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[Interviewer] Welcome to the University of North Georgia Political Science & International Affairs Department's YouTube channel, where we present interviews of our students, past, present and future, to highlight their accomplishments and insights. In the coming minutes you'll get to meet Katherine, or she prefers Kat, Torres. Kat is a political science major here on the Gainesville campus at the University of North Georgia. Good Morning Kat.
[Kat Torres] Good Morning. Thank you for having me here.
[Interviewer] To start us off, would you please tell us a little bit about yourself -- Who is Kat Torres?
[Kat] Hi, my name is Kat Torres and I am a junior at the University of North Georgia. I am a first-generation college student and first-generation American. My family immigrated from Venezuela and I am a political science major. I graduated from Mill Creek High School from Hoschton, Georgia.
[Interviewer] Kat, what got you into the world of politics, the big world of politics, and why did you choose as a subset of that then, why did you choose a political science degree with the pre-law concentration?
[Kat] Alright, so actually I started out at UNG as a marketing major. However, I changed my major to political science concentrated in pre-law because my godfather from Texas, he is an attorney, and he actually inspired me to pursue law. He said: "Hey, I really think you have the knack for law, I think you'd be a great attorney. Go, go ahead and pursue it." And I guess I can really say that I was scared to pursue law. I didn't really have the confidence in myself to pursue something as great as law. However, he really, he really motivated me to pursue it.
[Interviewer] Okay, there's a lot of political science schools, pre-law schools around the country. Why did you end up here at the University of North Georgia?
[Kat] Oh that's easy. I really, really love how small the Gainesville campus is, and I really love the small class sizes too that come with being on a small campus. I really enjoy having that one-on-one time with my advisors. And I feel like there is a lot more of the resources to go around than there would be at the larger state schools.
[Interviewer] I understand Kat,that you recently returned from a several-day trip to our nation's capital. Can you tell our viewers a little bit about why you were there?
[Kat] Ok. I pursued the Cox-State Department Diplomacy Seminar as a way to explore the careers involved in foreign service.
[Interviewer] What did that seminar entail?
[Kat] Well, there is a lot involved in seminar. We did everything from role playing as a Foreign Service officer. We did simulations. We did a lot of panels with active Foreign Service officers. And we did a lot of touring of the building. We even saw the diplomatic relations room where President Trump met with a lot of the prime ministers and other foreign diplomats. And overall we were just getting an idea of what diplomacy is and how it affects US relations with foreign nations.
[Interviewer] How many of you went to the State Department Diplomacy Seminar?
[Kat] There were 544 applicants and only 27 participants were chosen. And I was the sole representative of the State of Georgia, and I was representing UNG as well.
[Interviewer] What do those days mean for Kat Torres, both now, and as you look to the future?
[Kat] The seminar itself was a way to really professionally develop myself for a, any career in political science first of all. But in looking towards the future it really demonstrated to me that I want to pursue a career in Foreign Service, and I've become a lot more passionate about pursuing a career in Foreign Service.
[Interviewer] So, you just got back from a couple of days up in Washington, DC and you're getting ready to go out of state again here fairly soon. Is that correct?
[Kat] Yes it is.
[Interviewer] Where are you going this time?
[Kat] I will be going to the University at Albany, New York. I will be participating in a PPIA program -- Public Policy & International Affairs program, where we will be studying, careers in public policy, in addition to gaining skills in studying for the GRE.
[Interviewer] You kept using the word 'we' going to Albany, New York. Who is the we? Do you have any idea yet?
[Kat] Obviously myself, but I also feel like I'm taking the University of North Georgia with me as I am the sole representative of the university that is going. I'm excited to be representing UNG.
[Interviewer] Do you have any idea on the front end how large this program will be?
[Kat] The New York cohort will have 30 people, approximately 30 students will be there.
[Interviewer] And presumably from all over the country?
[Kat] Yes
[Interviewer] Well cool. So that's, sounds like another feather in your cap, and another early start to your professional development. Congratulations again Kat.
[Kat] Thank you.
[Interviewer] With us today we have Dr. Dwight Wilson. Dr. Wilson, what is your relationship to Kat?
[Dr. Wilson] Well I've known Kat a couple of years. I first met her in my Global Issues class where she was a standout student. Subsequently she became my, my advisee, and has continued to take some classes with me.
[Interviewer] Does it surprise you that she has been selected both for the Cox-State Department Diplomacy Seminar and also the PPIA program?
[Dr. Wilson] Not surprising at all. I think those kinds of programs are exactly the sorts of things that, that Kat is very well prepared to do, very mature, dedicated, professional ... so, it's exactly the kind of thing that I expect to see her do and continue doing.
[Interviewer] In closing, what do you have to say to our viewers, especially those who are prospective UNG students?
[Kat] I would say to really consider UNG as one of the schools that you're applying for. UNG has so many resources available to all majors. I have really been taking advantage of the resources for political science. And I really wouldn't have been able to go to the State Department Seminar if it wasn't for the resources at UNG. I mean, I really was the only, representa, representative of the State of Georgia. Only UNG was at the seminar, so that's got to say a lot about UNG.
[Interviewer] Why I think it certainly does Kat. Well thank you for your time. I wish you all the best as you continue both your academic career and ideally, from your perspective, a career in the United States Foreign Service.
[Kat] Thank you.
[Interviewer] I hope you continue to #experiencemore with us as a member of our PSIA family.
[Kat] Thank you