2016 American Politics DC Winter Seminar Students

Eudora Arthur '17

Eudora is a junior at The College William and Mary majoring in Government and minoring in Management and Organizational Leadership. In her spare time, she volunteers as the Area Coordinator for her local Special Olympics Virginia chapter and consults with human services agencies regarding person-centered thinking and planning. She also enjoys the outdoors, watching The Sopranos, and indulging in local hot wing specials. Ms. Arthur hopes to pursue a career in human rights and perhaps aspire to public office one day.

Chase Bailey '18

I am a Junior at the College of William and Mary from Fairfax, VA pursuing a major in Public Policy and minor in Religious Studies. I am excited to further my knowledge on political polarization in American politics and its impact on agenda setting and policy drafting at the congressional level. On campus I am a member of the varsity baseball team, and have been an active participant with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, playing on their summer collegiate team this past summer in Herndon, VA. In my free time I enjoy watching any given sport, playing basketball and traveling! I am looking forward to the opportunity to study in DC and explore one of the more historic cities in America. 

Tim Burns '17

Julia Burzynski '17

Julia Burzynski is a junior majoring in history. Her interest in political partisanship stems from her passion for United States race and immigration history. She has interned with the ACLU of New Jersey as well as with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a civil and human rights coalition in Washington, DC. On campus, she is a member of the fencing club as well as a co-site leader for the Branch Out alternative spring break trip on mass incarceration and re-entry reform. She is very excited to be a part of the DC Winter Seminar because of her interest in civil and human rights and in particular, voting rights and the recent partisan divide on the issue of the Voting Rights Act. 

Kyle Chadwick '17

Kyle is a junior at the College, majoring in Business. His goal is to pursue a career that involves working directly for the government or supporting the government in federal consulting. On campus, Kyle has served on the Undergraduate Honor Council, founded the William and Mary Sports Blog, interned for the William and Mary athletic department, and currently is an Equipment Manager for the William and Mary Football program. Kyle served as an Associate for the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence in the summer of 2015. His experience at the White House furthered his interest in government, and he is excited to take part in the DC American Politics Winter Seminar offered by the William and Mary Washington Office. 

Megan Chaplin '17

Megan Chaplin is a junior at the College pursuing a major in Government. This past fall, Megan worked as an organizer for Delegate Monty Mason’s campaign in Williamsburg and is excited to continue to explore politics and polarization in DC this winter. On campus, Megan is an active member of the Student Environmental Action Coalition, serving as a “SEACretary” for 2015-16. Originally from Alexandria, VA, Megan enjoys cooking for friends, Kempo karate, and lounging outside with a good book.

Gennie Duncan '15

Gennie is a senior at the College pursuing a self-designed major titled international community development. Despite most of her coursework having an international focus, she hopes to pursue a career in the field of domestic politics. On campus, she is President of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Vice President of the leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa. Gennie’s professional experience includes an internship at the White House, a fellowship with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and serving as an organizing fellow for the Virginia Democrats. She is excited to return to Washington to deepen her knowledge of domestic politics and launch her professional career.

Aaron Fernandez

Matt Heinicke-Peart

Richard Horan '18

Richard Horan is a sophomore who is majoring in Government and minoring in Economics.  Richard is interested in poliics; last year he interned for Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin, who represents District 20.  In high school, Richard was Editor-In-Chief of his high school newspaper and frequently wrote editorials showcasing his opinions on various political issues.  Richard hopes to work in public policy, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform and international trade.

Katie Kellenberger '16

Katie is currently a senior pursing a double major in government and sociology.  With sociology as her main academic passion, she is primarily interested in the socialization process and social inequalities.  This past summer she studied abroad in Goa and Karnataka, India and hopes to pursue a career in the intelligence community that allows her to either travel to or learn more about other cultures and their leaders.  After her sophomore year, Katie was a part of the DC Summer Institute and fell in love with DC.  On campus, Katie is heavily involved with Pi Beta Phi and the Intonations, the College’s first all-female a Capella group.  In her spare time she enjoys making music, hiking and spending time with her family and friends.  Academically, she is primarily interested in the socialization process, social inequalities, and the impact of the media on greater society and political leaders.  She hopes to go to graduate school to pursue these interests within the field of sociology.  Katie is excited to be a part of the DC Winter Seminar program and can’t wait to meet all of the speakers!

Ellen Longman '19

Ellen is a freshman pursuing an economics and history double major, with an interest in business law.  Last summer she was a fundraising intern at the Kalo Art History Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving the rich artistic legacy of her hometown.  Her role involved identifying businesses that were potentially donors, then contacting them to explain Kalo’s mission and ask for their sponsorship at an annual fundraiser.  On campus, she is an active member of the Debate Society, Rowing Team, Women in Business Club, and Howard Busbee Finance Academy.  She has applied to study abroad this summer at Cambridge University, and hopes to eventually volunteer as a W&M tour guide and Honor Council Adviser.  She is also passionate about running and writing.  As a Chicago native, she is excited to visit D.C. for the first time and study political polarization, especially the way it shapes judicial and economic policy. 

