�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser provided analysis for a recent ABC 11 report examining the growing amount of money flowing into midterm races this season.

Husser noted that with the recent death of North Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham, it puts South Carolina Republicans in a new spot.

“The Republicans now are going to need to run a non-incumbent in South Carolina means they may have to spend a couple million dollars that they would not have otherwise spent there,” said Husser.

But he also noted that spending and competitiveness in other Senate races could have an impact on the Senate race in North Carolina between former Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican nominee Michael Whatley.

“The money’s not totally going away, but right now, I don’t know that we’re seeing the same level of sort of demand to spend the dollars in North Carolina over Georgia or Maine or Alaska or Texas and some other places,” said Husser.

�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser provided analysis for a recent examining how two U.S. Supreme Court decisions could affect North Carolina elections and high school athletics. The story explored the potential implications of rulings involving mail-in ballots and transgender athletes, highlighting how federal court decisions often shape state policy debates.

Husser, director of the Elon Poll, discussed the election-related ruling and what it means for North Carolina voters and election officials.

“It doesn’t really impact North Carolina right now,” Husser said. “North Carolina has already limited the grace period (for mail-in ballots). There’s still a grace period in North Carolina for overseas and military voters, but the state also has rules to get those in as close to the election as possible.”

He explained that while the Supreme Court’s decision may not immediately change voting procedures in the state, it reaffirms that North Carolina has the power to set its own election rules.

The report also examined the Court’s decision allowing states to restrict participation by transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

“The Supreme Court essentially protected North Carolina’s law that distinguishes and sets regulations about transgender athletes,” he said. “This means we’re not going to see immediate change to what’s in place in North Carolina. There was a possibility the court was going to rule in favor, that would have forced North Carolina and other states to change.”

�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser provided analysis for a recent examining North Carolina lawmakers’ long-awaited agreement on a new state budget. The story breaks down the more than $34 billion spending plan and what it means for residents across the state, including funding for education, state employee raises and other government priorities.

“This state budget deal that looks like it’s going to happen soon is among the most important things we’ve had happen politically in North Carolina,” said Husser.

He noted that while budget agreements often require concessions from both parties, they also provide insight into the priorities and governing strategies of state leaders.

The report outlines how the budget includes investments in public education, salary increases for teachers, state employees and law enforcement officers, and funding for a range of state services.

“We also see legislators facing a lot of pressure right now about the midterm elections and not wanting to go into midterm elections being saddled with saying, ‘You can’t even pass a budget. Why should I reelect you?'” he said.

�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser provided analysis for a recent examining President Donald Trump’s decision to delay signing a bipartisan housing bill while urging Congress to first pass the SAVE America Act, a voting legislation proposal. The story explored how tying two unrelated issues together could affect the political landscape in Washington.

Husser explained that the move reflects a broader political strategy of using a widely supported piece of legislation as leverage to advance another policy priority. He told WFMY in Greensboro that linking the housing bill to voting legislation shifts attention away from housing policy and toward the political debate surrounding election laws.

Trump postponed the housing bill signing, arguing that passage of the voting measure should come first. Husser provided context on how presidents can use high-profile legislative moments to influence congressional negotiations and shape public attention.

“What is essentially happening is that a piece of legislation that had overwhelming support among Congress on both sides passed in part with the White House blessing,” Husser said. “The president is pulling his support temporarily, trying to get another piece of legislation that’s unrelated to it through and getting that through some hurdles and blocks. It’s a type of gamesmanship going on.”

On Friday, June 12, students enrolled in the Study USA Washington, D.C. “Capital Connections” program had the opportunity to visit the United States Capitol, where they learned more about Congress and the architectural history of the Capitol Building on a special tour organized by Jacob Stoken ’22, policy aid to House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. After the tour, Stoken sat down with students in the leader’s office in the Capitol for an extended Q&A session, where he shared insights about getting started as a Congressional staffer and provided an inside perspective on how Congress operates day-to-day. After the Q&A, students traveled with Stoken to the Rayburn House Office Building for additional conversation.

Joel Shelton, faculty director for Study USA, Washington, D.C. and associate professor of political science and public policy, and Tom Kerr, assistant �þ��� professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, joined students at the Capitol.

