Department Banquet--May 7

Calling all History & Political Science

students and alumni! 

You are invited to attend our 

ANNUAL BANQUET 

Saturday, May 7, 2016

2015 G.O.L.D. Award Recipient Stephanie Foreman (Political Science, 2006)

Making a Difference 

Stephanie Foreman, 2015 Graduate of the Last Decade Award Winner 

On November 3, 2015, Stephanie Foreman (2006, Political Science) was recognized as the 2015 Daemen College Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) at the annual Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony. Accepting the honor, Stephanie spoke of the lessons she derived from her experience as an undergraduate political science major at Daemen College, including making the most of every leaning opportunity.

Stephanie is a financial professional at Prudential Financial and the founding president of the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals (BULYP). The distinguished alumni profile summarizes her many accomplishments:

Under Stephanie’s leadership, BULYP has been recognized from a number of different individuals and organizations, including the MLK Community Service Award from City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Erie County Legislature Proclamation presented by Rep. Barbara Miller-Williams and, most notably, Outstanding National Rookie Chapter of the Year at the 2014 National Urban League Conference Young Professionals Summit. Some of Stephanie’s other affiliations include Member of the Board of Directors for the Buffalo Urban League, Field Advisory Council for Prudential, Secretary for the Judges Row Block Club Association, Mentor for the Youth Entrepreneurial Program, Member of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce and Member of the group Women in Networking. Stephanie has also received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including being a recipient of the CHANGEMAKERS 30 Under 30 Award in 2014, Million Dollar Roundtable for Prudential Insurance in 2011 and 2012, Life Concierge for Prudential Insurance in 2012 and 2013, Masters Council for Prudential Annuities in 2012 and 2014 and the Women Touching the World Award in 2015.

President Gary Olson and Stephanie Foreman 

Stephanie is the third graduate of the History and Political Science department to win this award in the last five years. Wayne Brown (History & Government, 2003) and McKenzie Higgins (Political Science, 2009) were honored as recipients of the G.O.L.D. award in 2010 and 2014, respectively. Wayne Brown founded a charity specializing in support and information for patients with rare diseases and is author of the book, Alone in My Universe: Struggling with a Rare Disease in an Unsympathetic World. McKenzie Higgins graduated from Western Michigan University - Thomas Cooley School of Law and is presently an Human Resources Compliance Specialist for M&T Bank in Buffalo. Both Wayne and McKenzie were on hand to congratulate Stephanie and welcome her into the community of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.  

 Wayne Brown (2003), McKenzie Higgins (2009) and Stephanie Foreman (2006)
Daemen College Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Winners: 2010, 2014, & 2015

What can you do with a History or Political Science Major?
Our graduates have embarked on a wide variety of successful career paths, including graduate study in international relations, law, law enforcement, and public service. Their collective success demonstrates the value of the History and Political Science degrees and a broad-based, liberal arts education. Our majors are making a crucial difference in their community and the world as models and agents for positive change. 

Graduate of the Last Decade: McKenzie Higgins, '09 to Visit H&P Classes

McKenzie Higgins (2009, Political Science) to visit campus classrooms on Thursday, November 6. 

The History & Political Science Department is pleased to have McKenzie Higgins, winner of the Graduate of the Last Decade Award speak to current students about her Daemen experience and how it prepared her for law school and her post-graduate career. McKenzie is being recognized  both for her scholarly achievements and for contributions to the community, including leading the Daemen Ride for Roswell Team.  

 She will be speaking in Dr. Parshall's classrooms on Thursday, November 6 at the following times:

1:50 in Room 218 DS Hall (PSC 305)

2:30 in Room 240 DS Hall (PSC 217)

All majors and interested students are invited to attend!

Graduate of the Last Decade: MCKENZIE HIGGINS, ‘09 (POLITICAL sCIENCE)

Higgins holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in religious studies from Daemen. She went on to earn a law degree from Western Michigan University-Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills, Mich., and a master of laws in criminal law and trial advocacy also from Cooley Law School.

A Cheektowaga resident, Higgins is a member of the American Bar Association and the Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers. She’s also founder and team captain of the Daemen Ride for Roswell group. She is currently a legal document review analyst at M&T Bank and an independent contractor for Access Legal Care in Garden City, Michigan. 

Guest Blog - McKenzie Higgins (2009, Political Science)

Sometimes in our college experience we learn as much or even more from the challenges that we face than we do the from the easy successes.  In this guest blog, McKenzie Higgins (2009, Political Science) reflects on her experience with the senior capstone project. As she writes in her essay, the thesis requirement presents a new level of challenge that can sometimes snare even the best of students. McKenzie does a beautiful job explaining how she initially viewed that one "low" grade on her transcript as "black mark" that she longed to erase. She knew the end product of the research project did not reflect her true ability; and so McKenzie chose to learn from the experience, to turn her disappointment into motivation to do better. Having worked hard to amass a stellar record in her four years at Daemen College, she went forth, armed with more than just a piece of paper declaring she had completed a college degree -- McKenzie left Daemen College with the knowledge she had gained through her coursework, including that less than perfect thesis experience. And she carried with her one more thing -- outstanding letters of reference, rich with details of her accomplishments, her abilities, and her potential not yet realized. For you see, students are so much more than any one entry on a transcript and confronting a challenge is a healthy and expected part of the learning experience. Academic growth occurs when we are challenged -- and when we learn to challenge ourselves. McKenzie was neither the first nor the last student to be disappointed by an undergraduate thesis grade. Whether thesis proves to be a relatively easy successes or a significant challenge, what really matters is the question McKenzie invites you to ask: what will you take from your experience? 

