Wendolyn Martinez

Wendolyn Martinez graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2021 with a double major in Political Science and International Affairs. In her 2019 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship, under the mentorship of Dr. Dorothy Zielser-Vralsted, Wendolyn studied interwar propaganda within the US and USSR relating to public works projects. Then in the fall of 2019 she studied abroad, with the help of the Gilman International Scholarship, at the prestigious Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia where she studied Russian language, history, and political economy. In the summer of 2020 she participated in the Public Policy & International Affairs Junior Summer Internship (PPIA JSI) through the University of Michigan while continuing as a McNair scholar focusing her research on the implications of nuclear weapons on US foreign policy.

Wendolyn was accepted into the Dual Master’s Program in International Relations at the Middlebury Institute of International Study and the Moscow State Institute with funding, the Master’s in Public Policy Program at Pepperdine University with funding, the Master’s Program in International Affairs at American University, and the Master’s in International Affairs Program at Texas A & M, where she began in Fall 2021. Wendolyn currently serves as an intern at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

2019 McNair Faculty Research Mentor: Dr. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted

Research Title: Propaganda: USSR and US: Comparing Propaganda from the US and the USSR Produced for the Advancement of Public Approval for Hydro-Projects in the 1930s

Presentation Poster

Abstract: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came into power in the late 1910s toppling the Tsar regime in Eastern Europe. Known for its massive propaganda scheme and anti-United States (US) rhetoric, it was ingrained in history books throughout the western world. Its massive propaganda state contributed to the massive anti-Soviet rhetoric being produced in the West, this project will be a comparative analysis of the production of propaganda in the US and USSR. The United States continually denounced the various uses of propaganda in the Soviet Union through the republic’s lifespan, from it’s beginning to its collapse. Unknown to the public of this era is that the United States contributed in similar practices of state sponsored artwork, photographs, music, and publications rebranded as promotional work instead of propaganda. For example, when building the Grand Coulee Dam in the state of Washington the US produced music and commissioned photographers in order to inspire hope during the Great Depression. Similarly, the USSR had a state sponsored magazine. The USSR in Construction to document and show the public the monumental works the government was building in order to modernize the state. This project will focus on one hydro-project from both states and the propaganda affiliated with each work in order to find similarities and differences in the countries use of propaganda during the interwar period. As a result, this project will bring awareness to US audiences about its influences and use of propaganda on it’s public during the interwar period which duplicate USSR strategies and may be seen today.

7 EWU McNair Scholars Participate in Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership, and Advocacy Symposium

04/29/2021

EWU McNair Scholars Rachael Pentico, Lizeth Bañuelos, and Malachi Chukwu presented last week at the virtual Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership & Advocacy Symposium hosted by the University of Washington. Four other EWU McNair Scholars attended: Alexandria Coronado, Wendolyn Martinez, Christina Hudson, and Aulane Mpouli. This was the first annual Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted by Fourth Masters Program

04/29/2021

Wendolyn has been accepted by the Masters of International Affairs program at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, a graduate college at Texas A&M American University. They awarded Wendolyn a competitive scholarship and instate tuition for her first year. This is in addition to being accepted by the Masters in Public Policy … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted by Third Masters Program

03/29/2021

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez! Wendolyn has been accepted by the International Relations Masters program at American University. This is in addition to being accepted by the Masters in Public Policy program at Pepperdine University with a full tuition scholarship and by the dual Masters degree from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted by Pepperdine Masters Program

03/12/2021

In her 2019 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship, under the mentorship of Dr. Dorothy Zielser-Vralsted, Wendolyn studied interwar propaganda within the US and USSR relating to public works projects. Then in the fall of 2019 she studied abroad, with the help of the Gilman International Scholarship, at the prestigious Moscow State University in Russia where … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted to the Middlebury Institute Masters Program

02/25/2021

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez! Wendolyn has been accepted by a dual degree program which includes a master’s in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a master’s in International Affairs from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), one of Russia’s most prestigious and internationally respected educational … Read more

Nine EWU McNair Scholars Present at Baylor McNair Research Conference

10/09/2020

From looking at community perceptions of reentry barriers to formerly incarcerated people to the impact of chemical weathering from Mount St. Helen’s on streams, EWU McNair Scholars have been hard at work researching all summer under the guidance of their mentors. On October 1st and 2nd. Nine of these scholars presented at the 2020 Virtual … Read more

EWU McNair Scholars Continue Summer Research Despite COVID-19

06/11/2020

Soon after the shelter in place began in Washington state, EWU McNair started hearing reports from our colleagues that summer research internships were being cancelled across the country. We cringed knowing that several of our students had received prestigious summer research internships or were still waiting to hear back from those they’d applied to. Fortunately, … Read more

18 EWU McNair Scholars Present at EWU Virtual Symposium

06/10/2020

EWU McNair is proud to announce that 18 EWU McNair Scholars presented at this year’s Virtual Symposium. In the midst of regular reminders of the suffering from COVID-19, in particular its disproportionate effect on communities of color, as well as recent police murders, we hope that lifting up our scholars will continue to support their … Read more

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted to Summer Institute at the University of Michigan!

02/14/2020

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez! Wendolyn has been accepted into the Junior Summer Institute in Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) at the University of Michigan. This summer institute is an intensive seven-week summer program that focuses on preparing undergraduate students from all over the United States for graduate programs in public policy … Read more

Political Science student, Wendolyn Martinez (EWU McNair Scholar 2018-19 cohort) Studies Russian Language and History at Moscow State University

11/21/2019

Wendolyn Martinez in front of Catherine the Great’s Palace (St. Petersburg, Russia) Room of Remembrance for WWII Casualties Moscow State University Photo credit: Wendolyn Martinez, 2019 Wendolyn Martinez finds Russian history and language fascinating. After learning about culture and politics in Russia at EWU, she became determined to study abroad in order to learn first-hand … Read more