Student heads to St. Louis after winning presidential studies grant
UALR senior Luis Miguel Lopez will present his research at the International Studies Association Midwest Conference in St. Louis Nov. 7 to 9 after recently winning a competitive Presidential Studies Undergraduate Student Research and Travel Grant from the UALR Department of Political Science.
Lopez will make his research presentation on the economic sanctions of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton to an audience of professors and graduate students.
The department has made it a priority to support undergraduate research and provide students with high-impact learning opportunities such as travel to academic conferences, according to Dr. Rebecca Glazier, who is overseeing the winning proposal submitted by Lopez.
“Miguel is an outstanding student and very deserving of this grant,” said Glazier. “This trip will provide him with great experience for graduate school. The achievement is rare among undergraduate students.”
The travel grant is the culmination of a lot of hard work, but was also a testament to the support the Political Science Department provides to its students, Lopez said.
“This grant means a lot to me,” he said.
“I owe all of my academic success to my amazing mentor Dr. Glazier and the rest of the political science faculty, who go out of their way to make sure their students succeed. I look forward to this weekend as it will be an honor to present my research and represent my school.”
Lopez, a leader in the UALR Young Democrats, has stayed busy this political season working to increase election-day turnout of college-age voters. He said no academic major or career is exempt from the impact of U.S. politics.
Lopez is minoring in Middle Eastern Studies, which he credits as among the most unique experiences of his time at UALR.
Earlier this year, he was among 19 students who attended the National University Model Arab League Conference, held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and supported by the UALR Middle Eastern Studies Program.
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