51³Ô¹ÏÍø

[Interviewer] Welcome to the University of North Georgia Political Science & International Affairs Department's YouTube channel, where we present interviews of our students, past, present, and future to highlight their accomplishments and their insights.

In the coming minutes you will get to meet Anna Caitlyn Anderson. Anna Caitlyn, or AC as she is known to her friends, is set to receive her Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a pre-law concentration in May 2022. We caught up with her recently via Zoom to chat about her experiences with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Political Science & International Affairs Department.

Good Morning AC.

[AC] Good Morning.

[Interviewer] To start us off, would you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Who is Anna Caitlyn?

[AC] My name is Anna Caitlin, but I also go by AC. I study political science with a concentration in pre-law and a minor in Spanish. I have been involved with, during my college career, Student Government Association, our entertainment board. I'm in a sorority. I'm actually the president of Pan-Hellenic. So I have had quite a bit of experience in a lot of our different organizations and involvement that 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has to offer.

[Interviewer] AC, you're approaching the final year here at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. What got you into the world of politics and why the interest in pre-law? And, as you are answering those two questions I'd like you to share with the viewers: Why here at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø?

[AC] So I think it's best to answer the "Why Here at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø" first. For one, we have an amazing political science department. The professors are truly one of a kind in the way that they invest into you and into your knowledge. And I think that is an incredibly important thing as you begin down the road of politics.

And for me personally, as soon as I stepped foot onto 51³Ô¹ÏÍø I knew that this university was my 'home away from home'. And I think that's evident in the way that I've been able to invest into the community that has invested into me through service and through other organizational-type aspects.

But as for why I'm interested in politics … my grandfather growing up, he is a lawyer. He still practices at 82 years old. And I would help him over the summer as a sort of internship. And it would, it gave me an aspect of what I wanted to do in the future based on what I saw him do. And in general, politics is ... politics ... That's an, excuse me. The subject of politics is something that affects everyone on a daily basis, whether or not they're interested in the subject or in the common debates and discussion. No matter what, it's going to be something that impacts them.

[Interviewer] You mentioned internships with your grandfather, but internships are an integral part of your political science degree, correct?

[AC] They are.

[Interviewer] Have you done a internship as part of your program of academic study here at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, or do you anticipate doing one?

[AC] I have not done an internship yet. An internship for my specific plan of study being pre-law, is actually required in order to graduate. I was going to do one over the summer of 2020 but in light of the coronavirus, everything in the state of Georgia and surrounding areas was shut down for that period of time over the summer. So I am anticipating completing one either this fall or this spring.

[Interviewer] After you graduate, what do you anticipate being on your agenda then?

[AC] Well, over the summer in place of doing an internship, I got my 'teaching English as a foreign language' certification. So I am hoping to put that certificate to use either teaching English in the United States or teaching English abroad. And being able to utilize that to not only teach English, but also learn about cultures and how people of different cultures interact with one another.

[Interviewer] I understand that during your college career you've had the opportunity to spend time interacting closely with students from around the Southeastern US. Can you tell our viewers a little bit about that?

[AC] Absolutely. So one of the other organizations that I'm involved in is Model UN. I've actually been the secretary for Model UN for about three semesters. Each year we have conferences and at those we are assigned States. So one year, my first year doing it, we were Saudi Arabia and the second year that we did it we were Italy. And so, when we do that, we assume the role of a person in leadership of that member state. And so when we do that we interact with other college students through this conference that are acting as their own member states. So not only are we working with one another on the collegiate level as in we are college students interacting with one another, but we are acting as a delegate for a state and creating resolutions for problems that are prominent among, excuse me, around the world.

[Interviewer] AC you touched on it a little bit, but could you expand a, a little bit more on, those days, the time with Model UN. What does that mean or what has it meant for AC, both personally, but also as you look forward to future career, professionally?

[AC] So I think, one thing with Model UN that's really helped me professionally in a sense, is that it's helped with my public speaking and my ability to be confident when presenting in front of other individuals. Another thing with it is it also opens your eyes to policies that are affecting not only other states in the world, but also policies that can affect the United States or even your own individual state like ours in Georgia.

[Interviewer] AC, I understand, in addition to your academic career and your success there and your work with Model UN, you've just been notified of your selection as one of ... 20?

[AC] It was one of 10.

[Interviewer] One of 10! 51³Ô¹ÏÍø female student leaders. How did that feel? And I suppose, the interesting question would be, what do you attribute that recognition to?

[AC] So, when I received the e-mail saying that I was selected as one of the ten, it was completely ... I'm trying to figure how to word this. It was an honor, but it was so much more than that because I was able to, I suppose, show my leadership abilities and show how I have cultivated myself in a way that goes to not only having leadership capabilities, but also to serving others. Because one of my biggest things with leadership is serving those of which you are leading. And so that's something that I strive to do in any leadership position that I'm in. And I think that the community that 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has fostered in of itself is a community that promotes leadership and promotes that development. Because if you look at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's values, leadership is one of them. Especially with the community that we have in the sense of the relationships between faculty, staff and students is something that really just drives home the desire and the want for growth of leadership that the University has.

[Interviewer] In closing AC, what do you have to say to our viewers ... maybe in particular, prospective 51³Ô¹ÏÍø students and a subset of that, prospective PSIA students?

[AC] First and foremost, when you're looking at universities that you might want to attend, follow your heart and follow what you want. Don't, don't go off what you think other people think you should do, go off what you want to do. Because ultimately you know yourself best and you know what decision is going to foster that growth and that academic knowledge that you're looking for.

And secondly, if you're looking at your major field and you're looking at, does this university offer me what I'm looking for? There are so many components that you can look at, but, one of the biggest ones that I think really drove home my major, and why I want to be a part of this Department is the relationships that students have with faculty. Because, I think the intimate environment that you're in with only having 20 or less students in a class with your major field, II think that's something that you can't find everywhere else because, when you're sitting in class, you're not just another student. They know your name. They know who you are. They know when you're off your game. And I think that's something that's incredibly important as, not only a student but as a person.

[Interviewer] Well, I want to thank you for your time AC.

[AC] Thank you!

[Interviewer] And I wish you all the best as you continue to #experiencemore in the last couple of semesters here with the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø #PSIAfamily.

[AC] Thank you. Thank you.