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Each year the Department of Political Sciences hands out various prizes and awards to recognize the excellent teaching and research being doing within the Department by faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Kathleen Burkholder Prize
The Kathleen Burkholder Prize is awarded each year in honor of Kathleen (Kathy) Burkholder. Kathy was a University of Illinois alumna and Political Science graduate student when she tragically passed away from a brain hemorrhage in 1981. Her parents and other donors established a fund in her memory, the Kathleen L. Burkholder Graduate Student Award. The Department of Political Science uses this fund to award a prize for the best dissertation defended in the previous two calendar years.
Kathleen Burkholder Prize Winners
| Year | Winner | Dissertation Title | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lucie Lu | ||
| 2024 | Sanghoon Kim | Voting for Nostalgia? Authoritarian Nostalgia, Social Identity, and Political Behavior in Post-Authoritarian Democracies | 2022 |
| 2023 | Miles Williams | International Aid and Strategic Interdependence: How Common and Conflicting Foreign Policy Goals Shape the Supply of Foreign Aid | 2022 |
| 2022 | Luke Plutowski | Quid-Pro-Quo or No? Targeted Electoral Distribution in Brazil | 2020 |
| 2021 | Ekrem Baser | Essays On the Political Economy of Conflict and Cooperation | 2020 |
| 2020 | Michael Uhall | On the Political Uses of Creative Darkness: Freedom, Subjectivity, and Normativity | 2019 |
| 2019 | Matt Powers | The Impact of Yesterday’s Territorial Shortages on Today’s Adapted Mind | 2018 |
| 2018 | Gina Reynolds | Supranational Law and Compliance | 2016 |
| 2017 | Paul Testa | The Politics of Race and the Criminal Justice System | 2016 |
| 2016 | Melinda Ritchie | Backchannel Policymaking: Members of Congress Pursuing Policy Goals through the Bureaucracy | 2015 |
| 2015 | Bryce Dietrich | It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It: Anger, Audio, and the U.S. House of Representatives | 2014 |
| 2014 | Diego Correa | The Effects of Conditional Cash Transfer Programs on Latin American Presidential Elections | 2012 |
| 2013 | Jason Coronel | Memory and Voting: Neuropsychological and Electrophysiological Investigations of Voters Remembering Political Event | 2012 |
| 2012 | Carie Steele | Disease Control and Donor Priorities: The Political Economy of Development Aid for Health | 2011 |
| 2011 | Daniel Pemstein | Coordinating Compromise: Information Manipulation and Bicameral Bargaining in the European Union | 2010 |
| 2010 | Nathaniel Swigger | Seeing is Believing: The Strategy Behind Campaign Imagery and its Impact on Voters | 2009 |
| 2009 | Michael Findley | Spoiling the Peace or Seeking the Spoils? Civil War Outcomes and the Role of Spoilers | 2007 |
William Bernhard Award
Named in honor of Dr. William Bernhard, former Head of the Department of Political Science, this award recognizes the best doctoral dissertation prospectus defended in the prior two calendar years. (The 2017 and 2018 awards were awarded for best prospectus from the prior calendar year.)
William Bernhard Award Winners
| Year | Winner | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Seongjoon Ahn | |
| 2024 | Shuyuan Shen | "Whatabout" Legitimacy: International News and Domestic Legitimation in China |
| 2023 | Sarah Leffingwell | New Democracies’ Participation in Multilateral Agreements Exploring the Effects of Democratic Legitimacy on International Behavior |
| 2022 | James Steur | Political Sadness: Democratic Institutions and Citizens in a Depressing World |
| 2021 | Miles Williams | Collective Action and Rivalry in International Development |
| 2020 | Ekrem Baser | Essays on the Political Economy of Conflict and Cooperation |
| 2019 | Collin Paschall | Legislative Commitment in Congress |
| 2018 | Chris Grady | Outgroup Attitudes and Ingroup Influence: How People Form and Update their Attitudes About Outgroups |
| 2017 | Kelly Senters | Leveraging Subnational Fragmentation to Assess Decentralization’s Effect on Political Participation and the Provision of Public Goods |
Rita and Leonard Ogren Prizes for Academic Achievement
The Rita and Leonard Ogren Prizes recognize the best academic performance by PhD student(s).
