History & Political Science Students Participate in Model EU Conference

Written by: Kyle Weinsheimer, History and Political Science Adolescent Education Major 

From Thursday March 30th to Saturday April 1st, I attended the SUNY Model European Union Conference on behalf of Daemen University. The conference was held at the SUNY Global Center in New York City, and involved students from around the world, representing delegations of European Union member states. Most days of the conference consisted of debating policies, agreeing on agenda recommendations, and constant communication and compromise from all member states. All students were given roles prior to the conference, from their representative delegation, and were told to stay in character throughout the conference. Me and my colleague, Crystal Buchanan, along with Lisa Pastor from the University of Montreal, represented the delegation of the Kingdom of Denmark. I represented the foreign affairs minister of the delegation, Lars Løkke Rasmussen. Crystal, a political science major at Daemen University, represented finance minister Marie Bjerre, and Lisa represented prime minister Mette Frederiksen. Together as a delegation, we had to commit time and effort to quality research on the policies and ideals of the Danish government, and to make sure our research fit with each other’s. Each representative from each delegation was placed in a functional meeting to debate and come to an agreement on a certain agenda topic. The foreign affairs functional committee, which I was on, was tasked with discussing the EU’s policy towards the People's Republic of China [PRC], which resulted in very contentious and passionate debates. The outcomes of these meetings were very positive, and as time progressed all representatives worked together to reach multiple agreements and amendments to agenda recommendations of the EU. The Foreign Affairs Committee's resolutions included increasing domestic manufacturing in the EU while incentivizing lower industrial developed states of the EU to increase their manufacturing capabilities, creating a task force to increase intelligence on the PRC, and to increase diplomatic relations to ensure trade efficiency with the PRC. As a whole, the conference was very informative and a great opportunity to meet other students who were both very friendly and knowledgeable.

Kyle Weinsheimer (center) and Crystal Buchanan (right) represented the Daemen History & Political Science Department at the Model EU conference in NYC 

Downtown NYC picture taken by Kyle Weinsheimer

In addition to the rewards of participating in such an amazing conference, was the benefit of visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the country, New York City. This was maybe my second or third time seeing the city in person, and I immediately felt the culture shock of being in the economic and social epicenter of the country. The bright lights, the diverse masses of people walking the streets, and the birds that’ll walk right up to you to hang for a little while made me excited to be in such a place. Being in the city that never sleeps was an amazing experience and I am thankful for the opportunity to have made this trip to represent Daemen University. I am also thankful that I got to take this trip with a Harlem native, my co-delegate Crystal, who could show me around the city and crack jokes with me while we walked through the maze of streets to find the SUNY Global Center. In addition, I’d like to thank Dr. Tandon, our faculty advisor for the conference, for meeting with us to make sure we were on track, and to help arrange travel plans for the conference. While it was a lot of work to prepare for this conference, it paid off in the end with the knowledge and experiences I gained from this trip.

Jules Princess receives scholarship

Jules Princess, a sophomore History & Political Science major, is the recipient of this year's Ruth Stratton Scholarship. The scholarship is named for Dr. Ruth Stratton, a beloved Political Science professor who influenced the lives of many Daemen students. The scholarship is awarded to a sophomore or junior major in the History & Political Science Department with a record of academic excellence, with preference given to students focused on environmental policy and/or law, which were among Dr. Stratton's areas of deep interest and expertise. Jules is preparing to pursue a career in law.

In addition to a record of academic success, Jules has held a number of leadership positions in student clubs and student government. Currently, Jules is President of the Pre-Law Student Association and has been elected Secretary of the Student Government Association for 2021-22. Congratulations, Jules! 

Tyra O'Meally-Turnbull Receives Scholarship

 

Tyra O'Meally-Turnbull, a sophomore History & Political Science: Adolescent Education major, is this year's recipient of the Elizabeth George Ivers Endowed Scholarship for Women. This scholarship, created by our distinguished alumna Elizabeth George Ivers, is awarded annually to a high-achieving student with a record of academic success and community service. In addition to her studies, Tyra is a member of Daemen's women's basketball team and has been involved with a variety of community service projects at Daemen and in the Amherst community. 

