Abby Tower is a junior majoring in Political Science and Democracy and Justice Studies with an emphasis in U.S. and the World. Abby is minoring in Spanish and Latin American Studies, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL Certificate), and World Cultures. Abby plans to graduate in the Spring of 2021.
Why did you major in Political Science and DJS?
This question is difficult to answer since my approach to choosing a major has been so nonlinear. Coming into college, I had this notion that I needed to choose the right major within my first semester, and from there, script out the entirety of my life. Anything not in line with “the plan” was a failure on my part. During my second semester, one of my professors told me not to get so caught up in choosing and following a major that I forget my passions; not every class I take is going to count towards my declarations, but there is value to be found in every class. The sentiment stuck, and from there, I composed schedules based on genuine interest and made declarations trial-and-error style. My professor’s advice has proven to be of the most beneficial.
I’ve changed my majors, minors, and certificate nearly twenty times in the past three years—the most recent being a change to my emphasis a month ago—and one of my minors was purely coincidental. Yet despite my indecisive planning, I absolutely love everything I am studying. My declarations complement each other well and reaffirm my passions—international human rights, social justice, migration, etc. In short, as cringey as this sounds, I chose my classes based on the topics that made me excited to learn more and made me excited to go to class, and my classes, in turn, chose my declarations.
What are your plans after graduation? Post-graduation, I plan to further my education in International Relations or a related field. While I find it difficult to narrow in on a single career goal, I have several aspirations and loose ideas, and I envision myself pursuing a variety of careers throughout my life.
What academic experience or accomplishment are you most proud of? I am most proud of my current internship at Casa ALBA Melanie. I am a DACA advocate, I work alongside Latinx youth empowerment groups, and I perform immigration legal assistance. The internship offers a practical opportunity for me to engage with my studies, and I get to communicate with so many inspiring people. As an added bonus, I have the greatest co-workers who patiently and eagerly help me improve my Spanish speaking abilities. The internship could not be a better fit!
What single thing do you hope to accomplish at UWGB before graduating? I would love to study abroad and also meet Willow, Professor Young’s dog, during her office hours.
What do you do for fun? Outside of my own coursework, I have the privilege of teaching some of the most curious and enthusiastic elementary schoolers around! Drawing is a favorite pastime—charcoal being my favorite medium—and I enjoy starting my day by going for a run.
What else do you want people to know about you? I would not have had nearly as many opportunities as I have without my professors and advisors. They have helped me in a myriad of ways—from writing letters of recommendation to waiving me into classes to patiently listening as I explain why, yet again, I am changing my major. Their endless support, advice, and mere presence has been greatly appreciated and should not go unnoticed.