Ogren Award for Best Conference Paper
| Year | Winners |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Jing Li |
| 2024 | Allena Khan, Jair Moreira and James Steur |
| 2023 | Abdullah Kakaoglu and Shuyuan Shen |
Rita and Leonard Ogren Prize Winners
| Year | First-Year | Second-Year | Third-Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ruth Holloway | Younghyun Lee | Caleb Griffin |
| 2021 | Isaiah Raynal | Seongjoon Ahn and Myung Jung Kim | Seung-Uk Huh |
| 2020 | Shuyuan Shen | Jair Moreira | Josh Holmes |
| 2019 | Moonyoung Kim | Lucie Lu | Rebeca Agosto Rosa |
| 2018 | Miles Williams | Sanghoon Kim | Jaeseok Cho |
| 2017 | Sarah Leffingwell | Yuan-Ning Chu | Nuole Chen |
| 2016 | Gustavo Diaz | Alice Iannantuoni | Betsy Rajala |
| 2015 | Ekrem Baser | Kelly Senters | Charla Waeiss |
| 2014 | Collin Paschall | Benjamin Kantack | Matthew Cawvey |
| 2013 | Christopher Grady | David Bowden | Ashlea Rundlett |
| 2012 | Tyler Pack | Paul Testa | Tarah Williams |
| 2011 | Kaye Usry | Matthew Powers | Cristina Alvarez Mingote |
| 2010 | Katherine Graham | Cristina Alvarez Mingote | Jamie Scalera |
| Year | First Two Years |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Matthew Hibbing |
| 2008 | Munro Richardson |
| 2007 | Aya Kachi |
| 2006 | Michael Findley |
| 2005 | |
| 2004 | Seden Akcinaroglu |
| 2003 | Brian D. Roberts |
Clarence A. Berdahl Award
The Clarence A. Berdahl Award recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching by a faculty member. The award is chosen each year by the members of Pi Sigma Alpha.
Clarence A. Berdahl Award Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Don Casler |
| 2024 | Benjamin Miller |
| 2023 | Avital Livny |
| 2022 | Robert J. Carroll |
| 2021 | Kostas Kourtikakis |
| 2020 | Carol Leff |
| 2019 | Benjamin Miller |
| 2018 | Alicia Uribe-McGuire |
| 2017 | Kostas Kourtikakis |
| 2016 | Gisela Sin |
| 2015 | Sarah J. Hummel |
| 2014 | Cara Wong |
| 2013 | Milan W. Svolik |
| 2012 | John A. Vasquez |
| 2011 | Tracy Sulkin |
| 2010 | Paul F. Diehl |
| 2009 | Kris Miler |
| 2008 | Jonathan Allen |
| 2007 | Robert Pahre |
| 2006 | Ira H. Carmen |
| 2005 | Tracy Sulkin |
| 2004 | Michael A. Krassa |
| 2003 | Paul Quirk |
| 2002 | Todd Shaw |
| 2001 | Paul F. Diehl |
| 2000 | A. Belden Fields |
| 1999 | Dianne Pinderhughes |
| 1998 | Melissa A. Orlie |
| 1997 | Stephen A. Douglas |
| 1996 | Paul F. Diehl |
| 1995 | A. Belden Fields |
| 1994 | Carol S. Leff |
| 1993 | Carol L. Mock |
| 1992 | Marvin G. Weinbaum |
| 1991 | Paul F. Diehl |
| 1990 | Ira H. Carmen |
| 1989 | Stephen A. Douglas |
| 1988 | George T. Yu |
| 1987 | Ira H. Carmen |
| 1986 | Marvin G. Weinbaum |
| 1985 | Edward A. Kolodziej |
| 1984 | Roger E. Kanet |
| 1983 | Peggy Heilig |
| 1982 | A. Belden Fields |
| 1981 | Marvin G. Weinbaum |
| 1980 | Ira H. Carmen |
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by a Graduate Student
Since 1986, Political Science has acknowledged a graduate student for excellence in undergraduate instruction. Starting in 1998, the department has recognized excellent teaching of undergraduates by a graduate student acting as an Independent Instructor with the Marvin G. Weinbaum Award, and excellence by a graduate Teaching Assistant with the A. Belden Fields Award, in alternating years.
