A recent graduate with a double degree in political science and marine studies, Sophie Bottum Musa explores her pursuit of justice and inclusion
Sophie Bottum Musa
By Halle Sheppard, CLA Student Writer - March 19, 2026
Oregon State University has long prided itself on its diversity of student experience, and nobody encapsulates this idea better than Sophie Bottum Musa. In 2025, she graduated with a double degree in political science and marine studies, stemming from her passion for environmental justice.
The road to environmental justice turned out to be a combination of Bottum Musa’s chief interests: marine biology and civics. During high school in Columbus, Ohio, Bottum Musa was interested in pursuing something marine-related (and figured she’d have to leave Ohio for it), but it was a government class that shook things up.
“I’ve always been very inclined towards advocating for the environment and thought I was heading in the direction of marine biology, until I took an AP government class,” Bottum Musa explained.
Bottum Musa soon found that she had a knack for crafting arguments and understanding the law, along with a sense for rectifying injustices. This set her on the path of studying political science at Oregon State supplemented with the marine studies major, so that she could have a nuanced interdisciplinary approach to environmental issues.
Bottum Musa loved the political science program at the School of Public Policy, which allowed her to choose classes that suited her interests. She was also a member of Professor Michael Trevathan’s International Politics Research Lab, where she studied gender representation in global politics. “I loved working with Dr. Trevathan,” Bottum Musa said. “He would work with you one on one to understand what your goals were and where to go next.”
In addition to her political science classes, the marine studies curriculum provided her a different lens in which to view the ocean. Her time taking classes at the Newport based Hatfield Marine Science Center also aided her college journey and provided another layer of unique perspective to her worldview. “The two programs complemented each other really well,” said Bottum Musa. “And Hatfield gave me the time to be outside and see the things I want to protect through conservation and policymaking.”
While studying at the intersection of the humanities and social sciences, her passion for environmental and social justice took a clearer shape, which informed more of what she did while at OSU and what direction she chose to take after graduating.
Bottum Musa joined AmeriCorps VISTA, a federal anti-poverty program, and is currently stationed at the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching, and Service at Georgetown University. Working with low-income or homeless students and members of the community, she strives to better understand their basic needs and how the university can respond. “At Oregon State, we have the awesome Basic Needs Center, but they don’t have anything like that here,” an issue she tries to rectify by finding out ways to support community members.
Bottum Musa explained how she found AmeriCorp through the social scientists she met at OSU, as, “it was more than environmental work, it was socioenvironmental.” Passionate about community service and having worked at OSU’s Community Engagement and Leadership (CEL) for three years, it is unsurprising how she found herself drawn to AmeriCorp’s mission.
Her experience at CEL “showed me the importance of being engaged in my community and showing up for populations that aren’t necessarily always supported.” Bottum Musa served as a program leader, hosting leadership workshops, service projects with local community partners, and dialogues to provide safe spaces for students. Her passion found its outlet throughout OSU, becoming involved in the cultural centers on campus, as well as working as a member of the student advisory board for Student Experiences and Engagement.
One of her most impactful achievements was in co-founding Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights (SUPER). The connection was personal, as Bottum Musa’s grandparents were removed from their village in Palestine after the 1948 Nakba (displacement of Palestinian Arabs in and around the State of Israel). At a United Nations-run refugee camp located in Jordan, her grandfather finished his schooling and received his medical degree before eventually immigrating to upstate New York for work.
Her Palestinian roots remained an important part of her identity throughout college, and after October 7, 2023, many of her fellow students joined together to start protesting against the war in Gaza. Bottum Musa organized events like Hummus & History to educate people on Palestinian history and further engaged with the wider OSU community to spread awareness. “It was really hard while so much was happening, but it was the strongest sense of community I had ever felt, anywhere,” said Bottum Musa. Even amongst the turbulence, she emphasized that “OSU has good people.”
Instead of having a concrete career path set in stone, Bottum Musa explained, “I know what I want to do, I know what I’m good at, I know what I value,” and uses that to guide her to career paths that align with her goals, using the skills and experience that she has garnered to make a difference and find new opportunities.
OSU helped Bottum Musa realize that she can use things that she didn’t see as positive traits for good. “I had a strong aversion to authority and a big mouth, and I used to think those were bad things, but there are no bad traits. All of them are strengths and you just have to use them in the right capacity.”
Bottum Musa still works at AmeriCorps, using her skills from her double degree to implement change in Georgetown college’s community. While she is unsure whether she will stay to finish the multi-year project she is currently working on, she feels equipped with the experience and passion she needs to succeed.
“I think that is the most meaningful thing that I learned at OSU, is that I’m a good person and I can do good work. Anything that I might ever view as a weakness is a strength in one way or the other.” As her passion for justice continues to grow, there is no doubt that she will continue to use her strengths to help strengthen her community wherever she may be.