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.
On Monday, June 9, the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program Graduation was held on Friday in the Capitol Auditorium at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas. Following the program, a reception for the graduates and their guests was held in the Legislative Conference Room of the Capitol Extension. 105 graduates were recognized for their hard work in the program.
Dr. Miha Vindis, Director of the Texas CPM Program welcomed the graduates and their guests and introduced Mr. Alan Borjorquez to deliver the graduation address. Borjorquez, Principal Attorney at the Bojorquez Law Firm, has dedicated decades to serving municipal governments across Texas. A recognized authority in the field, he is the author of the Texas Municipal Law & Procedure Manual and co-founder of City Hall Essentials, a consulting and training firm focused on local governance. For more than 21 years, Alan has been a highly active instructor in the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program, teaching numerous courses statewide each year. His message to graduates included 5 suggestions for career success: Expertise, Awareness, Devotion, Passon, and Connection. You can view the graduate address here.
The Texas CPM Program is a consortium of Texas Universities that operates under the umbrella of Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service. It has been in continuous service since 1995 and across its 30-year history has graduated over 2,600 public and not-for-profit sector employees from the program.
The universities that participated in the June 9, 2025 CPM Graduation were Stephen F. Austin University (6), Texas A&M International University (14), Texas State University Arlington (26), Texas State University Round Rock/San Marcos (4), Texas State University Statewide Online Program (11), University of Texas Rio-Grande Valley (44).
The Round Rock/San Marcos Texas State University graduates included Allyson Iiams, Mackenzie Rothrock, Nathaniel Glaiser, and Vicky Steffanic.
Mackenzie Rothrock, who earned her Master of Public Administration degree in December 2024, said, “The Certified Public Manager program was a truly rewarding experience. The courses were insightful and thought-provoking, and I gained valuable knowledge and fresh perspectives that I’ll carry forward in my career. One of the highlights was connecting with a network of dedicated professionals—those relationships have been just as impactful as the lessons learned.”
For additional information about the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service or the Texas CPM Program, please contact Dr. Howard R. Balanoff, Director of the Hobby Center for Public Service at hb02@txstate.edu and/or Dr. Miha Vindis, Director of the Texas CPM Program at mvindis@txstate.edu. For the graduation program, click here.
On Saturday, June 7, 2025, CenTex ASPA conducted its annual awards luncheon in honor of Public Service Recognition Week. The luncheon was held at Palmer’s Restaurant, Bar and Courtyard in San Marcos. The featured speakers at the awards luncheon were Dr. Jeremy Suri, the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and Mr. Alan Bojorquez, attorney and CEO of The Bojorquez Law Firm.
At the Luncheon, recognition and awards were presented to faculty and students from Texas State University’s Master of Public Administration Program, Texas A&M University’s George Bush School of Government and Public Service, and the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs. Alan Bojorquez, attorney and CEO of The Bojorquez Law Firm, and his wife Sheila Bojorquez, president and CEO of City Hall Essentials, both received the 2025 William P. Hobby Distinguished Service Award. This award was created and named to honor former Texas Lt. Governor, who had dedicated his career to public service. The LBJ School’s Dr. Jeremi Suri, who serves as the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs and as Professor of Public Affairs and History, received the CenTex ASPA Distinguished Faculty Award for his outstanding service and contributions.
In addition, students from Texas State’s MPA Program were recognized for their scholarly achievements and were inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. Inductees included Laura Salazar-Brown, Nicholas Delaunay, Md Mostafa Jalal, Antonio Mireles, Rachel H. Hoban, Brian Padilla, Mackenzie Rothrock, and Brayden Worley.
The James McGrew Research Award was given to the following students: Ashley Giraud for her Applied Research Project entitled “Post-Adoption Contact Agreement Legislation: A Systematic Assessment of Individual State Legislation,” directed by Dr. Nandhini Rangarajan; Brayden Worley for his Applied Research Project entitled “The Impact of Budget Allocation on Student Performance: A Study of Rural K-12 Public School Districts in Texas,” also directed by Dr. Nandhini Rangarajan; and a group of students from the Bush School of Government & Public Service for their Capstone Project entitled “Data, Disclosure, and Discrepancies: An Analysis of FARA Reporting and Reform.”
Md Mostafa Jalal was recognized for the William P. Hobby Management Fellowship with the City of San Marcos. Scholarships were also presented to a number of Texas State students:
Mst Thahsina Aktar Asha (William P. Hobby)
Savanna Batson (William P. Hobby)
Remigio Casanova (William P. Hobby)
Dylann Engle (Barney Knight)
Reagan Haik (William P. Hobby)
Miguel Perez (William P. Hobby)
Mackenzie Rothrock (William P. Hobby)
Sonia Shahsavari (William P. Hobby)
Kaden Tucker (William P. Hobby)
Daphne Williams (William P. Hobby)
The faculty that attended included Dean Mary Brennan, Dr. Kenneth Grasso, Dr. Nandhini Rangarajan, Dr. Helen Lowman, and Dr. Howard Balanoff. Dr. Balanoff, professor and Director of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service, serves as Editor in Chief of ASPA’s Good Governance Worldwide and Chair of ASPA’s Section for Public Management Practice.
Of the event, Dr. Balanoff said, “Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service is proud to be the sponsor the 2025 Public Service Recognition Awards Ceremony for the CENTEX Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). The 2025 Awards celebration recognized distinguished practicing administrators for their public service. The Awards Luncheon also recognized faculty and students from the participating schools for their outstanding research and scholarly achievements.”
The CenTex ASPA Public Service Recognition Week Awards Luncheon was sponsored by Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service. The Luncheon program began with a meet and greet reception, which was followed by a plated lunch for approximately 50 attendees. The awards program was followed by a brief meeting of CenTex ASPA’s Officers and Governing Board Members to discuss selection of program events and activities for the future.
For additional information about CENTEX ASPA’s activities and events, please contact Fred Bell, CenTex ASPA President at fred_bell@sbcglobal.net. For additional information about the activities and programs of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service, please contact Dr. Howard Balanoff at hb02@txstate.edu.
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.”
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.
