October: New Beginnings

Finally, the Association of Minorities in Political Science (AMPS) returns after a year or so of hiatus! So what did we do our first month back?

October 17, 2019 - Our First Meeting!

We kicked things off right, breaking the ice with a short game that linked our members to one another.

Moreover, we introduced our committees!

So, what are committees? Why committees? Well, we, as the executive board, realize that we cannot sustain such an organization alone. Committees are a way for members to get directly involved in the planning and direction of the group.

We have three committees: Professional, Academic, and Promotional.

• Professional

• How can I best prepare myself for my undergrad goals and my post-grad life? This committee exists to strengthen the professional side of our members. Activities that members are hoping to organize include law school talks, a speaker series, an internship spreadsheet, mock interview workshops, and resume building.

• Academic

• If you want a community to share your academic woes with, we’re here for you! We are hoping to usher in peer-to-peer mentoring, study tables, dialogue series with RSOs and Cultural Houses, and more!

• Outreach

• As much as we are helping one another, we can turn this support outwards into our community! This committee will focus on organizing high school visits to the university, volunteering, outreach to DGS students, and overall campus involvement.

October 24, 2019 - Building Community

We began our meeting with our Teach for America speaker. Teach for America is an organization that pays you (including housing!) to teach anywhere in America--Just pick a location and they’ll do their best to match you as best as possible. This sets you apart from others applying to graduate or law school and provides you unique professional experience.

As for our first weekly dialogue, in the midst of finals week, it was only necessary for us to discuss how we managed stress as political science students. We shared both our woes and loves of certain classes, and even made a spreadsheet reviewing the group members have taken.

Finally, we ended with our committee break out. Each bubbled with thoughts and ideas. We're so excited for what's next!

If you are interested in getting involved, pop into a meeting at any time! We meet at DKH 111 or 436 every Thursday from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. If you have any questions, feel free to message our email ampsuiuc@gmail.com.

We hope to see you at our meetings!