Alejandro Mata
McNair Scholar 2023
- Major(s): Political Science
- Classification: Senior
- Anticipated Graduation Date: Fall 2023
- Career Aspirations: After attaining a bachelor’s degree, Alejandro plans to live abroad in Australia to gain a more comprehensive understanding of international relations on a domestic level. Afterwards, he plans to return to school for a master’s in international relations. Eventually working in consulting or for the Department of the State is his final goal.
“McNair has not only given me opportunities that I would never have dreamt of, but the program has also given me since of community. Everyone is in the same place, so we understand each other’s struggles, and it is comforting to know others are where I am. McNair has changed my perspective on academics, and it has illustrated that I am never alone after a summer like this!." - Alejandro Mata
“Code Switching in Collegiate Forensics”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kelsey Abele
This research project aims to evaluate code switching within collegiate forensics using interviews with competitors of color to gauge the common experience among participants. In these interviews, competitors of color discussed their experience in forensics and with code switching broadly. The transcripts of these interviews were then used to identify common themes or codes observed by the researcher, ultimately posing the research question: Does code switching hinder education in collegiate forensics? The researcher identified eight themes among the data, with four providing a narrative for code switching, and they concluded that code switching was a navigational tool used against white aggression and hostility from academia.