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 Friday, October 23rd, four members of the Political Science Department were honored with “Favorite Professor” awards by the Texas Iota chapter of Alpha Chi, the National College Honors Society. Receiving recognition were Ben Arnold, Howard Balanoff, Mari Garza, and David Levy.
Alpha Chi is a national honor society, which promotes academic excellence and exemplary character among undergraduate college and university students. Alpha Chi is the oldest honor society at Texas State, founded in 1922.
For more information about Alpha Chi at Texas State, contact alphachihonor@txstate.edu. The national website (https://alphachihonor.org/) discusses the national activities, a professional journal for student members, its annual conferences, and national scholarship opportunities for members.
On Wednesday, October 14, approximately 200 students attended the 4th annual Midterm Check-In event hosted by the Department of Political Science. 9 university support departments attended to provide students with resources before registration for the 2027 Spring semester. Involved Departments included the Office of Disability, the Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC), Career Services, International Student and Scholar Services, the University Writing Center, University Library, Health Promotion Services, Undergraduate Research, and the Counseling Center.
What began as a departmental effort to help students to connect with The Department of Political Science while exploring campus resources, has grown into a collaborative event that brings together campus partners committed to helping all students build their sense of belonging and prepare for the next semester. Student Development Specialist Melissa Rendon coordinated this successful event alongside key Graduate Instructional Assistants like Jaelynn Sifuentes and Maisha Ibnat.
Students were able to connect to campus resources as well as members of the Department of Political Science in preparation for their midterm examinations. Refreshments and food was provided throughout the event.
On Friday, October 23rd, Professor David Levy was interviewed by Nora Parkhurst of Texas State University’s “Office Hours” podcast. Within the interview entitled “Meet Dr. David Levy: From Music to International Law and the Classroom,” Nora and Professor Levy discussed his journey from studying music to international law, public service, and teaching at Texas State and why that proves career paths aren’t always linear.
Professor Levy explained his professional journey, offered advice for students exploring political science careers, and shared his experiences of exploring different interests and how they can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Professor David A. Levy is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Graduate Legal Studies program at Texas State University. His undergraduate degree is in music from Texas Wesleyan College, and he holds a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University and an LL.M. (with distinction) in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center. He has published in the area of artificial intelligence and legal ethics, as well as comparative law and international commercial law harmonization. Professor Levy has significant work experience in the field of law, including working for the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the American Society of International Law, and the International Law Institute. Professor Levy has also held elected office as the County Attorney of Archer County, Texas as well as having served as Mayor of Archer City.
On Tuesday, October 6, the annual TXST Law School Fair was held from 3:00-6:30 in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. Approximately 250 students attended the event, which was organized by Career Services and the university’s official Pre-Law Advisor, Dr. Ward.
The event allowed students to network with representatives from law schools across the country in order to gain insights on improving applications, admissions requirements, and the paths from which students might transition to law school.
For more information about the Pre-Law program at Texas State, visit the Pre-Law guide page here or contact Dr. Ken Ward at kw12@txstate.edu.
Earlier this September, members of SWIPS (Supporting Women in Political Science) attended the Texas Tribune festival. Participants had the opportunity to hear from legal scholars, policymakers, journalists, and advocates about some of the most important issues facing our country today. Participants attended several panels, including “The Promise of the Constitution,” “How Should We Regulate AI?” “After Roe in Texas,” and “Melissa Murray on How to Understand the Constitution.”
Annise Adams, a student of Political Science and a member of SWIPS, stated the following –
“One of my biggest takeaways from the Texas Tribune Festival was realizing just how much there is to learn beyond the classroom. Hearing people who study, debate, and help shape the laws and policies we discuss in our courses was an incredible experience. It reminded me why I love studying political science and made me even more excited about pursuing law school after graduation.”
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 Ihechi Diribe at tbd50@txstate.edu.
On September 26, Nick James, a 2021 alumni of the Department of Political Science, was a featured panelist at the annual Texas Tribune festival in Austin as the director of government affairs of the Cicero Institute. He appeared on a panel titled: “Free Markets, Free Ideas: Austin and Heterodox Thinking.” The panel highlighted new institutions such as the Cicero Institute and the University of Texas at Austin that are bringing diversity to Austin’s political culture.
Nick James is a native Austinite with over a decade of experience in Texas politics and policy. As director of government affairs for the Cicero Institute, he advances policy reforms focused on public safety, technology and healthcare. He has previously worked for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, two state senators, multiple political campaigns and the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute.
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.
