A Chance to Challenge Herself

Senior Niamh McIntosh-Yee is a double major in history and political science. A recipient of the Wolfberg Scholarship through the political science department, McIntosh-Yee discusses the invigorating feeling of being recognized after putting in so much hard work. She looks forward to gaining real-world experience in her field and possibly pursuing the public policy graduate program.

Majors: History and Political Science
Minors: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL/TEFL)
Graduation Year: 2019

How did you become interested in studying history?

I became interested in the history major by pure chance. I was looking to minor in something to make my political science major stand out a bit, so I went into the undergraduate history office to declare my minor, and I left with a major instead! 

The peer advisor, Rachel Allen, convinced me that the history department was full of amazing courses and professors. She also explained that it doubled the connections I would normally find with just one major! I enjoy the professors the most—they care about their students and they care about history.  

What scholarships, fellowships, or other awards aided your educational journey?

I was awarded the Wolfberg Scholarship through the political science department this year and it really helped to alleviate the financial strain of tuition. Even more meaningful was that I felt that it validated my academic success; I was working really hard and someone recognized it and rewarded it. An "A" feels amazing on a transcript, but getting an email saying that someone else has noticed your hard work is incredible.

What experiences have helped you grow intellectually and/or personally? 

I decided to take a Russian class the fall semester of my junior year. It was super challenging but so, so rewarding! I haven’t had to work as hard in a class as I did in that one, but it made it so much sweeter when I got an "A!" I had originally tested out of my language requirement with Chinese before I got to UMN, so I took Russian just for fun, and it was interesting to be exposed to that sort of intensive learning and exploration of culture and language all in one!

What’s next after graduation?

I am applying for jobs in the Twin Cities, Boston, DC, and abroad. I am hoping to work for a while and gain some real-world experience, and then hopefully continue my education in a political science or public policy graduate program.

This story was written by an undergraduate student in CLA.