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by a Graduate Student
| Year | Marvin G. Weinbaum | A. Belden Fields | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jaeyoung Lee | ||
| 2024 | Joshua Holmes | ||
| 2023 | Søren Warland | ||
| 2022 | Kristin Bail | ||
| 2021 | Kristin Bail | ||
| 2020 | Alice Iannantuoni | ||
| 2019 | Sanghoon Kim | ||
| 2018 | Tyler Pack | ||
| 2017 | Jason Renn | ||
| 2016 | Jillian Evans | ||
| 2015 | Bernard Brennan | ||
| 2014 | Melinda Ritchie | ||
| 2013 | Bryce W. Reeder | ||
| 2012 | Andrew J. Bloeser | ||
| 2011 | Jamie E. Scalera | ||
| 2010 | Adam C. Irish | ||
| 2009 | Adam C. Irish | ||
| 2008 | Nathaniel Swigger | ||
| 2007 | Peter Rudloff | ||
| 2006 | Bryan S. Mcquide | ||
| 2005 | Jennifer Romine | ||
| 2004 | Heather L. Tafel | ||
| 2003 | Rebecca Harris | ||
| 2002 | Srinivasan Sitaraman | ||
| 2001 | Srinivasan Sitaraman | ||
| 2000 | Jeffrey A. Bosworth | ||
| 1999 | Jennifer Oats-Sargent | ||
| 1998 | David J. Longenecker | ||
| 1995 | Jeffrey A. Bosworth | ||
| 1994 | Jeffrey A. Bosworth | ||
| 1993 | Amit Gupta | ||
| 1992 | Terry D. Clark | ||
| 1991 | Mary B. Wong | ||
| 1990 | Randy L. Hegarty Kavita R. Khory | ||
| 1989 | Keith A. Boeckelman | ||
| 1988 | Paul J. Folger | ||
| 1987 | Randy L. Hagerty | ||
| 1986 | Daniel R. Kempton |
Excellence in Graduate Education, Teaching, Mentoring, and Service
An award for Excellence in Graduate Education, Teaching, Mentoring and Service is given each year to a faculty member within the Department of Political Science. Starting in 2019, the department has recognized excellent teaching of graduates by a faculty member with the Dina Zinnes Graduate Teaching Award, and excellent mentoring of graduates by a faculty member with the Jim Kuklinski Graduate Mentoring Award, in alternating years. The awards are chosen by the PhD students.
Excellence in Graduate Education, Teaching, Mentoring, and Service
| Year | Dina Zinnes | Jim Kuklinski | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rana Khoury | ||
| 2024 | Robert Carroll | ||
| 2023 | Matthew Winters | ||
| 2022 | Nora Webb Williams | ||
| 2021 | Robert J. Carroll | ||
| 2020 | Matthew S. Winters | ||
| 2019 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2018 | Aleks Ksiazkiewicz | ||
| 2017 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2016 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2015 | Robert Pahre | ||
| 2014 | Robert Pahre Matthew S. Winters | ||
| 2013 | Matthew S. Winters | ||
| 2012 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2011 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2010 | Jake Bowers Robert Pahre | ||
| 2009 | Tracy Sulkin | ||
| 2008 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2007 | Brian Gaines Jude C. Hays | ||
| 2006 | Zachary Elkins | ||
| 2005 | William T. Bernhard | ||
| 2004 | James H. Kuklinski | ||
| 2003 | Brian Gaines | ||
| 2002 | Michael A. Krassa |
Undergraduate Thesis Awards
Each year a student in the Political Science Honors Program is selected for the best research poster and best thesis. A committee of faculty vote on these awards.