Congratulations, Tyra!

Daemen PSC & HST Students Visit Iowa - Days 2 & 3

After learning about Iowan politics during our private tour of the state capitol with an Iowa Representative on day 1, our second and third days in Iowa were spent attending several Democratic presidential candidate rallies and a forum on democracy.  By attending the various town halls, community events, and the forum, we were able to get a glimpse of what it is like for Iowa voters preparing to caucus on February 3 for their favorite candidate.  Because Iowa is a smaller state (population roughly 3 million people) and they vote first in the nomination season, Iowa voters understand their importance in the nomination process and expect that candidates will spend a lot of time introducing themselves, shaking hands, and taking selfies with them.  As you will see, candidates in return, are happy to oblige. 

Senator Amy Klobuchar's "Amy for America" Campaign Bus

Waiting for Mayor Pete Buttigieg to take the stage

Caucuses are vastly different from primaries--and Iowa is even a bit different among the various caucus states.  In a primary, a voter simply shows up to their polling location, fills out their ballot, and turns it in.  In a caucus, a voter shows up at a specified time (say 7:00 pm) and settles in for a few hours of speeches (from campaign surrogates, grassroots volunteers, and activists) and then votes.  And in Iowa, the way voting happens is even different.  Instead of filling out a paper ballot, voters literally vote with their feet.  Voters gather in their predetermined precinct location and listen to various surrogates, volunteers, and activists talk about why their candidate is the best.  Then, after the speeches, the voting begins.  There are signs posted throughout the room in which voters are gathered and in order to vote for a candidate, voters stand in their candidate's location.  After everyone is in place, the voters are counted.  If a candidate fails to attract 15% of the vote, they do not reach "viability."  Any voters supporting a candidate that does not reach viability can either vote for their second choice or they can go home.  This process continues until all candidates left have achieved viability.  Once all candidates have achieved viability, the votes are officially tallied across all the precincts in the state (currently there are 1, 681 caucus precincts) and a winner ultimately emerges.  Complicating this even further is the fact that between the various rounds of voting, all of the voters are working at convincing the supporters of candidates who have failed to achieve viability to support their candidate.  So, for example, should Amy Klobuchar fail to reach viability, all of the supporters of all the other candidates will be working on convincing the Klobuchar supporters to vote for Sanders, Buttigieg, Warren, or Biden instead. 

Listening to Vice President Joe Biden at his community event in Indianola, Iowa on 1/18/2020

Mayor Pete Buttigieg at his town hall in Council Bluffs, IA on 1/18/2020

Due to the nature of how voting actually happens in the Iowa caucuses, candidates try to ensure that their supporters are fully informed about their positions, their plans, and have a good idea of their character.  The candidates know that on caucus night, voters are expected to appeal to supporters of candidates that fail to achieve viability.  This is why candidates make several trips to Iowa and why they spend as much time as they do shaking hands and taking selfies.  These personal touches may make a huge difference on caucus night.  With a strong showing in Iowa (preferably a first place showing!) a candidate can then expect an increase in media attention as well as campaign donations. 

Tysai Washington and Sam Williams (R-L) with Joe Biden after his event in Indianola.  

Our whole group with Pete Buttigieg after his town hall in Council Bluffs.  

Our group with Elizabeth Warren after her town hall in Des Moines.  

After attending a few individual rallies (so far we have seen Biden, Buttigieg, and Warren) we were able to attend a forum entitled, We the People: Protecting Our Democracy a Decade After Citizens United.  (For anyone interested in the forum, it was recorded and can be found here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?468160-1/democratic-presidential-candidates-speak-we-people-2020-forum-iowa). At this forum, candidates were asked to address issues surrounding democracy, specifically focusing on the problems associated with money in politics.  Citizens United refers to the 2010 Supreme Court case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that independent expenditures related to political campaigns by corporations could not be restricted, as this would be a violation of their First Amendment Rights.  A total of six candidates appeared at the forum.  Andrew Yang, John Delaney, Elizabeth Warren, and Amy Klobuchar attended in person, while Pete Buttigieg and Deval Patrick appeared via Skype.  

