Alex Lumanog awarded Ruth Stratton Scholarship

 

Alex Lumanog

Alex Lumanog, a sophomore Political Science major, has been selected as this year's recipient of the Ruth Stratton Scholarship. The scholarship is named for Dr. Ruth Stratton, who was a Political Science professor at Daemen for many years and shaped the lives of many Daemen students. 

The Ruth Stratton Scholarship is a $700 scholarship awarded to an outstanding sophomore or junior in the History & Political Science Department who has a record of academic excellence, with preference given to students pursuing a career in law and/or environmental policy. Complementing his major in Political Science, Alex has declared minors in Pre-Law Studies, Criminal Justice, and Psychology. Alex plans to attend law school and is currently interested in fields such as medical malpractice and technology. Congratulations, Alex!

Wondering About the Likelihood of Getting Accepted to Law School?

A Useful Tool for Calculating Your Odds of Getting Accepted

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has released a useful tool that allows you to put in your GPA and LSAT score and see where your GPA and LSAT score falls relative to the 25th-75th percentile based on the 2017 full-time admission data.  You can find the tool here. Be sure to carefully read the information on how to use the tool and interpret the results.

While it is not a guarantee, the tool allows you to reasonable predict your chances at admission and can inform your decision on where to apply. The tool also helps you see where your LSAT needs to be to have a reasonable chance of admission at particular schools of interest.

Remember, not all ABA accredited schools are equal in terms of value and the best fit for your particular circumstances and goals. Law school is expensive.  Admissions rates do vary from cycle to cycle and depend on the applicant pool -- timing matters too.   Sometimes its better to wait, take a gap year, gain life or work experience, and apply later than it is to attend a law school just because they are willing to accept you.

For Future LSAT Takers

A new option to commercial preparation courses and self-study you might want to check out: the Khan Academy has partnered with the LSAC to offer free LSAT preparation.  Check it out here.

Alumni Updates

Political Science Graduates: Leaders and Agents for Change 

Stephanie Foreman (Political Science, 2006) is featured on the April cover of the Black Western New York Magazine's Women to Watch Issue.  A financial professional and president of the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, Stephanie has received multiple accolades and honors for her activism and advocacy.  In 2015 she was recognized as a Daemen College Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) winner.  

Sarah Rodman, (J.D. University at Buffalo 2016) (B.A. Daemen College 2012) is an intellectual property law clerk at Kloss, Stenger & Lotempio, Attorneys at Law. Check out her blog post on recent developments in the patenting of DNA in Canada and the United States.  

Keeping an Eye on Justice Kennedy

Justice Kennedy and the Future of the Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Anthony M. Kennedy
Original photo credit: 
http://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/2/57/702418048-Getty_032712_JusticeAnthonyKennedy.jpg

A long time ago, around the time I was contemplating topics for my doctoral dissertation, I was asked by my advisor, “who among the sitting justices do you think will have had the greatest influence on the Court fifteen, twenty years from now?”  It was a potentially thorny question, posed by a man who was himself a leading judicial scholar, and the expert on the career of former Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (1969-1986). He was also known for unexpected and tricky questions, and so my mind raced quickly through the various concepts and measures of judicial influence we had addressed in his seminar. Even though I was sort of sure he wanted me to land on John Paul Stevens, I boldly announced my pick, oblivious to the consequences. “Justice Kennedy,” I said.

The consequences were that after, I had explained why, I would spend a great deal of my time reading every one of Kennedy's written opinions and writing The Constitutional Jurisprudence of Anthony M. Kennedy. By the time I defended the dissertation in 2001, I decided that I had chosen well: Kennedy was emerging a so-called “swing-justice.” He was the “man-in-the-middle” having racked up a tally as the justice most often in the majority of 5-4 rulings and the least likely to author a dissent. Appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987, Kennedy was a conservative, but he was also within the ideological central of the Burger and Rehnquist Courts. On closely divided issues, more often than not, as Kennedy went, so went the Court. 

