Meredith College Participates in Southern Political Science Association Conference

Meredith student Mary Kolisnichenko, ’19, presented the results of summer research she conducted with Visiting Professor of Political Science David McLennan and Assistant Professor of Political Science Whitney Manzo at the Southern Political Science Association conference in New Orleans.

Kolisnichenko presented “The Impact of Women on Budget Priorities of Counties in North Carolina.”

The research showed that female county commissioners do have different budget priorities than male county commissioners. Specifically, counties with more women county commissioners spent more in human services and education, and less in public safety and physical and economic development.

At the same conference, Manzo presented “The Law and Order Candidate: Perceptions of Law Enforcement by Trump Voters.” This paper analyzed data from the fall 2016 Meredith Poll, and found that people who felt more unsafe in this country supported Donald Trump for president (outside of partisanship) giving some support to Trump’s assertion that he was the “law and order candidate.”

Photo shows Assistant Professor of Political Science Whitney Manzo with Mary Kolisnichenko, ’19, at the Southern Political Science Association conference.