Pyar Seth’s short undergraduate career has set him up for a long, productive future in academia. The 2019 graduate—a transfer student and Norfolk, Va., native—finished his bachelor’s degree in just three years, but still found time to forge meaningful relationships with faculty members, undertake groundbreaking research, and win a prestigious fellowship—one that will support his work as a Ph.D. student investigating the intersection of race and political thought.
Encouraged by his first adviser at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全, Seth pursued an interdisciplinary second major (ISM) in African American studies, alongside his primary major of political science. His ISM incorporated classes from disciplines across campus—anthropology, 教育, 沟通, 英语, 和历史, 椅子在哪里?, 凯里Latimore, Ph.D., became a close mentor during Seth’s time at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全.
“What I really appreciate about Doc [Latimore] is that we had the kind of relationship where we could just sit and talk,赛斯说. Those chats would often become the starting place for new academic research. 例如, they studied the relationship between grief and black nationalism, 正如Seth回忆的那样, “That project emerged from a conversation we were having about what it’s like to be black in the U.S. 今天. We were just talking, and all of a sudden, Doc said, ‘I think we’re getting somewhere!’”
Seth actively participated in the broader 赌博娱乐平台网址大全 community as a member of the Tiger track and field team, 黑人学生会, 和居住生活, but his academic experiences—engaging in independent study, collaborating with professors, and developing his second major—set him down the scholarly path he’s still walking 今天.
The summer before his final year at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全, Seth was selected to participate in the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) 2019 Ralph Bunche Summer Institute Scholar program. After graduation, he landed a place in APSA’s prestigious Minority Fellows Program (MFP). 成立于1969年, 4美元,000 fellowship aims to increase the number of scholars from underrepresented and minority backgrounds in political science doctoral programs. It reinforces something Latimore suggested to Seth early on at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全. “When I told Doc that I loved big ideas, he told me, ‘Maybe you should think about a Ph.D.”
Seth has now applied to several doctoral programs and will make a decision this spring. “I want to be somewhere that folks are excited by the questions I’m interested in asking,他说, emphasizing his intention to focus on black political thought, 情绪, 种族暴力.
Seth sees the APSA grant as both an honor and a mandate. “Since work on race and ethnic politics is largely underrepresented in political science, I see the Minority Fellowship as a push from the American Political Science Association to do and be better in that arena,赛斯说. “他们说, ‘We have faith that these young people can help contribute to our understanding of the world.’ That’s what I find exciting about it.”
The one-time grant provides $2,000 for each of two consecutive summers, but Fellows typically remain well connected with the program beyond the award years, thanks to a series of events and gatherings where past and present awardees can network and discuss their research.
“It’s been a privilege to work with a number of brilliant folks,赛斯说, “and it’s that much sweeter when they look like me."
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