Luke McDermott, a junior at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has been selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society. The program highlights the wide range of opportunities for arts, humanities, natural science, social science, and mathematics majors to pursue rewarding careers in local, state, and federal government.
McDermott is a first-generation student majoring in political science, economics, and history and earning a Certificate in Public Policy Analysis. As the Government Liaison Committee Director of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN), he advocates on behalf of the student body at the state and national levels on issues relating to higher education funding, LGBTQ+ inclusion, faculty tenure, and pending DEI bans. His interest in state politics, especially policies concerning LGBTQ+ individuals, stems from his experience as a Legislative Page at the Nebraska Unicameral. He also serves as Chairman of the Husker Vote Coalition, the university's premiere civic engagement organization. Luke encodes historical habeas corpus cases of marginalized peoples for the Digital Legal Research Lab. His research, spanning multiple disciplines, focuses on the intersection of constitutionalism, labor, and the law.
PBK selects the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates for membership and advocates for the importance of liberal arts and sciences education. As a scholar, McDermott will receive a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and participate in a conference that provides training, mentoring, and reflection on pathways into local, state, and federal government careers.
This summer, he will attend the Henry Clay College Student Congress as the Delegate for Nebraska and participate in the Victory Institute Congressional Internship. McDermott intends to pursue a JD/MPA after graduation, focusing on labor and employment law as well as legal history.
