News
Recent department News
Congratulations to our Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients for the 2023-2024 Academic Year !
May Davidson Scholarship
Jia Emaus
Dorothy Douglas
Emanuel Mendez Aquino
Genesis Velasques-Barreto
Angela Elgawli
Anna Howard Shaw Scholarship
Jia Emaus
Annie Moring Alexander Scholarship
Nilsa Bermudez
Shania Murray
Debbie Beatty Memorial Scholarship
Cameron Nowalk
Dr. James H. Clotfelter Scholarship
Angela Elgawli
Congratulations to our Spring and Summer 2023 Graduates
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Tiana Elizabeth Adegboyega
Matthew Lawrence Armistead
Merceda Kendall Armstrong
Ryland Taylor Austin
Kevin-Evans Mesia Bunga
Harrison Presby Bye
Rachel Reece Capen
William Tyler Cauthen
Morgan Cloutier**
Ethan Jeremiah Cooke*
Jason Michael Cundall
Seven Fierce**
Diego Jonathan Garcia Guzman
Faith Kelsey Gray***
Darrenta Emmanuel Haley
James Nicholas Harmon
Tyler Ray Holden**
Todd Hurd*
Nimra Hussain
Christa Jenkins***
Sumei Chan Kom
Fathelrahman M. Kurkeli
Dafne Leal Garcia
Catherine V. Lerma
Ian Christopher Lipka***
Oluwatoba Oluwaseyi Lojede
Azucena Martinez-Vazquez
Ian Zachary McCrea
Lauren Ashley McDaniel***
Cory Markell McIntyre
Jailyn Aaliyah McLean
Dorien Kara Muhlenburg
Jennifer Asha Neary**
Faith Alexis Orr
Caitlin Brooke Pennington
Abagail Ruth Pritcher
Jacqueline Ramirez Villalobos***
Amarre Gene Reid*
Albaro Raul Reyes-Martinez
Katherine Grace Ruebel*
Adam Arbab Sadda
Millie Isamar Salguero**
Taj Hamed Salman
Jalen Arhab Shaman
Kaiyana Sanaa Simmons
Jarred L. Simpson
Jeremiah M. Smith
Paul J. Smoogen
LaShonda Nevaeh Sousa
Lauren Patricia Spinelli
Kristien Renee Teel**
Brantley Quince Thomas
Jocelyn Morales Torres
Jazmin Vaca Bermudez**
Osman Mohamid Waheed
Adrian Terell-Matthew Waldon
Brandon Scott Wilson**
cum laude* magna cum laude** summa cum laude***
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Phi Beta Kappa
Faith Kelsey Gray
Christa Jenkins
Lauren Ashley McDaniel
Pi Sigma Alpha
Faith Kelsey Gray
Tyler Ray Holden
Christa Lorraine Jenkins
Lauren Ashley McDaniel
Amarre Gene Reid
Jarred L. Simpson
Paul J. Smoogen
Jazmin Vaca Bermudez
Brandon Scott Wilson
Center for Legislative Studies Presents: Transitional Justice for Racial Injustice
Dr. Kelebogile Zvobgo
Assistant Professor of Government
Founder & Director, International Justice Lab
William and Mary
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Youth is served: Alumnus elected one of America’s youngest mayors
Preston Blakely ’17, a UNC Greensboro alumnus of Political Science and African American and African Diaspora Studies (AADS), was elected mayor of Fletcher, NC on November 2, 2021.
He’s just 27 years old – and he was just 24 years old when he started his campaign.
“Yes, I was young,” Blakely said. “But my education and work experience was relevant. So I ran my first campaign, and I won with like 70 percent of the vote. That’s crazy.”
Congratulations to Our Outstanding Senior in Political Science!
Faith Gray
In recognition of academic achievements and service to UNCG, Faith Gray was selected as the Outstanding Senior by the Political Science Department for Academic year 2022-2023. Faith is a six-time Chancellor’s List honoree, a winner of a Provost’s Student Excellence Award, a member of the Political Science Honor Society Pi Sigma Alpha and was recently invited to join Phi Beta Kappa. Faith is a leader at UNCG, active in the Student Government Association, College Democrats, and Peer Academic Leader Program. In the local and state community, Faith serves as the Director of Programming for College Democrats of North Carolina. Faith has already accomplished a great deal, and we look forward to hearing about her future successes.
Congratulations to our Spring and Summer 2021 Graduates!
Noah Brailsford Ambrose
Chance Acker Bartenfield
Tayea M Bloodworth
Jaida Cierra Body
Laura Elizabeth Burns
Anissa Danielle Burwell
Alexus Chanel Carter
Daniel Thomas Cavender
Lewis Christopher Clark
Laura Marie-Odile Comino
Zenee Toni Elajhia Davis
Lauren N Dickens
Khalia La’Nayjah Dingle
Sarah Joanne Dobbs
Wardah Farhat
Ariana Starr Garcia
Andrea Santolim Geller
Karmen Estella Goode
Angel Dorlease Graham
Jeffrey Jordan Harnden
Leonela Emily Hernandez
Jordan I Houston
Aaliyah Barbara Ann James
Aron Demon Johnson
Jah-Nei Zyere Jones
Lauren Elizabeth LaVigne
Kiara Leanne Luis
Corinne N Lyons
Elijah Kendal Macon
Sydney M Miller
Allison Nicole Mills
Austin L. W. Moore
Milan Novakovic
Maurice Mingo Pendleton
Janasi O’Shay Rawlings
Cassandra Maria Reyes
Brittany Theresa Rhyant
Aqutter Dominique Richardson
Darion Riley
Karen J Rios
Timothy Boyd Romeo Jr
Laura Joan Rumfelt
Rosa Celina Santana-Cruz
Sam William Satchwill
Alec Andrew Schachner
Abbie Grace Sharpe
Justin Daniel Stewart
Kameryn Allegra Taylor
Trent Nathan Turk
Panashe Ashley Kundai Washaya
Jalexus Nicole Watson
Alexandra Paige Wilson
Edom Negash Woldu
Joy E Woods
MPA graduates find success
Are you graduating soon and are not quite sure what you want to do with your degree? Maybe UNCG’s Master of Public Affairs program is the answer for you.