Candidates at the We the People Forum (From Top to Bottom:
Elizabeth Warren, Deval Patrick, Andrew Yang,
Amy Klobuchar,Pete Buttigieg, and John Delaney).

 At each of these events, students have not only learned about the candidates running for office, but they have also learned a great deal about how unique Iowa is in our presidential nomination process.  They have been observing the power of retail politics--something we do not get to see much of in New York.  They have also been learning about how seriously Iowa residents take the nomination process and how closely they are actually paying attention.  We have spoken with some of the voters in the crowds at these events and everyone we have spoken with has been to multiple events from a variety of candidates.  Iowans take their first-in-the-nation role seriously and genuinely try to learn about the candidates through traditional retail politics. 

Alumni Reunion: June 8

Alumni and friends of the department are invited to join us at the History & Political Science / History & Government Reunion, held in conjunction with Daemen's Alumni Celebration on June 8, 2019, on Daemen's campus. 

Register online at daemen.edu/alumni/reunions  
Cost: $25

5:30 p.m. | Meeting & Department Tour

Meet at the Duns Scotus, Room 139 to tour the department's new office suite and meet the faculty before you head over to your reunion.

6:00 p.m. | History & Political Science/ Government Reunion

Connect with faculty, enjoy food and drinks, and celebrate with your classmates at our tent party. Meet at the Daemen Front Lawn, located in front of the RIC. Live music by Erickson Acoustic: Ashley & Dan Erickson ’07. This gathering includes a drink ticket and dinner.

We look forward to seeing you there!

(Can't make it this year? We would love to hear from you and know what you are doing.)

History & Political Science Department Banquet

Movie night! All the President's Men

Have you ever wondered how the Watergate scandal brought down Richard Nixon's presidency? Coverage of Watergate by two young investigative reporters at The Washington Post was crucial. Join the students of the History & Government Club on February 7 to watch this classic movie about how the Watergate story unfolded.

If you're on Facebook, you can get reminders of this event, by clicking this link.

Think Tank grant: Profile of Gabrielle Sinnott

The current issue of Daaemen Today profiles senior Gabrielle Sinnott (History & Political Science, '19) in a cover story on Daemen's Student-Faculty Think Tank grants. Gabrielle has collaborated with Daemen faculty on two separate Think Tank projects, one of which focused around research related to The People's Forum on the American Presidency, part of the department's History & Politics Event Series, held on October 1, 2016. 

Design by Gabrielle Sinnott

The People's Forum on the American Presidencyfeatured renowned presidential scholars exploring the complicated history and memory of four American presidents: Thomas Jefferson, Grover Cleveland, Warren G. Harding, and Woodrow Wilson, whose historical reputations range from "great" to "awful," and whose legacies are complicated by issues that are seen quite differently now than in their own times.

For her Think Tank project, Gabrielle collaborated with professors Lisa Parshall and Penny Messinger to create the image used to publicize the event (shown above) and on a related research paper exploring the role of political caricature and political cartoons in shaping contemporary and historical perceptions of presidents. The event design features Jefferson and Wilson, who are generally ranked among America's best presidents, looking askance at Cleveland and Harding, their not-so-great companions who have joined Jefferson and Wilson on a revised version of Mt. Rushmore, while the people stand in judgement of all four. (Read more about The People's Forum in this blog post.)

Dr. Penny Messinger & Gabrielle Sinnott with drafts of the event design (above)

Read the full Daemen Today article about Student-Faculty Think Tanks grants here. 

Constitution and Citizenship Day: Voter Registration Drive

The History & Political Science Department  encourages all students, faculty, and staff to exercise their political and civil rights by registering to vote and participating in the electoral process.

Watch for our nonpartisan, voter registration table which we will host as part of National Constitution and Citizenship Day, on Monday, September 17, 2018, at the Wick Center Lobby from 11:30-1:00. 

