Summer 2014
Year: ILR '15
Cornell Activities/Groups/Affiliations/Leadership Roles:
- Founder and President of RCG, an independent social arts student organization on campus
- Student blogger for Cornell University
- Classroom aide at Fall Creek Elementary School through Cornell University's Public Service Center
- (Past) Alpha Phi Omega
Project: Emerging Women Leaders in Local Unions and Nontraditional Worker Organizations
Describe your research project: I am working with Professor Lois Gray on a study of emerging women leaders in local unions and nontraditional worker organizations. We are researching which organizational factors promote women leadership in these organizations and what interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are commonly shared by these women leaders. We are interviewing emerging women labor leaders in the Metropolitan New York City area and distributing a survey among union women in the UK. We plan to compile our results with a summary of past literature in a published report.
What have you gotten out of the experience so far? I have learned an incredible amount of information regarding women labor leadership and the international labor movement as a whole. I also unexpectedly learned a lot about the subjects on which other fellows and staff researchers at the Worker Institute study. In addition, I have met many incredible leaders from the labor movement who have shared with me their insights on how to strengthen the current labor movement and on which careers exist in the labor field. All in all, I will be walking away from this fellowship not only with improved research and analysis skills but with a greater understanding of the labor movement stands today.
Why might other students be interested in pursuing this opportunity? In particular, students who are interested in meeting figures currently active in the labor movement or in learning about potential careers in labor should heavily consider this fellowship. In addition, students who want to learn about critical organizational research or about the general methodology behind conducting labor research should also apply. Another important factor to consider is your interest in the research topics available; being interested in your research subject will greatly impact how motivated you will be to work hard during the fellowship.