Scholarship supports internship opportunities for political science and international studies students

Scholarship supports internship opportunities for UW-River Falls political science and international studies students 

July 7, 2026 — In 2023, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Political Science Professors Moira Lynch and Davida Alperin (now retired), recognized a need. 

“Political science and international studies majors recognize the important value of completing an internship while earning their degree at UWRF,” Lynch said. “Internship opportunities bridge the gap between the educational and professional work worlds, but for students in these majors, internship opportunities are often out of reach due to financial constraints.” 

Internships within government, policy and advocacy organizations or non-profits are often unpaid opportunities or provide small stipends or minimum-wage salaries. For students managing tuition costs and daily living expenses, that can be a struggle. 

Lynch and Alperin founded the Political Science and International Studies Internship Fund, which is available to UWRF students in either major who have secured a three-credit internship. 

“This fund is intended to provide essential financial support to help students manage their expenses during a period when they have limited income,” Lynch said.  

The fund is supported by alumni donors and friends of the university. 

Madeline Nelson of River Falls, now a senior political science major, was the first to receive the scholarship in 2025.  

“My internship in the office of Congressman Tom Tiffany gave me firsthand experience in public service, policy research and constituent engagement,” Nelson said. “From leading U.S. Capitol tours to preparing policy summaries, this internship allowed me to develop professional skills and gave me practical knowledge of federal government operations. I am incredibly grateful for the Politics, Geography and International Studies (PGIS) Department scholarship and my adviser, Dr. Lynch, for making this opportunity possible.” 

Nelson, who is minoring in animal science, plans to graduate in May 2027, attend law school in the Midwest and build a career in agricultural policy. 

“I look forward to advocating for agricultural communities in policymaking at the state and local level,” Nelson said. 

Kate Meck, a May 2026 political science and economics graduate from Amery, spent her final semester working as a legislative intern at the Minnesota State Senate in Minority Leader Senator Mark Johnson’s office. 

“This opportunity has been full of hands-on experience through drafting newsletters, constituent responses and congratulatory letters, sitting in on meetings with lobbyists and constituents and attending press conferences, floor sessions and committee meetings,” Meck said. “There have been great speaker series meetings where I got to connect with other departments throughout the Senate, such as the Supreme Court Justices, Attorney General’s Office and Revisor’s Office to gain insight into their positions and connect with them in direct conversation. It was such an amazing experience.” 

Since graduating, Meck has begun a full-time job in corporate finance in compliance and risk analysis and has been accepted into a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Future options may include law school and a career in criminal justice.  

Lynch said she hopes the fund will grow and continue to support students who are pursuing internships in public service. 

“We are so gratified to see students gaining such valuable experience with the aid of this fund,” Lynch said. “We hope alumni and friends of the PGIS Department will continue to support the fund and help even more students advance toward their career goals.” 

Those interested in supporting the fund can learn more at students.uwrf.edu/pgis/alumni. 

Photo 1: UW-River Falls political science student Madeline Nelson (left), stands with Congressman Tom Tiffany in the U.S. Capitol in 2025. Financial support from the UWRF Political Science and International Studies Internship Fund helped Nelson complete an internship working in Tiffany’s Washington D.C. office.  

Photo 2: Kate Meck, a May 2026 UW-River Falls political science graduate, stands with Minnesota State Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson during her spring 2026 internship in Johnson’s office.