This was a great year with some pivots! Despite my intense interest in video games and artificial intelligence, I decided to formally declare Political Science and History while also working towards the Five Colleges International Relations certificate. Instead of studying in Spain, I chose to remain at Amherst this fall where I took an introductory economics class, and classes on American foreign policy, the rise of Vladimir Putin, and a unique class on the nineteenth century Ottoman Empire, and what it means to be modern. I am working on a thesis on populism and polarization in the United States, with an eye towards publishing in the spring. In January 2025, I am excited to begin my spring semester in the Social Sciences and Humanities program at the University of Amsterdam, where I registered for several classes covering Dutch politics, the history of political thought, and authoritarian governments. Over the summer, I was awarded a 2024 Sheldon Hackney Education Fellowship at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, where I helped design their summer programming, designed course materials, and taught students and summer visitors about Island history. I also returned to Amherst for my second year as an Orientation leader for new first years and worked as a peer tutor covering study skills and time management. My hope for next summer is to secure a summer internship in Washington, D.C. with a local politician or think tank. Outside of class, I’ve continued to run and engage in my college community. In April 2024, I ran the Boston Marathon, finishing in the top 900 out of 30,000 runners. I also ran the Berlin Marathon, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city. In April 2025, I will be racing in the London Marathon, while plans are in the works to race Chicago and New York in the fall. None of this would have been possible without the support of MVYouth, and I continue to be grateful.
Sam Fetters - Amherst College
As a second-year student at Amherst College I feel I came into my own. Thanks to the open curriculum at Amherst, I am well on my way to triple majoring in Computer Science, History and Political Science with classes in Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Petro States and Stalin this fall. Over the summer I was awarded an undergraduate research fellowship with an Amherst professor. We studied virtual memory and compression algorithms, which culminated in a large presentation at a college-wide symposium. Over the fall semester, I was a TA for a Data Structures course in the computer science department. While it was certainly a refresher on the material, I really enjoyed teaching other students, and helping them with the material. Next semester I am registered for 20th Century Japan, Collapse and Revolution: Fall of the Soviet Union, New Cold Wars, and a Spanish class to get ready for a Fall 2024 semester abroad in Spain. I continue to be part of Quiz Bowl, Model UN, and Running Club through which I have met so many great people. I reached my goal of running a marathon, placing 4th in the Martha’s Vineyard Marathon in May 2023, and qualifying for the Boston Marathon in April 2024. Then, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2023, coming in 31st overall and 4th in my division in a field of over 14,000 runners. Running means the world to me and helps me manage the academic demands of Amherst with a physical outlet that has proven very positive for my mental health and social life. I’m thankful for MVYouth’s support and confidence in me over the past two years, and can’t wait to see what 2024 brings.
Sam Fetters - Amherst College
If there’s one word I could use to describe my first semester, it would be adventure. And from classes, to community, to commuting, I’ve been exposed to new experiences, new people, and new perspectives. Students and faculty hail from across the globe, and I’ve met people from South Korea, Spain, Bangladesh, Ukraine, and even mainland China. In fact, Amherst boasts students from over fifty-eight countries!
My first year seminar, Democratic Backsliding, was my favorite class, but I also enjoyed in-depth classes on contemporary Russia and China, opening up my perspective to each nation’s strengths and weaknesses. This fall, Amherst hosted a forum with January 6 committee member Jamie Raskin, while a month later, I witnessed a student government impeachment! It made me feel fortunate to hear from someone involved in government and watch civic procedures up close. And on top of that, I took a computer science class, which jump started a new love for programming, as I delved into coding puzzle games, rudimentary artificial intelligence, and a Super Mario Bros. clone.
But ultimately, I was drawn to Amherst because of its community, and that made my experience special. The college is simultaneously insular and all-encompassing, with a club for every interest. I was involved with Quiz Bowl, Model UN, our outing club, and helped get our running club active. I’ve met several like-minded friends and some of my favorite times have been exploring the many roads and trails in western Massachusetts. I bike every weekend, and discovered the mysterious night-time run! Next semester I am taking: Data Structures, Computer Systems, Religion and Violence in the Roman Empire, and Empires in Global History, and I’m training for a marathon in May. I’m extraordinarily grateful for MVYouth’s support, and I can’t wait for my next semester at Amherst.