Leon Kockaya

What brought you to UA Little Rock?

There was not anything specific that brought me to UA Little Rock. I did not have a plan for college or what would come after. UA Little Rock was close to home and economical, so I decided it would be the right place for me.

Why did you decide to major in Political Science?

In the beginning, I hoped to attend law school. Not because I particularly wanted to be a lawyer, but I thought I would find a passion for it along the way. An academic advisor told me political science would be an excellent precursor to law school, so I decided to make it my major.

What experiences have you had since coming to school here that have been most influential for you?  How have they influenced you?

My most influential moments at UA Little Rock were taking classes in comparative politics and methodology, for it changed my perspective of what political science is as a field of study. Coming into my major, I thought the work would be purely qualitative.

Since taking my first methodology course (three years ago), I have been working on my own research regarding the rise of the radical left and radical right political parties and the economic vote. I studied nationalism in Western Europe during a study abroad taking place in the UK, France, and Germany. Furthermore, I was fortunate enough to travel, and take part in Model Arab League for two years and I was able to work on a public opinion paper with Dr. Glazier and Dr. Williams. Thanks to the experiences at the UA Little Rock I spent a summer working as a research assistant, for a faculty member at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Putting to use the skills I developed in my classwork.

Ultimately, I realized that I did not want to go to law school and now hope to pursue a career in academic research and work in international relations.

What do you want to do next? 

Going forward, I hope to continue my studies as I am applying to Ph.D. programs this December. I do not where yet, but hopefully next fall I will be working on my Ph.D.

What would you tell a potential student considering coming to school at UA Little Rock and majoring in Political Science?

For those considering a degree in political science at UA Little Rock, I would stress that they take classes given by every faculty member in the department. I believe every professor provides a different glimpse into the field. For broad exposure to discipline, this is necessary.

 

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