Letter From the Editor

Abstract

During my time as an undergraduate, I’ve had the pleasure of working with SUNY Oneonta’s own social science academic journal, SOAR. I started with SOAR as a peer reviewer during my junior year, which allowed me to understand the research process better and how to view academic research through a critical and constructive lens. I later got more involved with SOAR and became the Coordinating Editor for my senior year, which made me responsible for coordinating the publication process, helping organize meetings, recruiting submissions, and organizing the journal materials. Because of my role with SOAR, I presented at a SUNY-wide conference about the importance of undergraduate research and publication through the journal. Through this work, I became a research assistant under the faculty advisor for SOAR, Dr. Gregory Fulkerson. I continued to search for ways to grow SOAR and run social media accounts. I focused on helping the program so it wouldn’t die out or lose its progress, organizing a booth for the school’s club fair, organizing an interest meeting, and sending out information to other schools.