In the meantime, here is some information to help you vote in New York State:

Registering to Vote: 

How do I check if I'm already registered to vote or not? You can look up your voter registration information with the New York Board of Elections here.

How to I register to Vote? 
New York Voter Registration forms are always available through the New York State Board of Elections online here (English version) and here (Spanish version).

You can also pick up a voter registration form in the History & Political Science Department. Just stop by DS 139 and ask for a blank voter registration form: we are always happy to help you with any questions you might have about the voting registration process.

Am I Eligible to Vote? 

In order to vote you must: 

·                     be a United States citizen;

·                     be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you file this form (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote);

·                     live at your present address at least 30 days before an election;

·                     not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction; 

·                     not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court; 

·                     not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

At what address should I register? 

If you are a college student, you may register at either your local college address (provided you will have lived there for at least 30 days before the election) or at your home-town address. The address at which you are registered to vote will determine your polling place on election day.  So, if you want to vote at a polling place near Daemen you should register using your local (Erie County) address, or fill out a change of registration card by the registration deadline.  

What if I am not registered to vote at my local (Erie County) address? 

If you are registered to vote at your non-college address (for example, if you are registered to vote in NYC) and are not able to travel back to cast your ballot then you will need to apply for an absentee ballot.

How do I apply for an Absentee ballot? 
If you are filling out a new voter registration form you can simply check the box on Item 15 in order to have an absentee ballot application sent to your local address.

If you are already registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot from your county board of election. Absentee ballot requests forms can be found here (English) and here (Spanish).  The application request must be received by the county board of elections by mail no later than 7 days before the election (or the day before if submitted in person). 

Students who are registered to vote at their non-college address should check "absent from county" when filling out your absentee ballot form (i.e., you are unable to vote in person in the county where you are registered because you are away at college).

See here  for complete information on absentee voting.

If you do not want to worry about voting absentee, remember that you may also choose to fill out a new voter registration form to update/change your registration to your local (Erie County) address, as long as you will have lived there at least 30 days before the election in which you are seeking to vote.  

What do I do with the completed voter registration form? 

Once you've filled out and signed the form you should then mail it to the county board of elections (county in which you are registering to vote).  In Erie County, the address is: 134 West Eagle St., Buffalo, NY 14202.  You can look up the addresses for other New York counties here.

What is the deadline for registering to vote in the 2018 General (Midterm) Election (November 6, 2018)? 
Voter Registration forms must be postmarked no later than October 12 and received by a county Board of Elections no later than October 17 in order for you to be eligible to vote in the General Election on November 6.

You may also register in person at any Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or at the Erie County Board of Elections on 134 West Eagle St., in Buffalo up to October 12, 2018.

What happens after I mail in my voter registration form? Once the board of elections has received and processed the form, you will receive your voter registration card in the mail. This card will list the polling location where you must report to vote based on your registration address. If you misplace the card, you may look up your registration/polling place information with the New York State Board of Elections here.

I already registered, how do I change or update my information/address? 
You can always update or change your name or address by filling out a new voter registration form and mail it, same as above, to your county Board of Elections. You can also fill out a new form to change your party registration, but please note that in New York, party membership changes will not be processed until after the next general election.

Should I register as a member of a political party (i.e., declare party affiliation)? 
In New York you may only vote in a political party's primary (nominating) elections if you are a registered member of that political party.  So, if you want to vote in the primaries, you should select the party in whose primaries you wish to regularly participate on Box 14 of the voter registration form. Checking a box means that you will be recorded as member of that party and will be eligible to vote in only that party's primary elections. 

You can change your party affiliation by filling out a new voter registration form, but please note that in New York state any party affiliation change will not be processed until after the next general election. For example, an application to change one’s party enrollment for 2019 must be received by the board of elections no later than October 12, 2018.

See here for information on changing your party registration. If you wish to remain unaffiliated or independent (no party registration) then you should check the box "No party" on Box 14 of the voter registration form.

Please note: registering as a member of a political party only affects your eligibility to vote in a partisan primary elections (intra-party elections that are held before the general election in which the party members decide which candidate to nominate). In a primary election, only registered members of that party can receive the party’s ballot and may vote).

