Carly Madsen and Joel Selway, Political Science Department
As I finish my undergraduate education at Brigham Young University I am filled with gratitude for the many experiences I have been privileged to have. The climax of my studies in political science occurred this summer as I participated in a mentored research project in Thailand. This experience was particularly special for me, as I served as a missionary in Thailand just over a year ago. Being able to return to Thailand and be with people that I love, doing research on a topic of great interest to me, was the best part about my mentoring experience.
I have spent the last year working for Professor Joel Selway as a research assistant, and I was excited to not only work with him on my ORCA research, but to also be the project manager for his survey experiment in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I had the opportunity to help oversee the personal research projects of the other seven students who participated. I am confident that my experience was enriched by a close association with each of them.
I learned a great deal about administering surveys for political science, and I was also able to conduct several interviews with local politicians and experts about my own personal research topics. Though I believe my mentoring experience would have been even better if I had been able to set up more in-person interviews.
Working closely with my mentor Professor Selway this summer helped me gain an important understanding of what being a political science professor is like—as this has been a career goal I have seriously considered. And while I still have much to consider in this regard, I am grateful for the advice and friendship that Professor Selway has extended to me.
In summary, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the generous grant I received from ORCA. I am confident that the experience I had—made possible by ORCA and the other grants I received—helped me develop as a person in many regards.
I gained a greater appreciation for research and the importance of performing it authentically in order to get accurate results. I also came to understand my own interests to a greater degree. In that process, I came to understand the people and culture I love in a deeper way. I am also confident that I continued my spiritual progression throughout my research as I used my time and talents to perform research that may serve beneficial for the Thai people. I will never forget the experiences I had and the things I learned this summer.