Pepper Prize Nominee Jenna Gowell © Chuck Zovko / Zovko Photographic llc April 12, 2015

Jenna Gowell

First Major: International Affairs
Second Major: Psychology
Minor: Government and Law
Thesis:  “Societal Masterminds: ISIS as a Case Study on the Allure of International Terrorism”

300 Word Statement

Lafayette’s namesake was man of conviction; the Marquis’s unwavering dedication to the cause of liberty compelled him to assist in leading another nation to freedom. Like the Marquis, I also seek to dedicate my life to the cause of international security—however, I seek to actualize liberty for nations affected by terrorism.

In developing myself for such a demanding career, I’ve taken a similar approach to college as Senator Pepper. Himself a Phi Beta Kappa, Pepper challenged himself academically, artistically, and athletically. Similarly, I’ve used my majors as a way to fuse the social sciences with a natural science. In doing so, I’ve delved into my research from two contrasting perspectives, as I believe that a multifaceted approach is necessary to understanding the intricacies of counterterrorism.

However, my athletic, artistic, and social outlets have served just as pivotal a role in augmenting my multidimensionality. The hours in the dance studio have developed my perseverance even in times where inspiration is meager. My time on the Cheerleading and Ski & Snowboard Teams taught me the power of building a supportive environment that encourages both individual achievement and intimate collaboration. In leadership roles such as Head Resident and VP Recruitment of my sorority, I learned the power of leading by mercy and of complementing discipline with grace. I view each of these opportunities as a way to prepare myself for a future of serving my nation—pursuing so many passions simultaneously has been both challenging and immensely enjoyable.

As such, I am humbled to be considered for the Pepper Prize, not because it means I have fit into a mold as a model student, artist, or athlete, but because it means I am successfully living my life as a woman of conviction. My deepest thanks to my peers, who have challenged and encouraged me every step of the way.

Academic Activities/Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Phi Beta Kappa 1
    The nation’s oldest academic honor society, the organization describes, “The ideal Phi Beta Kappa member has demonstrated intellectual integrity, tolerance for other views, and a broad range of academic interests.” One of only twelve juniors inducted.
  • Sigma Iota Rho 1
    The honor society for international studies. Inducted as a junior.
  • Psi Chi Honor Society 1
    The international honor society for psychology. Inducted as a junior.
  • Order of Omega 1
    The Order of Omega recognizes juniors and seniors “who have exemplified high standards in the areas of scholarship, leadership, involvement within their respective organization and within the Fraternity/Sorority, campus, and local community. Members are selected from the top 3% of students at each institution.” Lafayette’s chapter of the Order of Omega inducts approximately 15 members of the Greek Community each year. Served as the President of the Order for the 2015-2016 academic year.
  • Marshall Scholarship Finalist 1
    The Marshall Scholarship is the most selective graduate fellowship available to American undergraduates, and it funds graduate studies in the United Kingdom. Requested to interview—an invitation extended to approximately 16% of the applicant pool.
  • Herbert W. Rogers Psychology Prize 1
    Awarded annually to the outstanding senior psychology major who is judged by the department to be the most deserving.
  • Dean’s List 4
    Awarded to students achieving at least a 3.60 during the semester. Featured on the Dean’s list every semester of college.
  • Marquis Scholarship 4
    Lafayette’s most prestigious merit scholarship available to the class of 2016.
  • ATTIC Tutor 4
    Recommended by faculty due to a demonstrated ability to understand course concepts, interact well with peers, communicate confidently with faculty, and manage time well. Served as a tutor for Econ 101 and Psych 110.
  • Psychology Lab Assistant 1
    Served as an assistant and mentor in an introductory psychology lab of approximately 20 students. Directly supported the lab professor by preparing materials, grading students’ assignments, presenting occasional lectures, and holding regular office hours.

