Education LAURA MARIE SELLERS 757 Alloway Street, Unit B Nashville, TN 37203 Cell: (816) 805-1382 Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, expected graduation: May 2017 Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Major Fields: Comparative Politics, American Politics GPA: 3.88 Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN: May 2012 Master of Arts in Latin American Studies Cumulative GPA: 3.87 Rhodes College, Memphis, TN: May 2008 Bachelor of Arts Majors: International Studies and Political Science; Spanish Cumulative GPA: 3.92 magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa Tulane University, New Orleans, LA: June-July 2011 Cumulative GPA: 3.84 Completed two courses at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica in São Paulo, Brazil, during a sixweek study abroad program in Portuguese language and Brazilian civilization. Program cosponsored by Tulane University and Vanderbilt University. Publications Peer Reviewed Articles 1 Sellers, Laura. 2008. Ghanaian and Kenyan Trade with the United Kingdom: When Different Processes Lead to Similar Outcomes, Modus Vivendi, 14: 81-120. Sellers, Laura. 2007. The Causes of Spanish Immigration: Geographic, Agricultural, Legal, and Economic Perspectives on the Rise in Spanish Immigration, Modus Vivendi, 13: 28-38. Other Articles Zechmeister, Elizabeth J., Laura Sellers, and Mitchell A. Seligson. 2012. Assessing the Impact of the New Middle Class on Politics and Democracy, Americas Quarterly, 6(4): 74-76. 1 Modus Vivendi is the student-run Sigma Iota Rho (International Studies honor society) journal at Rhodes College. 1
Book Reviews LAURA MARIE SELLERS Sellers, Laura. 2014. Book Review of Frontiers of Fear: Immigration and Insecurity in the United States and Europe by Ariane Chebel d Appollonia. AmeriQuests, 11(1). <http://ejournals.library.vanderbilt.edu/ojs/index.php/ameriquests/article/view/3920/1941>. Sellers, Laura. 2012. Book Review of Clandestine Crossings: Migrants and Coyotes on the Texas-Mexico Border, by David Spener. AmeriQuests, 9(1-2). <http://ejournals.library.vanderbilt.edu/index.php/ameriquests/article/view/3641/1760>. Honors Vanderbilt University Grants and Fellowships Department of Political Science Competitive Summer Training Award: July 2014 -Used towards week long Research Design for Causal Inference 2014: Main Workshop at Northwestern University School of Law. Department of Political Science Graduate Student Travel Grant: April 2014 -Used towards travel to the Midwest Political Science Association 2014 Conference. Graduate School Travel Grant: January 2014 -Used towards travel to the Southern Political Science Association 2014 Conference. Department of Political Science Competitive Summer Training Award: June 2013-July 2013 -Used towards four weeks of study at the University of Michigan s Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). Classes focused on methodological issues in quantitative measures of race and ethnicity and an advanced course on regression. Foreign Language and Area Studies Academic Year Fellowship (Portuguese): August 2010- May 2012 Foreign Language and Area Studies Summer Fellowship (Portuguese): Summer 2011 -Used towards six weeks of Portuguese language study at Pontifícia Universidade Católica in São Paulo, Brazil Rhodes College Honor Roll (GPA 3.85 or better): Spring 2005, Fall 2005, Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008 Dean s List (GPA 3.70 or better): Spring 2006, Spring 2007 Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honor Society): Inducted March 2007 Mortar Board (Leadership Honor Society): Inducted April 2007 Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish Honor Society): Inducted April 2006 Sigma Iota Rho (International Studies Honor Society): Inducted December 2006 Jared Wenger Award in Modern Languages: April 2008 Mike Cody Award in Political Science: April 2008 Grants Mertie W. Buckman International Internship Scholarship: Summer 2006 2
-Used towards ten week internship experience in Madrid, Spain Work Experience Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Graduate Assistant, September 2011-Present -Edit, proofread, and check translations of articles published as a part of LAPOP s Insights Series on information collected as a part of the AmericasBarometer survey findings. Audit surveys and survey data. Other research assistant duties as needed. Central Library, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Graduate Assistant, May 2012-August 2012 -Primarily worked for the Latin American Bibliography. Sorted through gift collections, assisted with research, and determined which books needed to be added to the library s collection. Sorted vendor slips as needed. Center for Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Graduate Assistant, May 2012-July 2012 -Outreach assistant coordinating summer teacher institutes put on by the Center for Latin American Studies. Assisted in preparing folders, documentation, wiki sites, and administrative support during the institutes. Wrote articles for fall 2012 Center for Latin American Studies newsletter. Siskind Susser, PC, Memphis, TN, Paralegal, August 2008-July 2010 -Primarily responsible for PERMs (Labor Certifications) for employment based immigration cases. This includes communicating with employer and employee regarding the requirements, job description, preparation of documents, placing required recruitment, and completing necessary documentation before filing. Answered audits for PERMs. Coordinated process for H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Visas. Interpreter for consultations and interviews at United States Citizen and Immigration Service Field Office in Memphis, TN. Translated documents. Scheduled appointments. Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, Student Associate in the Office of Leadership Programs, January 2007-May 2008 -Worked to design and implement programs to promote club and campus leadership throughout campus. Responsible for Envision program for emerging first-year leaders within the Rhodes community. Cook Political Report, Washington, D.C., Intern, June 2007-July 2007 -Maintained records of House partisanship, primary dates, and polling data for federal elections. Centro de Orientación Social y Promoción Personal, Madrid, Spain, Intern, May 2006-July 2006 -Worked at a non-governmental organization assisting immigrants into Spain. Registered immigrants for the employment office, compiled data, taught computer classes, and managed calendar. 3
Truman Presidential Museum & Library, Independence, MO, Intern, May 2005-June 2005 -Worked in the Archives of the library. Processed Judge Roy Harper papers. Researched and wrote summaries for 60 th Anniversary events of the Truman Presidency. Conferences Attended/Papers Presented Midwest Political Science Association, April 2014, Chicago, IL -Presented The Middle Class, Insecurity, and Democracy in Latin America, coauthored with William Young and Elizabeth J. Zechmeister. Southern Political Science Association, January 2014, New Orleans, LA -Presented Migration, Remittances, and Middle Class Status across Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin American Studies Symposium, March 2008, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, AL -PowerPoint presentation based on paper The Catholic Church and Military Dictatorships in Argentina and Chile: How Bishops Determined the Difference in Support. British Studies Student Symposium, February 2006, Hendrix College, Conway, AR -Presented John Milton and Francis Bacon: Differing views on the Issue of Forbidden Knowledge. Association for Core Texts and Courses, Student Conference, March 2005, St. Mary s College, Moraga, CA -Presented Defense and Provocation in the Athenians Speeches Before and During the Peloponnesian Wars, an essay analyzing rhetoric in speeches from Thucydides The History of the Peloponnesian Wars. Graduate School Activities Brazilian Studies Reading Group, Co-coordinator, July 2014-Present Member, August 2013-Present -Coordinate interdisciplinary seminar for Brazilian scholars from both the Vanderbilt campus and other institutions to present their research and working papers related to Brazil. Graduate Leadership Academy, Member, October 2013-May 2014 -Nominated to participate in leadership development program to explore formal topics related to leadership development, engage with key leaders across the university, and learn specific skills. Political Science Graduate Student Association, Co-President, September 2013-September 2014 Secretary, August 2012-September 2013 -Organize meetings, plan events, aid in prospective students weekend, maintain and organize budget and membership documents with the University. 4
Brazil Week 2011 Planning Committee, Member, February 2011-April 2011 -Coordinate a week of activities at Vanderbilt to highlight Brazilian culture. Responsible for the organizing the Brazilian Studies student roundtable. Undergraduate Activities Modus Vivendi, Co-Editor, 2007-2008, Assistant Editor, Spring 2007 -Critiqued and edited submissions for the student-run Sigma Iota Rho journal at Rhodes College. Supervised all aspects of the journal from asking for submissions to distributing the journal. Rhodes College Democrats, Executive Director, September 2006-March 2008, Director of Finances, January 2005-September 2006, Member, September 2004-May 2008 -Managed one of the largest student organizations, maintained contact with outside campaigns and the Democratic Party, coordinated on-campus activities, and maintained record of membership and dues. Envision, Program Director, January 2007-May 2008, Mentor, January 2006-May 2006, Participant, January 2005-May 2005 -Leadership development program for first year students. The program aims to give emerging leaders at Rhodes College the tools they need to affect change through mentorship and research. Disciplinary Service Manuscript Reviewer Political Behavior Departmental Service -Graduate Student Liaison for Comparative Politics Faculty search, Fall 2013 Language Skills -Fluent in reading, writing, listening, and speaking Spanish. -Advanced level in reading, writing, listening, and speaking Portuguese. -Intermediate level in reading, writing, listening, and speaking French. -Very elementary level knowledge of Arabic and Latin. 5