“I am exceedingly grateful to alumni like Jacob for supporting the ‘Capital Connections’ program in its first year,” Shelton said. “I’ve known Jacob since he was a student in my Philosophy, Politics, and Economics capstone course, and it is especially meaningful to see him thriving in Washington and to experience how generously he is mentoring the next generation of Elon students.”

The visit to the Capitol is part of the innovative curriculum for “Capital Connections:

Power, People, and Place in Washington, D.C.,” is a place-based capstone seminar in the Elon Core Curriculum that integrates classroom learning and direct engagement with D.C.’s institutions, cultural sites, and neighborhoods. Now in the fourth week of the nine-week program, students are busy interning in public and private sector institutions across the D.C. metro area, engaging with alumni, and attending special events and programming around Juneteenth and the upcoming 250th Independence Day celebration. This weekend, students will attend the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s widely acclaimed production of Othello and will join a special tour of Klein Theatre led by Company Manager Morgan Engle ’22.

�þ��� interested in this experience for summer 2027 may begin applying on Sept. 1. For more information about the program, contact Anna Smith, director of Study USA.

Thirteen students are taking part in the inaugural Elon faculty-led program. Alumni networking is an important component of this cohort experience. In addition to meeting alumni, students take a core seminar course called Capital Connections: Power, People, and Place in Washington, D.C. taught by Joel Shelton, associate professor of political science and public policy.

�þ��� also live in an apartment complex in the vibrant NoMa neighborhood, complete an internship, and participate in enrichment activities to get to know the city better. �þ��� will tour the US Capitol, learn the history of the city through walking tours, attend a Nationals game, see a play at the Shakespeare Theatre Company and more.

“It is always special to connect with former students and to see them thriving in the lives they lead after graduation, but it’s especially meaningful that our alumni take the time to connect with and to mentor current students,” Shelton said. “This is especially important in Washington, D.C., where relationships make all the difference in an increasingly competitive internship and employment environment. I’m very grateful to our alumni for the enthusiasm with which they have supported the launch of Elon’s “Capital Connections” program in the district.

D.C. Alumni Chapter President Gabby Vance ’18, organized the event with fellow chapter members.

“The Pizza Party remains one of my favorite events organized by the D.C. chapter because it brings together two important parts of the Elon community,” Vance said. “Alumni have the opportunity to share their experiences and insights about life after graduation, while students gain a first-hand look at what it’s like to live and work in Washington, D.C., while building valuable professional connections. It’s always rewarding to see these relationships take shape, and I look forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come.”

Molly Bauer ’19, a former Communications Fellow, spent the fall of her junior year studying in D.C.

“It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Bauer, who moved to D.C. when she graduated and says she has experienced how strong the alumni network is in the city, and has enjoyed maintaining relationships with her peers.

“Now that Elon has its own program in D.C., I’m excited to stay even more connected to Elon by fostering connections with current students, faculty and staff as well,” Bauer said. “The Study USA program in D.C. will make our already-strong Elon network in D.C. even stronger. At the event, it was great getting to chat with current students, something I haven’t done since I graduated, and it was awesome reconnecting with faculty and staff after several years!”

Are you an alumnus living in D.C.? Join us for the next student/alumni networking night on

Applications for the Study USA D.C. summer 2027 program open Sept. 1. Contact the director of Study USA, Anna Smith asmith273@elon.edu, if you’d like to learn more.

Sixty-eight percent of American adults say they are proud to be American, and 79% agree the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.

The survey of 1,000 adults in the United States, conducted April 30-May 4, 2026, explores how Americans view the nation’s past, present and future as the country prepares to commemorate its semiquincentennial.

“As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans have complex and diverse feelings about America 250,” said Jason Husser, director of the �þ��� Poll and a professor of political science and public policy. “We found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history. At the same time, many Americans expressed significant concern about the health of American democracy today, and the country is split on its outlook over the next 50 years.”

More than half of Americans (52%) say the United States is unsuccessfully living up to its founding ideals, while only 30% say the nation is successfully living up to them. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) rate the overall health of U.S. democracy as only “fair” or “poor.”

