Shania Dedigama, a Missouri State University first-year graduate student, has been fascinated by history and politics from an early age.

“My mom, a history enthusiast, read history books to me as a toddler,” Dedigama said. “From the age of six, I knew I wanted to study history and I told all my friends.”

Hailing from Sri Lanka, Dedigama earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the U.K. and a master’s degree in political science from the Netherlands. She is now pursuing another master’s degree in history at MSU.

“I chose MSU because it appeared as one of the best history programs on Google. MSU’s history program also gives me expertise not only in history, but also in political science,” Dedigama said.

She notes having expertise in two disciplines increases her prospects to work for organizations like the United Nations and the Council on Foreign Relations.

“I’ll also get a better chance of getting into an impressive PhD program in the future,” she added.

It is not surprising Dedigama has chosen to enhance her portfolio with another master’s degree.

“The workforce keeps growing; you must stand out,” Dedigama said.

After getting her first master’s degree, Dedigama worked as a journalist at News 1st, Sri Lanka’s largest private news organization.

During this period, she gained experience in investigative reporting and political writing.

“I sat on the journalists panel of a weekly political talk show called ‘Face the Nation,’” Dedigama said. “I interviewed politicians, economists and policy makers live on TV.”

Why history?

Apart from being passionate about history, Dedigama recognizes the role history plays in the world.

“We can’t understand today’s economic, political and social trends if we lack knowledge of the past,” Dedigama said. “For instance, understanding the history of the Soviet Union’s relations with the Western Hemisphere is crucial to comprehending the Ukrainian-Russian war.”

She wants to further investigate the roots and progression of western relations with Russia. To this end, she is taking a course on comparative politics.

Channeling the passion

Dedigama recognizes the world as a place where passion alone cannot yield the results wanted. Passion and the right efforts are the cornerstones of problem solving.

She believes studying history helps her to better understand the complexities of political history.

“Sri Lanka, a small island, has relied on regional or international powers for support,” Dedigama said. “Countries like Sri Lanka get caught up in big-power rivalries and are at their mercy. By focusing on Cold War foreign policy, I wish to determine its impact not only on the powers engaged, but also globally.”

Dedigama looks forward to starting her research at MSU and has decided to pursue the thesis-track option.

“This involves a deeper exploration of primary sources, government documents and current materials,” Dedigama explained.

The comparative politics class is her favorite one so far. It is taught by Dr. Indira Palacios-Valladares, associate professor of political science.

“It focuses on diverse political systems around the world and their impacts on domestic and foreign policies,” Dedigama said.

She will soon begin a research paper under the supervision of Palacios-Valladares.

Another class Dedigama said she’s enjoying is the historiography class with Dr. Sarah Panzer, associate professor of history.

“It’s about historical methods and approaches, so it equips me with knowledge vital for understanding my other classes. For example, recently in the comparative politics class, we examined ethnic conflicts and their origins, and I could engage in historical case studies because I had been equipped to do so by the historiography class,” she added.

Turning passion into a career

For Dedigama, research and policy making are ideal career options. She wants to engage in research on political policies, foreign policies and security and defense matters.

She’s also considering working with media organizations because of her experience at News 1st.

“My combined knowledge of history and political science will give me deeper insights into the political and foreign policy challenges facing the West,” Dedigama said. “I would like to make a career out of it.”

Explore degree options in history