CAS graduating senior reflects on time at OSU

Amy Campbell

CAS graduating senior reflects on time at OSU

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Media Contact: Jordan Bishop | Editor, Department of Brand Management | 405-744-7193 | [email protected]

As the fall semester comes to a close, College of Arts and Sciences senior Amy Campbell prepares to graduate and take the next step toward achieving her academic goals.

Campbell, who majors in political science with a concentration in global politics and minors in Russian and intelligence and security analysis, would like to work with the United Nations on civilian protection matters.

Throughout her time at Oklahoma State University, Campbell has spent each year soaking up all the opportunities she could find to assist her academic career.

"If there was any time where I thought I'm interested in something, I just went for it. And I definitely had the mentality, the worst I can say is no," Campbell said. "It's a privilege to fail, and I hated it at the time, but I'm so thankful for my failures now."

After joining Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and leading the Pi Sigma Alpha honor society for the Department of Political Science, Campbell has taken on various leadership roles at OSU. These experiences help shape her as an individual and as an academic.

"Amy has worked tirelessly to promote the lessons of political science and their importance to the lives of students on campus. She has led our honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha, in promoting civic initiatives, including voter registration efforts this fall, to the benefit of our community," said Dr. Howard Sanborn, political science department head.

Campbell quickly took advantage of the opportunities OSU provided. Winning scholarships like the Wentz and Cambridge allowed her to travel and connect with many other students working toward a similar goal.

Amy Campbell

These opportunities have allowed Campbell to narrow her area of research to a more niche topic. Her Wentz project enabled her to take a deep dive into the impact of female peacekeepers protecting civilian populations. She studied UN data sets such as prio grids to determine the rate of violence in areas where peacekeepers are deployed.

"Sometimes it's kind of lonely. Sometimes, you're the only girl in the class, and that can be a challenge. It's lonely, but also, it's kind of rewarding. I think the hardest thing that I actually experience, and I think about it all the time, and it's one of the things that also motivates me," Campbell said.

Campbell has continued to work and expand on her research of female peacekeepers with the assistance of Dr. Holley Hansen, a teaching associate professor for the Department of Political Science. Campbell is looking into post-conflict societies and whether deploying more women peacekeepers in an area empowers the women within the community.

"She is a talented student, but what really sets her apart is her resilience and willingness to keep going even when things get hard," Hansen said. "From our research work on women in UN peacekeeping to her role as our idea person and main fundraiser for Pi Sigma Alpha, she is someone I know I can count on to get things done. I'm so proud of what she has accomplished during her time at Oklahoma State, and can't wait to see what she achieves next."

Campbell plans to present her research at the International Studies Association Conference in March 2025. She then wants to attend the University of St. Andrews in Scotland to pursue a degree in international security.

Story By: Darby Rains | [email protected]

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.