Pi Sigma Alpha News

The Department of Political Science held its annual induction ceremony for the Alpha Beta Theta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, on Thursday, April 20, 2023.  Dr. Clay Arnold, Chair of the Department of Political Science, announced the 2022-2023 inductees, including Makenna Goss, Allison Hellard, Donavon Millington, Phoenix Vu, Noah Walker, and Richard Ware.  Jaycie Sturdivant served as president of the chapter in 2022-2023, along with Madeline Kittler (Vice President), Madalyn Dowell (Secretary), and Aaron Conrad (Treasurer).  Speakers during the induction ceremony included Dr. Kim Hoffman, Director of the Public Administration Program, Dr. Gizachew Tiruneh, Director of the International Studies Program, and Dr. Mary Beth Sullivan, Associate Professor of Political Science.  The department also honored the 2022-2023 Outstanding Students: Political Science – Madalyn Dowell, Emma Davis, and Nicole Vincent; Public Administration – Aaron Conrad and Madeline Kittler; and International Studies – Allison Hellard and Coumba Soumare.  Dr. Heather Yates served as Faculty Advisor for UCA’s Pi Sigma Alpha chapter in 2022-2023.

The Department of Political Science held its annual induction ceremony for the Alpha Beta Theta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, on April 14, 2022.  Dr. Heather Yates, Faculty Advisor for UCA’s Pi Sigma Alpha chapter, announced the 2021-2022 inductees, including Madalyn Dowell, Sarah Fulmer, Madeline Kittler, Vivian Norris, and Jaycie Sturdivant.  Peyton Reeves served as president of the chapter in 2021-2022, along with Aaron Conrad (Vice President), Taylor Farmer (Secretary), and Michael Langley (Treasurer).  Speakers during the induction ceremony included Dr. Tom Williams, Dean of the College of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Dr. Kim Hoffman, Director of the Public Administration Program, and Dr. Gizachew Tiruneh, Director of the International Studies Program.  The Department of Political Science recognized the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus and Keynote Speaker, Amy Whitehead,  Chief of Staff in the Office of the UCA President.  The department also honored the 2021-2022 Outstanding Students: International Studies – Kenny Vo and Vanessa Rogers-Wright; Public Administration – Montana Cramer, Aurora King, and Logan Smedley; and Political Science – Taylor Farmer and Sarah Fulmer.

The Department of Political Science held a virtual induction ceremony for the Alpha Beta Theta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, on April 8, 2021.  Dr. Clay Arnold, Chair of the UCA Department of Political Science, announced the 2019-2020 inductees, including Andrey Archer, Caitlin Campbell, Gwendolyn Daniels, Dylan Garrison, Margaret (Greta) Hacker, Emily Kaucher, Colton King, Matthew Law, Abby Mattingly, Lauren McHenry, Bailey Morgan, Mylon Boston, Kennedy Neely, Jackson Rouse, Zoe Tollette, Louisa Utley, Amy Vedder, and Booker (Trey) White.  Dr. Arnold also announced the 2020-2021 inductees, including Aaron Conrad, Emma Davis, Taylor Farmer, Michael Frost, Javier Hernandez, Michael Langley, Ron Latina, Cara Looney, Tanner Standridge, Vanessa Rogers-Wright, and Logan Smedley.  Dr. Heather Yates served as faculty advisor for the chapter, and Lauren McHenry served as president of the chapter in 2020-2021.  Speakers included Mr. Sean Twonbly, Executive Director of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Chapter; UCA President Houston Davis; and Dr. Tom Williams, Dean of the College of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

The Department of Political Science recognized the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus and Keynote Speaker, Mr. Curtis Barnett, Chief Executive Officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.  Mr. Barnett graduated from UCA with a degree in political science in 1986.  The department also honored the 2020-2021 Outstanding Students: International Studies – Abby Mattingly, Oluwatunmise Sodiya, and Vito Whitmore; Public Administration – Margaret (Greta) Hacker, Amy Vedder, and Booker (Trey) White; and Political Science – Lauren McHenry.

