2013-Maddie Laskoski

Maddie Laskoski

Major1:  Government & Law
Major 2: English
Thesis:   The Influence of the Internet on Social Movement Development Under Authoritarian Regimes

300 Word Statement

Lafayette College is a social network. My thesis research shows that the more complex and interconnected a social network, the stronger and more resilient it becomes. If Lafayette’s strength is rooted in the complexity of its social network, then the ideal Lafayette student is one who seeks to maximize interconnectivity among students, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, and the city of Easton. Bridging different groups and organizations on campus improves communication channels and enables the integration of different perspectives, which fuels innovation. Ultimately, the more ties we have within our network, the more potential we have as a student body. Over the last four years, I have been committed to maximizing this potential by improving interconnectivity across campus.

As vice president of student government, I built new relations between the student body and the administration by holding think tanks and collaborative brainstorming efforts. I worked to strengthen relations between upper-classmen and under-classmen as an orientation leader, involving first-year students in different campus activities. As a staff writer for The Lafayette, I am committed to increasing awareness on campus by improving communication channels within our community. I also strive to build ties outside of Lafayette by mentoring students at local schools in Easton and participating in alumni-sponsored externships. I look forward to supporting this network after graduation as an active member of the alumni association.

Lafayette’s community is dynamic and ever changing. Each day, we have the opportunity to proactively build new social ties. It is a matter of choice whether or not we take the time to make these connections. The ideal Lafayette student is one who invests time and energy into improving the strength of our social network. Throughout my time at Lafayette, I have taken advantage of every opportunity to build a stronger and more interconnected community.

Academic Activities and Total Years Involved

• Dean’s List    4
• Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society    2
  I was elected to the national political science honor society  in my junior year for demonstrating academic excellence in the field.
• Novak Prize in Government and Law    1
  Awarded to a student in the department who has demonstrated overall excellence in academic work and citizenship in the campus community. I received this award in Spring 2012.
• Gilbert Prize in English   1
  Awarded to a student in the department who has demonstrated superiority in English. I received this award in Spring 2012.
• Government & Law Professor Selection Committee    1
  This Fall, I served as a student representative on the Government & Law Professor Selection Committee.  I attended three mock lectures, dined with prospective professors, and completed evaluations for each candidate.
• ATTIC Tutor    2
  As an ATTIC Tutor, I work with Lafayette students who are struggling in English classes. I assist students in organizing, editing, and revising papers. I also help students develop effective study techniques.
• Study Abroad    1
  In Spring 2012, I studied abroad in London through Boston University’s internship program. During my time in London, I interned as a production assistant for CNBC business news. In class, I specialized in journalism with extensive study of British journalism, culture and society, international reporting, and issues in contemporary politics.
• Senior Honors Thesis in the Government & Law Department    1
  I am researching the influence of the Internet on social movement development under authoritarian regimes. I am studying the changing organizational structure and mobilization dynamic of movements in the Information Age.  My findings are rooted in the short-term and long-term strengths and weaknesses of online group formation on social reform efforts in China and Egypt.

 

Campus Activities and Total Years Involved

• Lafayette Ambassador    4
  As a Lafayette Ambassador, I work for admissions. My responsibilities over the years have included giving tours, dining with prospective students, assisting information sessions, and leading student panels. I also do office work which involves answering the phone and scheduling interviews.
• The Lafayette Staff Writer    3
  As a staff writer for The Lafayette, I research and report news stories relevant to the student body. I interview students, faculty and administration, work within time constraints, and disclose stories without bias.
• Orientation Leader    3
  I have been an Orientation Leader for three years. I served on the Orientation Executive Council for the past two years, first as Recognition Chair and then as Entertainment Chair.  My responsibilities as an OL included working with a group of 15 first-year students, helping them acclimate to college life, introducing them to different clubs and activities, and ensuring that they are prepared to start their first semester off right!
• Gateway Program    4
  As a Gateway student, I participate in several Gateway Career Center events each semester.  I attend workshops, alumni networking events, and mock interviews.  I have also been an active member of Gateway’s internship and externship programs.
• Student Board of Dining Services    3
  I serve as a student representative on the Board of Dining Services. During our meetings, we brainstorm ways in which we can improve campus dining. We consider a range of dining issues including environmental effectiveness, accessibility, student contentment, cleanliness, waste, overall efficiency, and improvements.
• Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority    2
• Vice President of Student Government    1
  As VP of Student Government, I served as a liaison between the student body, the faculty, and the college. I selected and managed 20 Student-Faculty Committees. I also introduced monthly StuGov Think Tanks to harbor improvement through structured group brainstorming sessions.
• Senior Interviewer    1
  I conduct interviews with prospective students for Lafayette Admissions. I gauge student interest and evaluate what the student would bring to the campus community. After the interview, I am responsible for writing a report assessing the student for admissions directors.
• Senior Class Council    1
  As a member of the Senior Class Council, I help plan and coordinate events for senior week.  In the months leading up to senior week, I work with a team to organize fundraisers such as bar nights in order to raise money and curb the cost of senior week events.
• Marketing Lafayette Committee    1
  As a member of the Marketing Lafayette Committee, I assisted in the publication of a 23-page student guide to the city of Easton known as “My Easton.” I surveyed the student body, gathered and organized information, and edited content.

