Government Majors Committee
The Government Majors Committee works with the Government Department faculty in planning, promoting, and running events for Government majors and prospective Government majors. The goal is for the committee members to function as a liaison between the students and professors in creating a close-knit and engaging environment. Past events include Pizza with the Professors, panels on current events with multiple faculty members, meetings with government representatives, and internship/job panels. Committee members also participate in the Open House for prospective Government majors by meeting with students to answer questions and relay any relevant experience or advice. Anyone interested in serving on the Majors Committee should contact the Government Department Chair, Doug Foyle.Government Majors Committee, 2022-2023
Chair:
Sophia Zimmer (2023) sczimmer
Hi! My name is Sophia Zimmer. I am from Los Angeles, California. I double major in French Studies and Government (American Politics). Outside of Wesleyan, I spend a lot of my time working at and volunteering with nonprofit. In the past I have interned at ACLU SoCal and most recently an organization called Baby2Baby. Within the American Politics concentration, I am most interested in looking at U.S. policies on federal and local levels and how they impact constituents, which is why I intend to go to Law School to further my understanding on this topic.
Vice-chairs:
Madeleine Dawson (2024) msdawson
My name is Madeleine Dawson, and I'm a junior transfer student majoring in Government and minoring in IDEAS. Last spring semester, I studied abroad in Nepal and conducted a research project on marginalized women. In the summer, I interned at a litigation firm in the San Francisco Bay area that focuses on construction, real estate, and business matters. I additionally shadowed at the Marin District Attorney's office and was a part of the GenHERation Connection 2022 cohort. I am interested in International Relations and Foreign Aid and plan on writing a senior thesis.
Nicole Motherway (2024) nmotherway
My name is Nicole Motherway and I am a junior majoring in Psychology and Government (Political Theory). I am a member of Wesleyan's Mock Trial Team, co-host a radio show on WESU, and write articles for Wesleyan's music blog, Aural Wes. I plan to study abroad.
Asija Qyteza (2024) aqyteza
My name is Asija (ah-see-yah) Qyteza and I am a junior transfer student majoring in Government (International Relations). I am also studying Arabic. Outside of class, I am the Vice Chair of the Wesleyan General Assembly's (WSA) Community Committee (CoCo) and the "Women in Politics" column leader for the Arcadia Political Review. I also work with a CT based non-profit, LiveGirl, that is focused on advocacy and empowering women and girls. In the summer, I interned at Senator Blumenthal's office. I have a wide range of experiences, from a summer research apprenticeship to being an orientation leader.
Overall, I am highly passionate about advocacy and human rights, and I have worked with CT state legislators to advocate for issues concerning women, specifically menstrual equity. I hope to continue this work after I graduate, which is why I plan on attending law school.
Committee Members:
Sarah Bernstein (2024) sbernstein
My name is Sarah Bernstein and I am a junior majoring in Government (International Relations) and Economics and minoring in CEAS. I am on the Swimming and Diving Team, work as a lifeguard, and work as an Academic Peer Advisor.
Tiger Bjornlund (2024) tbjornlund
My name is Tiger Bjornlund, and I am a junior majoring in Government (American Politics) and minoring in Data Analysis. I am a member of Wesleyan's men's hockey team and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. After college I plan to attend law school. I am interested in environmental work and have spent the past two summers interning with environmental nonprofits in Washington, D.C., a passion I hope to pursue in my professional career.
Alex Brun (2023) abrun
My name is Alexandre (Alex) Brun, and I am a senior majoring in Government (Comparative Politics) and French Studies. Also, I am pursuing a minor in Global Engagement. I am a distance swimmer on the Men's Varsity Swim Team and regularly tutor students learning the French language. In the past, I have served as a course assistant for the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. Apart from Wesleyan, I have interned with an international development firm and the Library of Congress, and the House of Representatives - all in Washington, D.C.
I am interested in both domestic and international politics. I studied abroad in Paris, France during the spring semester. I would be happy to discuss my experience as a Government major, provide advice, and answer any questions!
Ethan Brill-Cass (2023) ebrillcass
My name is Ethan Brill-Cass and I am a senior majoring in Government (American Politics) and Science in Society. Outside of class, I help run the Wesleyan Animal Defense League and participated in the Legislative Politics and Elections Lab and tutor for the QAC. I also work remotely for two law firms, one engaged in guardianship and conservatorship and the other cooperating with the Rhode Island ACLU, as well as for the animal advocacy group FOUR PAWS.
Throughout my time at Wesleyan, my interest and engagement with the government have continuously grown, and I look forward to being more involved in the major. After Wesleyan, I plan on pursuing law school.
Sadie Cook (2024) scook
My name is Sadie and I am a junion majoring in Government (American Politics). I am involved in ASHA, specifically the sexpression committee, the Wesleyan Ski Team, and Psi Upsilon, of which I was the Community Service Coordinator. This fall I will be studying at University College London in the Political Science and Sociology departments.
