Alumni Profiles
Why did I major in Political Science?
Carson Dodd, SIUE ’17
When I first came to SIUE, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. But after taking two political science classes, I realized that it was the right major for me. During my time, I learned how to critically analyze and research issues that interested me, and I was able to connect what I learned in my classes to the relevant political issues of the time. The professors in the department all taught with enthusiasm, connecting their research to their classes and leading through example. It was also my privilege to be the President of the Political Science Association, which provided a venue for students to explore further opportunities in political science and an opportunity to know their classmates better. This fall, I will be attending the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where I hope to continue using the skills I gained at SIUE while I pursue a law career.
Nasir Almasri, SIUE ’15
I graduated SIUE in Spring 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Bachelor of Science in political science. I returned home to attend the University of Chicago, pursuing a Master of Arts in international relations in the school's Committee on International Relations (CIR) program. I was involved in various activities at graduate school, including mentoring, tutoring and teaching. I was also selected to attend the CIR program's Seminar in Delhi, India in Spring 2016. Upon completing the one-year program, I was accepted into a selective Second-Year Specialization in International Security. During the second year of the program, I expanded my thesis project titled, "Still Dying to Win: The Coercive Logic of Suicide Attacks against Autocracies." My research was granted honors and was completed in May 2017. I was accepted into doctoral programs at Wisconsin, Chicago, Yale, Princeton, and MIT. I will be moving to Cambridge this August to begin my PhD at MIT, after which I hope to become a professor of political science.
