RBSI 30th Anniversary Reflections
To date there are over 500 RBSI Alumni. To mark the 30th anniversary APSA has highlighted below 30 program alumni who share their professional experiences and how the RBSI Program influenced their careers. Read the inspiring reflections below and learn more about the discipline-wide impact and legacy of the APSA RBSI Program. For more information about each alumni, click on their names below:
Associate Professor, Rutgers University
RBSI Class of 1989
“[The RBSI program] enabled me to have a firmer grasp on the process it would take to attain the PhD; introduced me to leaders in the discipline with whom I would develop lifelong relationships; and afforded me further mentorship by Jewel Prestage, and others. Dr. Earl Picard, our American politics instructor, came back the weekend after the Tiannamen Square incident began having written a 40+ page paper about it. He was driven by his intellectual curiosity and passion about the political issues at stake. I was just amazed. And, he read it to us, and we were all captivated. That's a moment I'll never forget.”
Read more about Professor Alexander-Floyd's research
Director, The Baltimore Energy Challenge at Civic Works
RBSI Class of 2009
“The RBSI Program gave me access to a wealth of knowledge about post-graduate opportunities that I otherwise may not have discovered. I attribute much of my success in grad school to the skills developed while at the Summer Institute. I was a more confident student and now a more confident professional thanks to the training I received that summer. I still keep in touch with many of the scholars that participated during my cohort. And we make sure to let the others know when we plan to be in their city so that we are sure to link up. Three of us actually plan a yearly meetup in New York during the holidays. I cherish all of the friendships I made at RBSI.”
University of California, Berkeley
RBSI Class of 2012
“Through the RBSI Program, I got a taste for conducting high-quality, social science research and decided to focus on applying for a PhD program. I remember staying up late with my fellow RBSI colleagues, learning from each other, and writing our final papers.”
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
RBSI Class of 2011
“I really am indebted to the RBSI for helping me prepare for my current successes. First, I was not fully convinced that I wanted/needed to go on to pursue a graduate degree. Ultimately, the fellowship informed my decision and helped prepare me for my MA program. The experience gave me valuable strategic insight and practical experience that made my transition to graduate school go smoothly. Second, I learned to overcome my fear of numbers. Because RBSI exposed me to quantitative research methodologies, statistics, and computational modeling, I gained the confidence I needed to fully embrace these subject areas that I had previously avoided. Now I take advance statistics modeling for fun, and I find it completely empowering. Finally–and arguably most importantly–I gained a context for understanding race in American politics that helped me better frame and understand my own racial and ethnic identity. One memorable aspect of the program was the opportunity to immerse myself in a graduate experience. I appreciated the faculty, staff, and GTAs who were available to answer my questions and provide a detailed picture of what graduate school would be like. These all helped me make a better informed decision.”
Associate Professor, Purdue University
RBSI Class of 2003
“Participating in the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) is the reason why I am a political scientist. This was my first exposure to the professoriate. My involvement with the RBSI experience provided an opportunity for me to truly understand the importance of knowledge creation. Without this program, it is doubtful that I would have entered a graduate program in political science. I am thankful for APSA’s dedication to cultivating a pipeline for minority scholars. My interests in Black women’s political participation was primed through my undergraduate courses at Howard University and solidified at RBSI. It was RBSI where I wrote my first research paper that included original data analysis. This paper used data from the National Black Politics Study (1993) to examine if race or gender consciousness was more important for Black women voters. The skills I learned at RBSI were a crucial foundation that enabled me to be successful in graduate school at Rutgers University. The knowledge gained at RBSI and connections that I made through the program have helped me to produce innovative scholarship on Black women political elites.”
Learn more about Professor Brown's research
Read Nadia Brown's profile on PSNow
Assistant Professor, Temple University
RBSI Class of 2007
“Like most political science majors, I had high dreams of law school, and a plan of study to get me there. That all changed the summer (2007) I attended the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) at Duke; that experience is responsible for setting me on a professional-academic course that has been so rich in opportunity, friendship, and adventure. The most memorable aspect of the Summer Institute were the late nights reading, learning statistics, and tinkering with STATA. It was an intense task, but we managed to learn and have some fun doing it together. RBSI has played an important role in creating a large, diverse community of scholars in political science, many of whom are are willing to pay it forward in the form of encouraging, supporting, and aiding in your success.”
