A unique Masters focusing on how public opinion feeds into politics and how it is influenced, has attracted a Fulbright Scholar to study at the University of Essex.
Benjamin Mainwaring is delighted to receive the Fulbright-University of Essex Postgraduate Award from the prestigious US-UK Fulbright Awards Programme offering him the opportunity to study for a Masters in Public Opinion and Polling in the Department of Government at Essex.
Benjamin Mainwaring will study Public Opinion and Polling in the Department of Government
Benjamin was born in South Bend, Indiana, and later moved to Washington DC to pursue his interest in politics and study political science and statistics at American University, where he became heavily involved in research. Since graduating in 2012, he has been working as a freelance research assistant and is excited about his future studies at Essex.
He said: “I was first attracted to Essex by its stellar ranking and publications record in government and political science. But beyond that, staff I talked to had a genuine commitment to students and teaching, and I knew they would provide the collegial, intellectual environment and critical guidance to make my research as good as it can be.
“The proximity of the University to London makes a huge difference – it will be easy to talk with political leaders and ensure that my research is rooted in the real world.”
The Department of Government at Essex is one of the largest and most prestigious in Europe, with 45 per cent of its research ranked as ‘world-leading’.
Benjamin said: “I’ve loved politics for as long as I can remember, and my thesis at Essex will examine the evolution of ethnic minorities’ attitudes towards the Labour Party.”
The US-UK Fulbright Awards Programme provides a full tuition fee waiver and living stipend of £12,000 to scholars who successfully pass a rigorous application and interview process, giving them the opportunity to experience academic life ‘across the pond.’
Benjamin said: “My dream is to become a diplomat for the United States, and Essex and the Fulbright Scholarship will go a long way towards making this happen. The Scholarship gives me the financial flexibility to immerse myself in the culture of the UK, the diverse student body at Essex, and to focus on my research priorities.”
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Notes to Editors
For more information please contact the University of Essex Communications Office on: 01206 872400 or e-mail: comms@essex.ac.uk.
For more information about the US-UK Fulbright Awards Programme, see: www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards.