PoliSci Grad Daily Impacts Lives of Veterans

A political science degree from UCF paved the way for a graduate to impact the lives of veterans.

William Maddens, ’14BA ’17MA, works today for the Department of Veterans Affairs, providing financial assistance for veterans and their loved ones through the Benefits Administration. It’s a job that brings him tremendous satisfaction, but it wasn’t what he pictured doing when he first came to UCF.

“I wanted to be an architect when I was younger. When I was getting my Associate degree, I was actually a computer science major. I thought that I was into the algorithms and languages you have to learn, but as it turns out, I wasn’t,” Maddens said.

Maddens turned to political science instead. After securing a master’s degree in political science, Maddens started working for the VA in Lincoln, Nebraska. An internship led to a full-time role in the Benefits Administration.

The Benefits Administration reviews the complaints and concerns made by veterans with disabilities. The Administration is specifically focused on education, dependency and employment benefits.

Even though Maddens never expected to end up in the VA, he enjoys his job and plans to make a career of it.

“Life works in strange ways sometimes. I never thought I’d end up at the VA, but here I am, and I love it,” Maddens said.

One of the best parts of the job for Maddens is its changing nature. Working for the government means acclimating to a political environment that is in constant flux.

“My degree gave me a thorough understanding of how the inter-workings of our government operate and how to use this to my knowledge in order to apply it to the challenges I face daily in my career,” Maddens said.