By Arvin Sahaym, The Graduate School
Sydney Smith, a Ph.D. candidate in political science at Washington State University (WSU), has received a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program award. The award will support her research on how multilevel governance affects how different European countries have implemented the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as “the Istanbul Convention.” Sydney’s research will reveal how different levels of government—international, national, and local—work together to shape and carry out gender equality policies.
Originally from Graham, Texas—a small rural town west of Dallas—Smith’s academic journey has taken her across the globe. She earned her bachelor’s degree in international studies from Arcadia University in Pennsylvania. While there, she studied abroad at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. She later completed a master’s degree in international relations at the University of Glasgow.
Sydney Smith
“My upbringing in rural Texas and my experiences abroad have shaped how I view gender equality and government policies at different levels,” Smith said. “I’ve seen firsthand how different cultures approach feminism, and I want to contribute by advocating for gender equality and rights for all marginalized groups.”
At WSU, Smith’s dissertation chair is Dr. Amy Mazur, a leading scholar in comparative feminist policy issues and gender equality. Smith’s Fulbright research will be part of her dissertation and will build off work conducted with Dr. Mazur, specifically the use of the Gender Equality Policy in Practice Approach (GEPP). As a Fulbright scholar working in the European Union, Sydney will work with Marjeta Sinko at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, along with Roman Kuhar and Milica Antic Gaber at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Her research there will be focusing on how gender equality is integrated into public policy across different countries. “In many European nations, gender mainstreaming is a standard part of governance,” she said. “In some parts of the U.S., it’s often treated as an afterthought. I want to explore those differences and what they mean for real-world outcomes.”
Helping students find their voice—it’s the best part of the job.
Smith’s long-term goals include becoming a professor and continuing to do high quality research in policy work. She added, “Teaching is something I’m passionate about as I want to help students think critically about the world, and their rights and place in it…Helping students find their voice—it’s the best part of the job.” She’s also a fierce advocate for student funding. “I tell my students: don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Go find them,” she says. “I’ve received scholarships from the department, the university, and even external organizations. They’re out there—you just have to look.”
Smith plans to enter the academic job market after completing her Fulbright research, aiming to graduate by 2027. “This opportunity is a major step toward my goal of making a meaningful impact through research and education,” she said.
Outside of academia, she enjoys exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. “I’m an avid hiker and camper,” she says. “I just climbed Mount Spokane and camped at Fields Spring State Park. Nature is my reset button.” She is also a regular at WSU’s Student Recreation Center. “Before Fulbright, I was certified to be a group fitness instructor,” she says. “I was going to teach Pink Gloves Boxing classes. Hopefully, I’ll get back to that when I return.”
Sydney Smith’s journey from the dusty roads and wide skies of Graham to becoming a Fulbright scholar from WSU and headed to Europe for dissertation research, is anything but conventional. As she prepares to take her research abroad once again, Smith reflects on how far she’s come. “It’s been a wild ride,” she says with a smile. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”