Julia Crainic (2023) jcrainic
My name is Julia Crainic and I am a senior double majoring in Government (American Politics) and Economics and minoring in Data Analysis. On campus, I have been a research assistant with multiple professors and I am co-captain of the equestrian team. I look forward to taking more government classes, meeting more of the faculty in the department, and further exploring the field of political science during my time at Wesleyan.
Madeline Frew (2024) mfrew
My name is Madeline Frew and I am a rising junior from Brooklyn, N.Y. As a joint Environmental Studies and Government (Comparative Politics) major, I am interested in the interdisciplinary qualities of environmentalism, particularly pertaining to environmental policy. On campus, I am a part of the Sailing Team, occasionally frequent Chess Club meetings, and have served as a GIS Research Assistant.
Katarina Grealish (2023) kgrealish
My name is Katarina Grealish and I am a senior studying Government (American Politics) and working towards a Writing Certificate. I studies abroad in Bologna. I am a summer research assistant for the Legislative Politics and Election Lab. I am specifically interested in studying linguistic determinism and how it relates to speech writing, journalism, propaganda, and other forms of political writing. Outside of academics, I write for the school newspaper, The Argus. I specialize in writing about Middletown and local politics. Additionally, I dance with Precision Dance Ensemble. I worked as a political affairs intern with The Borgen Project, a global non-profit advocating for anti-poverty legislation. I worked on fundraising, community engagement, and met with congressional representatives to advocate for current legislation.
Nathalie Hansen (2023) nhansen
My name is Nathalie Hansen, and I am a junior majoring in Government, with a comparative concentration, and minoring in Economics. I have spent the last two years working on a variety of different farms from Massachusetts to Michigan and am very interested in the role of sustainable agriculture in the food system and the public policy that surrounds it. Here at Wesleyan I am involved with Long Lane Farm and Food Rescue. I have also been interning with the Administration for Children and Families assisting them with research around various welfare policies and will continue this research surrounding welfare as I write my thesis. I also studies abroad in France last semester and am happy to answer any questions related to completing the government major or studying abroad.
Charlie Hertz (2023) chertz
I am Charlie, a rising senior majoring in Government (International Relations). This summer I interned on campus for the Investment Office. I writing a senior thesis for my government major. I would like to help make the experiences of both current and future students better by giving my time to the betterment of the government major.
Olivia Klein (2024) oklein
My name is Olivia Klein and I am a rising junior majoring in Government (Comparative Politics) and minoring in Data Analysis. I am a member of the varsity women's lacrosse team. I am originally from Arlington, Virginia, and will be studying abroad in the fall at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, working within the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence.
In the long term, my goal is to serve the public by learning to apply data analytics to government policy, whether that means developing comprehensive environment antitrust policy or advancing sustainable technologies in the fuel market. I have previously worked as a reporting intern for The Capitol Forum within its Antitrust and Energy branches and as a public policy and advocacy intern with Holland & Knight and Advanced Biofuels Association.
Anton Lulgjuraj (2024) alulgjuraj
My name is Anton Vasel Lulgjuraj and I an a senior on the three year accelerated graduation track majoring in Government (International) and minoring in CEAS. On campus, I am a delegate on the WSA's SLC committee, the Vice President of the Class of 2023, the Volunteer Coordinator with the Wesleyan Refugee Project and IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services), along with a host of other things!
I am interested most in the study of ethnic relations and conflict, focusing on Genocide Studies and the development of techniques for monitoring, preventing, and punishing perpetrators of mass violence (ethnic cleansing, genocide etc.). Based on this academic backing and experience, I will be pursuing a legal education focused in International Prosecution and Human Rights, with the hopes of preventing further human rights abuses and providing support for survivors.
Zack Mouzakes (2023) zmouzakes
My name is Zack Mouzakes, and I am a senior here at Wesleyan, majoring in Government (American Politics) and minoring in History. My interest in government and politics comes from my curiosity at a young age in the founding of the United States and the Revolutionary War. Most recently, I have worked as an intern at the Albany Regional Office of Majority Leader Charles Schumer, where I performed a multitude of tasks, such as quantifying the number of local constituents who would be eligible for the Child Tax Credit. Additionally, I have also worked for the Albany County District Attorney for the past two summers. Upon successful graduation from Wesleyan I plan to go to law school.
Sarah Schou (2023) sschou
My name is Sarah Schou, and I am a senior at Wesleyan University. I am a double major in Government (American Politics) and Economics. I am am also one of the Wesleyan's Swimming and Diving Team Captains. I have spent my last two summers in Washington, D.C. interning for Senator Mark Kelly (AZ-D) in his Washington, D.C. office. I have worked specifically in the areas of legislative correspondence and constituent aid. My most transformative experience was being one of the first points of contact between Senator Kelly and individuals calling in need of help during the 2021 Afghanistan Withdrawal. After graduation, I plan to attend law school and pursue a career in human rights law and politics.