Dr. Bailey Fairbanks, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, led a group of ten UCA students to Washington DC on January 3-11, 2023 to participate in the Inside Washington Seminar, sponsored by The Washington Center (TWC) for Internships & Academic Seminars.  This week-long experiential learning activity included three components: (1) plenary sessions attended by all participants to hear from distinguished speakers and other public figures in Washington DC; (2) educational briefings held at several locations throughout Washington DC, including U.S. government agencies, think tanks, foreign embassies, and media organizations; and (3) small group discussion sessions facilitated by college and university faculty.

The ten UCA students that participated in the seminar are studying in several different academic programs at UCA — Makenna Goss (History, Political Science, and Honors); Kaya-Ann Mason (Sociology and Legal Studies); Brayden Bailey (Political Science); Allison Hellard (Public Administration and International Studies); Jaycie Sturdivant (Political Science, Public Administration, and Creative Writing); Madalyn Dowell (Political Science, Public Administration, and English); Phoenix Vu (Political Science, Public Administration, and Honors); Ryan Webb (Political Science); Mackenzie Rowley (French and Spanish); and Richard Ware (Political Science, Philosophy, and Honors).

Dr. Clay Arnold, Chair of the Department of Political Science, announced the winners of the department’s annual awards for the 2019-2020 academic year:

Outstanding Student in Political Science:  Zoe Tollette (Little Rock, AR)

Outstanding Students in Public Administration:  Cagney Kilgroe (Malvern, AR) and Mylon Boston (Crossett, AR)

Outstanding Students in International Studies:  Kennedy Neely (Weiner, AR) and Louisa Utley (Little Rock, AR)

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Academic Honors Convocation was held in McCastlain Hall on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Dr. Tom Williams, Dean of the CLA, welcomed faculty, students, and family members attending the convocation.  During the convocation, Dr. Williams congratulated all of the students chosen for the awards presented by the departments of English; History; Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, & Cultures; Philosophy & Religion; Political Science; and Sociology, Criminology, & Anthropology.  He also announced that Carolyn Casey, a senior majoring in International Studies, was named the CLA Student-of-the-Year for 2018-2019.

Dr. Clay Arnold, Chair of the Department of Political Science, announced the winners of the department’s annual awards:

Outstanding Student in Political Science:  Cagney Kilgroe

Outstanding Student in Public Administration:  Matilda Benson

Outstanding Students in International Studies:  Carolyn Casey and Itzel Velazquez

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, a best-selling author and sociology professor at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., visited UCA on Monday, April 15, 2019.  Dr. Tyson is the author of 19 books, including his most recent book What Truth Sounds Like.  Dr. Heather Yates, Assistant Professor of Political Science, held a “conversation” with Dr. Tyson on Monday afternoon (2:15pm-4:00pm).  Later that evening (7:00pm-9:00pm), Dr. Tyson gave a keynote address titled, “Fake News, Public Discourse, and Seeking Truth in America.”  UCA faculty, students, and the public were invited to attend both events held in McCastlain Hall Ballroom.  Dr. Tyson’s visit was sponsored by the UCA Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society and the UCA Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology, as well as the UCA NAACP, UCA Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, UCA College of Liberal Arts, Office of the UCA Provost, and the UCA Foundation.

The UCA Department of Political Science announced its “Outstanding Students” for 2016-2017:  Danielle Casey (Political Science program), Bryce Moore (Public Administration program), and Jean Francois Adoupo & Mallory Walker (International Studies program).  Dr. Clay Arnold, Chairperson of the UCA Department of Political Science, presented the awards to the students during the UCA College of Liberal Arts’ Academic Honors Convocation held in Doyne Health Science Center held on Sunday, April 30, 2017.  Dr. Steven Runge, UCA Provost, and Dr. Peter Mehl, Associate Dean of the UCA College of Liberal Arts, spoke at the honors convocation, which included undergraduate and graduate student recipients of outstanding student awards and scholarships from the Departments of English, History, Philosophy & Religion, Political Science, Sociology, and Languages, Linguistics, Literatures & Cultures.

Several members of the UCA Department of Political Science participated in a Presidential Election “Teach-In” on the lawn in front of McAlister Hall on Tuesday, September 20, 2016.  The “Teach-In” was sponsored by the Campus Election Engagement Project and UCA’s Learning Communities.  A total of 15 UCA professors participated in the “Teach-In”, including Dr. Mark Elrod, Dr. Heather Yates, Dr. Gizachew Tiruneh, and Dr. Mark Mullenbach.  Retired political science professor, Dr. Gary Wekkin, also participated in the event.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, president and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, spoke to faculty, staff, students, and members of the community in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on UCA campus on February 23, 2012.  The speech was part of UCA’s Log Cabin Democrat Lecture Series.  Several faculty members and students from the Department of Political Science, including Dr. Tom McInnis, met with Rev. Jackson during his visit to UCA.

James Carville, a well-known political consultant for several Democratic Party candidates including Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton in 1992, spoke to faculty, staff, students, and members of the community at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on the campus of UCA on Monday, November 21, 2011.  The speech was part of UCA’s  Log Cabin Democrat Lecture Series.  Several faculty members, including Dr. Gary Wekkin, and students from the Department of Political Science met with James Carville during his visit to UCA.

Several faculty and undergraduate students from the UCA Department of Political Science published or presented research during the 2012-2013 academic year.  Dr. Joseph Howard‘s co-authored manuscript (with Dr. Keith Nitta), “Helping Students Become Civically Engaged through Service Learning,” was published in the Midsouth Political Science Review (MPSR).  Dr. Mary Beth Sullivan‘s manuscript, “The Polybian Moment: The Transformation of Republican Thought from Ptolemy of Lucca to Machiavelli,” was published in the international journal The European Legacy.  Dr. Joseph Howard and Dr. Kim Hoffman presented “Raising the Funds: The Use of Voluntary Taxes by Local Governments” at the annual meeting of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA).  Dr. Mark Mullenbach and Willis Arnold, International Studies student, presented “Elections, Election Monitoring, and Political Stability in Developing Countries, 1990-2010″ at the annual meeting of the Arkansas Political Science Association (ArkPSA), Arkadelphia, Arkansas on March 1-2, 2013.  Blake Brizzolara, Political Science student, presented “Voter Identification Laws and Voter Turnout in the 2010 Mid-term Election” at the annual meeting of the Arkansas Political Science Association (ArkPSA), Arkadelphia, Arkansas on March 1-2, 2013.  Dr. Gary Wekkin presented “Gender Trap: Elite Frames of Power and the Foreign Policy Presidency,” at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) in Chicago, Illinois.