Hi! My name is Dana and I’m an avid popcorn enthusiast, history nerd, and concert-goer. I grew up in River Falls, Wisconsin, which is about forty-five minutes from the Twin Cities. My parents are Madison alumni, and because of that I spent middle school telling everyone who asked that I would go somewhere different in order to have my “own” college experience. Weak reasoning, I know, but what fourteen-year-old does
n’t have a stubborn streak? Thankfully, we took a trip to Madison when I was in eighth grade and my parents gave me an informal tour of the campus. I fell in love with the city and the opportunities that the university has, and now I can’t picture going anywhere else.
Back at home I have two cats, Speckle and Nimh, who are the cutest ladies I know. I grew up with my amazing parents and my incredibly talented sister, Sylvie. I’ll miss them tons, but it’s also possible that Sylv will make good on her promise to move into my dorm with me… 🙂
Throughout high school I was a member of my school’s mock trial team and was able to spend my afternoons with a group of the most hilarious, motivated, and gifted people I’ve ever met. I also performed in my school’s musicals, most recently playing Katherine in Newsies. In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a dancer, and to learn the tap dance for “King of New York” I practiced the steps under my table in calculus for over a month.
I plan to major in political science with the eventual goal of completing law school and then to serve as a public defense attorney. A few years ago I read Just Mercy by lawyer Bryan Stevenson. The book chronicles his experiences in the South working to provide legal support for those who had been wrongly condemned. All of these clients faced ingrained prejudices in the legal system and lacked the resources to find professional legal support. His stories opened my eyes to the deep-running flaws in the American justice system and inspired my career goals.
My interest in law and politics was the main reason that I signed up for this program. I’ve always wanted to travel the world and Ireland was one of the top countries on my list. Aside from the obvious reasons to spend time in Dublin (the leprechaun museum, pastries for breakfast, fantastic accents…) the political history in Ireland is some of the richest in the world. I’m excited to start my freshman year exploring abroad and to come away with unforgettable memories and a better understanding of Irish culture.