Student Profile: Megan VanDerKooi
Megan VanDerKooi has a passion confronting social issues and identifying ways to address them. This passion attracted her to the public affairs program at Alma College.
“Public Affairs will give me an amazing background in a number of different areas,” the Zeeland senior says. “It teaches how to connect with the public and gives me the tools to know how to plan forums, panels and other events to keep the public informed.”
The program has also allowed her to pursue her interest in history and government. She plans to attend graduate school or law school after graduation.
“I think that the public affairs classes give a broader sense of the public administration viewpoint,” she says. “It gives students a chance to discuss the problems and solutions of government programs, but also allows us to look at them at a general level by reading about issues like illegal immigration.”
Megan VanDerKooi
The classes encourage students to become involved in activities or causes they care about and give them direction about how to do so.
“It has taught me to get involved in things like community action groups, and that making a little noise about something is not always a bad thing,” she says.
Drawn to Alma by the academic reputation and faculty, VanDerKooi is involved in the Center for Responsible Leadership, Students United for Nature, Relay for Life, Alma lacrosse, Phi Sigma Sigma, Alpha Phi Omega, Alma Leadership Alliance, Common Table, Habitat for Humanity and the Farming Ethics Forum.