 

Community Service and Total Years Involved

• LANDIS Mentoring    4
  As a mentor, I have worked with students in Easton Area Academy and Easton Middle School.  Each week, I participate in an after school program.  This involves helping students with their homework and playing recreational games such as dodge ball.  As a mentor, I try to be a role model for the students and inspire them to be the best that they can be.
• Marquis Players    2
  Marquis Players is a student-run charity theater organization on campus.  Each year the group performs a musical and the proceeds go to local charity foundations.  In my first year, I had a lead role in the musical Once on this Island.  In my second year, I served on the Executive Board as Fundraising Chair.  I was responsible for organizing and marketing various fundraisers, soliciting consultants, and collaborating with local charity organizations.  I was also in charge of designing and publishing the 50-page brochure for the show.
• Light in the Night    2
  Light in the Night is an AGD-sponsored program that provides children in Easton with a safe trick-or-treating option on Halloween. I have participated in Light in the Night as a member of AGD and Student Government, ensuring that kids in Easton have a safe Halloween experience. In preparation for the event, I built and decorated cardboard scenery to match the theme for the night.

 

Athletics and Total Years Involved

 

Special Interest and Total Years Involved

• Fifty States of Grey Co-Host    1
  I co-hosted the live, student-run election night broadcast Fifty States of Grey. I wrote and reported two hours of scripted material. I also worked with a team to pre-produce a two-minute package on the politics of fracking. The broadcast was televised on PBS39 reaching 2.7 million households.
• National Student Government Leadership Summit    1
  During my time in Student Government, I attended the annual Leadership Summit in Washington, DC.  In a weekend-long training program, I developed leadership skills to better serve the Lafayette community.
• FOX Integrated Sales and Marketing Externship    1
  As an extern at FOX, I shadowed SVP of Integrated Sales and Marketing Claudine Lilien ’90.  I learned about News Corporation’s major holdings and the cross-divisional sales and marketing industry. Claudine introduced me to the business side of entertainment television.
• USA Network Externship    1
  I was selected to participate in an externship with Co-President of USA Network Chris McCumber ’89.  I attended several meetings throughout the day including a character “brandstorm,” a digital marketing meeting, and an event-planning meeting for the upfront.  I learned what it is like to work as an executive on the corporate side of entertainment cable television.
• FOX Sales and Marketing Intern    1
  I interned for pricing and planning executives at FOX Sports and FX. During this internship, I gained ad sales skills through a biweekly media math course. I helped to maximize inventory by flagging logs with oversell, open time, and product conflicts. I also developed hands-on experience in research, sales, pricing, marketing, and public speaking through an intensive intern project that required the development of an original sales pitch and marketing strategy.
• CNBC Production Intern    1
  I was a production assistant for Worldwide Exchange in London. The 2-hour morning show airs at 5 am EST and covers global business news. I assisted in booking guests, building rundowns, writing lower-thirds, and scripting the teleprompter. During live production, I ran prompt for our hosts located in three different time zones.  I was trained in creative television writing technique to script introductions and teases.  I also wrote the daily Worldwide Exchange article for CNBC.com.
• CNBC.com Editorial Intern    1
  Last summer, I worked as an editorial intern at CNBC.com. I wrote daily stock blogs for the site and published a couple original articles as well. I edited wire articles for grammatical errors and hyperlinked in-story phrases to maximize “clicks.” I also built related links to improve site integration and inserted graphics and video to enhance content and aesthetic appeal.