CSPC Feature: Vivek Veluvali ‘25

Every year, one Haverford student is selected as a Presidential Fellow for the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) fellowship program. Through this unique academic year program, fellows learn about government and public policy through monthly virtual programs and events, an original research paper, and networking opportunities with public service leaders.

Haverford’s current CSPC Fellow is Vivek Veluvali ‘25, a chemistry and political science double major with career aspirations in scientific communication and policy. Vivek recently returned from the CSPC program’s spring leadership conference in Washington DC. 

Tell us about the conference you just attended. What was its purpose and what were some of the featured programs and events?  

The main purpose of the conference was to introduce students to politics in DC. Specifically, we learned a lot about how politics is actually done from the people doing those politics–both from an international lens and from a national politics lens. It’s also a great opportunity to make friends with students interested in politics, as well as meet and network with really high-level professionals in a variety of fields. 

The themes and programming change every year. Some of the standout sessions at this conference were a chat with Ambassador Thomas Pickering, a discussion about the Russia-Ukraine war with Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, a chat with Congressman Brian FItzpatrick, and a meeting with Judge Robert Dow Jr. In addition to these, there were various other meetings, lectures on relevant topics (like President-Congress relations, and US-China policy), and chances to network with a variety of super cool people in different professions. 

What were the most meaningful aspects of your conference experience?       

One standout thing for me was how relevant all the sessions felt. I think at some conferences, it can be easy to question the pertinence of some of the sessions, but I felt like I was learning something new at each session in CSPC. I think also meeting the wide variety of people I did at the conference was really meaningful too. I got to spend a lot of time with some of the international fellows, learning about their interests and becoming friends with them. I also roomed with a cadet from West Point, and got to learn about a completely different path in life than what I’m on. 

How did this conference contribute to your overall experience as a CSPC Fellow?   

This conference was definitely the highlight of my experience. I really enjoyed being in DC with all of the fellows (and finally getting to meet them in person!) as well as all of the lectures I got to attend. I think if I was just writing a research paper and an op-ed [for the program], it would feel a little bit hollow, but with the conference it felt like everything got wrapped together. 

Can you share a bit about the research paper you wrote? What was the topic?

My paper, which was titled "The Most Peaceful Continent?: The Role of the Executive in Constructing Antarctic Geopolitics," was about how the American presidency has historically and currently constructs the Antarctic as a social space. I used the perspective of constructivist geopolitics to analyse the discursive role the Presidency initially played in constructing the Antarctic during the Eisenhower administration, then discussed how that construction--as an international space--plays a role in mitigating the risk of potential conflict between Antarctic land claimants and great powers over resources or territory in continent, as well as the actions future Presidents took to perpetuate this construction. 

How did the CSPC program and its various activities throughout the year contribute to your career goals?     

For one thing, I got a much clearer idea about what happens in DC, how politics are done, and how some bureaucratic jobs I’m interested in actually work day-to-day. These things were really helpful for me in building my expectations for what the policy work I’m interested in would look like, and they introduced me to some paths I didn’t know existed. On top of that, I also got to meet some really cool people in career areas I’m super interested in. From a networking perspective, I had a lot of opportunities to connect with people working in areas I want to work with and get advice about my future career. CSPC has a really strong pull with some very high level professionals (including diplomats from other countries, like Japan!), so the networking aspects were huge to me. 

Would you recommend the CPSC program to other students?       

 I would definitely recommend CSPC to other students interested in policy or policy-adjacent work (international or otherwise). You get to meet super cool people (both your peers and seasoned professionals) who are experts in their field, you get to learn a lot through the lectures and chats, and you get to have an all-around great time (plus, the food they give you during the conference is great as well!). It’s a great program for students who think they want to work in a political space to learn about what that work actually looks like and how it interacts with the world. It also gives you a good excuse to do a deep dive into a random political topic with the essay, so that’s fun too!

The campus nomination process for Haverford’s CSPC Fellow takes place each spring, and applications are open to sophomores and juniors. Interested students are encouraged to contact Drew Adair (dadair@haverford.edu) at the CCPA to learn more about the program.