Elyse Lawson at Home in Copenhagen

After spending the past year in Demark interning for Sand Madsen Consulting, Honors alumna Elyse Lawson (May '16), will be attending the University of Copenhagen beginning in August. Elyse was accepted into the highly selective Master of Science (MSc) in Security Risk Management program in the Department of Political Science. (Click here to learn more about the program). She plans to focus on comparative politics and looks forward to other opportunities later in her studies to travel abroad. She stated, "I'm really excited for classes like Political Risk Analysis, Intelligence, and Geopolitics and Democracy."

Photos below contributed by Elyse show her first in front of, and second, in the courtyard of the building where her new graduate program is housed.

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Elyse's interest in Demark was fostered through her work in Honors at App. As a global studies major, her Honors thesis focused on immigration and national identity in Demark. In the fall of 2015, Elyse won the Local to Global Student Leadership Award created by Appalachian's Office of Sustainability, Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance, and the Office of International Education and Development. That allowed her to travel to Copenhagen for her thesis research, where she conducted interviews over Spring Break 2016. Elyse's thesis entitled, "Danskhed, Social Capital and Immigration: Questioning the Borders of Identity" has been accepted for publication next month in the undergraduate research journal, Polevoque, through California State University, Dominguez Hills. Way to go, Elyse!

The graduation photo below contributed by Elyse was taken at Appalachian's May 2016 commencement in Boone.

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From her early years at Appalachian, Elyse was actively involved with International Appalachian (INTAPP), "an organization that seeks to increase international understanding and direct involvement with other cultures and countries at Appalachian State University and the entire state of North Carolina by providing a leadership outlet for internationally focused students." It was her work with INTAPP that led her to be nominated for the Local to Global Student Leadership Award, and eventually to Denmark.

Elyse gives credit to her Honors thesis for her acceptance into the graduate program at the University of Copenhagen. As she stated, "Throughout the application process, it was really great to be able to reference my thesis. I think it made me a stronger candidate by showing a high level of academic research abilities. I was told that it would also put me ahead if I decide to continue toward a PhD., which I can do automatically through this program."

On a personal note, Elyse has just recently gotten engaged to a Dane and she plans to be in Demark for the long haul. Congratulations, Elyse! Do let us know where your journeys take you.

Photos contributed by Elyse Lawson. Top photo shows her at a flower festival in Copenhagen.

Photo below shows Elyse on a hike by some chalk cliffs in Copenhagen.

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Story by Garrett Alexandrea McDowell, Ph.D.

Published: Jul 7, 2017 11:50am

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