The survey also found widespread concern about political instability and civic division:

• 68% believe elected officials today are worse than leaders of the past
• 80% say they at least sometimes feel no political party or movement represents their views
• 70% say the country is more turbulent than average compared with other periods in U.S. history
• 64% say they have little or no confidence that U.S. political institutions will make mostly good decisions over the next 50 years
• 68% predict America will become more politically divided by 2076

Americans are also pessimistic about the country’s long-term future in several key areas. Majorities predict that by 2076 the nation will have less freedom, less economic equality, a lower standard of living, and more pollution. More Americans also believe technology will create more harm than benefit over the next 50 years.

Despite those concerns, the poll found Americans still hold strong connections to the nation’s democratic ideals and history.

When asked which event best represented American democracy at its highest ideals, respondents most frequently selected the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. Abraham Lincoln was named both the historical figure who best exemplified democratic ideals and the greatest president in U.S. history.

The survey also revealed broad bipartisan resonance for many historic presidential messages when respondents were not told who made the statements. More than three-quarters agreed with quotations from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while large majorities also agreed with statements from John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Looking toward the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations, Americans expressed greater interest in reflection than pageantry. Nearly seven in 10 (68%) said America250 should focus more on reflecting on U.S. history and values than simply celebrating national achievements, and 71% said smaller local events would feel more authentic than large national celebrations.

The survey found Americans entering the anniversary with mixed emotions. The most common feeling was pride, cited by 38%, followed by gratitude at 17%. But 21% said they have no strong feelings, 12% described themselves as conflicted, while others reported disappointment or frustration.

The margin of error for the �þ��� Poll survey is +/- 3.95%.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at: www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the �þ��� Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between April 30 and March 4, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,077 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 1,000 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-3.95%.

About the �þ��� Poll

Established in 2000, the �þ��� Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens’ opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by �þ��� and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The �þ��� Poll is a charter member of in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll’s voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. �þ��� and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot ’26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The Elon Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at Elon. Reflecting on her early years, she says, “Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family’s translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.”

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at Elon, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is “the most honest intersection of everything [she’s] been working towards: language, identity, education, and community.”

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her Elon mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Muñoz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Bratić ’26

Anya Bratić, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an Elon College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Bratić, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and �þ���. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at Elon. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for �þ��� and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to “wicked” problems. Serving as an English �þ��� assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and �þ��� skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Bratić is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. “Simply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,” she says. Bratić’s constellation of Elon mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate �þ��� professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan ’26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At Elon, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, �þ��� and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her �þ��� skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students’ scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan’s most influential Elon mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. “Dr. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at Elon,” she said. “Through his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.”

Madison Powers ’25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At Elon, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her �þ��� years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year’s application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English �þ��� assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers’ current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her Elon mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate �þ��� professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas ’25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English �þ��� assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at Elon. She completed a two-year �þ��� research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her �þ��� skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at Elon. Vindas’ Elon mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the “wonderful” dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an Elon College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the �þ��� Alamance program.

Lovasco’s Elon mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and assistant professor of wellness.

“Part of the reason I picked Elon is that I had spent my whole life in Massachusetts,” Honan said. “I was really excited to go somewhere new, meet new people, build new bridges, and most importantly, I was excited to be a part of the Elon community.”

Working alongside his Elon College Fellow mentor, Laura Roselle, former professor of political science and policy studies, Honan completed his application for the Lumen Prize. His focus was to combine his passion for writing and knowledge of political science to explore how presidents use storytelling to shape policy outcomes.

“I remember sitting in her office, and we were talking through my project. I was there for an hour and a half, and at some point, I stopped and said to her, ‘This is really fun, I really like this.’” Honan said. “For me, that was the moment that it clicked that I wanted to work in politics. I really enjoy thinking, writing and reading about politics. It certainly was the moment that sparked my intellectual curiosity in politics as a career.”

Both a Lumen Scholar and an Elon College Fellow scholarship recipient, Honan built a successful start in his career at Elon. He studied abroad in London for Winter Term and did a semester at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He held leadership positions in Elon’s Model UN team and was also the president of the former politics forum club.

Most notably, he was an intern in the Office of the President for former President Leo Lambert. As an executive intern in the president’s office, he worked closely with Lambert and Jeff Stein, who, at the time, was chief of staff to the president.

“They had me working on communications. This was one of the first jobs I had where I was doing communications for a senior leader. In many ways, now, looking back, that was one of those moments where I was doing the career path that I wanted,” Honan said.

