Graduating this spring with a degree in political science, Erich Hein is the past president of Demosthenian Literary Society, UGA’s oldest student organization. Eric plans to attend law school in the future.
Hometown:
Huntsville, Ala.
High School:
Harrison High School in Kennesaw
Degree objective:
B.A. in Political Science
Expected graduation:
Spring 2012
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
In spring 2011, I had the opportunity to participate in UGA’s Washington Semester Program. I spent four months interning as the Public Policy Fellow for Senator Johnny Isakson, working full-time with his international affairs staff. My time in D.C. was full of professional development and educational growth; it was the experience of a lifetime. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in going to Washington D.C. and learning about how our government functions to look into the program. It was truly life-changing.
In June, I began working as an intern in UGA’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. I love working with prospective students and their families as they go through the admissions process. I have the opportunity every day to explain why UGA epitomizes the college experience. My fellow interns and I have many of the same responsibilities as the full-time admissions counselors, so the internship has been a great learning experience.
On campus, I am involved in the Demosthenian Literary Society. Founded in 1803, this is the oldest student organization on campus. For the 2009-2010 semesters, I served on the society’s Judicial Council, and during the fall 2010 semester, I served as president of the society. Demosthenian has been my home away from home while at UGA, and its members have become my lifelong friends.
Current Employment:
intern at UGA’s Office of Undergraduate Admission
Family Ties to UGA:
I am the first member of my family to attend UGA. My dad and sister are Alabama fans, and my mom is an Auburn fan, so we are definitely a house divided during the football season.
I chose to attend UGA because…
it offers a wealth of opportunities for students. When I came to school, I did not know exactly what I wanted to study, so the diversity of programs was a major draw for me. My family currently resides in Marietta, so UGA is close enough to home to be accessible, but far enough away for me to have my own college experience independent of my family.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
Besides Saturdays in the fall (Go Dawgs!), my favorite activity on campus occurs every Thursday at Demosthenian Hall. I began attending Demosthenian Literary Society meetings shortly after classes began my first year. I go every Thursday and debate various topics with fellow members as we work to improve our speaking skills. When I am not at work or in classes, I spend much of my time in Demosthenian Hall talking about the news of the day. I also enjoy going to the Georgia Museum of Art and the State Botanical Gardens.
When I have free time, I like…
It seems like I never have any free time, but when I do, I like to read books suggested by friends, play squash with my roommate at Ramsey and watch T.V. I probably spend the majority of my free time cooking, which has been a passion of mine since I spent the summer after my first year working as a line cook at a country club.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
A friend and I dug up a small sapling and “planted” it in my roommate’s bedroom. He was very interested in the philosophy of mythology, so this was our way of creating for him his own myth.
My favorite place to study is…
If I am studying in a group, I like to study outside of Jittery Joes at the MLC. When studying by myself, I like to prepare for class in my study or at Walker’s Coffee & Pub.
My favorite professor is…
is difficult to answer, because I have had so many excellent professors at UGA. My favorite professor has been Dr. Charles Bullock III. He instilled in me a passion for political science. Dr. Bullock expects a great deal from his students, and his classes are challenging, but ultimately, they have been the most rewarding classes I have taken at the university. Anyone who does not take his Southern Politics course is doing themselves a disservice.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
While it is enticing to select a famous person from history, I think I would choose to spend the afternoon with a few of my closest friends, several of whom I do not get to see as often as I would like, because they live or work in different cities.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
I would open a restaurant in Washington D.C.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
I would love to take a year off and travel the world learning about other cultures and more particularly their foods.
After graduation, I plan to…
Right now, my plans for after graduation are up in the air. Ultimately, I hope to go to law school, but whether that goal will be attained immediately after graduation or further in the future is presently unknown.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
I will always remember Feb. 20, 2009. I stayed to the end of Demosthenian Literary Society’s annual all night meeting; I will always remember the way the sun looked rising over North Campus, and knowing that I made the right choice in coming to UGA.
