Political Science Major Reflects on Research, Internships, and Study Abroad Opportunities at WKU
Michelle D. Castillo
4 min read
Madelynn Einhorn is a Senior from Oakwood, Ohio, double majored in political science and economics with a certificate in geographic information systems. She first came to WKU because she was recruited for the WKU Forensic Medicine team and continued to build on this experience throughout his college career. She says: “The speech and debate team has been a really big part of my life for the past four years. Having the opportunity to be among the best public speakers in the country is simply amazing.
While at WKU, Einhorn had the opportunity to conduct research with Dr. Timothy Rich, associate professor of political science, on East Asian cultures and public opinion. This research has been published in several media outlets such as The diplomat, national interest, The hillas well as other peer-reviewed publications such as Korea Observer. Einhorn is currently writing to him Mahurin Honors College thesis on the factors that influence the annual deportations to the United States as well as public opinion on the deportations. She also takes on an informal leadership role as a senior helping younger students plan research ideas and proofread their writings in the same way before the upper classes did it for her. Einhorn credits these research opportunities for the important role she played during her time at WKU.
“[Research] was really rewarding because I got to think about the questions that interest me and the ones that people haven’t asked, so it’s really been an amazing experience.“
She also completed an internship in the summer of 2021 with the Federal Reserve. Reflecting on her internship, Einhorn says, “The public speaking skills I learned in debates, along with many of the skills I learned in my classes, helped me secure an internship at the Federal Reserve and I has been offered a job with them after finishing my graduate program. I think I was lucky to learn my classroom and student organization skills and be able to apply them to my future.
Along with research and internship opportunities, Einhorn was able to make several trips abroad as a student at WKU in formal and informal study abroad programs. She traveled to Morocco in 2019 as part of WKU’s study abroad program and traveled to Taiwan during their 2020 presidential election with other students and professors from the political science department.
“An experience that really stood out for me was studying abroad. I studied abroad in Morocco between my first and second years from college, and I had a really wonderful experience. In 2020, Dr. Rich and a few other students and I went to Taiwan during the elections, and it wasn’t a formal study abroad, but it was amazing. I have been able to watch elections, watch votes being counted and attend political rallies. I was able to discover this incredible place and I didn’t really have the stress of class work at the same time. This certainly impacted my career trajectory because now I know I want to do something related to East Asian politics and I got to experience a whole new culture which was amazing.
Einhorn said the best part of his WKU experience has been the friends she met along the way.
“I’m so lucky to have a really great supportive family in Ohio, but I’ve also met so many amazing people here at WKU. Three of my best friends in college that I met through Dr. Rich and doing research. I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else and not knowing the people I met. I’m so happy to know that in 10, 20 or 30 years, I will have many of the same friends as me. had the privilege of going to university with.
Asked what advice she would give future students coming to WKU, Einhorn says to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.
“I would say WKU has so many resources available to students. but you just Homework go ask. Go talk to professors and older students and you’ll get a lot of the resources you’re looking for. I think that makes WKU unique. We have so much funding to study abroad, to do research, and as many additional scholarships as you can win. There are so many things that are given to students here and whereOther universities don’t quite have those same opportunities.”
Einhorn is graduating this spring and plans to pursue a masterydiploma in Geographic Data Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science in London, England.
