Adria Neal is our Scholar of the Week! Read more about Adria below:
Adria Neal is the reigning Miss Black Kentucky 2016 & a senior at the University of Louisville. Adria is majoring in Political Science with a Concentration in Law and Public Policy. She is a Woodford R. Porter Scholar, a member of the National Honors Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and is in the Political Science Honors Program. Adria is currently working on her senior honors thesis, which will discuss how Supreme Court decisions have affected culture war issues. Adria has participated in the Summer Research Program. Adria worked with Dr. Melissa Merry, collecting data on how gun control and gun rights interest groups use issue framing on Twitter. She is continuing her research with Dr. Merry and now has the opportunity to coauthor a scholarly article.
In the past, Adria worked with elected officials, gaining knowledge on campaigning and observing the inner workings of the legislative process. She volunteered for Serena Owen, candidate for city council in Elsmere, KY. Her responsibilities included canvassing, writing statements, and mobilizing political support. She also was an intern for State Representative Rita Smart. Her duties included note taking at committee and floor meetings, documenting appointments with lobbyists, and drafting emails to constituents. Through these opportunities, Adria has experienced the political process first hand and has gained insight into how the government operates.
Upon graduation, Adria aspires to enter a dual degree program, thus attaining a Master in Political Science and a Juris Doctor degree. Adria hopes to become a policy analyst, researching the effectiveness of various policy initiatives. In the future, she wants to run for public office, first on the state level and then on the national level. Currently, Adria is involved in various ministries in the city of Louisville. She is a part of The Refuge, a local youth ministry. She is also involved in the young adult ministry at Evangel World Prayer Center, where she leads worship and praise dances.