Greetings from the Department Chair!
Dear Alumni, students, staff, and current and retired faculty -
The Political Science Department wishes to say "Congratulations" to the Class of 2024! Graduating seniors, you've worked hard to earn your degree and now you're graduating, with the added distinction of having weathered the COVID learning environment during your years at Loyola.
In this issue, you'll find an interview with Dr. Diana Schaub, who is retiring after a distinguished career of more than 20 years at Loyola; a spotlight on Elizabeth Gilmore '24, who heads to UVA to study a PhD in American Politics; news from our Spring 2024 alumni panel, about our top students from each class, and about the inaugural Social Science Alumni Achievement Award won by Marc Cevasco, '04.
Please reach out with feedback and suggestions for future articles you would like to read.
Best wishes,
Carsten Vala
What led you to decide to apply to graduate school?
I've always been a curious person and knew I wanted to have research in my career after graduating from Loyola. I also had an interest in teaching, but K-12 education never really called to me. When I learned that being a professor is a mix of being able to teach while also conducting your own research, I knew that was what I wanted.
Was there one particular course inspired you, or a professor that encouraged you to do this, if it was something you hadn’t considered doing before? Was there a barrier or challenge – financial, mental, or otherwise – that you’d be willing to discuss, which you needed to overcome?
Dr. Harris was super helpful in guiding me through this process. One day I met with him during office hours telling him I wanted to be a professor and get my Ph.D. and he helped me set myself up on a path to do that. His classes have also been my favorites. His classes usually have an extensive research paper at the end of the semester which I really enjoy. It was a great time for me to build my research and writing skills and I even used one of the papers from his class for my graduate school application writing sample.
One barrier that I struggled to overcome was trying to not compare myself to other candidates. You have no idea who you're competing against in the applicant pool, and that was really scary for me. I was imagining people with established careers and master’s degrees, but there are more people than you realize who get their Ph.D. right out of undergrad. And it's not the end of the world if it takes more than one cycle to get the acceptance you are looking for.
What was the process of grad school application like? It may seem intimidating to students who are considering your path. How would you encourage them?
The worst part of the process is the waiting. You'll submit applications in December but won't hear anything concrete until February (if you're lucky). I didn't start getting good news until March. It was also difficult to compare schools and offers. There are so many pieces to consider like funding, job placement, quality of education, location, and more. I would recommend considering some of these factors when making your application list. I applied to 14 schools and only considered the schools' locations.
While this is a big decision and the program takes a couple of years, don't let fear stop you. Bet on yourself! You are smarter and better than you realize, and you will always be harder on yourself than others will be.
What would you say to a classmate or friend in their first or second year, about how to make the most of your time in Political Science?
My biggest piece of advice is to make connections with your professors (doesn't have to be within this department but they're all great!) Professors are great sources of information and advice. It can be really scary to connect with professors at first, but they're human too and they want to talk to you. They don't sit in their office for hours a week hoping for time alone! Also, try to take advantage of any and all opportunities that are offered to you. Loyola has so many opportunities. I did two independent studies through the department which were wonderful. I was able to craft two strong and thorough research projects that I'm really proud of. I wouldn't have been able to do these projects if I didn't have the foundation of the relationship with my professor though.
Finally, what do you hope to do in the future with your PhD degree?
My dream is to be a professor and come back to Loyola one day. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the department and it's something I will miss a lot after graduation.
by Jake Taylor
What was the most enjoyable part of your work at Loyola?
Being in the classroom is the most exhilarating part of each day. I will miss the joy of studying old books with young people.
Is there something that you are particularly proud of, from your years at Loyola?
In general, teaching is a humbling experience, but I do think that I had some success in encouraging students to pursue timeless questions and to slow down and read carefully. I hope I’ve convinced a few students that listening to a wide array of thoughtful voices from the past is a good beginning point for thinking for oneself.
What do you hope to see from the next generation of professors in your field?
I worry greatly about the many damaging effects of social media. Many students seem less able to comprehend difficult texts and are less familiar with the habits and rhythm of intellectual conversation. I don’t think this is their fault, but these cultural shifts will make it more difficult for the next generation of teachers to initiate students into the academic enterprise. I realize that wasn’t a very hopeful answer.
Is there anything you would like to tell students – unsolicited advice! – that you think they should hear?
You probably don’t want to get me started. Keeping it short, I would just say that the true test of your Loyola education will not be how your career goes. Of course, I wish every Loyola student a successful and fulfilling career. But the true test will be what use you make of your leisure. Has your education outfitted you for what the ancients called “noble action”? Are you an informed citizen? Do you read good literature? Are you still developing your moral and aesthetic imagination? Do you find pleasure in natural and man-made beauty? Do you pursue metaphysical speculations? Do you have serious conversations? Are you a good friend, a good spouse, a good parent, a good neighbor?
Looking back, is there something you appreciate more now than when you first began teaching?
Yes, I would say being at a Jesuit college. When I first arrived, I had assumed that there was considerable overlap between a liberal arts education and a Jesuit education (and that assumption turned out to be true). Nonetheless, my interest was in teaching at a place devoted to the liberal arts. I knew little about Catholicism. However, over time I started to include selections from Augustine and Aquinas in my PS101 course. Those texts have come to mean a great deal to me. I would say that they reshaped my understanding of the history of political philosophy.
Is there any particular anecdote from your teaching career at Loyola that you feel ought to be shared before you go?
There is a moment that occurred about a decade ago in PS101 that stays with me. On the spur of the moment, towards the end of the semester, I asked the members of the class whether they ever made time for the pure pleasure of reading outside of what was required for classes. With a show of hands, two students out of twenty-eight said they did. I asked them what they read. One student who planned to major in Business said he enjoyed reading biographies of successful entrepreneurs. The other student said he had been working his way through the dialogues of Plato. I was flabbergasted. When I asked what had prompted him to do that, he said that it was a result of our study of Plato’s Apology of Socrates earlier in the semester. He just thought Socrates was fascinating and wanted to know more about him. The moment has stayed with me because it is a reminder that one really does not know the effect a course may be having on students. This particular young man was fairly quiet in class. I had no idea he had conceived a passion for Plato.
One reason I tell students not to rent or sell back their copies of Plato, Aristotle, Tocqueville, and Lincoln is that you never know when you might need them. When you are figuring out how to raise your kids, you might want to return to Aristotle’s Ethics. During a mid-life crisis or a confrontation with your mortality, you might want to consult Socrates. When the nation is in trouble, you might want to read Lincoln’s Lyceum Address again. If you do, drop me a note and tell me what you learned. It will cheer me up in my dotage.
