Political science department honors top students, honor society initiates

Fri, 04/19/2019

Linda Pickerel

LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas Political Science Department recently honored its top students at an annual recognition ceremony with awards and induction into Pi Sigma Alpha.

Twenty-one students were inducted April 12 into the Gamma Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. Criteria for induction include a 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale in all political science courses with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.4 for undergraduates. Additionally, inductees cannot have a grade lower than a B in any political science course.

The following students were inducted:

Abigail Dieter, Maple Grove, Minnesota
Alec Feather, Overland Park
Kara Fort, Lansing
Emily Gilliam, Wichita
Patrick Grey, Olathe
Jessica Guardiola, Newton
Noelle Haselhuhn, Burlington
Nicholas Hinman, Olathe
Ryan Liston, Lawrence
Mayte Marquez, DeSoto
Ethan McChesney, Overland Park
Caitlin Riffer, Overland Park
Camila Andrea Mican Rondon, Bogota, Colombia
Chally Miller, Salina
Addison Schlatter, Leawood
Meredith Shaheed, Lawrence
Daniel Sparacino, Salina
Mary Kate Tankard, Flower Mound, Texas
Jamie Krystyna Treto, Garden City
Haruka Nagao, Aomori, Japan
Holly Rains, Lawrence

In addition, the political science department provides awards and scholarships for outstanding juniors and seniors in the major. For 2019 the following awards and scholarships were presented:

The Ethan P. Allen Pi Sigma Alpha Award to an outstanding graduating senior majoring in political science:

Constanza Castro Zuniga, Raytown, Missouri

Camila Andrea Mican Rondon, Bogota, Columbia

The Emmett L. Bennett Scholarship to outstanding students majoring in political science:

            Patrick Grey, Olathe
            Jerome Rouser, Lenexa
            Brecken Petty, Leawood
            Kara Fort, Lansing
            Caitlin Riffer, Overland Park
            Steven Duke, Rocklin, California
            Chally Miller, Salina
            Emily Gilliam, Wichita
            Noelle Haselhuhn, Burlington

The Eldon Fields Pi Sigma Alpha Award to outstanding graduating students majoring in political science:

Anna Buhlinger, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Emily Depew, Neodesha

The Elizabeth and Carl Gustafson Scholarships were awarded to these outstanding political science undergraduates:

     Michaela Krause, Jefferson City, Missouri
     Saif Bajwa, Overland Park
     Kristin Umbarger, Chanute
     Sean Coffey, Lincoln, Nebraska
     Mayte Alexandra Diaz, DeSoto
     Daniel O’Neil, Lawrence
     Bijan Esfandiary, Lawrence
     Serena Kaur Peter, Topeka
     Julissa Gutierrez, Garland, Texas

The Walter Thompson Scholarship in Political Science was awarded to these deserving political science graduate students to work with faculty on collaborative original research projects:

Cagil Albayrak, Lawrence
Rachel Finnell, Sedalia, Missouri
Patrick Gauding, Independence, Ohio
William Hatungimana, Lawrence
Trent Lythgoe, Platte City, Missouri
Haruka Nagao, Aomori, Japan
Nicole Purcell, Fresno, California
Holly Rains, Lawrence
Walter Schmidt, Twin Falls, Idaho
Spencer Shanks, Lawrence
Taylor Tidwell, Okemos, Michigan
Abigail Vegter, Olathe
Leeann Youn, Davis, California

Recipients over the last year, for the Allan J. Cigler Academic Enrichment Award were recognized. Recent honorees:

Cagil Albayrak, Lawrence
Fengxue Zhang, Hays
Anna Buhlinger, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Alexander Estopare, Olathe
Joel Dominguez, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

All of the scholarship funds are managed by KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment is the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.

Photo: Beth Cigler with Cagil Albayrak and Alexander Estopare.