August 15, 2022
By Haley Dittbrenner ’25
With the United States mired in Jan. 6 hearings, Supreme Court rulings and challenges to gay marriage, Catherine Chodnicki ’25 turned her attention to party politics on the other side of the world: Kenya.
Under the mentorship of Kirk Harris, assistant professor of political science and director of the international studies program, Chodnicki examined how political parties in Kenya change, merge and decline in the context of a presidential election. He also studied the way each candidate campaigned. Kenya’s presidential election began on August 9, 2022, which influenced Chodnicki’s decision to take on the project.
“I think what I’ve enjoyed the most is Kenyan politics. It’s a very different atmosphere from American politics and it was very refreshing to see the world work in a different way than we do here,” said Chodnicki, of Bel Air, Maryland. “It’s hard to see how the rest of the world works when you’re stuck in the US bubble, and this project has reminded me that the world is very different from what we experience here in America.”
Over the summer, Chodnicki, a double major in environmental studies and French studies with a minor in Africana studies, worked with database software, created interactive maps and analyzed the political polling process. Chodnicki was also tasked with gathering research for Harris’ projects.
“The research I provided for Dr. Harris’ upcoming projects is very specific, and it allowed me to gather information and present it in the ways I found,” he said. “He tweaked it here and there and gave me advice on more efficient ways to organize information. I’m a student who likes to figure things out and I’m glad he let me do it in a fairly risk-free environment “.
Chodnicki analyzed presidential candidates by observing their behaviors, which helped her understand Kenya’s political climate.
“This experience has allowed my mind to grow, and the mind is anyone’s greatest superpower,” he added. “This is the best way this summer assistantship has helped me prepare for my graduate endeavors.”
After graduating from Susquehanna University, Chodnicki is considering traveling or attending an international graduate school to earn a degree in environmental conservation and international policy, with hopes of working in international environmental policy.
