Meet Our American Politics Fellows

Laini Boyd

Laini Boyd is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary studying Government and Africana Studies. She has lived in Washington, Italy, Tennessee, and Virginia. After graduating from high school in Stafford, Virginia, she began her time at the College as a member of the inaugural Aim 4 Community Engagement cohort. While volunteering with Project Phoenix, a tutoring and mentoring program serving local middle school students, she became inspired to dedicate her time engaging in education inequity in Williamsburg James City County. Outside of creating mentoring programs, she collaborates with student leaders on campus as the Sophomore Class Student Assembly President. She hopes that her experience with American Politics DCSI will offer a unique experience furthering her understanding of politics in the nation’s capital.

Maddie Burton

Maddie Burton is a junior at the College from Roanoke, Virginia.  She is majoring in Government and minoring in Public Health.  On campus, she is a member of the Contemporary & Cultural Issues Committee of Alma Mater Productions, Delta Gamma sorority, and the International Relations Club.  She has also staffed and directed at several of William & Mary’s Model UN conferences.  She spent the Fall 2015 semester studying terrorism in Copenhagen, Denmark, an opportunity that allowed her to travel and eat pastries more than she’d originally thought possible.  Outside of school, she enjoys cooking, hiking, biking, and taking pictures of her cat wearing hats.  After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in foreign affairs or public health and would like to use this summer to explore those fields.

Megan Chaplin

Megan is a junior at the College majoring in government. After field organizing on a House of Delegates campaign and following her winning candidate to Richmond to intern in the General Assembly, Megan is now excited to intern in DC and learn more about the legislative process at the federal level. Outside of academics and advocacy work, Megan enjoys caring for her two cats, Maggie and Beau, and sitting outside with a good book at The Daily Grind.

Jenna Davis

Jenna Davis is a sophomore at the College from Livingston, New Jersey. She is pursuing a major in government and (hopefully) a minor in accounting. This past summer, Jenna interned for a real estate and environmental law firm in Secaucus, New Jersey, which strengthened her excitement about a future career in politics. On campus, Jenna serves as an editor and writer for Her Campus William and Mary and a staff writer for The Odyssey at William and Mary. Additionally, she is a contributing writer of viral content for the national page of Her Campus. Jenna also spends much of her time as a sister of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, where she serves on the recruitment board and the risk committee. She is thrilled about the opportunity to learn and work in DC this summer!

Hannah Gourdie

Hannah Gourdie is currently a sophomore from Charleston, South Carolina pursuing a double major in Government and French/Francophone Studies. On campus, she is treasurer of sWiM Club, secretary of the Undergraduate Student Conduct Council, a researcher in the Political Psychology and International Relations (PPIR) lab, and a copy editor for the Flat Hat. Hannah is interested in women's rights on both a domestic and international scale- to follow both of these passions, she interned at a domestic violence shelter over the summer and is currently conducting research on gender and peace negotiations in the PPIR lab. After college, she would like to attend law school and specialize in constitutional law. This summer, she is excited to live and work in DC, where she hopes to end up after she has graduated. In her spare time, Hannah loves to swim, read, and pet  dogs in Colonial Williamsburg.

Sean Higgins

Sean Higgins is a junior at the College.  He is majoring in Government and considering a minor in History.  He is a member of the CAA Championship Swim Team and additionally assists with both recruiting and social media for the team.  He is a member of STEP, Students for Effective Policy.  Sean is interested in campaign management.  He is hoping that the Institute, and particularly his internship, will help him decide whether his future lies in business or behind the scenes in politics.  Sean’s interest in the D.C. Institute was largely driven by Prof. Settle’s course in polarization, a topic that clearly melds with his interest in campaign management.

David King

David King, born and raised in New York City, is currently a freshman at the College. David has already decided to pursue a Government major with a minor in Economics or Hispanic Studies. On campus, he has joined the Young Democrats and is a brother of Beta Theta Pi, a fraternity with a national reputation for public and community service. He is already known as a “government nerd,” and can usually be found debating local, national, and world politics. David has always been incredibly passionate about helping others and has also developed a long-standing love for the Spanish language, a combination that has led him to travel to South America on a number of community service excursions in past years. In his spare time, David is also a die-hard New York sports fan, no matter the season, particularly baseball, football, and soccer. One day, David hopes to have a career in Government and is extremely excited about living, studying and working in Washington, DC this summer.

