Poli Cyclones

Justin Hollinrake shares insights about how to get a job working on a political campaign, strategies for making it a career, and also about his recent election to the City Council in Ankeny, Iowa.

Patrick Redmond, Deputy Broadband Director for the state of Nebraska, describes how he was able to rapidly gain increased responsibilities after getting his M.A. in political science from Iowa State. He also discusses how doing a graduate research project provides opportunities to learn from practitioners about how policy and politics interact with each other. 

Jacob Martin, who received his M.A. at Iowa State and then went on to get his Ph.D., discusses his work studying federal policy related to higher education. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode, Maria Pimental Diaz talks about the type of education that best prepares you to succeed in law school and as an attorney. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

Chloe Wurth talks about her internship with the Iowa DOT while majoring in political science and how that helped her get a position after graduation with Snyder and Associates in Ankeny. She will help them comply with environmental regulations. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

Sam Johnston talks about her B.A. and M.A. in political science at ISU helped prepare her to work for the Iowa Department of Management as a Justice Systems Analyst.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode we hear from Captain Matthew Gleason, U.S. Navy, about how political science helped prepare him for positions of leadership and provided frameworks for thinking through complex national security issues and strategies.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode we talk with Jillian Carlson who is the state relations officer for Iowa State University. She talks about her experiences working in political campaigns, for the state legislature, and in higher education.

In this episode, Rob Denson describes how he went from political science at ISU to a law career and then to his current role as President of Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

In this episode, recent graduate Ryan Renger discusses his time at Iowa State, internships, and extracurriculars that helped him gain admission to the University of Iowa Law School. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

In this episode, Monet Butler discusses her time as a Senior in Political Science, including research, being a teaching assistant, and future plans. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected].  

Lemuel Anderson graduated from Iowa State's political science department and went on to get his law degree from the University of Wisconsin. Since he finished law school he has worked as a public defender and is now the first ever Environmental Legal Fellow at the University of Wisconsin.

In this episode, Kevin McAdams discusses how his Political Science degree from Iowa State University led him to become the CEO of Perdue Farms, a multinational food and agriculture business.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode, we speak with Ike Barrash about how his Political Science degrees from Iowa State led him to his current work as a researcher for the Center for Naval Analysis. For more information about the Political Science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode, Sophie Shoultz discusses her time as a Political Science Graduate student at Iowa State and how this led her to become the Slovakia Desk Officer for the United States Department of State. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected] 

In this episode, Cody Smith discusses how his Political Science degree from Iowa State led him to become the Director of Climate Initiatives at the Iowa Environmental Council. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]

In this episode, Brad Hart discusses his paths in both law and public service. An alumnus of Iowa State, the former mayor of Cedar Rapids, and a lawyer, he details how he put his political science degree to use. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

In this episode Carrie Swartz discusses how she uses political science in the private sector working for a business that helps government entities with finance.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

In this episode we talk to Cyclone alum Tilman Engel about his path from an internship with the U.S. Senate to serving as General Manager for the European NFL's Frankfurt Galaxy and from there to other endeavors around the world.

In this episode, Abigail Leberg talks about going from the M.A. program in political science at ISU to working in environmental policy in Washington, D.C. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Nathan Phan describes how his study of political science at Iowa State helped prepare him for a  career in law enforcement.  Nathan is a police officer in the Washington, D.C. metro area. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Mark Joyce talks about his work as a lobbyist in the state of Iowa and how political science helped prepare him for his career. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Rachel Beardsley talks about how her political science major helped her in her career in the field of immigration law. She is now a partner at the world's largest immigration law firm. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Rachel Lentz talks about her experience as a graduate student in political science at Iowa State, her research on Adam Smith, and her plans to pursue her Ph.D. at Notre Dame. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

John Holcombe, founder of Insights Marketing Group, talks about how  he got interested  in Latin America and research methods while studying political science at Iowa State.  After graduating he combined these interests as he pursued a career in market research and eventually started a successful company.  John is the 2023 winner of the Political Science Department Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Morgan Fritz describes her experiences serving as president of Student Government and working in Des Moines for the Lt. Governor.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Learn about what you can do in Political Science with Natalia Rios Martinez who will be working at the Pentagon and won a prestigious Truman Scholarship while a student at Iowa State. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

You can get involved in local government both as a student and after your graduate.  In this episode we talk to Cody Neeper Burris and Daunte Thompson.  For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Learn about a career in international affairs with David Bartholomew who in the 10 years since he graduated from Iowa State has served as a Senior National Security Advisory and is now working in international development, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa. For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected]. 

Learn about internships you can do as a political science major from Anna Olson, a recent graduate of Iowa State University.  Anna has done internships with a law firm, the Iowa House of Representatives, the Iowa Attorney General's Office, and the United States Senate.   For more information about the political science department at Iowa State, click here. Email us feedback or ideas for new episodes at [email protected].