Flash forward to 2017. The Supreme Court is ideologically split 4-4 and has been operating one justice down ever since the death of conservative icon, Justice Antonin Scalia, in February of 2016. President Obama’s nominee for the vacancy, Merrick Garland, was successfully blocked by the Senate Republicans who refused give the late-term appointment a hearing. Just two weeks into the job, President Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Jurisprudentially, Gorsuch’s confirmation would not dramatically shift the ideological center of the Court insofar as it replaces one conservative with another whose jurisprudence is much in the same mold. But the next appointment might, depending on who is the next member of the Court to depart.

Memes have emerged encouraging the oldest member of the Court’s liberal wing, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to stay healthy, to please “eat more Kale.”  When asked last week which of her colleagues she would encourage do the same, the diminutive jurist did not hesitate: “Justice Kennedy,” she said. 

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speaking at the Rathburn Lecture on a Meaningful Life, 

Stanford University, February 6, 2017.
Photo credit: The Mercury News (2017). 

Ginsburg did not single Kennedy out because he is a member of the liberal block or because at 80 he is the Court's next oldest member (Ginsburg is 83). Most likely she chose Kennedy because he stands as the member of the conservative block who, given his particular brand of jurisprudence, is most open to persuasion on a number of key issues likely to come before the Court.   

As I have argued elsewhere, Kennedy is not a proponent of a “living constitution,” but his interpretative methodology is sensitive to what I’ve termed “emergent rights” – rights “that while perhaps not yet sufficiently well-grounded in history and tradition as to be considered fundamental have nevertheless emerged from ‘the continuing traditions of our society’ or are so closely connected ‘with interests recognized as private and protected’ as to be entitled to more than minimal review” (Parshall 2006, 268). 

Kennedy was the author of several rulings invalidating the juvenile death penalty, overturning Texas’same-sex-sodomy ban, and authoring the opinion recognizing the Constitutional right for two individuals of the same sex to legally marry – rulings which were influenced by his recognition of changing social views both domestically and abroad and his felicity to the concepts of liberty and equal protection (Parshall 2007).  In each of those rulings, and much to Scalia’s disdain, Kennedy had incorporated standards of international law and practice into his rulings (Hutt and Parshall 2007).   

A pragmatist, Kennedy has a deeply abiding respect for the Supreme Court as an institution and for the rule of law, which includes a commitment to stare decisis.  “Liberty has no refuge in a jurisprudence of doubt,” he wrote, when he voted, as part of a plurality, to uphold the central holding of Roe v. Wade. What he meant was that the public would have no faith in the Court as an institution, or in the security of their fundamental liberties, if the Court were to abandon its fidelity to precedent in the face of political pressure.   

On questions of executive authority, Kennedy has been deferential but has displayed a resolute commitment to the role of an independent judiciary.  When the Bush Administration sought to foreclose federal judicial review of habeas petitions bought by foreign detainees held as part of the War on Terror, Kennedy kept the door of jurisdiction open.  The “laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times. Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system they are reconciled within the framework of the law” he wrote. In our system of separate powers, executive powers are strengthened not weakened by careful judicial review. 

There has been some speculation that it is Kennedy’s seat which Trump and congressional Republicans most covet (and that may be true).  Gorsuch’s nomination, some argue, may be an effort to convince Kennedy that it is time (and safe) to step down – Gorsuch is a former Kennedy clerk.  But that presumes that Kennedy is ready to go.  As long-time judicial observer, Dahlia Lithwick and her co-author, Neil Siegal note, Kennedy is “not stupid” and it is not likely Gorsuch would rule similarly in the cases which comprise Kennedy’s legacy.  With 28 years of service, Kennedy is the Court’s most senior justice (after the chief justice, who regardless his length of service, is automatically granted senior ranking as primus inter pares, “the first among equals.”  

