July 2016 Alumni Spotlight: Kyle Pollet
July 2016 Alumni Spotlight: Kyle Pollet
Kyle Pollet graduated from Wayne State University in 2011 with a BA in Political Science, and is currently enrolled in the Master ofPublic Administration program at WSU. While pursuing his MPA degree, Kyle has also been serving as a Community Outreach Representative in the office of U.S. Representative Sander Levin. To help assure that Rep. Levin is well informed of the concerns of his constituents, Kyle meets regularly with residents of Rep. Levin's district. On a normal day, he may meet with city managers and city council members to understand the problems their cities face, may connect with members of ethnic and veterans' organizations, or may assist constituents in navigating the confusing processes of federal agencies. All of his work helps Rep. Levin to better represent his constituents' needs, while also helping Rep. Levin to identify ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs.
While the most obvious benefit Kyle received from his courses in Political Science was a keen understanding of the structure and role of government, he also feels that his Political Science courses helped him to develop his ability to write detailed reports on complicated issues. In his job, he is often obliged to integrate information from many varied sources in order to present a coherent position. His experience in writing research papers for his courses gave him the ability to not only use the sources presented to him, but to find sources on his own to help support his positions. Kyle believes that one of the greatest assets of the Political Science department is the strength of its faculty. He especially noted that Dr. Sarbaugh-Thompson, Dr. Roth, and Dr. Herring exceeded his expectations in their efforts to help him learn.
Kyle offered great advice to students as they look to enter the workforce. For those who want specifically to get involved in politics, he suggests working for a campaign. Many careers in politics begin with something as simple as an internship or volunteer opportunity, and campaigns are always looking for help. For any career pathway, Kyle identifies two important steps to building a career. The first is to complete your formal education at WSU. The second is to build a professional network in your career field. Kyle believes that the more experience and connections that you make in your career field, the more opportunities will come your way.