Internship with the League of Women Voters of the US; Thesis: “The Liberation of All Beings: Zen Buddhism and Political Considerations in Modern America”

My PEP fellowship helped support my internship at the League of Women Voters of the U.S. where, in addition to other work, I researched the election laws of all 50 states and helped maintain Vote411, a comprehensive voter information website. Through this, I learned about how states make voting more or less accessible, in terms of both the legislation they enact, and the ways they present their election information to their citizens. There are wide discrepancies in the accuracy and navigability of state voter websites, constituting an under-recognized barrier to democratic participation, and necessitating the creation of third-party guides like Vote411. I also used my time this summer to begin research on my thesis “The Liberation of All Beings: Zen Buddhism and Political Considerations in Modern America,” for which I eventually earned the designation of Highest Distinction.