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 March 24 and March 31, 2026, the Texas State Mock Trial Competition Team conducted its first ever scrimmage rounds at the Trauth-Huffman Hall (THH) Moot Court Room.
The scrimmage rounds simulated a full-scale civil trial of the case of NITA Fire and Casualty Co. v. Rubino. This is a hypothetical case involving the allegation of fraud after the NITA insurance company received reports of alleged arson by Mr. Rubino, upon being issued the $294,000 fire insurance claim for his dry-cleaning business.
Texas State Professor Dr. David Levy of the Department of Legal Studies acted as judge for both scrimmage rounds. After an intensive two hours of continuous trial, the judge issued a ruling finding for the Defendant on Day 1, and for the Plaintiff on Day 2.
While these rounds were only considered as “friendly scrimmages” within the organization, the trial demos allowed its members to experience a run-through of a full civil trial. Throughout the rounds, every cross examination and every objection made, sharpened the members’ public speaking, legal reasoning, and collaborative teamwork skills. As the Mock Trial Team looks forward to catapult itself into the competitive arena of inter-school mock trial tournaments in the very near future, these scrimmages really presented a good opportunity for its members to get a real “feel for the game.”
The team expressed its thanks to Dr. Kenneth Grasso and his entire Department of Political Science staff who made this event possible. The organization would also like to thank its faculty advisors Dr. David Levy and Dr. Christopher Brown for their unending support. They also recognize the efforts of the students who took their time to serve as evaluators for these rounds.
The officers had a message for the rest of the student body: “We invite you to be a part of our organization!”
The Mock Trial Team at Texas State University is a competitive academic organization that prepares students for intercollegiate mock trial competitions. Founded in 2025, the team provides members with hands-on legal experience through trial simulations, workshops, and guest speaker events. Open to students of all majors, the organization emphasizes skill development, collaboration, and preparation for future legal careers.
For additional information, email Dr. David Levy at kia38@txstate.edu or visit the official Instagram page here (@txstatemocktrial).
Students from Texas State University’s Model Arab League recently competed in two conferences: a regional conference held February 21–23 in Houston, TX, and a national conference held March 26 – 29 in Washington, D.C.
These two conferences brought together university delegations from across the nation to represent member states of the Arab League in committee-based negotiations. Drawing on months of preparation in parliamentary procedure, policy research, and public speaking, Texas State students drafted resolutions, negotiated compromises, and built coalitions with peers from other institutions.
At the regional conference, TXST earned top recognition after competing in a diplomatic simulation focused on contemporary issues facing the Arab world. Texas State competed against the University of Houston’s Honors College, Centenary College of Louisiana, and Houston Community College, among others. The 19th Annual Bilateral Model Arab League was hosted by the Bilateral Chamber.
Their efforts culminated at the closing ceremony, where two members of the Texas State delegation received the Distinguished Delegate Award for their representation of Lebanon in the Joint Defense Council. The recipients were Raihaan Girish and Alexandra Galdamez. The award recognized the team’s subject-matter expertise, diplomatic leadership, and effectiveness during committee sessions.
Raihaan Girish, the president of the organization, said, “It was really interesting to plan everything and compete with different schools. It was definitely a big transition for us since we were all encountering this type of competition for the first time. We’re from different backgrounds, but we pulled off a great showing!”
TXST also experienced success at the national conference. Texas State competed against Indiana University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Houston, among others. Alexandra Galdamez and Briana Ruiz won the Superior Delegation Award for their representation of the United Arab Emirates in the Council on Environmental Affairs.
Dr. Hassan Tajalli, faculty coordinator of the student organization, said, “Enthusiasm is hard work with a grin – and it always pays dividends. After weeks of research and debate, our students didn’t just study Middle East policy – they wrote it.”
Model Arab League provides students with hands-on experience in international diplomacy, allowing participants to develop negotiation, research, and leadership skills while engaging with complex global policy challenges. For more information, contact Dr. Hassan Tajalli at tajalli@txstate.edu.
On Wednesday, March 25, over 200 students attended a Midterm Check-In event hosted by the Department of Political Science. Thirteen university support departments attended to provide students with resources before registration for Summer/Fall 2026. These departments were First Gen, Library Services, SLAC, Student Involvement and Engagement, Counseling Center, Writing Center, Pre-Law, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Disability Services, Career Services, HealthyCats, and Pi Sigma Alpha.
Refreshments and departmental swag were readily available, including t-shirts, stickers, and lanyards. Students had the opportunity to speak to the various representatives about their interests and concerns. For instance, HealthyCats was able to provide information about the Student Health Center’s resources while Academic Advising was able to assist students with their questions about registration for upcoming semesters.
Student Development Specialist Melissa Rendon coordinated the wildly successful event. “The mid‑term check‑in event was a success,” Ms. Rendon said. “This event is one of my favorites each year because it also allows me to check in with students during a particularly stressful period. Students shared that they felt supported by our department, and the campus partners who tabled expressed how grateful they were for the chance to connect with students. One department even shared that after last year’s mid‑term check‑in, they met a student whom they eventually hired to join their team. That’s exactly what this event is all about – connecting students with the resources and opportunities they need. We are truly grateful for the university‑wide support that made this possible.”
