Political science is the study of constitutions, law, and government, at the local, national, and international levels, and of those things that influence the exercise of political power, such as individual interests and attitudes, norms, institutions, and culture.
In April 2025, Dr. William Ruger, a former tenured associate professor in the department, was appointed as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration (DDNI/MI). In this role, Dr. Ruger leads the intelligence community’s efforts to coordinate intelligence gathering and analysis across agencies. According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), he oversees key functions such as the President’s Daily Brief, the work of National Intelligence Managers, and the National Intelligence Council.
The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) is made up of 18 agencies and organizations under the Executive Branch. These entities operate both independently and collaboratively to provide the intelligence needed for U.S. foreign policy and national security. Within this structure, the ODNI – working with the Principal Deputy DNI, Mission Managers, and Deputy Directors – aims to unify foreign, military, and domestic intelligence efforts to protect the nation and advance U.S. interests abroad.
Dr. Ruger earned his Ph.D. in Politics from Brandeis University and an A.B. from the College of William and Mary. His scholarship has appeared in a number of academic journals including International Studies Quarterly, Civil Wars, and Armed Forces and Society. His books include Milton Friedman (Bloomsbury Academic), Freedom in the 50 States (Cato Institute), and The State of Texas (McGraw-Hill). He taught at Texas State from 2007-2014.
On April 25, Supporting Women in Political Science (SWIPS) hosted its third annual Women Leadership Summit at Texas State University with the assistance of the Department of Political Science.
The summit began with refreshments and a networking hour with panelists and attendees. This provided prime opportunities for individuals to interact with one another and discuss their interests, studies, and job prospects.
The first session focused on “Elected Officials.” Moderated by SWIPS President Madelyn Byers, panelists included Major Jane Hughson of San Marcos and Council Member Amanda Rodriguez. The second session, moderated by SWIPS Officer Lucy Cifero, centered on “Public Administration/Nonprofit.” Speakers included Suzanne Barnard from the Texas Department of Agriculture and Anissa Mancias from Texas Rising.
SWIPS is a nonpartisan women’s organization at Texas State University. This professional education and development organization is dedicated to helping political science majors and other students explore the various aspects of political science, enabling them to pursue their professional and academic interests. SWIPS meets every other Tuesday at 6:00PM in THH 309.
If you’d like to learn more information about this organization, please contact SWIPS President Madelyn Byers at mgb174@txstate.edu.
On Saturday, May 3, Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, hosted its annual induction dinner at Saltgrass. It was a night of celebration to commemorate the academic achievement and perseverance of its members for their fantastic work this year.
President Sofia Hernandez and Vice President Lauren Garcia introduced the new officers, Secretary Sarah Trayhan and Treasurer Ethan Gravis.
Ten members were inducted:
Ethan Gravis
Joel Scott
Amru Fadl
Sarah Trayhan
Sahaja Montoya-Delgado
Afriyie Amankwa
Jonathan Hebler
Savannah Gomez
Litara Lam
Adrian Cornejo
Mia Coleman
Professor Ezekiel Loseke, faculty sponsor, said, “it was a pleasure to celebrate the accomplishments of such fine scholars at the Pi Sigma Alpha Induction Ceremony. I look forward to another year of advising a flourishing Pi Sigma Alpha Chapter.”
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Honor Society. Pi Sigma Alpha is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) and is designated as a “Specialized, Upper-Division” society by ACHS. Texas State’s Rho Eta Chapter welcomes both undergraduate and graduate members with 3.0 of higher GPAs in political science courses. For more information about Pi Sigma Alpha, view the website here or contact President Sofia Hernandez at yda28@txstate.edu or Professor Ezekiel Loseke at etl19@txstate.edu.
On Monday, April 28, the Department of Political Science hosted a surprise retirement party for Administrative Assistant Denise Bjerke who had been with the department for 9 years. Around 40 faculty, staff, and students gathered in Flowers Hall to share memories, express their gratitude, and celebrate Denise’s many contributions to the university community. Speakers included Department Chair Ken Grasso, MPA Director Sherri Mora, and Mary Brennan, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
“Legendary for her unwavering dedication, cheerfulness, and deep institutional knowledge” observed Grasso. “Denise has been a cornerstone of daily operations and a trusted support for faculty and students alike. Her impact on the department will be felt for many years to come. We are truly fortunate to have had someone of her caliber on our staff. She will be missed.”
Student Development Specialist Melissa Rendon, who coordinated the event, said “it was great to see so many people attend Denise’s retirement celebration. It was well deserved. We are all going to miss her and all that she does for our department and team. I hope she enjoys her retirement and comes back to see us from time to time.”
On Thursday, April 17, the Department of Political Science held its annual Awards Ceremony for the 2024-2025 school year. Departmental awards and scholarships were presented by Dr. Ken Grasso, Department Chair; Dr. Lauren Rowlands, the department’s Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs; and the department’s Associate Chair Dr. Lynn Crossett. Dr. Mary Brennan, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, distributed College of Liberal Arts Academic Excellence Certificates to juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
The Richard B. Henderson Political Science Award: Braiden Touchette, Isabella Rohlik
The James H. McCrocklin Memorial Political Science Endowed Scholarship: Joel Scott
The Bettylee & Daniel Farlow Endowed Scholarship in Political Science: Dylann Engle, Maxwell Zaborowski, Gabriel Marquez, Joel Scott
The Barney & Linda Knight Endowed Scholarship Fund: Dariella Davila, Monique Perez, Tiana Ramos, Jacob Salsgiver, Maxwell Zaborowski, Dylann Engle
The Howard M. ‘Prof’ Greene Award: Joa Brown, Brooklyn Mirakhori, Mia Escobedo
The Walter Richter Endowed Scholarship Fund: Joel Scott, Gabriel Marquez
Legal Studies Scholarships
The Dale Hardin Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Destiny Morton
The Janice E. Collins Memorial Endowed Graduate Student Scholarship in Legal Studies: Albert J. Barnes
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program will distribute its scholarships at the annual Central Texas Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration luncheon on June 7th. For more information or to register for the luncheon, visit the CenTex ASPA event page here.
On Thursday, April 10, the Department of Political Science hosted a dynamic Pre-Law event designed to connect highly motivated pre-law students with alumni mentors. 20 students attended the event, which featured a unique speed-networking format. Ten alumni lawyers, representing a diverse range of legal backgrounds, volunteered their time to offer insights and guidance. Students had the opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversations with each lawyer, spending about eight minutes per session before rotating to the next alumnus. The event was designed by University Pre-Law Advisor, Dr. Ken Ward, to provide students with personalized mentorship, career advice, and a valuable glimpse into the day-to-day realities of practicing law.
The ten lawyers featured were Jessica Magee, George Hyde, Mo Morales, David Mendoza, Christian Vasquez, Bre Boss, Colleen Tennent, Andrew Florence, Aaron Barker, and Mari Garza.
For pre-law advising and questions about law school, please contact Dr. Ken Ward at kw12@txstate.edu.
The Department of Political Science houses two academic journals, an international mediation newsletter, and two program magazines - Political Science's Alumni NewsWire and Public Administration's Public Matters.