Ellie Manspile '18

Ellie Manspile is a sophomore at the College of William & Mary pursuing a major in Government and a minor in Marketing. She attended the Center for Leadership, Government, and Global Economics at Freeman High School in Richmond, Virginia where she worked as a lifeguard for four summers. On campus, Ellie is the Head Girl Scout Chair for Kappa Delta, a staff writer for The Odyssey, and on the club tennis team. Ellie is excited about the opportunity to meet new people, explore Washington DC, and learn more about the causes of political polarization.

Kathleen Martin

Kathleen is a freshman at the College from Arlington, VA and is currently exploring major options. This summer, Kathleen worked as a Girl Scout sleep away camp counselor in Leesburg, VA. She enjoys exercising, reading, and going for Cider walks in Colonial Williamsburg in her free time. She is looking forward to exploring the opportunities that are available in D.C. and seeing it from a different perspective. 

Ava McClain

Lorraine Pettit '17

I am a junior at the College, double majoring in Government and French and Francophone Studies. On campus, I am a brother in Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity, Financial Chair for SchoolHouse Block, a campus non-profit, and a site leader for W&M Branch Out National. I have interests in both domestic and international relations and devote my time in college and summers to engaging with both. Two summers ago, I biked across the United States to raise funds and awareness for affordable housing and to gain an understanding of how our country transforms from coast to coast. Last summer, I was a Health and Communications intern for the Mandela Washington Fellowship on behalf of the Presidential Precinct, engaging with 25 inspirational young leaders from 23 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa on their domestic concerns and aspirations. I'm ecstatic to participate in the 2016 DC Winter Seminar, learning more about national political polarization and experiencing DC in an academic environment. 

Colleen Reynolds '17

Colleen Reynolds is a junior at the College, majoring in Public Health. On campus, she is involved with Alpha Chi Omega, the Health Outreach Peer Educators, and is the Undersecretary for Sexual Health in Student Assembly.  Colleen spent her past two summers interning in the DC area for the USDHHS and PAI, working on sexual and reproductive health and rights. She hopes a greater understanding of political polarization will aid her in this work.

Graham Stephens '18

My name is Graham Stephens; I am a sophomore at the College of William and Mary hoping to major in Government and History. I am from Richmond, Virginia and attended Douglas Freeman High School where I played on multiple varsity athletic teams as well as participated in extracurricular activities via the school newspaper and various clubs. Here at the College, I am in Greek Life and enjoy playing basketball at the Rec. I hope to experience DC in full during my short time there and cannot wait to get started. 

Allie Thibault '19

Allie is a freshman at The College of William and Mary, most recently from Stafford, VA, she grew up living several places across the country.  Aside from attending classes, Allie works at the campus recreation center as a lifeguard and is a member or the International Relations Club.  Allie looks forward to studying our nation’s capital and engaging in discussion with the speakers and fellow students.

Reed Timoner '19

Reed Timoner is currently a freshman at the College planning to major in Government. When in Williamsburg, Reed loves to follow current events, play on the club tennis team, and stay actively involved in the Christian community on campus. When at home in the DC suburb of Fairfax, VA, Reed loves to play with his dog and spend time with his friends and family. Reed is interested in how the law interacts with political discourse in this country, as well as the relationship between the media and the government. To this extent, he plans to pursue a law degree upon graduation in 2019. Reed is very excited to be able to study and learn from working professionals while studying in DC this winter

Liz Wolfe '18

Liz is a sophomore at the College, majoring in Government with a focus on criminal justice policy and political theory. During the school year, Liz runs College Libertarians at William & Mary, travels for Model UN as a part of IR Club, and works for the libertarian leadership organization, Students for Liberty, to create the first ever Virginia SFL regional conference. This past summer, Liz interned at The Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, focusing on sentencing reform research. Facilitated by the Charles Koch Institute, this internship left her with a strong basis in Economics and an even stronger love for Milton Friedman. When she’s not pursuing a more libertarian future or attempting to graduate from William and Mary early, you can find her eating street food somewhere in South America.

Michelle Wood '18

Michelle is a sophomore at the College of William and Mary planning to major in Government. When home in Southern Maryland, she can often be found at her favorite restaurant, Salsa’s. On campus, she is a member of a social sorority and involved with W&M’s Spoon University chapter, which she helped found. After graduation, she hopes to work on the Hill and study law. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, reading, and walking in Colonial Williamsburg. While she’s been fortunate to live close enough to be able to visit D.C. frequently, she’s excited to experience it in an academic capacity and to learn more about political polarization in the U.S, a topic she’s passionate about.

Alexander Xenos