The MPA program offers an exciting professional degree opportunity for students considering careers in public service or government agencies. This 43-hour program prepares students for a variety of challenging careers within the public and private sectors. These positions can range from management to policy evaluation to program development.
Recent UNCG MPA graduates have secured these positions upon graduation:
- Marketing & Communications Manager, United Way of Greater Greensboro
- Grants Specialist, UNCG School of Education
- 7th Grade Math Teacher, Jamestown Middle School (Teach America)
- PhD student Public Administration, NC State University
- Major Gifts Officer, North Carolina School of the Arts
- Lowe’s Customer Service Manager
- Diversity Compliance Specialist, City of Winston Salem
- Customer Service Specialist, Wells Fargo Business Banking Division
- Sales & Marketing Assistant, Salemtowne Retirement Center
- Campaign Associate, United Way of Greater Greensboro
- Grants Manager, The Servant Center
- Legislative Analyst, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency
The MPA program currently offers three concentrations for those who wish to specialize:
- Nonprofit management concentration
- Community and economic development
- Local government management
The department also offers a 15-hour certificate program in Nonprofit Management. This program gives students a general overview of the nonprofit sector while developing specific skills and program knowledge necessary to meet a variety of nonprofit agency needs.
The MPA program also offers an 18-hour certificate program jointly with the Department of Geography in Urban and Economic Development. This program is designed to provide a general overview of urban planning and development. Students completing this certificate will be prepared to deal with a variety of economic and community development issues.
If any of these options sounds like this may be the match for you, contact Dr. Hunter Bacot, the Graduate Director at ahbacot@uncg.edu to schedule an appointment.
We wish you luck in your future endeavors and hope that you will choose UNCG for your graduate education.
Fall 2020 Department Newsletter
Read the latest news about our faculty and students in the Fall 2020 Political Science Newsletter.
Click here to view.
MPA Program boasts 90 percent job placement rate
Are you graduating soon and are not quite sure what you want to do with your degree? Maybe UNC Greensboro’s Master of Public Affairs program is the answer for you.
The MPA program offers an exciting professional degree opportunity for students considering careers in nonprofit organizations or government agencies. This 43-hour program provides students with relevant educational experiences to prepare them for a variety of challenging careers. These positions can range from management to policy evaluation to program analysis.
The job placement rate for the past two years has been over 90 percent! Graduate assistantships, paid internships and scholarships make this degree more affordable than law school.
Examples of job placements for pre-service students in recent years are the following:
- Grants Management Asst/Program Coordinator, Partners to End Homelessness/The Servant Center
- Development Coordinator, NCCJ
- Community Impact Manager, United Way of Greater Greensboro
- Procurement Officer, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (TN)
- Community & Strategic Initiatives Planner, Piedmont Triad Regional Council
- Project Manager, City of Burlington
- Marketing & Communications Manager, United Way of Greater Greensboro
- Program Support Administrator, Rural Forward of NC
- PhD Student, Public Policy, North Carolina State University
- Budget Specialist, City of Greensboro
- Program Coordinator, Kate B. Reynolds Foundation
While the degree allows students a great deal of flexibility in choosing electives, the MPA program currently offers three concentrations for those who wish to specialize—the nonprofit management concentration, community and economic development, and local government management.
If you are not quite ready to commit to a full degree program, the MPA program also offers a 15-hour certificate program in Nonprofit Management. This program is designed to give students a general overview of the nonprofit sector while developing specific skills and program knowledge necessary to meet a variety of nonprofit agency needs.
The MPA program also offers an 18-hour certificate program jointly with the Department of Geography in Urban and Economic Development. This program is designed to provide a general overview of urban planning and development. Students completing this certificate will be prepared to deal with a variety of urban and community development issues.
Want to learn more about applying to the MPA program? Click here.
Professor Charles Prysby Retires
Professor Charles Prysby is retiring after 49 years of service to UNCG and we want to recognize his many contributions.
As a teacher, he taught research methods to generations of graduate and undergraduate students and offered courses in political behavior, elections, and Southern politics. He and his collaborators produced a teaching module called SETUPS that uses data from the American Elections Study (the most significant survey of American voters) to help instructors bring high quality voting data into classrooms throughout the country.
He also distinguished himself as a researcher. He is the author of four books, two edited volumes, and dozens of articles in the fields of public opinion, voting, and Southern politics. Through this work he is a nationally recognized scholar on voting behavior and Southern party politics. Over his career, he also served as a mentor for many students as they worked with him as undergraduate research assistants on these topics. Because of his expertise in voting data, he worked with the News Election Service (later Voter News Service) throughout the 80s and 90s and played a pioneering role in bringing early return data to election night news coverage.
Finally, Prysby is ending his career as at UNCG with a flourish, publishing a 2020 book with Routledge entitled, “Rich Voter, Poor Voter, Red Voter, Blue Voter.” In the book, he “examines the changing relationship between social class and voting behavior in contemporary America. At the end of the 20th century working-class white voters were significantly more Democratic than their middle-class counterparts, as they had been since the 1930s. By the second decade of the 21st century, that long-standing relationship had reversed: Republicans now do better among working-class whites.”
In addition, he has been a great colleague to faculty in the department, always willing to discuss the latest political or baseball news and make us envious of his many travel adventures.
