Like many Brigham Young University students, Kyrene Gibb’s path to her major was, at first, obscured. She spent quite some time searching for the right major until she found political science and data analysis.
She began her time at BYU declared as a civil engineering major, quickly realizing that she liked writing and arguing her points in Political Science 110 better than any engineering class she had taken.
Gibb progressed from student to TA to research assistant quickly, enjoying her time working with professors. As a research assistant, she cultivated a love for research.
“I was really lucky to have TAs and professors who were willing to work with me and who were excited that I was excited about what I was learning.”
After a very involved tenure in the BYU political science department, Gibb accepted a job offer out of college at a consulting firm in Idaho. There she learned more about her love of testing political messaging.
“I’ve always enjoyed studying public opinion, especially as it relates to campaigns and how voters process information about a candidate. I think it’s fascinating. You market a person essentially the same way you would a business. You have to find out what things are appealing to the customer base, or in the political sense, constituents,” said Gibb.
Not long after relocating to Idaho, Gibb was offered a job at Y2 Analytics in Salt Lake. She accepted and currently works as the director of research, a job perfectly suited for the skills she learned at BYU.
Through every advancement in the department of political science, Gibb felt grateful for the many sacrifices made by students who paved the way for her and gave advice.
“Being able to work closely with professors and do meaningful research with professors is what really captivated me and made me love my major.”