Political science department honors top students, honor society initiates
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.