This experience led him to advance his career and intern for David Gergen, who was a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and a CNN Senior Political Analyst.

“Most importantly, David Gergen was from North Carolina and was a huge Elon fan. He was also the chair of the board for Elon Law. I had met him through a few different Elon and Massachusetts connections. I ended up interning for him for two summers, and when I graduated, he hired me full-time, where I worked for him for three years,” explained Honan.

Honan worked alongside Gergen full-time during the 2016 election cycle. His work included booking Gergen’s television hits, writing talking points, doing research and writing memos for Gergen.

“Working with him and being around him made me realize, not only did I like this work broadly as a career, but I wanted to be someone who was actually in these jobs that he had done,” Honan said. “I wanted to serve in government, I wanted to work on campaigns, and work for people that I cared about and believed in.”

Honan finished his two-year master’s in public policy program at Harvard Kennedy School, graduating in 2020, during the first two months of COVID-19.

“When I graduated, I told everyone I knew who was working on the campaign for then-Vice President Joe Biden, that I wanted to help and was willing to do anything and go anywhere,” he said.

This drive to work for what he believes in led him to work on the Democratic Convention in Wilmington, Delaware.

“I was on the team that worked to help run COVID-19 testing centers, which at the time was a completely new thing. It allowed me to help with the convention, meet incredible people, and help build the momentum towards Joe Biden’s ultimately successful election in November 2020,” he said.

Honan then moved to Washington and spent two years as the Communications Director for a nonprofit called ‘With Honor’, which works to advance veterans’ affairs issues in Congress.

It was around the time of the midterm elections in 2022 when he suddenly got a call to come into the White House and continue his work on COVID-19 operations. This was a perfect way for Honan to get his foot in the door and start working toward his dream position in the White House.

His hard work in COVID-19 operations eventually earned him a spot on the White House’s communications team, which Honan stated was “what I had always dreamed of and doing what I wanted to do when I attended Elon.”

During the last year of the administration, Honan was the chief of staff to the White House communications director, the director of message planning and special assistant to the president.

“In those roles, I got to work with an incredible team of people who were supporting the president’s communications, and I had the job of a lifetime. If you had asked me what I wanted to do at Elon, it would have been that job,” he expressed.

When reflecting on what choices he made at Elon that helped him get where he is today, Honan said, “At Elon, I was surrounded by professors, staff and classmates who challenged me and made me smarter. They had my back and helped me figure out how to pursue the career and the life that I wanted. I just think back, and I’m so grateful for people like Laura Roselle and Heidi Frontani.”

After his successes at the White House, Honan returned home to Boston to fill the role of deputy chief of communications for the City of Boston.

“Everyone said to me, Mayor Michelle Wu is an incredible person to work for, and working for a mayor in a place that you love is one of the most rewarding jobs you could have in politics. Both of those things are 100% true,” he said. “It is so special to live in the city of Boston and get to work on the issues that the people on my street, the people in my neighborhood and the people I take the train with every day really care about, and it impacts their lives. One of the coolest things about local government is that you’re working on problems that can immediately change people’s lives.”

This tangible and fulfilling work Honan is doing for his city has led him to extend a helping hand to others interested in politics as a career.

“I have incredible mentors who helped me get here. I am trying to spend as much time as I can mentoring other people. Politics is a tough business to get into, and you can’t just apply on LinkedIn, so I’ve helped people figure out how to get in the door because that’s what many good people did for me,” he said. “I would not have any of the career success I’ve had without the people at Elon. To me, it feels like it’s my duty to pay it forward and continue that legacy.”

That sense of duty keeps Elon close to his heart no matter where his career takes him. Every Elon student he mentors, every alum he runs into in the professional world, pulls him right back.

“I’m immediately brought back, and I remember why it was so special and why the people who went there are so special,” said Honan.

The excitement, the community, the sense of purpose he first felt walking through the bricks and under the oaks, never went away. It grew into something bigger, something he now carries with him everywhere he goes, and something he’s committed to passing on.

