Brie Schaffer

During my time at Skidmore College, I have developed strong critical thinking and writing skills while cultivating academic interests in sociology and political science. My coursework has included both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and I have completed projects exploring topics such as policing, local government innovation, self-driving technology, and state politics. Beyond the classroom, I have served as president and vice president of the Circus Club and held several on-campus positions, including peer academic coach, admissions ambassador, and research assistant.

I traveled as part of a group of 22 students to four cities: New York, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Cape Town. Through a comparative and experiential lens, I examined the politics, social issues, and urban planning of each city. In a small group, we presented comparative case studies on housing in each city, compiling interviews and notes from various stakeholders.

I have been doing sociological research starting as part of the Faculty Student Summer Research Program and continuing now as a research assistant during the school year. The research question is: how have police calls related to mental health changed over time, both in terms of frequency and in type? How do police calls related to mental health vary spatially? The project involves quantitatively analyzing a large data set on police calls from Seattle relating to mental health. So far, I have conducted preliminary quantitative analyses using Stata and R, including graphs visualizing who, when, and where people are calling the police for cases of mental health.

In my role as a Peer Academic Coach (PAC), I provide approachable academic support to students taking sociology courses, such as statistics and research methods. I also help plan events like exam reviews, study sessions, and destressing activities for the student body.

For the past three years, I have served as an admissions ambassador and tour guide for the college. I provide engaging and informative information sessions and tours to prospective students and families. Through this experience, I have learned how to effectively communicate my educational experiences in a professional college admissions setting.