Penn State Behrend has five active political student groups on campus: the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, the Behrend Political Society, College Democrats, College Republicans, and Model United Nations.
Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society
The Political Science program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, established a chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society in 2011. Pi Sigma Alpha is the only honor society for college students of political science and government in the United States.
Political Science Society
The Political Science Society, formerly known as the Behrend Political Society, hosts campus political debates and forums on current issues. The group also invites local alumni to campus to discuss career opportunities for political science majors. For example, the Political Science Society has organized and hosted a Harborcreek candidate forum on campus, led student voter registration drives, and hosted forums with Pennsylvania judges and Pennsylvania state senators.
College Democrats and College Republicans
College Democrats and College Republicans both work on student voter registration efforts, volunteer for the local campaigns for presidential, congressional, and state legislative candidates; bring candidates and political leaders to campus to speak to students; and generally work at increasing the level of student political activism at Penn State Behrend.
Model United Nations
Penn State Behrend Model United Nations is a club for everyone. Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation and academic competition in which students learn about diplomacy, international relations, and international organization such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and more!
For information about these groups or to get on their mailing lists, contact Dr. Robert Speel at [email protected].
Photo Galleries
Political Science Society
New members join old members at the April 2024 initiation into the Penn State Behrend chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha national political science honor society.
In November 2017, Steve Scully, Senior Executive Producer and Political Editor at C-SPAN, spoke on the Penn State Behrend campus. Scully, an Erie native has been nicknamed "The Most Patient Man on Television" on several segments on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The event was sponsored by the Behrend Political Society.
In September 2017, the Behrend Political Society and College Republicans presented An Evening With Three State Senators with Pennsylvania Senators Guy Reschenthaler of Pittsburgh, David Argall of Pottsville, and Dan Laughlin of Erie. Senator Reschenthaler is a Penn State Behrend political science alumnus.
The Behrend Political Society, College Republicans, and College Democrats co-sponsored two days of a Congress to Campus event in September 2012 with former Congressmen Steve Kuykendall (R-CA) and Richard Stallings (D-ID). Pictured here are the two former congressmen with a group of Penn State Behrend students in the Metzgar Center.
College Democrats
Penn State Behrend College Democrats met with U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania at the opening of Biden-Harris campaign headquarters in downtown Erie in March 2024.
College Democrats host Congressional candidate Ron DiNicola at the Reed Building, October 2018.
Former President Bill Clinton with College Democrats Vice President Ashley Solo, in April 2016, at Erie Hall.
College Democrats host Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman on campus in March 2016. (He was mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, and a U.S. Senate candidate at the time.)
Former President Barack Obama with College Democrats President Paul Witt, in April 2008, at Junker Center.
College Republicans
College Republican Avery Skiviat with Congressman-elect Guy Reschenthaler at his campaign victory party, November 2018.
College Republicans with Congressman Mike Kelly at McGarvey Commons, October 2018.
Mike Pence with former College Republicans President Justin Gallagher at Junker Center, November 2016.
Model UN
Model UN team visits French Embassy in Washington for a foreign policy briefing to prepare for Model NATO conference in February 2019. The team won a Superior School Delegation award at the conference.
Penn State Behrend Model UN Team won the third overall team award, two superior awards, and two excellent delegate awards at XXV Lake Erie International Model UN Conference, November 2018.
Inaugural High School Model United Nations Conference at Penn State Behrend in April 2018. The conference was run by Behrend Model UN students and Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned.
The Penn State Behrend Model United Nations chapter represented Bangladesh at an international conference at Harvard University in February 2018.
Model UN members in front of the United Nations, New York City, April 2017.
Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha Induction April 2022 with (l-r) alumna Ashley Solo and new members Mason Milliard and Mallory Flesik.
Aubrey Baranowski was initiated into the Penn State Behrend chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society in April 2018. Left to Right: Pi Sigma Alpha President Chris Grow, Pi Sigma Alpha Secretary Echo Seiersen, Pi Sigma Alpha members Aubrey Baranowski and Zane Dilts, Associate Professor Emeritus Zachary Irwin.
Penn State Behrend Pi Sigma Alpha induction ceremony in December 2017. Pictured are Penn State Erie Pi Sigma Alpha members (l-r) Jack Dill, Andrew Tuznik, Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned, Echo Seiersen, Dr. Robert Speel, and Christopher Grow.
Penn State Behrend Chancellor Donald Birx attends the April 2015 Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society induction for Behrend's Alpha Eta Theta chapter. Pictured (l-r) are Taylor Pokrant, Matt Lesnett, Breanna Black, Nittany Lion, Mauricio Cortes, Chancellor Birx, Vedad Tabich, Ashley Solo.