Student Spotlight: Emma Frank

November 28, 2022 - Beth Brauer and Emma Frank '23

Emma Frank (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year student in James Madison College and is a current lab leader for the JMC Human Rights Lab.  

Name & Pronouns

 Emma Frank (she/her/hers)

Major(s)/Minor(s)

Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy and psychology with a minor in Spanish

Hometown

West Bloomfield, MI

How did you become interested in the JMC Human Rights Lab?

I was a professorial assistant for Professor Robert Brathwaite my freshman year, and he encouraged me to join. After that, I really liked the awareness it brought to me and the skills I was able to learn.

What is your favorite part about the work you do in the lab?

My favorite part about the work I do in the lab is the ability to hone skills and challenge myself to think in new creative ways. It has given me a lot of perspective on the complexity of issues in the other countries we’ve investigated and increased my awareness on the political climates of these places.

What other organizations and activities do you do at MSU?

I am involved at Kesem, a student-run nonprofit servicing children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. I am also involved in Impact 89FM, MSU’s student radio station. Finally, I am a member of the Izzone, MSU’s basketball student section.

What has been your favorite Madison class/professor and why?

My favorite JMC classes have been MC 272 and MC 390. We studied Livy and Machiavelli’s “Discourses on Livy” in Italy, and they were both incredible experiences. I loved focusing on each author exclusively and really going in- depth on their individual theories. I also really enjoyed MC 373C, a course on constitutionalism with a focus on Congress.

What do you want to do following graduation?

I am not sure yet. I intend to incorporate research into whatever I do postgraduate, whether that’s graduate or professional school.

To learn about the JMC Human Rights Lab, visit the webpage and follow them on Instagram. To support the JMC Human Rights Lab, contribute to the Crowd Power campaign.