Declaring partisan affiliation does not in any way affect which candidate or party you may vote for in the general election. In the general election, everyone receives the same ballot with the candidates of all parties listed. You may vote for whichever candidate/party you prefer for each race. You may vote a straight ticket (vote for all of a particular party’s candidates) or split your ticket (cast a vote for which ever candidate you like best for each office – i.e. vote for the Republican candidate for some offices and the Democratic candidates for others). 

Voting: How does it all work?

On election day, you must report to the designated polling place for the address at which you are registered to vote. If you're not sure where your polling place is, or you lost your voter registration card, you may look up your information here.

In New York, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM on election day. New York does not have an early voting period and absentee ballot voting is excuse-required (see below). 

What if I'm not able to go to my polling place on the day of the election? 
If you are not able to report to your registered polling place on election day for any of the reasons listed below, then you will need to request an absentee (mail in) ballot. Information on requesting an absentee (mail-in) ballot, along with the absentee ballot request form, can be found here. Upon completion, applications must be mailed to your county board no later than the seventh day before the election or, if delivered in person, no later than the day before the election.

You are eligible to vote absentee if you are: 

·                     Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City, absent from said city, on Election Day. 

·                     Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability; or because you are the primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled. 

·                     A patient or inmate in a Veterans' Administration Hospital. 

·                     Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

Students should check "absent from county" when filling out your absentee ballot form.

For the November 6, 2018 General (Midterm) Election, the last day to postmark an absentee ballot request is October 30, 2018. The last day to make an in-person absentee ballot request is November 5.

Absentee ballots (vote) must be returned and post-marked by November 5, or may be delivered in person by November 6 to the appropriate county board of elections.

Do I need ID to vote? 

New York does not have a voter ID requirement, but it does not hurt to have some form of ID with you when you go to the polls in the event your identity or eligibility is challenged. 

I've never voted before, what can I expect? 

There will be trained poll workers to assist you at the polling place. Generally, there is a line/table with poll workers where you check in. The voter registration rolls are divided by precinct – your precinct number is indicated on your voter registration card. If you do not know it, just tell the poll worker where you live (the address at which you are registered to vote) and they will tell you which table to check-in at. The poll workers will check the voter registration rolls for your name.  Once you are verified as properly registered (listed in the voter roll), you will sign the poll book and will be given a ballot and necessary directions by the poll workers as to the voting process.

Erie County uses a DS 200 ballot scanner. You will be given a paper ballot and directed to booth or area where you complete the ballot in privacy.  You will then feed the completed paper ballot into a scanning machine in order to have it counted.  A video on the process can be found here. You can find information on the various voting equipment used in other New York counties here.  If you encounter any difficulties, just ask a poll worker for assistance. 

What if I am turned away at the polls? 

If, for whatever reason, a poll worker tells you that you are not eligible to vote and you believe that this is an error and you are lawfully entitled to vote, you may ask for a provisional ballot.  

Provisional ballots are set aside until the Board of Elections clarifies your eligibility/registration status. If it is determined that you are legally entitled to vote, your ballot will be counted.  If it is determined that you are not eligible/properly registered, the ballot will be destroyed.  You may be asked to fill out/sign an affidavit as to your eligibility/status when casting a provisional ballot.

What if I'm working on Election Day? 

New York does not allow voting by absentee ballot due to your work schedule but it does entitle all workers who do not have at least four consecutive hours free during the period in which the polls are open, to take time off of work (without a loss of pay for up to two hours) in order to vote. Please note that the law requires that you notify your employer and verify eligibility at least 2 days (but no earlier than 10 days) before election day.  You can read the law here and should consult with your employer.

What if I'm Out of State Resident/Voter? 

If you are not a New York state resident, you may register to vote by completing the National Mail Voter Registration Form: http://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/register_to_vote.aspx.

You may also contact your State's board of elections for state-specific information on registration and absentee voting rules in your state of residency. 

Information for Military and Overseas Federal Voting can be found here.