Elon was selected to host the journal for its faculty’s established commitment to �þ��� research and �þ���, the breadth of expertise among faculty in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, and faculty members’ standing within their areas of study. Each semester about 20 Elon students reviewed (and re-reviewed) more than 100 of submissions, judging each for methodology, thoroughness and originality of approach. At the conclusion of their term, “the journal class” students have evaluated 1,099 manuscripts and published 12 issues.

“Hosting the journal over the past six years has provided an exceptional engaged learning opportunity for our students,” said Eaves, associate professor of political science and public policy and chair of the department. “It reflects our department’s deep commitment to creating innovative and meaningful ways for students to engage in the discipline. I am especially grateful for the many outstanding students whose hard work and dedication have helped produce a truly exceptional publication, as well as for the faculty leadership that has sustained the journal’s success.”

Elon �þ���s have reviewed hundreds of research manuscripts by their peers around the country and some from international institutions, scouring them for the best and most promising angles of political science research.

Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and public policy, led the effort to secure the journal for Elon students. During the journal’s first term, three department faculty Laura Roselle, faculty emeritus, Aaron Sparks, and Kesgin served as rotating advisors to the journal. In the second term, Kesgin was the sole faculty advisor.

“The journal offered a tremendous opportunity to grow for our students and an incomparable experience beyond academics,” Kesgin said. “Furthermore, “the journal class” has become a community. The journal elevated our department’s status in the discipline as well.”

Political science majors reflected on their time working on the journal.

• “My time at the journal both reviewing, and graduating to senior editorial positions, has been incredibly fulfilling. Being a serious contributor to the publishing of �þ��� research has taught me so much about leadership, management, and academia that I am sure to carry forward.” – Lana Jacobs ’26, the journal’s content editor in Spring 2026
• “Serving as Junior Editor for the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics has given me so much insight into the manuscript publication process.  My own research skills improved so much throughout my work on the editorial board.” – Mira Fitch ’26
• “Being on the editorial team helped me develop many more skills than I was expecting to. It was enjoyable to constantly learn more about some areas of politics for each review, and to have engaging discussions. The journal was a big part of my Elon experience, and it was a pleasure to be on a team of hard-working individuals.” – Isa Van Schijndel Hemerik ’26
• “The Pi Sigma Alpha journal has had a significant impact during my time at �þ���. As a member of the PSA journal since Spring 2024, Junior editor Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, Lead editor Fall 2025, and currently one of the last senior editors, I’ve been able to witness and contribute to the growth of this journal. I am proud of all we have accomplished and will miss it dearly!” – Mackenzie Perry ’26

Dr. Terri Towner, the president of Pi Sigma Alpha and a previous faculty editor of the journal, congratulated the department and its students in a letter and celebrated them for “taking on an important national leadership role in supporting �þ��� research.”

“Elon students and faculty built a strong, student-centered editorial process that gave �þ���s meaningful experience in peer review, editing, and publication,” Towner said. “The Sigma Upsilon Chapter’s work has made a lasting contribution to Pi Sigma Alpha by expanding opportunities for �þ��� research and publication. Most importantly, the journal runs because of the student editorial team. They reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, made hard calls, and upheld the journal’s standards. This work belongs to them.”

Founded in 1920, Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is one of the country’s oldest and largest academic honor societies. Membership is open to third and fourth-year �þ���s who have excelled in their studies as well as graduate students and faculty in political science and related fields such as public policy. The society recognizes and promotes high academic achievement in political science and maintains over 800 chapters. Pi Sigma Alpha inducts more than 8,000 members a year and over its 100-year history has inducted more than 300,000 individuals including one U.S. president, three Supreme Court justices, and dozens of members of Congress. Elon’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Sigma Upsilon, was established in 1992 and has inducted nearly 1,000 members since.

The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics was founded in the spring of 2001 by the Delta Omega Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha at Purdue University, under the name The American Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Government.  With the sponsorship of Pi Sigma Alpha, the name of the Journal was changed to The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics beginning with the Fall 2004 issue. From July 2007 until July 2010 the Journal was based at the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at Union College, and in August 2010 moved to the Eta Rho Chapter at the College of William & Mary. From August 2013 to Spring 2020, the Nu Omega Chapter at Oakland University hosted the Journal. The Sigma Upsilon Chapter at �þ��� has started its term as the editorial home of the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics in Fall 2020 and is now concluding its service with the Spring 2026 issue.