Learn more about Professor Crawford's research
Read Nyron Crawford's profile on PSNow
Chief of Staff with the Peralta Community College District in Oakland
RBSI Class of 2000
“I participated in the RBSI at the University of Virginia in the summer of 2000 and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I have always had a passion for how policy influences society. Upon graduation from Howard University, I decided to study this through the lens of education. I graduated with a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Florida.”
Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
RBSI Class of 2006
“Being an RBSI alum is a privilege enjoyed by few and I am honored to be part of the legacy of this program. RBSI gave me my first experience with statistical analysis of survey data and encouraged me to continue to do academic research. The program opened many doors for me as I continued my academic career. Without RBSI I might not have gone on to graduate school, and might not be on the verge of completing my doctorate in political science. Thanks to RBSI I have built enduring friendships with individuals who have gone on to become successful academics and professionals in political science, education, and public service. I also treasure having had the opportunity to meet “Bunchees” that came before my class, and other guest faculty speakers like Matt Barreto.”
University of Chicago
RBSI Class of 2014
“The RBSI program jump-started my senior thesis and helped me engage with the theoretical and statistical foundations for my project. I truly enjoyed making connections with students and professors from some of the best graduate schools in the country at the RBSI graduate school recruitment fair.”
Political Consultant
RBSI Class of 1998
“RBSI is the reason why I pursued a PhD in political science. It ultimately allowed me to work as a tenure-track professor at an Ivy League university and my PhD has continued to inform my work as a political director and consultant even after I left the academy. RBSI has been a key to my professional career. I also have a solid network of other political scientist that I met through RBSI that I still remain connected with. A particularly memorable moment for me was presenting my research as a poster at APSA conference following the summer institute. It was my first professional presentation of research and it was wonderful to be a part of the political science community in that way even before I had went to graduate school.”
Associate Professor, Emory University
RBSI Class of 1998
“The RBSI Program created an instant professional network for me that has been invaluable in so many ways. Immediately after completing the program, my Bunche network helped me to apply to and choose a graduate school. Today, my friends from Bunche (and they include alumni from all years and supporters of the program who regularly participate in Bunche programming) have become trusted friends, colleagues, and collaborators. I don't know if I would have been as connected to other scholars were it not for the RBSI Program.”
Senior Director, RiceHadleyGates
RBSI Class of 2007
“The RBSI program provided me the basic tool set needed to succeed in a PhD program and familiarized me with academic research and methods. It also gave me confidence that I could succeed in a PhD program. I gained great lifelong colleagues and friends who supported me through my PhD program.”
Read more about Rachel Gillum's work
Senior Vice President, National Women's Law Center
RBSI Class of 1997
“The RBSI gave me the opportunity to think deeply about political science and academia. Although I ultimately decided to get a law degree, the foundation laid that summer has served me well throughout my career. One of my closest friends today was my roommate at RBSI – our nearly 20 year friendship began as we explored the possibility of diving into a career in academia.”
Postdoc and Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
RBSI Class of 2007
“RBSI is why I am in academia. Though that summer was tough — and I mean rough — the whole experience helped me realize that a PhD was something I could accomplish. And being around so many other motivated and intelligent people made me realize it was something that I wanted to accomplish.”
University of California, Irvine
RBSI Class of 2011
“Participation in the RBSI program affirmed that I wanted to go to grad school and work in the academy. One memory that stands out is Dr. McClain and all the graduate assistants (now professors) who really put time and effort into helping all the RBSI students in any way they could.”
Postdoctoral Fellow, PERFORM Centre
RBSI Class of 2010
“RBSI was my introduction to PhD level academics and research. And were it not for the relationships and confidence I developed while at Duke, I would have never applied to or completed a graduate degree. RBSI is the real deal, but you can only take advantage of this opportunity if you truly challenge yourself.”
Learn more about Dr. Idris' research.
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