Emily Lane

I am a junior at William and Mary, but this is my first year attending the college as I transferred from George Mason. I am from Virginia Beach. I am pursuing a bachelor in Public Policy and hope to double major in Government. In the future I'd like to conduct research, I'd like a career related to policy. I am a member of the Roosevelt Institute here at William and Mary, a barista at the nearby Starbucks, and a volunteer at the Heritage humane society. I'm passionate about social justice, coffee, economics, animals, and politics. 

Suzie McKelvey

Katherine Olrick

Katherine is currently a sophomore at the College of William & Mary. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois but attended high school in San Francisco, California and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an International Relations major and is considering a minor in Arabic Language and Literature. Katherine spent her last summer studying abroad in Galway, Ireland and hopes to study abroad again in an Arabic speaking country. On campus, she is a member of Delta Gamma Sorority and College Partnership for Kids, a group that tutors elementary and middle school students in the Williamsburg area. Within Delta Gamma, she has held the positions of Director of Anchor Slam, the chapters largest philanthropy event of the year, and Director of Special Events. Additionally, Katherine has been a competitive Irish dancer for 14 years and has danced in Regional, National, and World Irish dancing championships. In her free time, she enjoys running, keeping up with current events, and spending time with friends and family. She is extremely excited for new opportunities and experiences this summer in DC.

Keon Park

Keon is a sophomore at the College, pursuing a major in Government and a minor in History. He was born in South Korea, but moved to Fairfax, Virginia when he was in seventh grade. Naturally, he is a fascinated spectator of East Asian politics. On Campus, Keon tries to contribute to the local school system through College Partnership for Kids. Education is another worthwhile passion for him, and he is proud to have taught students in all three school levels: elementary, middle, and high. When he is not busy, Keon is either enjoying a movie or suffering through a soccer game. He also loves singing and listening to all types of music, but he does those things regardless of his workload. Keon is thrilled to join the Institute, and is looking forward to an entertaining and educational summer! (That is, if he can summon up enough courage to confront the chaotic DC roads and traffic.)

Thomas Philip

Thomas Philip is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary from Cranford, New Jersey. He attended Cranford High School where he was a varsity member and captain of their cross country and track team. He also was a member of Model UN, served as a statewide assembly clerk for New Jersey Youth and Government, and founded a program that allows students to shadow members of local government. At the college Tom is double majoring in international relations and economics. He is a writer and served as editor in the spring of 2015 for William and Mary’s branch of Spoon University. After graduation, Tom plans on working in the Washington, D.C. area pursuing a career in international economics. Outside of school, he is an avid hiker and outdoors enthusiast. He also barbecues in his free time and enjoys making his own barbecue sauces. Tom also believes in giving back to the community and volunteers at a soup kitchen and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey when he's home on school breaks.

Joshua Sacks

Joshua Sacks is a freshman and the College from Oviedo, Florida. He intends to double major in Government and Chemistry and plans to pursue a career in academia. On campus, Josh is the Junior Policy Coordinator of the Roosevelt Institute, a member of the International Relations Club, and rows for the William and Mary Rowing Club. In his spare time, Josh enjoys running, watching Netflix, traveling, and scuba diving. Josh is excited to take advantage of the cultural, academic, and work experiences the Washington D.C. Summer Institute provides.

Daniel Sequeria

Hi! My name is Daniel Sequeira, and I'm a junior here at the college. I study international relations. I'm a counselor/operations coordinator with Camp Kesem (an organization that provides a free summer camp for children whose parents have cancer), and I'm also a junior class senator on the Student Assembly. I am passionate about humanitarian law and seek to study law after completing my undergraduate degree. I want to go on to work in international arbitration, and eventually impact legislation.I enjoy running, cooking/eating (mostly eating) good food, and travel. 

Jenny Danqi Xin

Jenny Danqi Xin is a rising Junior at the College of William & Mary and has a prospective double major in Government and Accounting. She is an international student from Nanjing, China. Though visited DC as a tourist several years ago, she is looking forward to spend her upcoming summer studying, working and exploring more in DC.  On campus, she is involved in Chinese Student Organization as one of the co-culture chairs. She enjoys facilitating the spread of knowledge of Chinese culture as she believes culture plays a significant role in enhancing understanding, deepening trust, and therefore bringing the world together. She is also an active member of the Alpha Kappa Psi professional fraternity. She loves traveling and learning languages. She spent her past summer at Seoul, South Korea, both learning korean language and democratic development of South Korea. She recalls it as one of the best experiences as she can closely interact with local history and culture while studying its political development. She expect to learn more and find career goals in the following summer with the DC program and experiencing everything it has to offer.