Jessica Case Video Transcript
[Interviewer] Welcome to the University of North Georgia Political Science & International Affairs Department's YouTube channel. In this segment of our "Meet Our Students" series, you'll have the opportunity to meet Ms. Jessica Case.
Jessica has had an extremely busy, and I might add, highly successful career as a member of the #PSIAfamily. Recently returned from attending and presenting her research at the Georgia Political Science Association's annual meeting, we caught up with Jessica to chat about her time at UNG, her accomplishments and activities as an undergrad student, and where she sees the future taking her.
Good afternoon, Jessica.
[Jessica Case] Good afternoon.
[Interviewer] To start us off, would you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Who really is Jessica Case?
[Jessica] Well, of course. Well, my name is Jessica, but a lot of people end up calling me Jess, so I go by either. A lot more people might know me as Jess. But I'm from Gainesville, GA, but the Gainesville that's technically Forsyth County, so I call it 'Fake Gainesville'. I went to school in Cumming, so I'm an alumna of Alliance Academy for Innovation. There I was kind of in the 'Legal Services Pathway' as long as, as well as 'Healthcare', before I kind of moved to UNG. So when I started off at UNG, I was a kinesiology major, so completely different. But now I changed to IA and I've been IA for the past three years. And it's been such an amazing opportunity and I've really enjoyed pretty much everything that I've kind of experienced along with my degree.
[Interviewer] Okay, Jessica. So you've mentioned you changed your mind along the way and became an International Affairs major as an undergraduate. So why exactly did you choose to seek an IA degree? And I guess, for many of our listeners, why here at UNG?
[Jessica] Yeah, It came down to my second semester freshman year. I was taking my second anatomy class, and it was one of the hardest classes I think I've ever taken. And I was also taking a global issues class with Dr. Chand at the same time on the Gainesville campus. And I just remember, like, waking up in the morning and being so excited to have that class for my day, rather than my class for my major, which is something you're supposed to be excited about. And it was kind of during that class that I realized I didn't like my degree and that I actually really liked international relations, international affairs so much more.
And so I sat down and talked with him and kind of came to the conclusion, I need to change my major right now. And after that, I got involved with him, with Model UN. He was the advisor of the club on the Gainesville campus, and I kind of jumped into Model UN and never kind of went back.
But as far as UNG's program compared to other schools, I really love the format of how the major is crafted with making the internship and study abroad mandatory; as well as the vast concentrations that the degree offers; as well as the courses within those concentrations. I think it's an incredibly diverse degree and something I've really loved doing. I love the flexibility of it. And it's not something I see a lot of international affairs programs doing. So I think that's what sets UNG apart from those. As well as the affordability and the location of the school has also benefited me a lot as well.
[Interviewer] Okay. So you just returned from the Georgia Political Science Association's or GPSA's annual meeting. As a student, I'm sure you were probably in the minority of attendees, correct?
[Jessica] Oh, yes.
[Interviewer] So why were you there? And what did you think of spending several days in the midst of a large percentage of Georgia's political science university professors?
[Jessica] Well, I will say it was a blast. This was actually my second ever research conference I've been to. I presented last... I think it was October, November, I think October, at the International Studies Association South conference in Atlanta. But more with GPSA.
It was really exciting. Me and another student were the only other UNG undergrads there, if I'm correct. And plus, we also sat on panel presentations. So we were presenting our papers on a panel rather than what typical undergraduate students would have a poster presentation. So it kind of felt a little bit more formalized, and I felt like I was really contributing to the conference and, like, what it meant to be there.
It was amazing, like networking opportunity. I also got to learn a lot. They had a lot of fun panels present, and it was something that I was incredibly grateful that I got to do, especially with, I got some funding from the UNG's CURCA office, through their Mini-Travel grant, which helped us go. And it was just, you know, an amazing opportunity, and I think something that all students here at UNG should try to do, especially within the PSIA department as it was just a really rewarding experience.
[Interviewer] So, besides rewarding, was it rewarding in any tangible way? How did the conference go for you, and your research presentation, actually?
[Jessica] The conference went really good. I was a little nervous because I was sitting on a panel for Exemplar, like undergraduate research work. So I was a little nervous. But kind of getting to panel meetings, it was an all woman panel, which was something that was really cool to me. So I met all the other women that were on the panel, and we all had such different research topics.
So being an IA major, I'm more concerned with international affairs. So I was looking at rule of law and its connection to democratization. Whereas another girl on the panel was looking at COVID 19 and its connection to mental health crises in America. It was really cool seeing how far political science does span, whereas I'm more international and she's more domestic. So it was really cool seeing how much those can interact with each other, but also are so far apart as well as topic wise.