Of the Court’s conservative members, Kennedy is the justice that President Trump would probably be rightly advised to most fear as least likely to be counted upon for support when it comes to several issues of likely importance to the administration (based upon policy directions the administration has already signaled). Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito are reliably conservative votes, adhering to an originalist interpretation and advocating for the strict construction of the Constitution.  Both have endorsed strong executive powers, have repudiated the incorporation of international jurisprudence and tend to favor governmental authority over claims of individual rights and liberties.  Chief Justice Roberts’ conservative voting record and affinity for judicial minimalism (a restriction of the judicial role) suggest that he would not be disposed to aggressively use judicial authority as counter-balance to executive authority – although Roberts does bear watching on some issues. When the institutional authority and independence of the federal judiciary is threatened, the modern Supreme Court has not hesitated to push back. Kennedy holds the view that judicial vigilance is an indispensable feature of our constitutional design and is necessary to the preservation of liberty.  

Original Photo credit:
http://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/2/57/702418048-Getty_032712_JusticeAnthonyKennedy.jpg

Kennedy stands apart from his conservative colleagues, not just on the basis of his voting record, but because his rulings have reinforced the legitimacy, autonomy, and jurisdiction of the Court. In challenges to executive authority, in questions involving separation of powers and the division of power between the federal government and the states, on any issue likely to produce an ideological divide, litigants and their lawyers would be wise always to pitch their legal arguments in order to appeal to the “man in the middle.”  

John Roberts may be the Chief Justice – but it is Kennedy’s Court.  And it has been for awhile. 

References:

David Hutt and Lisa K. Parshall, Divergent Views on the Use of International and Foreign Law: Congress and the Executive versus the Court, Ohio Northern University Law Review Volume 33(1):113-152 (2007).

Lisa K. Parshall, Redefining Due Process Analysis: Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and the Concept of Emergent Rights, Albany Law Review, 2006, Volume 69(1):237-298.  

Lisa K. Parshall, Embracing the Living Constitution: Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s Move Away from a Conservative Methodology of Constitutional Interpretation, accepted for publication by North Carolina Central University Law Journal, 2007, Volume 30(1): 25-74.  

The New York State Constitutional Convention Question

New York State’s Constitutional History

                Although this document has been amended (more than 200 times since 1895), New York state is governed by a constitution which was adopted in 1894. 

On November 7, 2017, the citizens of New York will have the opportunity to vote on the question of whether to call a state constitutional convention for the purposes of proposing constitutional change and reform.  The state constitution itself mandates that this question be placed before the voters every twenty years (N.Y. Const., Art XIX, Sec 2).  In 1977 and 1997 (the last two mandatory votes), the voters turned the question down at the polls. 

If a majority of New Yorkers do vote yes on the 2017 ballot question, delegates (to be elected in 2018) would convene in 2019 with purpose of revising and amending the State’s constitution.  Whatever proposals the convention produces would not go into effect before being ratified (approved by the voters in a yes or no vote), whether individually or as a single-package.  There have been only 3 post-1894 constitutional conventions: in 1915, 1938 and 1967 (a convention called by the state legislature and approved by the voters). Only 1 of these (1938) resulted in significant revision; the proposals of the 1915 and 1967 conventions were rejected by voters when submitted for ratification. In 1967, voters were presented with ratification as a single package -- meaning that their ballot choice was to accept all of the proposed changes or none at all.  The rejection of the convention's work after a time-consuming and expensive process discouraged some voters from supporting a convention in 1997.  

Why It Matters

                The 2017 vote is a historic opportunity for New York's citizens to demand constitutional reforms and to directly participate in the governance of their state.  The potential topics for consideration include: strengthening state ethics and public-corruption laws, state legislative redistricting and reforms, campaign finance reform, the redefinition of gubernatorial powers and implementation of clear succession rules, state court and judicial selection reform, taxation, and state and local government financing reform.  Among the many policy issues for potential consideration would be state gaming laws, environmental protections, reproductive rights, protections for minorities, immigrants, and refugees, and state educational standards. On a daily basis, we are each of us, impacted directly by the functioning (or lack thereof) of our state and local governments.  The decisions made in Albany have significant repercussions for all New Yorkers both upstate and down. A lot has changed since 1894, and many of the issues about which we care deeply are shaped by state constitutional provisions. 

