Student Profiles in Political Science

Name: Kristen Soderlund Slate, MPP
Class Year: 2022
Current Role and/or Graduate Program: Program Analyst/Investigator, Office of the Inspector General, State of Florida
POLS Concentration and Minors (if any): Minor in Criminology
One word to describe political science at A&M-SA: Immersive

“To be honest, I did not think I would be successful in college at all. It was the enthusiasm and willingness to help by my peers and professors at TAMUSA that made me want more and they gave me the tools to achieve it.”

What was your path to college? What were your expectations and how do you feel about the experience now? 

I wanted to go to college after getting out of the Army. I attended an online college to get credits during my last few months of enlistment and then transferred into TAMUSA, so my path was not direct! I expected to be challenged but I really didn’t know what to expect since I was a first-generation college student. Looking back, TAMUSA did more than give me the tools I needed to succeed beyond college. The Poli-Sci program faculty made a very direct effort to match their resources with my goals, ensuring I had a foundation that went beyond what I could have ever expected.

What were one or two of your most meaningful or formative experiences as a political science student at A&M-SA?

I think the most meaningful thing that I gained during my time as a political science student at TAMUSA were the lifelong friendships and mentors that I gained during the program and especially while participating in Model United Nations, which was ran by the political science program coordinator at the time. We took trips to Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC to attend conferences which quite literally changed the direction of my life. Had I not participated in these trips, I wouldn’t have realized that I wanted to continue my education beyond undergrad and move to DC to study public policy.

Was there a particular course, project, or faculty interaction that influenced how you think about politics, policy, or public life?

All of the above. I cannot speak highly enough about the political science faculty at TAMUSA. In my sophomore year I became especially interested in political theory and policy research. While the University offered excellent courses in these areas, I spoke to my professors about specific subjects I was interested in learning more about. Two of my professors offered to provide me with directed-study courses, where I could learn with them 1-on-1 about more niche subjects I wanted to continue studying. It was these two directed-study courses that helped me decide to attend graduate school. I think the best way to put it would be to say that the faculty at TAMUSA made the idea that I could use my education to do something meaningful, tangible, and they gave me the skills to turn my education into action.

What were your career or educational goals when you began college, and how did your experience in the political science program shape or refine those goals?

It was not a straight line by any means. I started as a psychology major at TAMUSA because I wasn’t exactly sure about a major just yet, so I picked one I suspected I might enjoy. I switched to political science at the beginning of my second semester after realizing I wasn’t passionate about psychology at all. Political science was a passing interest of mine at that point, but I realized it as a passion as I engaged with the program. In the beginning of the program, I really didn’t think grad school was in the cards for me. It sounds cheesy, but I really did have so much fun in my Poli-Sci courses. We got to dabble in designing a political campaign in my Mass Media and Politics course, and we got to write a profile on a Judge during my American Judicial System course. I used the assignment to get to know a local Judge in San Antonio, who ended up writing me a letter of recommendation for a scholarship later on! On a more serious note, each of my courses diligently exposed me to the reality of the world we live in and how it got to be this way, and they provided an open forum to discuss these issues and philosophize about causes, effects, and potential fixes in a way I had never done before.

How did the political science program help you to pursue your personal and professional goals after graduation?

In addition to the directed-study courses I mentioned, there were several paid job opportunities available at TAMUSA that helped me gain valuable experience I would use later on. I worked as a supplemental instructor for Texas Government courses, as well as a research assistant on a criminal justice policy study for one of my professors. It was these experiences that helped me get into Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy on an academic scholarship, where I continued studying public policy through a STEM lens. My professors from the TAMUSA Poli-Sci program have helped me several times since graduation with letters of recommendation and career advice. It is because of the experience I had with the program that I was able to succeed in a very rigorous graduate program and go on to achieve my dream job with the Department of Justice.

What advice would you give to current or prospective political science students at A&M-SA?

If you want to change something about the world we live in and you have the slightest inkling a political science degree is going to help you do that, just do it. I’ve personally experienced the doors this program can open for you when you engage with it, and it can get you where you want to be. I very nearly failed out of high school. No college would accept me, so the military was my next choice. To be honest, I did not think I would be successful in college at all. It was the enthusiasm and willingness to help by my peers and professors at TAMUSA that made me want more and they gave me the tools to achieve it. It’s a very “come as you are” type of program, and there are no limits. Also, take Professor Beaumont’s upper-level political theory courses (mind blowing).