Still have questions?
Feel free to stop by the History & Political Science Department for help. We're always happy to answer your question or help direct you to the right place to get information.  And remember, you can always contact the NY State Board of Elections, or the Erie County Board of Elections, directly for voter registration assistance. 

Interning in Thailand

by Gabrielle Sinnott, History and Political Science, 2019

Since my freshman year at Daemen I had the dream of interning in Thailand. I planned on going twice before, but the plans always fell through, until the 2018 Fall semester came along. I had meeting upon meeting with Ann Robinson, from Global Programs, about my desire to go abroad and she was diligent in helping me get there. I recall Ann’s conversation with me, “The Gilman Scholarship is due in two days, but you should definitely try to apply!” and so, I did. Now for all of you who haven’t applied for the Gilman International Scholarship before, it is not an easy task. There are multiple essays and a strenuous application to fulfill, but I was able to complete it a few hours before the deadline.

I remember the next day vividly because of how disappointed I was with my essays. I even said to Ann, “Wow, that was the worst essay I’ve ever written in my life.” But, she assured me that it was fine and at least I was able to complete the application before the deadline. And what happened next? I entirely forgot that I applied and continued on with applying to local internships for the summer. A few months later I received the news.

It was 6:30 in the evening and I was at Daemen doing homework when I received the email for winning the Gilman International Scholarship to study in Thailand for 8 weeks over the summer. I was in shock. I didn’t believe it. I googled the email address to make sure it wasn’t scam, then I called my mom, my friend, and emailed a few of my mentors. It was an incredibly surreal moment. I never thought I would actually travel to Thailand. It was just too much money as a first generation student who pays for college, but it was possible.

So in May 2018 I packed my bags and flew out to Chiang Mai, Thailand to pursue a public health internship in the Nong Han Public Health Clinic. Sounds a bit weird, right? A History and Political Science student heading to Thailand for the summer for an internship not in her field? Makes no sense…

Well, even though I’m a History and Political Science student, I also hold minors in Philosophy, Medical Humanities, Global Studies, and Public History, and my future goals include attending Graduate School to obtain a PhD in Medical Anthropology.  This internship allowed me to observe a live health clinic to study the role of the clinic in the community, ethics and culture within the clinic.

The Nong Han Public Health Clinic is a government funded clinic that’s a department of the San Sai Hospital located right up the road. The Clinic serviced 14 districts and cared for roughly 20,000 patients, where other clinics in Chiang Mai cared for 4,000 to 5,000 patients.

As an Intern, I was able to attend home visits to assess patients that were bedridden, paralyzed, or unable to make it to the clinic, conduct general assessments on children, fill prescriptions prescribed by the doctor, teach healthy and unhealthy habits to elementary children, and participate in community lead events, such as a Dengue Prevention parade or an Herbal Medicine Seminar.  

While in Thailand, most of the nurses in my clinic couldn’t speak English, which really impeded my ability to obtain information. Thankfully, one nurse and at least one student from a rotating group from Chiang Mai University spoke English, so I was able to somewhat communicate. To better my communication skills, I practiced writing and speaking Thai with my homestay mother and others within the clinic—one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I spent a lot of time writing and rewriting the Thai alphabet and learning phrases to use in the clinic and in everyday life, but eventually I was able to better communicate with the nurses and people around me.

My time in Chiang Mai substantially influenced my decision to continue pursuing a future in Anthropology. I obtained so much information, not only about working in a Thai clinic, but also about the Chiang Mai region, Buddhism, environmental sustainability, linguistics, and the Northern Thai population and culture.

My internship gave me a glimpse at what future field work consists of and what living in a foreign environment is like. Personally, I have developed a new perspective on what it’s like being an outsider, an academic, and how to cope with an intense language barrier. I have grown in ways that I couldn’t have imagined going into this experience and I am incredibly thankful for this unique opportunity. My internship transformed my idea of Southeast Asian culture and values and has stimulated my drive to pursue a career in academia. The impact Thailand has had on me is unparalleled and I will cherish my memories far into my future endeavors.