Francis R. Aumann Award for Distinguished Senior Achievement
The Francis R. Aumann Award is presented to the best all-around senior students in political science. This award was established by alumni, friends, and associates of Dr. Aumann, professor emeritus, as a way of rewarding scholastic excellence and promoting the academic goals of the department. The winner receives $500.
2025 Award Recipients:
- Elan Kyser
- Grace Orians
Lawrence J.R. Herson Award for Academic Excellence
The Herson Award recognizes those seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence and are graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA. The award is named in honor of one of our most distinguished emeritus faculty, Lawrence J.R. Herson, a long-time member of the department who served as Department Chair and went on to become Dean of the College. The winners receive $500.
2025 Award Recipients:
- Adam Blair
- Jillian Drinnon
- Arianna Kelawala
- Jacob Kimble
- Madison Mason
- Grace Orians
- Kyra Pallotta
- Riley Stanton
- Emma Wozniak
Best Paper Awards
Best paper awards are made possible through endowments from donors including Jacobina Aman and Francis R. Aumann. The winners receive $500.
Best Paper in American Politics
2025 Award Recipient:
- Maia Oliver, “Predicting the Positions of Supreme Court Justices: City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency.”
- Honorable mention: Sloane Warner, “The Complex Relationship Between Religion and Gun Ownership in the United States.”
Best Paper in Comparative Politics
2025 Award Recipient:
- Adam Martin, “Broadcasting Belonging: A Comparative Case Study of German and Russian State Media.”
Best Paper in International Relations
2025 Award Recipient:
- Michael Hamid Sarkis, “From Homespace to Homeland: An Explanation for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.”
Best Paper in Political Theory
2025 Award Recipient:
- Makenzie Sapp, “The People’s Echo: Institutions, Contexts, and Populism’s Promises.”
Henry R. Spencer Award for Outstanding Senior Honors Thesis in Political Science
Henry R. Spencer was the founding chair of the Department of Political Science in 1909. Henry R. Spencer served 38 years until he stepped down in 1947. The winners receive $500 for their outstanding senior theses.
2025 Award Recipient:
- Sarah Botti, “Exploration and Explanation of Variations in Efficacy between Self-identified Religious Terrorist Organizations and Secular Terrorist Organizations.”
- Honorable mention: Grace Orians “Central to Success: The Impact of Congressional Speech Networks on Legislative Effectiveness.”