[Interviewer] You mentioned briefly that you've been participating in Model UN. What other activities during your time with the Political Science & International Affairs Department has kept you busy besides your classroom work?
[Jessica] Oh. So, that's a good question. So Model UN actually led me to something I've done kind of connected with UNG but also not. So I work for the regional nonprofit that hosts Model UN Conferences that UNG attends, it's SRMUN. So I kind of went as a delegate of UNG, and I'm starting to serve on staff, where again, I'm the dias of students who come from UNG, and it's really cool experiencing like people I have in class, like people I share classes with in that experience. I'm on the other side of it now.
But like outside of Model UN, I've done an independent research project with Dr. Chand, which actually just got published I think a month ago for London School, for LSE's "Undergraduate Political Review." I also did a study abroad in Waterford, Ireland. I've now presented at two undergraduate research conferences. I did an internship in Canada as part of, as a part of the Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Global Link Research Internship, where I kind of researched foreign interference within Canada. And kind of I, I think that's pretty much all of it. I feel like I do a ton of stuff and so I might forget.
[Interviewer] Well, that's pretty cool. Okay, so, you're getting ready to graduate here in, what, 24 days, give or take?
[Jessica] Yes.
[Interviewer] From, at least when we're discussing today, so in early December of 2024. What do you see, what's your future? What's your immediate future looking like?
[Jessica] In the spring, I'll have an internship with the US Department of State in their Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, which kind of capitalizes on my European concentration for IA. So I'll be doing that from, for, like, ten weeks in the spring. But then I'm going to take some time off after that just to kind of work before I go to grad school next September, where I just got accepted into my grad program at the University College Dublin, and I'll be getting my Master’s of Science in European Politics and Policy.
[Interviewer] Oh, awesome. So you're going from Northern Georgia to Dublin, Ireland?
[Jessica] Yes.
[Interviewer] That's a healthy jump.
[Jessica] Well, yeah.
[Interviewer] Looking back at your time here with the #PSIAfamily up to now, is there any particular aspect of your years here that have been particularly enriching or that you would love to do again if you had the opportunity?
[Jessica] Oh 100%. I think if I could redo my, just entire college experience, I think I would have I would have liked to come into college as an IA major. I think I would have been able to really like embrace it a lot more or a lot earlier on. But I would...everything in the Department or that the Department has offered me has just been a brilliant experience and something I was, I'm really grateful for. And I honestly, I don't know how I would have turned out if I didn't end up in this department because it truly does feel like a family, especially with all the professors and the opportunities that are being offered, it was just such an incredible time. But probably everything I would do again, if I could.
[Interviewer] Okay. So as a quick follow on, then, what experiences from our program have been most meaningful to your life, to Jessica so far? And looking forward, which ones do you anticipate being most meaningful to your future career?
[Jessica] So two that standout are definitely the study abroad option, as well as the internship. I think, as far as the internship goes, I think a lot of college students are graduating without having them. But I think having it as like a required thing that we have to have and making us get that real world work experience has been something that greatly benefited me, not only as understanding what my degree means, but also helping me land my internship after graduation, as well as going to grad school. So I'm incredibly grateful for that opportunity. I think that's something that is amazing for the Department. As well as the study abroad.
I think oftentimes we learn a lot of what's in the classroom, just in the classroom, but being able to be abroad and in the real world helps us connect it back even better. And so I have a lot of research interests in Ireland. I did my study abroad there, and I was able to see things firsthand and connect it back even better.
I feel like it just overall, both of those opportunities just made me a stronger student.
[Interviewer] In closing, Jessica, what do you have to say to our viewers who are either prospective students or former students, whether graduate or undergraduate.
[Jessica] I think, for prospective students, I say, get involved, get active, talk to literally anybody in the Department. They're all amazing, and they're all such just incredible people. So I would say just get involved. It's one of the best things I did for my life as a person, as well as a student. So get involved.
For people that are either graduating or are already alumni or alumna. I would say, represent the, represent the department, represent the community that UNG is. We're a small but mighty school, I think. And we have a lot to offer, and I think that's something that needs to be kind of shown to more people.
[Interviewer] Well, I want to thank you very much for your time, Jessica. I know that you, you sound like you've been and are very busy and especially these next closing weeks of your undergraduate career. I and all my colleagues in the Department wish you all the best as you continue on your life journey, and sincerely hope you continue to #experiencemore with the help of your time with us here in UNG's Political Science & International Affairs Department.
