President Barack Obama: "Hello New York! It
is great to be back in Albany."
Kelly Hanson: "There's always something changing
in Political Science, new campaigns, new policy
that's coming forth."
David Fronk: "It's amazing when you look at
the power government has to make a difference
in individual communities."
Mereideth Weiss: "The best way to learn how
to change the system as we have it is to learn
more about that system."
Martin Robinson: "In my Political Science
Major we look at the role everyone plays in
a political society."
Hanson: "There's a million things you can
do with Political Science."
Weiss: "The most unique factor about the Political
Science major here is the concentration that
each student pursues. So global or public
policy. Public law, political theory or American
Politics, which allows them to get a deeper
knowledge of one area while also having plenty
of electives. The major involves a lot of
reading, a lot of writing, a lot of research,
and most importantly a lot of critical thinking."
Robinson: "It is very rigorous."
Fronk: "People know that when you come out
of the school you have a certain ability to
critically think and communicate and be able
to problem solve and those are critical parts
of any job, particularly government."
Weiss: "Which means that students tend to
come out of this degree much more confident
in their own knowledge."
Hanson: "The speaking skills, the writing
skills, the reading skills, I feel like I'm
one notch ahead of everybody else."
Weiss: "The students pursuing political science
or public policy here, they have a dedicated
environment . Rockefeller College is among
the top ranked programs in public affairs
in the United States that really allows for
a much more concentrated, much more focused
experience."
Hanson: "I chose political science at UAlbany
because of the location to the capitol region."
Weiss: "Because we're so close to the state
legislature we do have internship programs
there."
Hanson: "I work one on one with Senator Maziarz,
he's the vice president of the senate."
Robinson: "We're getting the experience needed
to be able to work successfully in the public
sector. We have in the studio congressman
Paul Tonko."
Congressman Paul Tonko: "It's great to join
you and all of your listeners on campus."
Weiss: "We have a Washington D.C. semester
internship program that includes interning
in a federal agency or think tank while also
taking the UAlbany classes."
Hanson: "Those kind of opportunities just
don't come around and being a student at UAlbany
you have these opportunities."
Weiss: "We also have alumni who really take
it upon themselves to work with the college
and work with our students."
Fronk: "One of the things I've been trying
to do since I've been here is to create a
new internship program that allows the student
to come in and see how government is functioning.
To be a part of the solution, to be a part
of empowering communities, and to be a part
of positive outcomes."
Weiss: "Students want jobs when they graduate,
and so we do prepare them for that too. But
ideally we really like citizens who are both
employed and engaged."
Hanson: "I applied, got in to one of the most
competitive Law Schools in the country, and
I'm hoping to practice Environmental Law."
Robinson: "The Political Science program here
emphasizes analysis needed to best help to
serve the public."
Fronk: "I think that's the power of government,
is that you can work with people and empower
people, and make positive things happen. And
that's a major part of what I learned what
to do at UAlbany."
