The LeMieux Center for Public Policy announced Madeline Coggins and Alexandra Pierce as the next Freidheim Fellows.
Freidheim Fellows spend six months researching important topics related to public policy under the ongoing guidance of former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux and their faculty advisers. Additionally, students receive a stipend to cover the cost of an independent study course and research expenses.
University President Dr. Debra A. Schwinn called the program “one of the most important awards that we have for students on campus.”
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with the whole concept of doing research on a very deep level on topics that are very important to policy,” Schwinn said. “The transformation that occurs with students that are Freidheim Fellows is amazing.”
This is the eighth class of Freidheim Fellows. Formerly called the LeMieux Fellows, the Freidheim Fellows program is named for generous donors Marguerite “Mitzi” Freidheim and her husband, Cyrus. Fellows have researched topics such as immigration, education, drone warfare, genetic editing, foreign trade agreements and foreign policy.
“We have really covered the waterfront of issues that impact this country, and we’ve put out substantive research,” LeMieux said.
Pierce, a senior from Plainville, Connecticut, studying philosophy, politics and economics, chose the topic “Election Law Reform: Ensuring the Integrity of the Election Process.” Pierce identified her subject weeks before the tempest over election results, when she and faculty adviser Dr. Linda Raeder discussed their wariness about the then-upcoming election.
Pierce is no stranger to research, also serving as School of Arts & Sciences Dean Dr. Robert Lloyd’s research assistant for an upcoming book about the world’s worst negotiators. Nonetheless, she was honored by her selection as a Freidheim Fellow.
“I was shocked at first,” Pierce said. “Research is a really big passion of mine, so I’m excited to get started.”
Coggins, a senior from DeLand, Florida, studying history, chose the topic “Advocating Better Funding for Vocational Training in Community Colleges.” Professor Dr. Roger Chapman is her faculty adviser.
Coggins’ research is inspired by the women in her family, who are all deeply involved in education, and the men in her family, who have been very successful in trades and small businesses. While studying abroad, Coggins observed that the English have a different method of vocational training that can provide valuable insight for Americans, she said.
Her Palm Beach Atlantic studies have prepared her for her upcoming endeavor, she said.
“I’m very grateful for my Palm Beach Atlantic education,” Coggins said. “Every professor I’ve had at PBA has been integral in helping me grow.”
Photo 1: Dr. Roger Chapman, Madeline Coggins, Dr. Linda Raeder, Alexandra Pierce and former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux pose for a photo at the Freidheim Fellows announcement.
Photo 2: Alexandra Pierce, a senior from Plainville, Connecticut, studying philosophy, politics and economics, is one of the Freidheim Fellows.
Photo 3: Madeline Coggins, a senior from DeLand, Florida, studying history, is one of the Freidheim Fellows.
