News Release

DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE/April 21, 2008

Two Boise State Political Science Students Tapped for Prestigious Fellowship

Boise State political science students Simon Tu and Geneva Román have been selected by the American Political Science Association for prestigious 2008-2009 Minority Fellows awards. Boise State was the only university to have more than one student selected.

Geneva Román, Simon Tu Click to Enlarge Images

The Minority Fellows program was established in 1969 in an effort to increase the number of minority scholars in the discipline. APSA assists minority students in completing their doctorates by concentrating on the recruitment of minorities and the retention of these groups within the profession.

The Minority Fellows Program designates up to 12 stipend minority fellows each year. Additional applicants who do not receive funds from APSA may also be recognized and recommended for admission and financial support to graduate political science programs. Fellows with stipends receive a $4,000 fellowship. Awards are based on students’ undergraduate course work, GPA, extracurricular activities, GRE scores and recommendations from faculty.

• Tu will graduate this May with a bachelor of arts in political science and a minor in economics. As a McNair Scholar and Research Fellow, his research on income inequality in the United States expanded the definition of economic globalization to include authorized and unauthorized immigration, two previously neglected but essential variables in the production process. Tu’s interests include international political economy, international migration and the politics of race and ethnicity. Tu continues to benefit from several graduate-quality experiences, such as developing original research, presenting at a variety of academic conferences, guest lecturing for upper-division courses and working as a research and teaching assistant for professors in the Political Science and Sociology departments. Tu is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, vice president of the Red River Powwow Association, and is active in his American Indian and Mexican-American communities.

• Román is a senior working toward a bachelor’s degree in international political science with an honors citation. She is president of the Political Science Association and has participated in the Model UN group. Her research interests include human rights and international legal protections. As a McNair Scholar she worked with Ross Burkhart, chair of the Department of Political Science, analyzing the human rights practices of multilateral development banks. By investigating multilateral lending practices and human rights records, she examines whether human rights records are a substantial consideration among international financial institutions as mandated by international law. Román plans to attend graduate school in the fall to study international relations, human rights and diplomacy. Román received a non-funded award.

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Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Communications, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

Boise State University’s new Finish in Four program guarantees that eligible students who follow a planned course of study can complete their degree in four years. If not, Boise State will pay for the additional required courses. More information about Boise State’s graduation guarantee can be found at www.boisestate.edu/finish4.
 

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Last reviewed on Monday, April 21, 2008