ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
FALL 2015
Exciting Times Jonathan West, Ph.D
As we move into our 90th year here at the University of Miami, I am reminded of all the great students I have had the pleasure of teaching over the past thirty years. I look back on my interactions with our now Alumni with great satisfaction, knowing that our students are some of the best in the world. I look forward to hearing your stories and to hearing about how your education at UM helped you achieve your goals. The political science department has undergone great change in the last few years – we moved out of the School of Business; we moved to a new location across campus; we have added many great new faculty; and we have made great efforts to meet our students’ needs as the world has changed. On behalf of all of our faculty in Political Science, I welcome you to reconnect with us as we move towards UM’s second century.
REACHING OUT
Welcome to the first political science department alumni newsletter. We hope to keep you up-to-date with the exciting goings-on in our department, and we want to hear from you! Please join us on our LinkedIn group, “University of Miami Political Science Alumni.” We look forward to catching up!
The University of Miami Political Science Department has been on the move during the last few years across campus and up in the academic rankings!
As this is our first newsletter, it seems only fitting to bring our alumni up-to-date on our exciting moves and achievements. In 2008, the Political Science Department moved out of the UM School of Business and in the University of Miami College of Arts & Sciences. This move gave us brand new leadership and a more fitting intellectual home.
1 2 . 2 . 1 5 Alina Hudak, Deputy
Mayor of Miami-Dade County will be joining us for our Lunch with a Leader series.
01.11.16
Starts!
Spring Semester
In 2014, our department relocated geographically as well – out of the Jenkins Building and over to the newly remodeled Campo Sano Building. Our new address is 1300 Campo Sano Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146; we are on the first floor. Let us know if you are interested in visiting. We would be happy to show you our new building.
08.22.16
begins!
Fall semester
Louise Davidson-Schmich
Merike Blofield
ASSOCIATE PR OFESSOR
ASSOCIATE PR OFESSOR
Professor Davidson-Schmich will soon travel to Victoria University of Wellington and serve as a Fulbright New Zealand U.S. Scholar. There she will teach a version of her comparative political economy class and research New Zealand’s two female Prime Ministers: Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark.
Merike Blofield is associate professor of political science (Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill, 2003). A native of Finland, she has lived in Canada, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and the United States. Blofield has published two-single-authored books (Care Work and Class: Domestic Workers’ Struggle for Equal Rights in Latin America, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2012; The Politics of Moral Sin: Abortion and Divorce in Spain, Chile and Argentina, Routledge, 2006). Care Work and Class won the National Women’s Studies Association Sara A. Whaley Book Award for 2013. A T TO R N E Y | R A H YS A V A R G A S , B . A . ‘ 0 9
The Politics of Star Trek by George Gonzalez (2015)
Rahysa Vargas ’09 is an Attorney in Kelley Kronenberg’s Miami office focusing her practice on First Party Insurance Defense, Property and Casualty and Complex Commercial Construction Disputes and Business Transactions. Prior to joining the firm, Rahysa worked as an Associate Attorney representing clients in the areas of Personal Injury, Mass Torts, Medical Malpractice claims, Workers’ Compensation claims and Longshore and Harbor Act based claims. Rahysa earned her Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center.
Rahysa earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Miami in Political Science.
American Conspiracy Theories by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent (2014)
Rahysa is also the co-founder of Ms. Esquire, a networking platform for women attorneys whose goal is to bring women in the legal profession together to empower each other with camaraderie, support, and charity. Ms. Esquire has paired up with organizations who cater to South Florida’s homeless youth and underprivileged girls in our community to offer them a mentoring service. Care Work and Class by Merike Blofield (2013)
ALUMNI NEWSLETTER
FALL 2015
issue 01
OUR STUDENTS
We work closely with our students to prepare them for success in today’s competitive market. Students, like Melissa featured below, represent the uniquely talented students we have the pleasure of training.
W ORLDW IDE ENG AG EMENT
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) visited our course on Immigration Reform this past semester (see left). NEW FACES
Joy Reid, news host from MSNBC, joined our students to talk about the effect of media on politics (see above). NEW FACES
“My professors have taught me to think critically and pragmatically about current events”.
Our majors are some of the best on campus. Melissa Wyatt ’16 is a senior majoring in Political Science who plans on moving to Washington, D.C. to work in public policy after graduation.
The Political Science Dept. was joined by Assistant Professor Jennifer Connolly. She comes to us from University of Southern California. She will teach courses on Public Management
“Majoring in Political Science has equipped me with a set of analytical skills that will stand the test of time in a constantly evolving political sphere. My professors have taught me to think critically and pragmatically about current events, and I’ve learned how to carefully analyze political patterns and behaviors. Because of this, I’m able to both support my own opinions and see all sides of an issue. After graduation, I hope to move to Washington, DC and work in public policy – I am especially interested in immigration and environmental issues.”
HEADING FOR ACHIEVEMENT
The Political Science Dept. was ranked first out of all departments in the University of Miami’s College of Arts & Sciences in terms of its research production. NEW PROGRAMS
We are delighted to be launching a new online MPA degree program this Spring. Our program will be one of the few to offer a full graduate degree program for current or aspiring public service professionals. This program builds on 36 years of excellence achieved by our on-campus MPA degree program. ABOVE
Dr. Joe Uscinski Associate Professor
EMAIL PHONE
Uscinski@miami.edu 30 5- 2 84- 3 71 7
Our faculty continually seeks new ways to train our students so that their skills match the demands of our changing world.
Our department is thankful for alumni contributions that directly benefit student enrichment. Your gifts allow the department to fund and help maintain a strong academic experience for our students. Make your gift today by visiting our website HERE.