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Trustee Scholarship recipient Erica Canzler ’04 (Conyngham, Pa.) is exploring political relations between the United States and Russia as a yearlong independent research project.
The government and law major is writing her honors thesis on the long-lasting strategic partnership potential between the two countries. She is using the Caucasus region that serves as a boundary between Europe and Asia, specifically the Republic of Georgia, as a demonstration of the common and competing interests.
Canzler, who will complete and defend the thesis before graduating in May, says that enduring cooperation and rivalry between the two countries are reflected in unclear governmental policies, and the priorities and policies of the United States and Russia are not pursued in a coherent manner.
“My principal findings thus far are that the U.S. and Russia are likely to continue to cooperate with one another in the security sphere, but that Washington and Moscow must take steps to narrow their many differences on the international and regional level, both to bring stability to the Caucasus and to keep U.S.-Russian relations on an even keel,” she explains.
This past fall, Canzler spent her semester studying in Washington, D.C., where she also served an internship at the School of Advanced International Studies. She says that the experience allowed her to meet with top U.S., Georgian, and Russian officials and scholars, who gave her credible information that she could use in her thesis topic.
Under the direction of John McCartney, associate professor and head of government and law, Canzler hopes to learn more about post-9/11 activity in the relationship between the two countries. She says that learning about the continued relationship is exciting because it is relevant to current U.S. foreign policy and international relationships. Canzler notes that foreign policy used to be driven by the former USSR’s presence on the world stage.
As an adviser, McCartney works with Canzler to provide her with the assistance and resources needed to complete the project.
“Dr. McCartney has been wonderful to work with,” she says. “He has really taken the time to assist me in moving in the right direction.”
Through her opportunities to work closely with several government and law professors, Canzler says she has benefited from the strong department.
“The professors hail from diverse backgrounds and have different research interests, thus allowing students to explore a broad range of issues in the field,” she adds. “Lafayette is [also] a good environment for academic projects such as an honors thesis, because I think the smaller school setting makes it more feasible to receive extra help and attention for professors.”
Canzler has worked as an EXCEL Scholar, studying the relationship between India, the former Soviet Union, and the United States. In Lafayette’s EXCEL Scholars program, students assist faculty with research while earning a stipend. EXCEL has helped make the College a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the more than 160 students who participate each year share their research through academic journal articles and/or conference presentations.
She is a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha (political science) honor society and has been a member of the Student Conduct Committee, an office assistant for recreational services, and event supervisor for intramural sports. Canzler is a former member of the varsity basketball squad. She has applied to graduate school and is also looking into career opportunities.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Forty-two students were accepted to present their work at the annual conference this month.
Selected from among Lafayette’s top applicants, Trustee Scholarship recipients have distinguished themselves through exceptional academic achievement in high school. They receive from Lafayette an annual minimum scholarship of $7,500 (totaling $30,000 over four years) or a grant in the full amount of their demonstrated need if the need is more than $7,500.