The New York State Legislature: Photo credit, Lisa Parshall

                 In the current divide over the executive actions and policies of the newly elected Trump Administration, the role of state and local government is on display as never before. Citizens who are dissatisfied with national policy trends have always turned to their state governments to protect and preserve their interest. In the United States Constitutional system, federalism (and the sovereign role of the states) is one of the great checks and balances, ensuring the comity of local and national interests.  Citizens look to and use their state government to impact and to respond to policy changes at the national level. There is perhaps no greater moment for achieving reform than through the state constitutional convention.   

   

How to Learn More    

              Sienna College's statewide polling has found that, although 69% of New York voters support calling a convention, more than two-thirds of them have not seen or read information on the upcoming vote.  The League of Women Voters and the Rockefeller Institute of Government are two good places to start if you want to learn more.  On these sites you will find details on the history and work of New York's past constitutional conventions, as well as links to editorials and news coverage of the upcoming “Con-Con” vote. 

                On April 22, 2017, the State and Local Politics Section of the New York State Political Science Association (NYPSA), will be holding a keynote roundtable event featuring a panel of leading experts on the history and politics of the New York State Constitutional Convention.. Daemen students and faculty are encouraged to attend.

For more information on this event, please contact, Dr. Lisa Parshall, Chair, State and Local Politics Section of the NYSPSA: (lparshal@daemen.edu). 

                In Fall 2017, the History & Political Science Department will be offering PSC 114, State and Local Politics, a course dedicated to promoting civic literacy and an understanding of the critical role played by state and local governments.  A number of our majors have conducted senior thesis projects on issues of state and local importance, including state senate redistricting (Altman-Cosgrove, 2012), ethics and corruption reforms (Fripp, 2016) and state constitutional conventions (Maulucci, 2016). 

Cartoon, "It Shouldn't Happen Here," by Jerry Costello, May 2, 1938, Knickerbocker News, Archival Image from
the New York State Archives collected by Dr. Lisa Parshall in her research on state constitutional history.
Opponents of state constitutional conventions express skepticism regarding the ability of the convention to implement reform in the voters' interest. The argument is that the delegate selection process favors the selection of elected leaders and party officials -- insiders with vested interests and the capacity to block significant reform.  

Cartoon, "What the People Expect," by Jerry Costello, April 18, 1938, Knickerbocker News, Archival Image from  
the New York State Archives collected by Dr. Lisa Parshall in her research on state constitutional history.  
This image highlights the high expectations the public has for "statesmanlike leadership" in the solemn task of  state constitutional reform and lurking danger when partisan bickering and politics infiltrates the convention process.  The constitution directs the delegate selection process -- the reform of which is itself a potential target for revision by the convention. 

Alumni Update

Alexander Marks (2008, Political Science) has declared his candidacy for
statthe Nevada State Senate's 18th District. 

History and Political Science Alum Running for the Nevada State Senate

Alexander Marks, who received his B.A. in Political Science from Daemen College in 2008, and his J.D. from the Massachusetts School of Law in 2011,  is running for the Nevada State Senate (Senate District #18).  A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Marks currently serves as general counsel for a Las Vegas based tourism and entertaining corporation.  Prior to that, Marks was the Director of Government Affairs for the Arizona Students' Association. Higher Education, and related issues of access and affordability, are among the major policy issues on which his campaign is focused. Marks' candidacy has received the endorsement of the Nevada State Democratic Party organization.  Marks credits his experience at Daemen as being instrumental to making his dream to run for public office a reality.

Congratulations, Alex and best of luck on the campaign trail!

History and Political Science News

News and Updates from the History and Political Science Department

Student Internships 

Keyla Marte (2016, Political Science) is currently taking part in the New York State Assembly Internship Program: a paid, academic program in which students directly participate in state government.  Keyla is working in the office of Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-97th District) where her primary responsibilities are dedicated to education policy issues. Keyla's senior thesis project, which she successfully defended in the Fall, evaluated the impact of charter school movement in New York State on the pubic education system. 

Watch for an upcoming guest blog post from Keyla on her Albany experience. And read more here about Keyla's experience in the Washington Internship Program. 

Ashley Cheff (2016, Political Science) has the rare opportunity and honor of interning in the offices of both of New York's United States Senators: Senator Charles Schumer (D) and Kristen Gillibrand (D). 

