Presidential Scholars Program

Fun fact:  I like to dance salsa!

Hi, my name is Anik Willig. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I plan on concentrating in English and/or International and Public Affairs. I have always loved to write, anything from stories when I was little to poetry and creative nonfiction now! I am also very interested in studying how cultures and government policies vary around the world. My hobbies include learning how to bake, dancing for fun, and playing the violin. I cannot wait to be a part of PSP! I’m excited to meet new people, learn from knowledgeable professors, and engage in meaningful and hands-on research.

This summer I worked with Professor Weitz-Shapiro in the Political Science Department at Brown. Her work focuses on quality of representation, government accountability to citizens, and corruption primarily in Latin America. I studied clientelism in countries like Mexico, Chile, and Colombia, and instances of politicians putting their names and faces on social services, like food boxes and COVID protection equipment. The goal of this project was to examine citizen approval of these politicians, and to determine if these actions resulted in more negative or positive responses. It was interesting to study political systems in other countries, and to think about how government relationships to their constituents relates to the U.S. system of government. This was an incredible experience.