History and Political Science

Graduate Assistant Applications for Fall 2024/Spring 2025 are now Available!

Interested students can can pick up applications in Douglas Hall 234 or download it here. Only students in the M.A. in Public Affairs can apply for this program

Deadline:

Friday, April 26^th, 2024

Before 5pm @ Douglas Hall 234 to Gina Marie Medina (Admin. Asst.): gmmedina@nmhu.edu

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HU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program-APPLY NOW

Attention New Mexico Highlands University Students:

Do you want to be part of an exciting opportunity? Would you like to learn more about leadership and New Mexico State Government through a unique hands-on leadership experience? Then consider applying for the New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program.

Description

New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) undergraduate and graduate students from main campus and centers throughout New Mexico participate in a selective legislative leadership fellowship program in which they learn through practical experience about leadership, state government, and the legislative process. The program culminates with students engaging with elected officials and participating in the legislative process during committee hearings and Highlands’ Day at the Legislature. Students participate in shadow days with legislative officials. Each year, the students lobby at the legislature requesting one-time capital outlay funds. The students solicit campus wide student input and select the initiative to lobby for during the legislative session.

Students can also earn academic credit by enrolling in a practicum available for students. Student participants successfully demonstrate the NMHU Student Learning Outcomes of leadership development, effective communication, mastery of content knowledge, and critical reflective thinking skills.

The results of the program demonstrate continued community leadership opportunities for the students beyond program participation. Students serve in leadership roles such as the Student Board of Regent and Student Senate President; students are recruited for key positions statewide; students acquire statewide and national internship opportunities; and students continue their educational endeavors into law school beyond the program.

Eligibility

Applicants must be:

• A degree seeking student
• Sophomore or above
• Undergraduate or graduate student

Program Requirements/Commitments

• Participation in the program beginning October 2023 through May 2024.
• Participation during the 2024 New Mexico Legislative Session beginning January 16, 2024, to February 15, 2024.
• Participation in Program Orientation on October 23, 2023, time TBD.
• Participate in 6-8 days of legislative experience at the New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This includes pre-legislative session hearing(s) in November and December 2022 and events during the legislative session January 16 – February 15, 2024, also includes participation in one overnight trip during Highlands Day at the Legislature (date to be determined). Additional mandatory dates may be added.
• Additional dates and times for training and course offerings will be provided.
• Highlands covers all travel costs and meals.
• Participate in shadowing a legislator for a day.
• This year’s program may include a federal legislative component, to be determined.

Practicum

New Mexico Highlands Legislative Leadership Fellowship Practicum Program is designed to extend students’ learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom setting. The primary goal of the program is to provide an avenue for students to gain hands-on experience and apply academic knowledge in professional work environments related to their educational and career interests. A student can receive three (3) credits at the 300, 400, or 500-level for the combined legislative field experience and workshops. Students will shadow a representative for a day, follow a bill through the 2024 Legislative session, work with fellow students on a capital outlay request, attend legislative committee hearings, meet one-on-one with government leaders, and attend workshops (Practicum Lectures/Assignments focus on Understanding the New Mexico State Legislature and the Legislative Process, Multi-Generation and Gender Leadership Styles, Political Party Composition, Lobbyist & Lobbying).

Application Requirements

• Current Resume, Letter of Interest & Headshot– The Center for Professional Development and Career Readiness can assist you. You may contact them at 505-454-3251 or careerservices@nmhu.edu. The Writing Center can also assist you. Dr. Amanda May, Writing Center Director, can be contacted at 505-454-3450.

The letter should address the following:

1. Applicant’s leadership philosophy;
2. Examples of leadership applicant has demonstrated or experienced;
3. What applicant expects to gain from the fellowship;
4. Applicant’s commitment to complete the entire fellowship program;
5. Include name, phone, email, student ID number, and major.

Deadline

Application materials are due Friday, September 29, 2023, by 5:00 pm (MST) and can be sent via email to Yvonne Duran, Senior Administrative Assistant for Student Affairs, at deanofstudents@nmhu.edu.

Interviews

Students will be interviewed on the week of October 2, 2023, prior to determining the 2024 Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program student participants.

Acceptance Notification

Students will be notified of fellowship program selection no later than October 9, 2023.

NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program Video

Want Additional Information? Take a look at the past fellows’ videos:

• 2019 NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hyoU1Cu1wQ&t=27s

• 2020 NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program

https://vimeo.com/437271746

• 2021 NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program

https://vimeo.com/536497151

• 2022 NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program

https://youtu.be/tKGeEH7gh28

• 2023 NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program

https://youtu.be/gXrjpsGK1VE 

New Mexico State Legislature

Become familiar with the New Mexico State Legislature (www.nmlegis.gov)

Contact the NMHU Legislative Leadership Fellowship Program Administration Team

• Dr. Kimberly Blea, Dean of Students, kjvaldez@nmhu.edu
• Dr. Elaine Rodriquez, Associate Professor of Political Science, erodriquez@nmhu.edu
• Dave Lepre, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, davidlepre@nmhu.edu
• Yvonne Duran, Senior Administrative Assistant for Student Affairs, ycduran@nmhu.edu
• Gina Marie Medina, Administrative Assistant  of History & Political Science, gmmedina@nmhu.edu

Flexibility is necessary as part of this program as dates are subject to change due to legislative changes. We look forward to reviewing your application.

*On Friday, September 29, from 11-1, ARMAS will be hosting a special roundtable discussion about the nuclear industry, featuring Dr. Luke Ritter, Dr. Myrriah Gomez, Joseph Mangano, and Tina Cordova.

 

 

*The trailer for Silent Fallout, featuring Dr. Luke Ritter, is now available on YouTube:

*The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article authored by Dr. Luke Ritter on August 5, 2023, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Kennedy’s Nuclear Test Ban Treaty:

https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/column/mangano-and-ritter-st-louis-baby-tooth-survey-helped-make-nuclear-test-ban-a-reality/article_d2c5e32a-308e-11ee-af9e-cf40ba9c4739.html

 

*On Thursday, March 30, Dr. Luke Ritter gave a virtual book talk about his chapter in the newly published volume Left in the Midwest: St. Louis Progressive Activism in the 1960s and 1970s. 

Left in the Midwest Author Talk

 

 

*On Feb. 10, 2023, the Department of History and Political Science hosted a Book Talk

*On Nov. 9, 2022, Dr. Luke Ritter took his students on a field trip to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque!

New Mexico Highlands University offers an undergraduate major and minor in history, allowing students to pursue an enriching degree in a unique location that blends Native American, Mexican and European traditions. In fact, our students don’t have to go far to explore historical landmarks; we’re right on the path of the original Santa Fe Trail!

Our outstanding political science bachelor’s degree program offers concentrations in pre-law and liberal arts. The pre-law concentration provides an in-depth curriculum ranging from introduction to law to LSAT preparation. Our pre-law students receive comprehensive advising, and our graduates have an excellent track record of being accepted to law school and succeeding in the legal profession.

The liberal arts concentration provides a comprehensive education in American federal, state and local government and the political process with a focus on Southwest and minority political studies. International politics is another strong component of the program. Internships give our students real-world professional experience in political campaigns and other settings.

Master of Arts in Public Affairs

The graduate program in sociology is part of an interdisciplinary master of arts degree program in public affairs. The program provides a comprehensive understanding of the social and cultural environment in the public and private sphere through a common core of courses taken by all students in political theory, social theory and historical thought, human culture, and economic theory. Students, prior to admission to the program, select one of the following concentrations: political and governmental processes (see political science in the Department of Humanities), or applied sociology. Students interested in sociology will follow the curriculum described below.

This program prepares students for doctoral studies and may provide enrichment for professionals in public careers such as law, politics, or government service. The program also provides advanced preparation for teachers. The interdisciplinary nature of the program is well suited to such purposes, by combining theoretical knowledge and practical methodology in historical and cross-cultural analysis; archival research; personal and participant observation, interview, and survey techniques; and statistical analysis, model-building, and simulation–applied to analysis of social and cultural trends; political and economic policy at local, regional, national, and international levels; and organizational and institutional processes.

The program’s geographic location in a multiethnic region of the Southwest brings unique perspectives. Field and practicum experiences are available to capitalize on the region’s rich social, cultural, and institutional resources.

 

 

LSAT PREP COURSE

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is required for those planning to apply to law school. Hone your test-taking skills by preparing for the types of questions typically found on the exam. The course will cover the four major components of the LSAT: analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, reading comprehension and the writing sample.

How you will benefit
The goal of this course is to help you understand the ins and outs of the LSAT, learn strategies for succeeding on the exam, and increase your confidence so that you will feel thoroughly prepared on exam day. You will learn timesaving tactics to enhance your score on every section of the exam.

Who should attend
This course is recommended for anyone planning to take the LSAT. Attending this course to help ready you for the LSAT is beneficial no matter where you are in your preparation process.

Course Information
Course Name: POLS4970 LSAT Prep & Legal Logic (3349)
Course Date: Oct 13, 2021 – Dec 10, 2021
Time: 6 – 7:50 p.m.
Where: DH 109 and Zoom

Contact Information
Department of History and Political Science
505-454-3013
erodriquez@nmhu.edu

Meet the History and Political Science Faculty