Kendra Arbaiza-Sundal, Politics '09, is in the US Foreign Service, currently stationed at the US Consulate in Luxembourg. She joined the US Foreign Service,in the State Department, in January 2016. She has also served in Istanbul, Turkey and São Paolo, Brazil.
What Politics alumni are doing now
Read about what Politics majors are doing with their degrees!
Kendra Arbaiza-Sundal '09
Kendra Arbalza-Sundal, '09
Jack McKenna, '86
Jack McKenna, '86
When I graduated from high school in 1982 I had very little idea what I wanted to do in my life. My family pushed me to continue my education and I was lucky that Ithaca College took a chance on me…I was a fairly uncommitted student up till that point.
I had two professors in my first year that served as mentors to me all through my four years on South Hill…History Professor Joe Tempesta and Politics Professor Jake Ryan. Joe taught a variety of European History classes and Jake topics related to my Politics degree. They both helped to shape critical thinking, speaking, written communication and how to defend my positions in debate.
The open door policy of those days and in particular the one on one tutorials of my final year prepared me for the work world. If you can learn, retain subject matter, learn to listen for important points you can potentially be of great value to companies, customers and markets. These are all things I learned in part from my years on the IC campus (don’t forget the London Center…that was quite an educational experience as well).
Where did it get me? Helping to run a $150 million dollar business and as the President of a technical society.
Ellie Holleran Taranto, '17
Ellie Holleran Taranto, '17, in front of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut, where she's doing a federal clerkship
I recently graduated magna cum laude from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University after attending in a part-time evening program while working full-time as a paralegal. I received the Dean’s Award at graduation. I am studying to sit for the bar in July. After that I'll be doing a clerkship at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut.
I want to recognize the Politics and History Departments because I truly think that the research, reading, and writing skills I learned in undergrad had a directly correlation with succeeding in law school.
I am very thankful for the support I’ve received from both departments with double majoring and I tell students in undergrad to definitely major in a humanities or social science subject like history or politics whenever they ask me for advice about law school.