From March 18-21, Texas State students participated in the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) competition in Charlotte, NC. At the SRMUN competition, students debated numerous global topics ranging from investigating the role of artificial intelligence within global cybercrime to tackling public debt issues among developing member states.
Approximately 600 students, comprising 75 delegations from 45 universities, competed in the SRMUN competition. Participating universities included the University of Colorado, Auburn University, Clemson University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Central Florida among others.
Texas State represented the following countries:
United Arab Emirates: Taylor Overby, Brielle Ruocco, Jonathan Hebler, Camila Velazquez, Zack Estrada and Jessie Devereaux;
Nigeria: Ava Gibson, Rebekah Phillips, Emmanuel Briseno-Hernandez, Lily Alvarez, Gabriel Albuquerque de Melo, and Maya Garcia;
Belgium: Lisa Faidi, Drake Maddix, Matt Rennert, Alazne Leon, Allison McCalla, and Bill Barry
Israel: Brianna Cortez, Hollyn Fleming-Stump, Gabriel Quesada, and Brian McCutchon;
United States: Bodhi Rosen, Lola Saldana, Savanna Tremback, Amy Chaffe, Sal Shepherd, Sofia Hernandez, and Em Boegel.
Of the competition, Savanna Tremback , poli sci major and resident of the Department’s Model United Nations club said, “I have watched my team put everything they have into preparing for this conference, pushing themselves to try new things, overcoming the daunting task of public speaking, and ultimately proving to themselves that they can rise to the challenge that SRMUN presents. This may be the greatest reward Model UN has given me: not only witnessing that growth, but also being a part of a community of individuals who are just passionate and curious about the world as I am.”
Texas State students performed extremely well at SRMUN, as they have in previous years. The complete list of the awards and honors received by Texas State students is as follows:
Zack Estrada: served as Rapporteur, International Criminal Police Organization
Sofia Hernandez: Best Position Paper (1st Place in Committee), International Court of Justice
The Model United Nations (MUN) is a student debate organization that focuses on enhancing the leadership qualities of students. In competitions, students are expected to represent their assigned nation’s interests and display diplomatic proficiency. Using parliamentary procedure, students argue for and against resolutions that are developed by student competitors in mock United Nations’ sessions. Thus, to do well, students must learn International Relations theory, current global issues, effective diplomatic techniques, and parliamentary procedure. Participants will also become comfortable with public speaking and conduct research on the topics presented at the competitions.
For more information on Texas State’s Model United Nations Competition Team, please contact Professor Ben Arnold at ca17@txstate.edu.
Twenty-two members of Supporting Women in Political Science (SWIPS) attended the group’s meeting on Tuesday, March 24th.
The meeting began with announcements followed by announcements regarding the department’s midterm check-in and the upcoming Bobcat Build event. SWIPS then welcomed student government candidates Johanna Ajayi and Keller Hammack of the “Bobcats in Bloom” ticket, who spoke about their motivations for running for student body president and vice president. The candidates highlighted key initiatives, including inclusivity, food security, and transportation, while also discussing the responsibilities of their prospective roles and ways for students to become involved in student government.
During the second half of the meeting, SWIPS collaborated with Black Men United (BMU) Ambassadors for an open discussion focused on leadership and identity. Participants explored how personal background can shape leadership experiences, emphasized the importance of women supporting one another, and addressed the impact of external pressures that may foster unnecessary competition between groups. Food and refreshments were provided by the department.
SWIPS is looking forward to coordinating several similar gatherings focusing on professional education and development between now and the end of the semester
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 406.
If you’d like to learn more information about this organization, please contact SWIPS President Ashlee Chrisman at edh84@txstate.edu.
On Monday, March 30, the Texas State University student chapter of the International City County Management Association (ICMA) met virtually for an interactive session tailored to public administration students. “Speak-Easy: Leadership Addition” offered a supportive, low-pressure space to practice communication and public speaking skills.
Participants engaged in short speaking exercises, including one-minute prompts, simulated council-style questions, and a leadership lightning round. Topics covered included communication styles suited to speaking to individuals throughout an organization’s hierarchy, as well as communication styles appropriate to speaking to members of the public. They received constructive peer feedback to improve message and delivery.
Zoe Kulas, an MPA student, said, “This meeting was really valuable, and it was a great experience! The low-pressure environment made it easier to practice communication, and the peer feedback was especially helpful for building confidence.”
The International City County Management Association (ICMA) advances professional local government through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics. ICMA’s members are the professional city, town, and county managers who are appointed by elected officials to oversee the day-to-day operation of our communities. At the subnational level, ICMA has state associates, including the Texas City Management Association (TCMA). TCMA cultivates a grassroots pipeline of professional talent with chapters on college campuses, including the Region 7 chapter at Texas State University.
For more information on Texas State’s International City/County Management Association student chapter, please contact President Hannah Kriese at hgc6@txstate.edu or faculty advisor Dr. Miha Vindis at mvindis@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.