Watch for an upcoming guest blog post from Ashley on her internship experiences.   

Alumni News 

Congratulations to Victoria Velazquez Walker (2011, Political Science) who received her J.D. from the Charlotte School of Law in December, 2015.  While at Daemen, Victoria completed a senior thesis with a focus on policy issues concerning the war in Iraq, military policies, and the welfare of returning American troops.  Her areas of interest include corporate law, compliance and procedures.  Victoria is also involved in pro bono work related to veterans issues, poverty and social justice.  She lives in North Carolina with her family.  

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 - Jordan Sieracki (2015, History & Political Science)

Jordan (2015, History & Political Science)

Guest Blog: 

The History and Political Science Department’s guidance has been instrumental in my undergraduate success and in preparation for my future law school plans.  In the summer of 2012, with the encouragement of my academic advisors, I applied to and was one of twenty area students selected to be a participant in the Law School Admissions Council Pre-law Scholar’s Program at University at Buffalo Law School. Last summer. I received an opportunity to travel to Poland to study Polish language and culture. My scholarship was awarded through the Kosciusko Foundation, and my travel was supported by a private donation from a Daemen almunus.  This spring, I received a scholarship* to take a Kaplan LSAT Prep Course that helped me improve my initial diagnostic score by 15 points when I took the LSAT officially this June. I would have not been able to take advantage of these amazing and life-changing opportunities without the advisement, encouragement, and recommendation letters of the professors in my Department.

My advice for any other students looking to take the LSAT is practice, practice, practice! Hard does not mean impossible. The preparation course provided the structure and instruction I needed, but ultimately it all comes down to diligently practicing a new skill set. You have to practice tackling the questions until the breakdown of answering them becomes second nature. It can definitely be overwhelming and frustrating, but practicing over time will yield rewarding results. If you unable to take a commercial preparation course, you should make a study schedule to keep yourself accountable and on track. Otherwise, it can be too easy to put off studying and letting discouragement distract you from your goals.  

My dad has always told me that success is when preparation meets opportunity. Daemen’s History and Political Science Department both prepared me through my course work and introduced me to new and exciting opportunities that have allowed me to grow in success each year. I am excited for the experiences and stories of success yet to come! 

*The Kaplan Scholarship was awarded to Dr. Lisa Parshall through the Northeast Pre Law Advisors Association (NAPLA). Dr. Parshall was awarded a NAPLA travel grant to attend their 2013 conference where she additionally received a preparation course certificate from Kaplan, Inc. to be conferred upon a student of her choosing.  Jordan was selected as the recipient based on need and in recognition of her outstanding service to the Department and College as a peer mentor, orientation leader, and active member of the student clubs/associations.     

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.  

Alumni Updates

Graduates of the History & Political Science Department at Daemen are engaged in a wide variety of professional careers. 

James Felicita
 (2005, Political Science)

James Felicita (2005, Political Science, Pre Law and Criminal Justice Minor) spent several years working in law enforcement and as a deputy with the the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.  He is currently completing his Master's degree in Mental Health Care Counseling and works in Clifton Springs, New York as an acute care coordinator and care manager for individuals suffering from mental health issues, substance abuse problems, and/or chronic homelessness. As part of his responsibilities, James coordinates with a variety of health care providers, governmental agencies and legal services, to ensure that those in need receive proper treatment, care and services as they transition to outpatient services or are discharged.

Saladi Shebule (2012, Political Science) is now working as a Community Organizer for Citizen Action of New York, a non-profit political organization that fights for social, racial and economic justice. Saladi is also the President of the Somoli Bantu Community Organization of Buffalo, a group which "unites, educates, empowers, and advocates for the Somali Bantu refugees and immigrants in Buffalo, New York."




Tyler Threehouse (2010, Political Science) and Timothy S. Rentschler (2010, History and Government: Adolescent Education) are among the 2014 graduates of the the University at Buffalo School of Law.

Tim Rentschler
(2010, History & Government:
Adolescent Education)

Tyler Threehouse
(2011, Political Science)

Congratulations on your remarkable achievements!

