Undergraduate Student Research
Epsilon Xi Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society
Members of our chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha also traveled to a national conference to present research this year! Three students – Ellyn Blakeman, Miso Choi, and Josephine Joanis – spent three days in Washington, D.C. at the Pi Sigma Alpha National Conference to present their own papers and listen to panelists and other presentations to learn more about the practice of political science.
Student Undergraduate Research Fellows
Philosophy major Inaara McCray (also in the Honors College) continues to shine in her work with Professor Sara Benesh on her research on Supreme Court Justices Appearances. This year, Inaara presented that research not only at the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium (where she earned all 10s from her judge!), but also at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh. Inaara had a great time presenting her research and found that many people at the conference were very interested in the findings and looked forward to more results from this major data collection effort. Inaara will work with Professor Benesh and her coauthors for one more year and then plans to graduate early and head to law school.
Undergraduate Program Spotlight
International Politics and Foreign Policy Summer Seminar 2025
Students from UWM, led by Professor Shale Horowitz and Graduate Assistant Nasrin Chaleshtari, had an amazing experiential learning experience this summer, visiting New York City and Washington D.C. to engage with the Permanent Missions of Eritrea, Azerbaijan, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Iran, and Mali; the Consulates of Serbia, Georgia, Argentina, Greece; international organizations including the World Bank, Carnegie, and CSIS; and the Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese, and Polish Embassies.
This incredible experience deepened students’ understanding of international security, economic development, and global diplomacy. Kudos to UWM’s Center for International Education for its coordination, UWM’s College of Letters and Science for its support, and Professor Horowitz for his vision and dedication.
Want to support this fantastic program or start a scholarship so more of our students can afford to experience it? Contact Department Chair Hong Min Park, or send a donation dedicated to the program! Thank you!
Undergraduate Honors
Shout out to our Phi Beta Kappa honorees and this year’s Scholarship Awardees. We are so proud of the excellence our students display.
Phi Beta Kappa inductees include Thomas Cavanaugh, Spence Crouch, Giselle Guerrero, Lena Harms, Lauren Meehan, Emerson Odeja, Ivonne Perez, Sara Simonova, and Emma Widmann.
Awardees of the Michael C. LeMay Political Science Scholarship ($1,000) include Jakobe Godbolt and Shpresa Arneti. Awardees of the Wilder Crane Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) include Emma Bulinski and Senjuti Yesmin.
Students in the News
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service detailed the efforts of Political Science major Mia Moore to encourage her peers to vote in the presidential election.
May Graduate Spotlight: Eve Buda, POL SCI Minor
You don’t (necessarily) have to be a POL SCI major to score an amazing internship experience in politics – just ask Eve Buda, a brand-new UWM Journalism, Advertising, & Media Studies alum who spent fall 2024 as a Scheduling and Advance Intern at the White House.
Of course, she didn’t just start at the top. Eve first interned at the Milwaukee Mayor’s Office, a position she found via an email from our department. While working for the Mayor, she got to know a Marquette University intern who applied successfully to be a summer intern at the White House, and was inspired. So she applied, interviewed, and found out mid-July she’d be heading to the White House. Her favorite Political Science professor suggested she attempt to get credit for the experience, which she did, and off she went.
While in D.C., she made great opportunities happen, oftentimes just by asking, and was able to meet some impressive folks, including the guy in the middle of the accompanying photo. Beyond relevant and rewarding work experience, she also was able to explore DC – the museums, the Supreme Court, the National Zoo – and enjoyed a day trip to New York City. She was in DC for the presidential election with a front seat to a historic race. She lived within the security perimeter of the capitol, which wasn’t always convenient. Eva enjoyed the work – she has always loved persuasive writing and campaign work and plans to seek work in public relations taking on projects in politics and sports media – and the experience. We’re delighted we were able to play a small part.
Bachelor of Arts Graduates
| Yasin Bah | Kyle Gordon | Isabella Pond |
| Anthony Balboa | Giselle Guerrero | Jamie Regnier |
| Nevaeh Berry | Emma Hagen | Max Renfro |
| Darin Boyer | Fridarose Hamad | Samantha Satterfield |
| Casey Bryant | Helix Hanson | Niah Schauer |
| Emma Bulinski | Logan Horace | Angela Scherz |
| Brandon Butler | Rania Jaber | Matthew Schrader |
| Thomas Cavanaugh | Olivia Jensen | Rebecca Severson |
| Lautaro Cocher | Adam Jindra | Noah Siler |
| David Cox | Kymora Kimbrough | Sofia Smith |
| Naomi Cross | Reid Lancaster | Joey Socha |
| Spencer Crouch | Alexander Laufenberg | Brady Steinbrecher |
| Cecilia Cruzatte | Jonathan Lenz | Monica Tapia Gutierrez |
| Marcos De La Cruz | Lauren Lindberg | Emily Thompson |
| Giovanna Del Santo | Sydney Maas | Jordane Torres-Raby |
| Delaney DeLeske | Matthew Markuson | John Triller |
| Christopher Drazek-Loosier | Rachel Martin | Lindsey Vang |
| Benjamin Dysland | Jenny Martinez | Parker Vanlerberghe |
| Miche Ellington | Harrison Mattern | Alberto Vilchis |
| Alexander Emmert | Gregory Mayeshiba | Aaron Weiland |
| Muhammad Faizal Fakaruddin | Lauren Meehan | Riley Wenzlaff |
| Vince Ferreira | Mario Mendez | Emma Widmann |
| Ayden Galligan | Hyrum Morris | Jack Williams |
| Gema Garcia-Paez | Alexandra Pascarella | Thomas Zak |
| Nathaniel George | Colton Pemble | Gracie Zhong |
POL SCI Minor Graduates
| Eve Buda | Erin Hietpas | Hughes Nolan |
| Prestin Burdett | ZaVeon Johns | Maria Peralta-Arellano |
| August Catalano | Jackson Liermann | Nicole Prange |
| Maelyn De Jong | Alexandra Lynch | Autumn Schauer |
| Anthony Favreau | Heather Maggio | Wyatt Schlager |
| Luke Freeman | Brandon Markham | Ethan Solberg |
| Dane Frieburg | Jacob Miller | Callie Ylvisaker |
| Rachel Henderson |