Student Voices

Brittany Dayton, '10

Major: Political Science
Minors: Spanish; Women and Gender Studies

Brittany Dayton, '10, on the coast of Goa, India.

Hometown: Portola, Calif.

Career goal: "After graduation I will be attending graduate school to obtain my master's in public administration. Once I finish my master's, I would like to obtain a position in either the state or federal level of government, or work for a [non-governmental organization]."

Brittany Dayton started out her college career like many freshmen — with a major of undecided. Carthage offered too many exciting new options for her to explore. However, after just a few courses in political science, she knew that this was the right major for her.

"I took my first political science course (POLS 107) as a freshman," she says. "I was instantly interested in the topics and content of the class because it was unlike anything I studied in high school." The first class led her to take more political science courses and eventually choose political science as her major.

Now Brittany is a department fellow and has the opportunity to assist professors with their research projects. Because she is able to work closely with her professors, she has formed strong bonds with them.

"The department has a very diverse set of professors. No matter what you are interested in, there is a professor who will have some experience or knowledge about any given topic."

During her sophomore and junior years, Brittany held an internship at an electric cooperative. "My internship consisted of writing correspondence templates, writing documents concerning company policies and operations, computing audits, and developing good relationships with customers," she says.

As a senior, Brittany says she will miss the tight-knit community that Carthage offers. However, she knows that she is prepared for the future, which includes attending Northwestern University to study for her master's in administration.

"I have learned so much in the past four years," she says. "I know that all the courses I took will be extremely beneficial to my future studies and eventually my career. I utilize the knowledge and experience I have gained on a daily basis, and will continue to do so."

Favorite professor: "My favorite professor is Professor Mast. He taught me think and analyze subjects in completely different ways than I ever have before."

Toughest class: "The toughest class, besides senior seminar, was actually an introductory course (POLS 103). I took the course second semester freshman year. It gave me a dose of academic reality, and made me realize that political science involved much more than I previous realized. Despite the challenges, I learned a lot from that class that I will not forget."

Favorite moments at Carthage: "It's too hard to pick just a few memories, there are so many great ones to choose from."

Favorite spot on campus: "Einstein's is not necessarily my favorite spot, but it is the place that I spend the majority of time working on homework, grabbing a quick bit to eat, and catching up with friends."

Biggest surprise so far: "The biggest surprise is how at home I feel at Carthage, even though my real home is thousands of miles away."

Advice for prospective students considering political science as a major: "Political science is a great major that offers a lot of freedom to study what interests you. In class, the professors will always encourage you to speak your mind and voice your opinions, so be prepared to talk."

Story by Elizabeth Reinhardt, '12

Student Voices

Elizabeth Wagner, '12

"My favorite class thus far would have to be Introduction to Political Theory with Prof. Kirkland. It was truly a pivotal class in my life, for it was what motivated me to switch to studying political science and, specifically, theory."
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Cailin Kolk, '12

"Political science is a major that is so rich and so multifaceted. It is evolving and changing all the time, and it has an incredible impact on how we go about our everyday lives."
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Josh Baker, '12

"Academically, I had heard from many of my teachers in high school that Carthage was a 'hidden Ivy League' school and that it would prepare me far more than any other school could do for me with the small class sizes and distinguished faculty."
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Kate Haapala, '13

"Carthage’s focus is continually on the students. The professors are very willing to work one-on-one with students and help them grow as individuals as well as academically."
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Alyssa Scott, '14

"I love the political science department because it is really flexible and allows you a lot of freedom to study what you are interested in."
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