[Jessica] Thank you.
Jessica has had an extremely busy, and I might add, highly successful career as a member of the #PSIAfamily. Recently returned from attending and presenting her research at the Georgia Political Science Association's annual meeting, we caught up with Jessica to chat about her time at UNG, her accomplishments and activities as an undergrad student, and where she sees the future taking her.
Good afternoon, Jessica.
[Jessica Case] Good afternoon.
[Interviewer] To start us off, would you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Who really is Jessica Case?
[Jessica] Well, of course. Well, my name is Jessica, but a lot of people end up calling me Jess, so I go by either. A lot more people might know me as Jess. But I'm from Gainesville, GA, but the Gainesville that's technically Forsyth County, so I call it 'Fake Gainesville'. I went to school in Cumming, so I'm an alumna of Alliance Academy for Innovation. There I was kind of in the 'Legal Services Pathway' as long as, as well as 'Healthcare', before I kind of moved to UNG. So when I started off at UNG, I was a kinesiology major, so completely different. But now I changed to IA and I've been IA for the past three years. And it's been such an amazing opportunity and I've really enjoyed pretty much everything that I've kind of experienced along with my degree.
[Interviewer] Okay, Jessica. So you've mentioned you changed your mind along the way and became an International Affairs major as an undergraduate. So why exactly did you choose to seek an IA degree? And I guess, for many of our listeners, why here at UNG?
[Jessica] Yeah, It came down to my second semester freshman year. I was taking my second anatomy class, and it was one of the hardest classes I think I've ever taken. And I was also taking a global issues class with Dr. Chand at the same time on the Gainesville campus. And I just remember, like, waking up in the morning and being so excited to have that class for my day, rather than my class for my major, which is something you're supposed to be excited about. And it was kind of during that class that I realized I didn't like my degree and that I actually really liked international relations, international affairs so much more.
And so I sat down and talked with him and kind of came to the conclusion, I need to change my major right now. And after that, I got involved with him, with Model UN. He was the advisor of the club on the Gainesville campus, and I kind of jumped into Model UN and never kind of went back.
But as far as UNG's program compared to other schools, I really love the format of how the major is crafted with making the internship and study abroad mandatory; as well as the vast concentrations that the degree offers; as well as the courses within those concentrations. I think it's an incredibly diverse degree and something I've really loved doing. I love the flexibility of it. And it's not something I see a lot of international affairs programs doing. So I think that's what sets UNG apart from those. As well as the affordability and the location of the school has also benefited me a lot as well.
[Interviewer] Okay. So you just returned from the Georgia Political Science Association's or GPSA's annual meeting. As a student, I'm sure you were probably in the minority of attendees, correct?
[Jessica] Oh, yes.
[Interviewer] So why were you there? And what did you think of spending several days in the midst of a large percentage of Georgia's political science university professors?
[Jessica] Well, I will say it was a blast. This was actually my second ever research conference I've been to. I presented last... I think it was October, November, I think October, at the International Studies Association South conference in Atlanta. But more with GPSA.
It was really exciting. Me and another student were the only other UNG undergrads there, if I'm correct. And plus, we also sat on panel presentations. So we were presenting our papers on a panel rather than what typical undergraduate students would have a poster presentation. So it kind of felt a little bit more formalized, and I felt like I was really contributing to the conference and, like, what it meant to be there.
It was amazing, like networking opportunity. I also got to learn a lot. They had a lot of fun panels present, and it was something that I was incredibly grateful that I got to do, especially with, I got some funding from the UNG's CURCA office, through their Mini-Travel grant, which helped us go. And it was just, you know, an amazing opportunity, and I think something that all students here at UNG should try to do, especially within the PSIA department as it was just a really rewarding experience.
[Interviewer] So, besides rewarding, was it rewarding in any tangible way? How did the conference go for you, and your research presentation, actually?
[Jessica] The conference went really good. I was a little nervous because I was sitting on a panel for Exemplar, like undergraduate research work. So I was a little nervous. But kind of getting to panel meetings, it was an all woman panel, which was something that was really cool to me. So I met all the other women that were on the panel, and we all had such different research topics.
So being an IA major, I'm more concerned with international affairs. So I was looking at rule of law and its connection to democratization. Whereas another girl on the panel was looking at COVID 19 and its connection to mental health crises in America. It was really cool seeing how far political science does span, whereas I'm more international and she's more domestic. So it was really cool seeing how much those can interact with each other, but also are so far apart as well as topic wise.
