her coursework here at Dominican University of California. Minuete has a passion for government and public service and is excited about the opportunity to serve if she is elected. Check out Minuete's webpage here http://www.minuetemckernanformayor.org/index.html.
ALUMNI CAITLIN VEJBY INVITED TO PRESENT A PAPER AT ISA-WEST
We are pleased to announce that recent graduate Caitlin Vejby (2011) has been invited to the International Studies Association-West Annual Meeting to present a paper entitled Replicating the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme: Addressing the Problems of Conflict Coltan. The paper, which was a part of Caitlin’s thesis project, will be presented September 23-24 at the Pasadena Hilton in, California where this year’s meeting is being held. Caitlin is a former Panetta Congressional intern and was a double major in political science and international studies.
Alumni Juleah Cordi (Class of 2010), Projects Coordinator for the Sutter County Resource Conservation District
Juleah Cordi is responsible for all District event coordination and facilitation. Ms. Cordi is also the senior grant writer for the District, including research and development of potential grant funded projects as assigned by the District Manager. Her other contributions include editing documents, reports, and invoices, working with other staff on collaborative projects, and providing outreach to constituents throughout the District’s sphere of influence.
NORA NICHOLL-LEWANDOWSKI SELECTED AS MUNFW BOARD MEMBER
The department is pleased to announce that Nora Nicholl-Lewandowski, sophomore honors student majoring in political science and international studies, has been selected to the Board of Directors for the Model United Nations of the Far West (MUNFW). The MUNFW Board of Directors is the primary governing body, which is responsible for the operations and planning of the organization. The Board of Directors “is composed of 19 members with representation from academic faculty, students and community members.” In her capacity as board member Nora will attend all the annual meetings and recruit other Model UN programs from the Bay area to participate in future MUNFW conferences. Through this endeavor Nora will continue to pursue her interest in international affairs, which she has demonstrated with sophisticated research paper presentations at the 2010 and 2011 National Conference on Undergraduate Research. This summer she plans to study intensive Arabic at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program
We are thrilled to announce that senior Political Science major, Luke Webster-White has been selected to participate in the Leon & Sylvia Panetta Congressional Internship Program. He will be in Washington, D.C. for the fall 2011 semester working for a member of the California congressional delegation. Luke will be missed on campus next fall, however, we are very proud to have him represent Dominican University of CA and we are looking forward to hearing about his experiences upon his return.
SENIOR PI SIGMA ALPHA MEMBERS TO PRESENT AT THE SWPSA 2011 MEETING
Two of our Pi Sigma Alpha members in the department have been invited to present their senior thesis research at the Southwestern Political Science Association annual meeting, March 16-19 in Las Vegas Nevada. Daniel Tapia-Jimenez, a senior honors political science and international studies major with a minor in math, will present a paper entitled “State Capacity versus Insurgency Capacity.” Emperatriz Guevara, senior international studies major, with a minor in business, and the president of DPSA (Dominican Political Science Association) will present a paper entitled, “Sustainable Development and Microfinance: Lessons from Brazil and Rwanda.”
Students to Present at National Conference on Undergraduate Research in March 2011
Five students from the department have been invited to present papers at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in March 2011 at Ithaca College in New York. Monica Campos (senior political science major) will present a paper entitled “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Pivotal State: A Closer Look at Infrastructural Development within South Africa.” Brandon Ernst (junior honors political science, international business double major with a minor in leadership studies) will present a paper entitled “Analysis of Macro vs. Micro Development Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative and Quantitative Exploration.” Vina Akbari-Gazvini (junior political science major) will present a paper entitled “Franco's Influence on Catalan Secession.” Nora Nicholl-Lewandowski (sophomore honors political science and international studies double major) will present a paper entitled “Conflict Resolution: The Role of Peacebuilding in Kenya and Cyprus.” Victoria Corrado (senior International Studies major) will present "Laying Down the Law: A Comparison of Western Common and Islamic Law."
BRANDON ERNST INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE
Brandon Ernst, a junior honors political science, international business double major with a minor in leadership studies has been invited to take part in the Clinton Global Initiative meeting at the University of California, San Diego April 1st-3rd, 2011. Brandon is a national fellow (in a cohort of 16) at the Institute for International Public Policy. Also, as the president of the leadership fellows on campus, he is organizing an Energy Forum to take place at Dominican University of California in 2011, which will be a host to 100 students from all around the Bay Area interested in addressing this important and timely issue.
