Tara Adhikari (C’21)

GLOBAL STUDIES, POLITICAL SCIENCE
Research Assistant, Summer Research/Creative Assistant Program

Tara made the decision to attend Principia after visiting the campus and feeling a genuine interest from faculty in supporting her success. She was drawn to the idea of character education, which she feels permeates through every level—from peers to faculty.

“Prin gives you the confidence you need to take on responsibilities even if you don’t yet have the institutional knowledge. You can do any job you’re asked to do because you’re confident about your ability to learn,” Tara says.

After her coveted internship recruiting speakers for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department was canceled due to COVID, she quickly pivoted thanks to the Summer Research/Creative Assistant program. Tara had already completed an assistantship, having taken part in a social-impact research project to determine whether 3D printing would be a cost-effective method to supply artificial limbs and walking sticks for a refugee camp in Bangladesh. She appreciated the responsibility and autonomy that came with the role. “Your voice really matters in these projects,” she adds.

Tara’s second research assistantship was with the Economics Department, designing research methodologies to analyze the economic environment and revitalization opportunities for nearby Alton, Illinois. The project included social media content analysis, which involved collecting data from platforms such as TripAdvisor, Facebook, and Instagram and creating coding categories to support her research. It was essential that the team’s method was accurate as it would be used for data analysis over the next four years.

Tara leaned on the courses she’d taken as part of her global studies major which emphasized the dangers of outside intervention without an understanding of the local context. She also applied her knowledge of data collection to her role, which allowed her to compile numerical data and visually present it in an understandable and digestible format.

It was Tara’s role as director of the Public Affairs Conference that landed her the internship at the State Department. She credits her ability to take advantage of multiple leadership positions to Principia’s unique environment and has taken part in student senate, moot court, The Pilot, and served as a senior class representative. She was also a house president and a member of the women’s soccer and track and field teams.

Must-Take Courses: US and Global Security; The Legal Process

Dream Job: It’s always changing, but I’d love to work in international law.

Advice for Incoming Students: Think of your experiences at the College as building blocks for your career.