[Interviewer] You mentioned briefly that you've been participating in Model UN. What other activities during your time with the Political Science & International Affairs Department has kept you busy besides your classroom work?
[Jessica] Oh. So, that's a good question. So Model UN actually led me to something I've done kind of connected with UNG but also not. So I work for the regional nonprofit that hosts Model UN Conferences that UNG attends, it's SRMUN. So I kind of went as a delegate of UNG, and I'm starting to serve on staff, where again, I'm the dias of students who come from UNG, and it's really cool experiencing like people I have in class, like people I share classes with in that experience. I'm on the other side of it now.
But like outside of Model UN, I've done an independent research project with Dr. Chand, which actually just got published I think a month ago for London School, for LSE's "Undergraduate Political Review." I also did a study abroad in Waterford, Ireland. I've now presented at two undergraduate research conferences. I did an internship in Canada as part of, as a part of the Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Global Link Research Internship, where I kind of researched foreign interference within Canada. And kind of I, I think that's pretty much all of it. I feel like I do a ton of stuff and so I might forget.
[Interviewer] Well, that's pretty cool. Okay, so, you're getting ready to graduate here in, what, 24 days, give or take?
[Jessica] Yes.
[Interviewer] From, at least when we're discussing today, so in early December of 2024. What do you see, what's your future? What's your immediate future looking like?
[Jessica] In the spring, I'll have an internship with the US Department of State in their Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, which kind of capitalizes on my European concentration for IA. So I'll be doing that from, for, like, ten weeks in the spring. But then I'm going to take some time off after that just to kind of work before I go to grad school next September, where I just got accepted into my grad program at the University College Dublin, and I'll be getting my Master’s of Science in European Politics and Policy.
[Interviewer] Oh, awesome. So you're going from Northern Georgia to Dublin, Ireland?
[Jessica] Yes.
[Interviewer] That's a healthy jump.
[Jessica] Well, yeah.
[Interviewer] Looking back at your time here with the #PSIAfamily up to now, is there any particular aspect of your years here that have been particularly enriching or that you would love to do again if you had the opportunity?
[Jessica] Oh 100%. I think if I could redo my, just entire college experience, I think I would have I would have liked to come into college as an IA major. I think I would have been able to really like embrace it a lot more or a lot earlier on. But I would...everything in the Department or that the Department has offered me has just been a brilliant experience and something I was, I'm really grateful for. And I honestly, I don't know how I would have turned out if I didn't end up in this department because it truly does feel like a family, especially with all the professors and the opportunities that are being offered, it was just such an incredible time. But probably everything I would do again, if I could.
[Interviewer] Okay. So as a quick follow on, then, what experiences from our program have been most meaningful to your life, to Jessica so far? And looking forward, which ones do you anticipate being most meaningful to your future career?
[Jessica] So two that standout are definitely the study abroad option, as well as the internship. I think, as far as the internship goes, I think a lot of college students are graduating without having them. But I think having it as like a required thing that we have to have and making us get that real world work experience has been something that greatly benefited me, not only as understanding what my degree means, but also helping me land my internship after graduation, as well as going to grad school. So I'm incredibly grateful for that opportunity. I think that's something that is amazing for the Department. As well as the study abroad.
I think oftentimes we learn a lot of what's in the classroom, just in the classroom, but being able to be abroad and in the real world helps us connect it back even better. And so I have a lot of research interests in Ireland. I did my study abroad there, and I was able to see things firsthand and connect it back even better.
I feel like it just overall, both of those opportunities just made me a stronger student.
[Interviewer] In closing, Jessica, what do you have to say to our viewers who are either prospective students or former students, whether graduate or undergraduate.
[Jessica] I think, for prospective students, I say, get involved, get active, talk to literally anybody in the Department. They're all amazing, and they're all such just incredible people. So I would say just get involved. It's one of the best things I did for my life as a person, as well as a student. So get involved.
For people that are either graduating or are already alumni or alumna. I would say, represent the, represent the department, represent the community that UNG is. We're a small but mighty school, I think. And we have a lot to offer, and I think that's something that needs to be kind of shown to more people.
[Interviewer] Well, I want to thank you very much for your time, Jessica. I know that you, you sound like you've been and are very busy and especially these next closing weeks of your undergraduate career. I and all my colleagues in the Department wish you all the best as you continue on your life journey, and sincerely hope you continue to #experiencemore with the help of your time with us here in UNG's Political Science & International Affairs Department.
[Jessica] Thank you.