Curtis Barnett

The Alpha Delta Theta chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha was honored with one of the national organization’s Best Chapter Awards for 2019-2020.   The national organization noted that “these awards are intended to recognize local chapters that are particularly active in their departments and universities and exhibit high levels of energy and creativity in furthering the goals of the honor society.”  The Alpha Delta Theta chapter and its members have been dedicated to sustaining robust chapter programming such as its perennial spring lecture series titled “Pizza & Politics,” as well as co-partnering with campus organizations like Vote Everywhere to support voter registration drives and voter awareness campaigns.  The Best Chapter Award is accompanied by a cash prize so that our chapter can continue its work and commitment to bringing informative programs to the UCA community and promoting civic engagement.  The faculty advisor for the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, is Dr. Heather Yates of the Department of Political Science.

The Alpha Delta Theta chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, hosted the “Pizza & Politics” series at UCA during Spring Semester 2020.  Pi Sigma Alpha was founded in 1920 and includes more than 500 chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.  Professor Anthony McMullen, J.D., Associate Professor of Business Law at UCA, was the featured speaker for the first program in the “Pizza & Politics” series on Tuesday, February 18th.  Celebrating Black History Month, the topic of Professor McMullen’s speech was “The Diversity in the Room: Nuances of the American Black Experience.” The speaker series is supported by the national organization.  All interested UCA faculty, staff, and students were invited to attend.  Dr. Heather Yates, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, serves as the faculty advisor for the UCA chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha.

The 2019 Induction Ceremony for the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honors Society,  was held in the Fireplace Room in McCastlain Hall on Monday, April 15, 2019.  Dr. Heather Yates, Assistant Professor in the UCA Department of Political Science, served as Faculty Adviser for the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, and Itzel Velazquez served as President of the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha in 2018-2019.  Dr. Peter Mehl, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UCA, welcomed the students and guests to the induction ceremony.  Dr. Clay Arnold, Chairperson of the UCA Department of Political Science, presided over the induction ceremony.

Five political science students were formally inducted during the ceremony, including Jamie Matilda-Ann Benson, Jacob N. Holland, Logan C. Koprovic, Lauren C. McCauley, and Keely Rose Spugnardi.  The Chairman of the UCA Department of Political Science, Dr. Clay Arnold, also presented the James D. Gingrich with the UCA Department of Political Science’s 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award.  Mr. Gingrich, class of 1977, is the Founder and Director of the State Courts Partnership at the Bowen School of Law in Little Rock.

The UCA Department of Political Science’s Alpha Delta Theta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA), the national political science honor society, hosted the “Pizza & Politics” series during Spring Semester 2019.  PSA was founded in 1920 and includes more than 500 chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.  Dr. Tom Williams, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), was the featured speaker for the first program in the “Pizza & Politics” series on Thursday, February 21st.  Dr. Taine Duncan, Associate Professor of Philosophy, was the speaker for the second program on Thursday, March 14th, and Dr. Phillip Fletcher, Executive Director of the City of Hope Outreach, was the speaker for the third program on Thursday, April 4th.  All interested UCA faculty, staff, and students were invited to attend.  Political Science student Itzel Velazquez served as the President of UCA’s chapter of PSA in 2018-2019.  Dr. Heather Yates in the Department of Political Science served as the faculty advisor of the chapter.

The 2018 Induction Ceremony for the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honors Society,  was held in the Fireplace Room in McCastlain Hall on Wednesday, April 25, 2018.  Dr. Heather Yates, Assistant Professor in the UCA Department of Political Science, served as Faculty Adviser for the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, and Danaej Brooks served as President of the UCA Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha in 2017-2018.  Dr. Peter Mehl, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UCA, welcomed the students and guests to the induction ceremony.  Dr. Clay Arnold, Chairperson of the UCA Department of Political Science, presided over the induction ceremony.

Twenty-one political science students were formally inducted during the ceremony, including Aaron Anderson, Carolyn Casey, Joshua Eddinger-Lucero, Gregory Eichelberger, Emily Evans, Jesi Feld, Caleb Gibby, Corban Gotcher, Evan Hamling, Bethany Hays, Kylee Horst, Chad Jones, Stephen Kelley, Cagney Kilgroe, Hawa Nouhou Abarchi, Austin Powell, Raegan Sharp, Keely Smith, Alexandra Taylor, Jacob Thomas, and Itzel Velazquez.  The Chairman of the UCA Department of Political Science, Dr. Clay Arnold, also presented the Robin Gifford with the UCA Department of Political Science’s 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award.  Mrs. Gifford has served in a variety of governmental administrative positions in Arkansas since graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in 2005.  She is currently serving as a Program Administrator for the Arkansas State Police.