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Scholarships & Awards

The Department of Political Science recognizes high achieving students with the following awards and scholarships.

May Thompson Evans and William Ney Evans Scholarship
This award recognizes a Westhampton College student who is a rising senior political science major and has successfully completed a minimum of four units in political science coursework by the end of the spring semester of her junior year.  Applicants are reviewed on the basis of their academic record and interest and involvement in political and public affairs.

Mrs. Evans established the scholarships as a memorial to her late husband, W. Ney Evans, a legal scholar, practicing attorney and judge. Mrs. Evans, who received her B.A. from Westhampton College in 1921 and a M.A. from Columbia University in 1923, had a distinguished record of public service. After serving as Director of the North Carolina Employment Service, the first woman in the nation to be appointed director of such an agency, she was a federal civil servant for 27 years, and the highest ranking woman from the State of North Carolina from 1949–60.  In recognition of her outstanding achievement in the public sector and her advocacy of career opportunities for women, Mrs. Evans received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Westhampton College and the Honorary Doctor of Social Service Degree from the University of Richmond in 1964.

For information on how to apply for this scholarship, please click here. 

  • 2022 Winners: Maeve Hall, Lily Miller, Kaitlyn O'Leary, Sokeara Sanford, and Megan Schmitz

Spencer D. Albright Scholarship Award

  • 2022 Winners: Davis Alcorn, Charles Blount, Addy Hailu, Hannah Hald, Maeve Hall, Logan Jones-Wilkins, Kaitlyn O'Leary, and Chloe Stechart

Spencer D. Albright Book Award This annual award is given to the graduating student(s) with the highest GPA in political science coursework by the end of the fall semester of the senior year.

  • 2022 Winners: Cassie Coughlan and Jake Winter

Best Senior Seminar Paper Award
This annual award is given for the best researched and written paper in a senior seminar.

  • 2022 Winner:  Franklin Borre

Best Senior Honor's Thesis Award
This  award is given for the best researched and written honor's thesis

  • 2022 Winner:  Jake Winter

The Richmond Award

This award is given to a graduating senior who has an outstanding record of applying lessons of political science to the service of the city of Richmond. Students must be nominated for the award by a faculty member or fellow student.

For details on how to nominate someone or apply for the award please click here.

  • 2022 Winner: Brianna Silva, Drew Strong, and Eyga Williamson

Pi Sigma Alpha

Criteria for the national political science honor society are as follows: 

  • A minimum of six units in political science taken at UR, at least three of which must be at or above 300-level.
  • Overall GPA of 3.3 or better and a political science GPA of at least 3.5

Inductions to the Beta Xi chapter will take place every spring. New and current members are invited to join us at the annual Political Science Awards Reception. If you have questions about Pi Sigma Alpha please contact Dr. Monti Datta, faculty advisor.