Before she took her first class at UMass Lowell, Rena McFall sat down and wrote out a list. It included the clubs she wanted to join and the awards she hoped to win — all while earning a degree in political science in just three years.
“I made this giant document of what I wanted to accomplish in college,” recalls McFall, a first-generation college student from Bellingham who wants to work in international law. “Having a plan with short- and long-term goals motivated me to get involved and push myself academically.”
After just two years, McFall has managed to check plenty off her list. She is vice president of the Student Government Association, co-president of the College Democrats and communications chair for the Mock Trial team that advanced to nationals for the first time. As a sophomore, she was named Emerging Student Leader of the Year.
The Honors College student has also found time to work as a communications assistant for the Athletics Department, a social media assistant for Student Life and Involvement and a Resident Advisor.
With minors in history and legal studies, it’s a lot to juggle. But McFall says living on campus makes it possible.
“Having that independence of living on campus, I feel like I can do anything,” says McFall, who went from an “OK” student in high school to a Chancellor’s list student (a GPA of 3.85 to 4.0) at UML. "Pushing myself academically in college has shown me how much I love learning."
Following her sophomore year, McFall landed a summer internship through The Washington Center in the nation’s capital. She worked with the Behavioral International Economic Development Society, a public policy think tank, and earned nine credits.
When the internship ended, McFall stayed in D.C. for two more weeks after being accepted into the TOMODACHI Initiative, a cross-cultural program uniting American and Japanese students. Her team’s nonprofit proposal, STEMINIST, designed to draw Japanese girls to STEM fields, won first place in the program’s design challenge.
“It showed me how powerful cross-cultural collaboration can be, and it solidified my interest in international law,” she says.
Having spent her entire life in New England, McFall says her summer in Washington also gave her a broader perspective on the United States.
“I got to meet so many people from different states like Texas and Florida, and I realized that we’re kind of in a bubble in Massachusetts,” she says. “It was rewarding because you realize how big the country is and you learn what’s happening in other places.”
What’s on McFall’s list of goals now? She plans to earn a paralegal certificate in the spring of her junior year. After graduation, she wants to work as a paralegal, study for the LSAT and then apply to law school, preferably at Columbia or New York University. Her ultimate dream is to work for an international organization such as the United Nations, the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.
“I’ve loved every law class that I’ve taken, and I’ve never doubted that it’s what I want to do,” she says. “Even though American politics is interesting, I’m the most passionate about international politics and law.”
As a political science major, you will gain the knowledge and skills to engage in the complex realm of national and international politics.
“Plan ahead — what classes you have to take, what clubs to join, what departments to get involved with. Even if you start later, setting goals helps you take advantage of every opportunity.”