Political Science Newsletter - April 2021

THIS MONTH'S HEADLINES:

  1. GRADUATING SENIORS
  2. FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARD WINNERS
  3. PENN STATE BEHREND SUMMER PLSC COURSES
  4. NEW POLITICAL SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
  5. STUDENT GROUP NEWS
  6. FACULTY IN THE NEWS
  7. FACEBOOK PAGE
  8. FINAL NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR

1. GRADUATING SENIORS

If they complete all degree requirements, eleven Penn State Behrend political science majors are scheduled to graduate next month:

  • Michael Dobransky is planning either on law school or a position with the state
  • Raul Garcia
  • Ronan Holland
  • Alexa Hueston is planning on law school in the future
  • Camille Jaap
  • Marissa Litzenberg plans to continue to work in community service
  • Zachary McCammon is planning on a military career and possibly law school in the future
  • Carlos Mora Rangel is planning on graduate school and a career in international relations
  • Cole Palmer plans to attend University of Pittsburgh to obtain secondary education social studies teacher certification
  • Bailey Rollage
  • Grant Travis is planning to attend law school

In addition, if they complete all degree requirements, two Behrend students will graduate with political science minors next month – Jessica Ames and Jaret Kelly.

Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors, and best wishes with your plans for the future!

2. FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARD WINNERS

  • Dr. Molly Monahan Lang, Assistant Teaching Professor of Sociology, has won this year's School of Humanities and Social Sciences Award for Excellence in Advising.
  • Marissa Liztenberg has won this year's Outstanding Political Science Major Award.
  • Raul Garcia has won this year's Zachary T. Irwin Humanitarian Award. The Zachary T. Irwin Humanitarian Award is named for a retired political science professor who spent countless hours and effort during his career and in his retirement to make the campus and community better places.
  • Andrea Monserrate Arce, Lily Rasmussen, and Grant Travis will be inducted into the Penn State Behrend chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society on April 30.

Congratulations to all the award winners!

3. PENN STATE BEHREND SUMMER PLSC COURSES

PL SC 014 - International Relations - will be offered during Summer Session II in July and August. This course is required of all political science majors and is general education GS IL for others.

What causes war and what makes it stop? When is international aid or military intervention effective? Why are some states wealthy and others plagued by poverty and underdevelopment? How does international trade affect developing countries? What can and should states do to protect human rights around the world? This course provides students with the background and conceptual tools to answer these and similar questions. It teaches students to think systematically about the complex relationships that constitute world politics and to critically engage prevailing academic and policy arguments about global affairs. Students are introduced to the international political system as the arena in which states develop foreign policies of cooperation and competition to pursue power, enhance security and develop economically. They explore how various non-state actors (NGOs, social movements, corporations) and international governmental organizations (UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO) influence interactions among states and between states and their citizens in matters such as interstate and civil wars, terrorism, ethnic conflict, human rights, inequality, global trade, resource scarcity, and climate change.

PLSC 499 – Foreign Study, The EU: Tale of Two Countries : Four Weeks May 10 – June 7

Learn about the European Union, the U.K. (Brexit), and Ukraine (Revolution and all!) in four weeks from the comfort of your home (May 10–June 7, 2021). See the class trailer.

What is the future of the U.K. after Brexit? Will Scotland declare independence? Will Northern Ireland reunite with Republic of Ireland? Is Russia ready for open war with Ukraine? How will Europe react? Find out this summer!

Dr. Harben (International Business) and Dr. Surzhko-Harned (Political Science) have put together a dynamic experience featuring conversations with members of government, members of the business community, journalists, and leading academics in two countries, which have very different and remarkably complex relations with the European Union.

To learn more about this experience, email Dr. Surzhko-Harned ([email protected]). Scholarships may be available.

4. NEW POLITICAL SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

We are pleased to announce that two Erie community leaders, both Penn State Behrend political science alumni, have agreed to serve on the Penn State Behrend Political Science Advisory Board starting next semester:

  • Ashley Solo earned her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Penn State Behrend and her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law. Since completing law school, she has worked as a Litigation Associate at MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton, LLP. She focuses her practice primarily on insurance defense and general litigation matters. During law school, she received a fellowship through the American Bar Association's Janet D. Steiger Fellowship program, where she clerked in the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General in the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
  • Marcus Yuille is an emerging leader who holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Penn State University. He has also obtained a Master of Business Administration degree with concentration in Human Resources from the University of Phoenix. He is currently the Director of Outreach Services for the Erie County Public Library. In this role, Marcus develops partnerships with local schools and community organizations to increase literacy through services offered by the local library. Through his work, Marcus seeks to provide equal access to resources for individuals facing challenges. In all that Marcus seeks to do, his ultimate goal is to spread inspiration, believing that no one’s life is beyond repair.

The Penn State Behrend Political Science Advisory Board mentors current political science students as they explore career and internship options and offers guidance to faculty and students in planning campus events and curricular changes.

View information about continuing Board members.

5. STUDENT GROUP NEWS

The student political clubs have elected new officers for next year. These include:

Model United Nations

  • President: Lily Rasmussen
  • VP: Connor Shields
  • Other offices currently open

College Democrats

  • President: Mallory Flesik
  • VP: Claire Perritano
  • Secretary: Briona Bargerstock
  • Treasurer: Ketera Hinman

College Republicans

  • President: Garrett Watson
  • VP: Luke Warner
  • Public Relations: Mackenzie MacKay
  • Other offices currently open

The Behrend Political Society is currently looking for officers next year. If you might be interested please contact Dr. Robert Speel at [email protected] or Mallory Flesik at [email protected].

6. FACULTY IN THE NEWS

  • Dr. Kilic Kanat, Associate Professor of Political Science, moderated an online book discussion for the SETA Foundation earlier this month with Michael Pembroke, a historian and former Australian judge, and author of America in Retreat.
  • Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned, Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science, presented her research "Gen Z'e': Democracy, Liberalism, and Generational Change in Ukraine," at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association earlier this month. She also served as discussant on the panel “Networks in Autocracies” at MPSA. In addition, she participated in a panel discussion “School of Humanities and Social Sciences Global Awareness and Engagement Spotlight” on April 5, 2021. And on April 21, 2021, she organized and co-moderated the Behrend Public Policy Fund panel “Structural Racism: What it is and What it isn’t” featuring Erie community leaders and specialists. The panelists included Dr. Molly Monahan Lang, Assistant Teaching Professor of Sociology.

7. FACEBOOK PAGE

All students and alumni are invited to like the Penn State Behrend political science Facebook page and get updated news and find out about events.

8. FINAL NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR

This will be the final newsletter of the 2020–2021 academic year. Good luck with final papers and final exams.