Campus Service/Activities and Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Head Resident 1
    I currently serve as the HR for the Greek Community. I supervise a staff of 9 Resident Advisors and serve as an advisory point of contact for 235 students. I also conduct bi-semester staff evaluations, lead weekly staff meetings, provide feedback on weekly and monthly staff reports, and relay pertinent information to the Residence Life Professional Staff. Finally, I complete regular paperwork on the performance of each staff member as well as the community that each oversees.
  • Resident Advisor 2
    Served as the RA for the third floor of Easton (2013-2014) and Alpha Gamma Delta (2014-2015). Required to make weekly inspections of the residence hall and brief superiors on the state of facilities, the nature of resident interactions, and any observed policy violations. Planned programs for the community and served as an academic, professional, and social resource.
  • Dance Company 4
    Served as the Vice President for the 2013-2014 academic year. Choreographed several pieces for the company, including broadway tap, hollywood jazz, contemporary, and lyrical-jazz pieces. Performed several solos, duets, or trios with the company. First place soloist in the Fall 2012 “So You Think You Can Dance” competition.
  • Alpha Gamma Delta Women’s Fraternity 3
    Active member since Fall 2013. Served as the Continuous Open Recruitment (COR) Officer from November 2013-2014, and the Vice President Recruitment (VPR) from November 2014-2015. As COR Officer, I helped organize logistics while the VPR was abroad and assisted the VPR in running Fall Recruitment in 2014. As VP Recruitment, I assisted the COR Officer with Open Recruitment in the spring and coordinated Fall Recruitment 2015. During Fall Recruitment, I assisted the chapter in hosting 200 women in a singular night, coordinated attire and decoration, created and delivered presentations on various facets of the chapter, and successfully enabled the chapter in achieving quota (minimum pledge class size) and surpassing total (minimum chapter size).
  • The “Above and Beyond Award” 1
    Granted by the Order of Omega to the member of each Greek Chapter who has demonstrated the most commitment to his or her chapter through “above and beyond” involvement.
  • Admissions Ambassador 1
    Served as a Tour Guide for the spring semester of 2014 and a Tour Captain for the fall semester of 2014. Invited to speak on several panels for prospective students.
  • Precision Step Team 1
    Spent a semester on Precision Step Team; performed at Haters Step Back in Spring 2013.

Community Service – Total Years Involved

  • Volunteer Arabic Teacher 1
    Assisted Professor Yasmine Karam in teaching an Arabic class at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church. Taught a small class of children how to write and pronounce letters from the Arabic alphabet.
  • The Marquis Players, Co-Choreographer 1
    Co-choreographed the Marquis Players’ spring 2014 show, “The Pajama Game.” All proceeds from the show went to a local charity.
  • Teen Job Bank 2
    CEO and Cofounder. Created and managed a student-run non-profit organization that matched local teens with jobs in my hometown community. Delegated tasks, ran advertisements, trained new students, and led weekly meetings. Created a database to organize the 103 students and 111 employers in the system.
  • Alpha Gam Kan Jam 1
    In Spring 2015, participated in AGD’s Spring Philanthropy event, Alpha Gam Kan Jam. In Spring 2016, served on the Kan Jam Committee and helped plan and prepare to host the event. All proceeds from the event go to AGD’s philanthropy.
  • Light in the Night 3
    Assisted AGD in holding a safe trick-or-treating night for the children of Easton. When the city no longer had the space for us to host the event, participated with AGD in helping run a Halloween Dance at the Easton Area Community Center.
  • “Girl Scouts” 1
    Participated in one of AGD’s local service projects, nicknamed the “Girl Scouts”. Volunteered on a weekly basis by leading crafts, games, and other activities for a group of middle school girls at the Boys and Girls Club of Easton.

Athletics Activity/Award – Total Years Involved

  • Ski and Snowboard Team 4
    I regularly compete in the Snowboard Giant Slalom (GS) division, and occasionally compete in rail jams or slopestyle competitions. Served as the Vice President for the 2015-2016 academic year. Went to Regionals every season and Nationals in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Became the Atlantic Highlands Conference Women’s Snowboard GS Champion in 2014, and placed on the podium in 2013 and 2016.
  • Cheerleading Team 3
    Joined the Cheerleading Team in Fall 2012 and participated until the end of the fall 2014 season. Attended every home and away football game, as well as every home game for the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Special Interest – Total Years Involved

  • Counterterrorism Intern, Institute for the Study of War 1
    Worked directly under ISW’s Counterterrorism Analyst on projects related to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Utilized open source intelligence to research, analyze, and report upon ISIS’s global activity, and frequently analyzed multimedia publications, social media posts, press statements, and news articles that were written or recorded entirely in Arabic. Trained in Palantir software, gained experience in military-style briefings, and composed memos for a daily Commander’s Critical Information Requirement. Wrote several publications for ISW, one of which was later published in Business Insider.
  • Honors Thesis 1
    My honors thesis in International Affairs is titled “Societal Masterminds: ISIS as a Case Study on the Allure of International Terrorism.” In my thesis, I use Social Movement Theories to explain how ISIS harnesses the power of international civil society. I use these theories to explain how ISIS is able to carry out its goals by tailoring its behavior to the resources present in any given country. In the process, I combine the most relevant Social Movement Theories to create a new theory tailored to the study of international terrorism, which I named “Advantage Ascendancy Theory.”
  • Amideast Education Abroad 1
    I spent the summer of 2014 taking an intensive Arabic course in Jordan. I studied Modern Standard Arabic and Jordanian Colloquial Arabic 20 hours a week and lived with a Muslim host family. I also had the unique experience of living in Jordan when ISIS declared a caliphate and watching as ISIS worked its way towards the Jordanian border.
  • Robert Beane Intern Scholar 1
    Awarded a stipend to support my internship with the Institute for the Study of War. Provided with a career mentor, Christopher Shain ’95, who works in the Pentagon.