For more information about the History and Political Science Department at Daemen College, please 

visit our website. 

Alumni Updates

Check out what some of our recent graduates are up to these days! 

Sarah (2013, Political Science)

Sarah Rodman (2013, Political Science) is currently a J.D. candidate at the University at Buffalo School of Law.  While at Daemen, Sarah was active in multiple campus activities (including the Pre-Law Student Association and its Annual Moot Court experience) and organized "Raise Your Voice," a musical performance to raise awareness and fight bullying. Sarah also completed an internship with the American Bar Association through the Washington Internship Institute (in 2011) and wrote her senior thesis on the crises of judicial vacancies in the U.S. district courts. Sarah is now a Summer Associate at the Law Offices of William Matar, P.C. in Buffalo, NY. 

Victoria (2011, Political Science) 

Victoria Velazquez (2011, Political Science) is currently a J.D. candidate at the Charlotte School of Law and recently completed an externship at the 6th Circuit's Public Defenders Office. While at Daemen, Victoria served in the Army National Guard and wrote her thesis on the issues facing veterans returning from the Iraq War. 

Wade (2013, Political Science) at the 2013 Academic Festival.

Wade Pietrocarlo (2013, Political Science) is currently a J.D. Candidate at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Wade writes that his experiences at Daemen helped to prepare him for the rigors of law school: 

"My classes in judicial process, criminal law and constitutional law were immensely beneficial in preparing me for law school...having that knowledge base and foundation put me slightly ahead of other 1L law students....Our senior thesis, although unappreciated and dreaded at first, came to be an invaluable learning exercise. As a lawyer...the preponderance of your time is spent writing...Moot Court was also vital for me as I will be on the Baltimore Law Moot Court team. This transition was greatly assisted by my 3 years serving as counsel on Daemen's Mock Trial team."

Wade offers the following advice for those considering law school:

"Become an avid reader and writer. 90% percent of my time is dedicated to reading and briefing cases, and to writing and forming arguments based on my reading and research. Attending law school is essentially a full time job, so do not apply unless you are ready to commit to it entirely. However, I do still have time on the weekends to go out, grab a drink, watch a sports game or hang out with friends." 

Wade's interests are primarily focused on healthcare law and tax law, with working as hospital in-house counsel or in medical risk-management among his possible long-term career goals. While at Daemen, Wade wrote a senior thesis on medical malpractice reform in New York State.

Student Presentations at Academic Festival 2014

The Moot Court Experience celebrated its 12th year as a highlight of Academic Festival. Here they are ready to start. Front Row: Jessica Mark, Jessica Maulucci , Aesha Sanders. Second Row: Zahra Nayyeri, Carla Hernandez, Jessica Todd, Caitlyn Ebert, Jordan Sieracki, Tom Aldrich, Mitch Altman-Cosgrove Third Row: Troy Hamlin, Nigel Hayes, Emily Kraft, Jarret Streicher, Amy Grimes (not pictured: Special Thompson)

On Wednesday, April 17th, students from the History & Political Science Department put their learning on display in an impressive array of presentations that included the Moot Court Experience; a Model UN Simulation, Senior Thesis & Independent Research presentations, a presentation by students who participated in the Poland Summer Program, and poster presentations from the Legacies of the Sixties first-year Learning Community.

 The Moot Court Experience

 

Nigel Hayes, a member of the prosecution team, questions witness (Troy Hamlin) with defense witnesses at center, and jury members on right. At far left of photo is Caitlyn Ebert, lead attorney for the defense

The Moot Court Experience celebrated its twelfth year as a highlight of Academic Festival. Moot Court is the signature event of the History & Political Science Department's Pre-Law Student Association (PLSA). This year's case centered upon a charge of sexual harassment. After the trial, audience members and court participants engaged in a "talk-back" session (in collaboration with members of the newly-forming student AAUW club). This year's trial united the legal simulation with issues of fundamental importance in society and the workplace, adding a new dimension to the event.

