News From The
National Office
PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SPRING 2010
Chapter members and advisors are reminded that the deadline for completed applications for Pi Sigma Alpha’s Washington Internship Scholarships is May 1, 2010; you can click here for more information about the opportunities provided through the Society for participation in the Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars, the Washington Internship Institute, the Fund for American Studies and other programs. May 1 is also the deadline for applications for the Howard Penniman Scholarship for Graduate Study available to Pi Sigma Alpha members who are planning on seeking advanced degree study in Political Science.
Each year, Pi Sigma Alpha bestows awards for Best Undergraduate Class Papers and Best Undergraduate Honors Theses, for which each chapter advisor may nominate one per year in each category. Only Pi Sigma Alpha members are eligible to participate. Nominations are due on June 15; winners are announced by July 15. The cash awards are $250 for each first-place winner and $100 each for runners-up. Click here for more information. Chapter advisors should also remember that each chapter may select one outstanding student member every year for a free one-year membership in the American Political Science Association, our discipline’s preeminent professional organization serving over 15,000 members in eighty countries around the world. Click here for details on how your chapter can bestow this key benefit of Pi Sigma Alpha membership!
REMEMBER THE NEW INITIATION FEES &
FORMS!
The following is a reprint of a Pi Sigma Alpha Faculty Advisor LISTSERV message sent by Administrator Nancy McManus to all subscribing faculty on March 11, 2010. If you’re not currently a member of the LISTSERV, contact the National Office about joining it! It’s a great way to keep up with all the deadlines, programs and other important information coming out of the National Office.
Dear Pi Sigma Alpha Chapter Advisor,
As you get ready to send us your spring 2010 initiates, please check to be sure
you're using the CURRENT Membership Request Form and that you have included
the CURRENT initiation fees of $35 per student. For the proper
form, see the FORMS section of the website:
www.pisigmaalpha.org. We'll send back any forms that
come to us with the old $30 fee, which will delay your receipt of the
memberships.
Thanks for your help in keeping things running smoothly here and in your own
chapters.
PI SIGMA ALPHA PRESENTS WORKSHOP AT APSA
TEACHING AND LEARNING CONFERENCE
A report from Professor Robin Kolodny,
President-Elect, Pi Sigma Alpha, The National Political Science Honor Society
On February, 6th and 7th, Pi Sigma
Alpha hosted a workshop in the Undergraduate
Professional Development track. The
program, called “Pi Sigma Alpha — The
Honor Society’s Role in Student Education and Professional Development,”
featured presentations by Professor Rosalee Clawson
of Purdue University, Professor James I. Lengle,
Georgetown University, and Professor Robert M. Alexander of Ohio
Northern University. The presentations
explained how the Association’s honor society can integrate its programs with
student learning in political science. The panel discussed the programs offered
by Pi Sigma Alpha, usage rates for these programs, and pedagogical
outcomes. The presentations by
Professors Clawson and Alexander, based on their articles in the July 2009
issue of PS: Political Science &
Politics, were particularly instructive in how to use the hosting of a
journal (the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Political Science) to
enhance understanding of the breadth and depth of political science questions
and how to use chapter activity grants to design and execute a collaborative
research project between faculty and undergraduate students. Faculty from departments with less active
chapters, departments in the process of applying for Pi Sigma Alpha chapters,
and departments with no current chapter or application were in attendance.
In addition, Pi Sigma Alpha
sponsored the conference’s Keynote Address, titled “Teaching as
Redemption" by Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished
Professor in Political Science at the
CALL FOR PAPERS (note: February 1 original deadline has
passed, but please note “rolling submission” criteria for papers listed below)
The editorial staff of the Pi Sigma Alpha
Undergraduate Journal of Politics at Zeta Upsilon Chapter,
The Journal's goal is to publish manuscripts of the highest quality in all areas of political science. In general, papers selected for publication have been well written with a well-developed thesis, compelling argument and original analysis. Submissions must be in the form of a Microsoft Word document, and should be emailed to psajournal@union.edu. Authors should note that the Journal now has a page limit for submitted manuscripts; the maximum length is 35 pages. Further details regarding submission requirements and procedure are available at http://www.union.edu/academic_depts/political_science/journalpage.php .
FACEBOOKING WITH PI SIGMA ALPHA
Pi Sigma Alpha has a Facebook page! It’s at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pi-Sigma-Alpha-the-National-Political-Science-Honor-Society/161609555475?v=wall&mid=20b3699G325ad7f2G0G66#!/group.php?gid=2204672170&ref=ts If your students haven't already found it, please encourage them to stop by. Many of our chapters have also put up their own Facebook pages and if your chapter has one, please make sure its name includes the name of the chapter so as to avoid confusion.