McKenzie Higgins (2009, Political Science) 

Opportunity Knocks Twice

     Capstone requirements… projects, papers, and the dreaded thesis. All of these things make a student’s skin crawl. The weight on a student’s future and the magnitude of research, writing, effort, and understanding required cannot be underestimated. It truly makes for a test of will and wit.

      I fancied myself a stellar writer as a student at Daemen. I sailed through Comp 101 and made easy work of my “writing intensive” classes – even Art History 285. I felt like I had a good handle on the technical aspect as well as the substantive research and time required. I was flying high until… thesis. It was a harsh reality check. I managed to make my way through the process with the lowest grade of my entire Daemen Career (I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.74). I wasn’t proud of it. My product was awful, and at the end, I would have given anything for a do-over. But, as so often said, “opportunity knocks only once.” I lived with that black mark on my transcript and it definitely shaped my future decisions. Knowing I had that poor writing sample to my credit, PhD programs looked to be far out of reach. What could I do with my Political Science degree now that I cannot pursue my dream of being a college professor? I did what the other half does with a Political Science degree – I put my efforts into law school applications and made my way to Auburn Hills, Michigan to enroll at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

      I then spent the next three years relearning everything I ever thought I knew about school, relearning everything I ever thought I knew about how to write. I spent hours upon hours writing about things that didn’t mean all that much to me intellectually… premises liability, Michigan’s open and obvious danger doctrine, the infamous law school hypothetical: “Jimmy Ate a Sandwich, So what?” This isn’t to say I didn’t gain anything from law school or that it wasn’t an amazing experience – because it was. But there was always this nagging inner-academic that longed for the ability to re-do a thesis, to conduct that independent research and have people listen to me – and to do it RIGHT.  At the end of three years learning about torts, contracts, property, criminal law, tax and trying my hand at litigation skills, I thought I was ready to leave school behind once and for all. But, I still couldn’t get past that nagging desire to write. And mere weeks before I was ready to walk across the stage with my Juris Doctor degree, I discovered that the Juris Doctor degree is not the end of the road. There’s another law degree – the LL.M. or “Masters of Laws.”

      The LL.M. is a highly specialized degree, focusing in a very narrowly tailored area of law – usually taxation or corporate business. Those fields meant nothing to me. But then, someone told me that you can create your own LL.M. That’s it! An LL.M. in Criminal Law. So, I took up the lengthy application process and finished out my final few weeks of law school. Everyone looked at me like I was absolutely nuts. Trust me, three years of law school takes its toll, so it is completely understandable why someone would question my sanity and my desire to continue.

      I was a long-shot to gain admission into this prestigious program. Only 2-7% of attorneys in America ever achieve an LL.M. But alas, I was offered a spot and here I sit at my desk almost two years later after that acceptance, after handing in my LL.M. thesis. Yes, I said it. Thesis. I got my second chance at perfection. For approximately 17-18 weeks, I fully engaged in the art and science of researching my topic. It became the first thing I thought of when I woke up in the morning and the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep. I kept notepads all over my apartment because prolific thoughts are not contained to when you’re sitting at your computer or in a library. I just handed that thesis in and I am truly proud of what I’ve accomplished. Having another degree to add to my resume is surely something to be proud of. But, what I’m more proud of is the ability to say that opportunity can knock twice and that just because the first time you may not have the most amazing result, it is not the end.   
      Tenacity is key. Winston Churchill put it so simply:  “Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.'' The end of your Daemen journey is not your end of opportunity. If something hasn’t gone right in your Daemen academics, it isn’t the end of the world, and it isn’t the end of opportunity. Seek it out. Take a chance. Be bold. Be brave. And never, never miss the opportunity that might knock twice.

McKenzie M. Higgins, Esq.

Bachelor of Arts, Daemen College 2009

Juris Doctor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School 2012

Legum Magistra (Master of Laws), Thomas M. Cooley Law School 2014

*Admitted to Practice in New York State and in the Federal Courts for the Eastern District of Michigan.

McKenzie Higgins (2009, Political Science)
2014 Daemen Ride for Roswell Team Captain 

To date, McKenzie is the only graduate of the History & Political Science Department to earn both a J.D. and a graduate law degree (LL.M).  Her Master's thesis, which she successfully defended in March, 2014, is entitled, "Total Inclusion: Opening Therapeutic Justice Courts to Medical Marijuana Patients in Michigan."  In addition to working as a practicing attorney, McKenzie plans to continue her scholarly research and writing.