Lead prosecution "attorney" Special Thompson questions defense witness (Zahra Nayyeri) as judge (Mitch Altman-Cosgrove), jury, and defense team (Caitlyn Ebert,Carla Hernandez, and Jordan Sieracki) observe.
Dr. Lisa Parshall (far left of photo) reprised her role as bailiff and Moot Court coach

Since its inception, more than 100 students, from a wide array of majors, have participated in this event as attorneys and witnesses. Scores more have served as jurors. Moot Court is a student-focused event that develops and celebrates the advocacy skills of aspiring legal professionals and future community leaders. Former participants have gone on to attend law school, to practice law, to serve as community organizers and policy advocates, to become business leaders and executives, and to pursue advanced graduate studies.

This year's guest judge, Mitchell Altman-Cosgove, was a 2013 graduate (Political Science, Pre-Law Minor) and winner of the 2013 Daemen College Alumni Senior Award.  Mitch, along with three other participants from last year's event, is finishing up his first year of law school.

The (victorious) defense team.
Front: Carla Hernandez, (judge) Mitch Altman-Cosgrove, Zahra Nayyeri
Back: Jordan Sieracki, Jessica Mark, Caityn Ebert,Tom Aldrich

The prosecution team: Jarret Streicher, Amy Grimes, Emily Kraft, 
(judge) Mitch Altman-Cosgrove, Nigel Hayes, Troy Hamlin 
(not pictured: Special Thompson)

For more information about the Pre-Law Student Association, contact Dr. Lisa Parshall, Associate Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor (lparshal @ daemen.edu ). 

 

 

 Model UN Simulation

Many students from Dr. Aakriti Tandon's International Relations class took part in a Model United Nations Simulation, which Dr. Tandon added to the Academic Festival roster of events in 2013. Students participated as UN moderators and as national representatives of member states. This year's simulation focused on a resolution about nuclear armament of Iran and the country's refusal to cooperate with the UN or engage in talks with the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and Israel.

Students representing member states & the United Nations panel included Francois Acosta, Christina Auguste, Jenil Bell, Ashley Cheff, Anthony Difrancesco, Ryan Fritton, Thaddeus Gibson, Allison Goodwin, Nigel Haynes, Christina Heppner, Stephen Kem, Paige Kippley, Zahra Nayyeri, Luke Schaefer, Daniel Vennero, Keyla Marte, China Palmore, Nicholas Paveljack, Kathryn Procknal, Manuel Ramirez, Hannah Wolfanger, Sarah Zammiello, and Mei Yan Zhan.

 

Student Research: Senior Thesis Presentations (Political Science) & Independent Readings Project (Women's Studies)

An afternoon session at Academic Festival featured senior thesis research by two political science majors, along with a presentation of an independent reading project in women's studies.

Amber Zielinski (Political Science major, December 2013 graduate) presented her thesis research, which explained how action on climate change is kept off the Congressional agenda as policy is being formulated

James Stumpf (Political Science major, class of 2014), presented findings from his research on the degree of municipal stress in Erie County's towns and villages.

Elizabeth White (Physical Therapy major, Women's Studies minor), presented insights from
her Independent Readings course (in Women's Studies) on the history of women in medicine and science

Polish Studies Program

Dr. Andrew Wise introduces Elizabeth White, Caitlyn Ebert, and Chelsea Sieczkarek

Three of the students who took part in last summer's Study Abroad program in Poland shared photographs and described what they had learned about World War II and Public Memory in Poland. The students spoke about many dimensions of their experiences in Poland, emphasizing the scope of public memorials to the victims of the Nazi and Soviet occupations and their own service learning work in the Jewish cemetery in Przemyśl, where students were centered. They also talked about what they had learned by interacting with Polish students and by visiting historical sites (including memorials to World Wars I & II and the Holocaust). Caitlyn Ebert emphasized the powerful impact of Holocaust memorials; Elizabeth White discussed women's role in Polish resistance movements during World War II, and Chelsea Sieczkarek emphasized that cultural traditions currently observed in Poland are different than those preserved by her family in Buffalo (such as Dyngus Day). Another trip to Poland is planned for this summer: contact Dr. Wise (awise @ daemen.edu) to learn more.