From Argentina to studying international affairs

One political science major applies experience from childhood to future career

By California State University, Bakersfield

May 11^th, 2020

After moving from Argentina to the United States at the age of 13, Paula Reynal’s interest in political science was piqued at a young age.

Her father was Argentine and her mother was American, and although she didn’t have a language barrier, politics were another story after moving to the U.S.

“Everything politically-speaking was kind of foreign to me,” Reynal said.

Reynal said her father was 61 when he had Paula, so he had lived through some interesting times in Argentina – experiencing military dictatorship and having to leave the country twice. His experience furthered her interest in politics.

When it came to college, she gravitated toward political science at California State University, Bakersfield. Being both American and Argentine, she went into international affairs, as she never completely felt like she fit in either identity fully.

“Her lived experience of growing up in Argentina and dealing with a variety of issues foreign to some of her classmates’ experiences provides so much richness and depth to our discussions on topics ranging from immigration, to gender dynamics, to colorism, and many others,” said Dr. Ivy Cargile, assistant professor of political science at CSUB.

Paula Reynal and Dr. Mark Martinez at her induction into the Political Science Honors Society.

Family ties

Reynal’s overcome a number of hurdles to make it to graduation. She lost both of her parents prior to starting CSUB. She also navigated college as a mother — at the beginning of college she had an 8-month-old, and is now a mother to two boys.

“Becoming a mom wasn’t something I thought I was going to do or even that I would be good at to begin with,” Reynal said.

While it would have been easy to give up on her education, she didn’t want to stop.

“A body in motion stays in motion,” is the motto Reynal went by. If she hadn’t continued her schooling, she was afraid that she might like being away too much or she might not have the same drive that she did before.

Reynal met professors during college who made her journey easier, like Dr. Miriam Vivian and Dr. Kate Mulry in the History Department.

“They’ve become more than just professors, they’ve become mentors and friends.”

History Department Chair Dr. Vivian said:

“Paula has been a very strong student, and one of the most dependable. She’s bright and intellectually curious and has impressed me with her ability to raise two children while also being such a fabulous student with two majors.”

Despite the challenges Reynal has faced, she’s most proud that she didn’t give up.

“My main thing is that I’m still doing it. I’m still here,” Reynal said. “The fact that I didn’t even take a semester off, that for me is one of my biggest accomplishments.”

With commencement season approaching, Reynal noted it is a “bittersweet” moment, since she will miss CSUB, her professors and the friends she’s made on campus. However, she added that it will be good to graduate and to be an example to her kids.

Reynal and her youngest son attending an awards ceremony for the History Honors Society.

"Complicated, nerdy"

While international relations has been Reynal’s main focus, she’s also had the opportunity to do research and write about a variety topics, including: gender, race and religion.

“One of her significant strengths is her ability to make creative connections between her classes. She regularly referenced topics and ideas from other courses, including her courses in political science,” said Dr. Mulry, associate professor.

Dr. Mulry recalled the number of excellent papers that Reynal wrote for her class. One, in particular was “Dangerous Environments, Exotic Foods and Scientific Morality: Changing Identities of English Subjects in the 17th Century.”

It was runner-up for best undergraduate paper in the department last year, which she went on to present at the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference. Reynal then created an original episode on their class podcast based on her research.

Reynal said it was “complicated, nerdy” and she “loved every second of it.”

“That’s probably why I’ve been able to do research in so many different fields,” she said. “Because of how passionate my professors were, it made me be equally as passionate and interested in the topics.”

“I’ve found that as long as a professor loves what they teach, it’s fun and interesting, and you can connect with a topic,” Reynal added.

Reynal (center) and fellow history students at a regional conference.

D.C.-bound

Reynal’s achievements at CSUB include: participation in Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society, of which she is the current president; Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society; Alpha Chi, the college honor society; and the National Society for Leadership and Success.

She also made the dean’s list for both the Social Sciences Department and the Arts and Humanities Department, was the recipient of the History Department’s J.R. Wonderly Award, and received a grant from the dean of Arts and Humanities for undergraduate research.

Reynal did a number of internships, one of the most notable with the Maddy Institute, where she was placed at assembly member Rudy Salas Jr’s office in Bakersfield.

It was there that she learned the other side of politics – seeing what the office deals with day-to-day, how legislation is drafted and how others try to influence legislation by writing letters and making phone calls.

During her time in the political science program at CSUB, she said she “definitely learned how to become more engaged in the political process, that’s for sure.”

In the fall, Reynal will pursue her graduate degree in Washington, D.C. at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, on a partial scholarship.

There, she will work towards her master’s degree in international affairs with a concentration in American foreign policy.

“In this current climate … I would like to be able to help,” she said. “I know that as just one person, I wouldn’t be able to drastically change the world, but it takes a lot of people making little bits of changes and influences to have a large picture effect.”