Undergraduate Thesis Awards: Best Poster Winner
| Year | Best Poster Winner | Thesis Title | Faculty Advisor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kate Garton Leana Shin | Re-Evaluating Roberts? An Analysis of the Relationship Between Public Opinion and the Current Chief Justice Technology on Trial: Reimagining Asylum Adjudication in a Digital Age | Alicia Uribe-McGuire Meicen Sun |
| 2024 | Faith Dahman | “You’re Cancelled:” Understanding Content Moderation Habits for Extreme Political Content on TikTok | Aleks Ksiazkiewicz |
| 2023 | Emily Sallenback | There's No "I" in Erdoğan: Predicting Power Personalization with Pronoun Usage in Turkey | Avital Livny |
| 2022 | Kaylynn Kattiyaman | The CCP's Greatest Hits: An Analysis of Personalism and Propaganda Music | Yujeong Yang |
| 2021 | Jessica Angel | Who Does the Rule of Law Rule Out? Examining the Access to Justice for Victims in Post-Conflict Colombia | Alyssa Prorok |
| 2020 | Jonathan Bonaguro Casey Griffin | Making Friends and Influencing People: The Effects of Social Media Networks on Subjective Political Knowledge A (Manly) Man's Game: Masculinity, Gender Threat, and Political Participation | Scott Althaus Aleks Ksiazkiewicz |
| 2019 | Rebecca Laurent Valerie Peterson | Rising Temperatures and Inequality: Collective Action in a Changing World
| Robert Pahre, Daniel Miller Thomas Rudolph |
| 2018 | Matthew Rice | Personality's Role within the World's Greatest Deliberative Body: How the "Big Five" Factors Drive the Rise of United States Senators to Legislative Success | Jeffery Mondak |
| 2017 | Amy Radlinski | Understanding the Brexit Referendum: Direct Democracy and International Regimes | Konstantinos Kourtikakis |
| 2016 | Mekenah Merrill | Voting in Taiwan and China: A Comparative Analysis on the Impact of Educational Attainment on Voter Turnout in Taiwan and China | Sarah Hummel |
| 2015 | Irem Karacal | Political Violence, Ethnic Fractionalization, and the Ratification of the Rome Statute | Stephen Chaudoin |
Undergraduate Thesis Awards: Best Thesis Winner
| Year | Best Thesis Winner | Thesis Title | Faculty Advisor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Erin M. Haslett Rayna Patel | An Investigation into the Scientific Re-Biologization of Race and Sex Citizen’s Voices in Climate Migration: Exploring Public Opinion’s Influence on Government Action | Samantha Frost Rana Khoury |
| 2023 | Emily Sallenback | There's No "I" in Erdoğan: Predicting Power Personalization with Pronoun Usage in Turkey | Avital Livny |
| 2022 | Thomas Ballard Tyeese Braslavsky | Use of Force in the BLM Era: How High-Profile Citizen-Killings by Police Affect Use of Force Outcomes in Dallas, Texas AmeriCAN I…?” : The Effect of the Strength of American Identity on Civic Participation in Second-Generation Americans | Scott Althaus Cara Wong |
| 2021 | Jessica Angel | Who Does the Rule of Law Rule Out? Examining the Access to Justice for Victims in Post-Conflict Colombia | Alyssa Prorok |
| 2020 | Jonathan Bonaguro Casey Griffin | Making Friends and Influencing People: The Effects of Social Media Networks on Subjective Political Knowledge A (Manly) Man's Game: Masculinity, Gender Threat, and Political Participation | Scott Althaus Aleks Ksiazkiewicz |
| 2019 | Rebecca Laurent | Rising Temperatures and Inequality: Collective Action in a Changing World | Robert Pahre, Daniel Miller |
| 2018 | Matthew Rice | Personality's Role within the World's Greatest Deliberative Body: How the "Big Five" Factors Drive the Rise of United States Senators to Legislative Success | Jeffery Mondak |
| 2017 | Collin Schumock | Intraparty Factions and Interparty Polarization | Gisela Sin |
| 2016 | John Knoblett | From the Washington to the Beijing Consensus: China's Economic Rise and the IMF | Xinyuan Dai |
| 2015 | Jenine Saleh | A Perpetuating Negative Cycle: The Effects of Economic Inequality on Voter Participation | Thomas Rudolph |