Rising Senior

Megan Dillon ’19 has been awarded the Albert J. Gordon Summer Research Fellowship at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) for the summer of 2018. Dillon, a sociology and peace and justice studies double major from Exeter, New Hampshire, will focus her research on how economic globalization has impacted the way employers and unions interact in the United States.

In a Global Society course led by Assistant Professor Kevin Doran, Ph.D., Dillon completed extensive research on the relationship between globalization and rising inequality across the nation. Her findings further piqued her curiosity about economic globalization and its effect on increased competition for labor.

“Megan’s research interests are not only intriguing in their own right, but are also directly relevant to many of the questions driving contemporary inequality and stratification research,” said Professor Doran, who will serve as Dillon’s faculty mentor during her fellowship. “I was struck by how eloquently she was able to articulate the general perspectives and the points of contention and similarity between them.”

Dillon aims to gain a better understanding of how unions are coping with the spread of globalization, as well as to learn more about the attitudes of the ownership class toward international influence. After three stages of research over a 10 week period, “I will be able to make conclusions in regards to what is unique about the way employers engage with union members under global capitalism,” she shares.

In addition, Dillon hopes her research can offer insight into the current political climate. “As we increasingly see a society that has become more divided and less equal, we see a direct decrease in the middle class,” she explains. “As the middle-class decreases, there is a present threat to democracy.”

The Gordon Fellowship provides deserving students with a well-rounded experience that will enhance their career planning, postgraduate opportunities, and active citizenship. It represents the lifelong commitment of its sponsor, the late Albert H. Gordon, to education and opportunity for Saint Anselm students.

The grant is available through a competitive application process to students of all majors upon completion of their junior or senior year. Those receiving the prestigious appointment are chosen in recognition of leadership and critical thinking skills, a proven commitment to civic education and engagement, and a high degree of intellectual depth and inquisitiveness.