Kansas State University

Political science department recognizes undergraduate and graduate students

Submitted by Monica Macfarlane

The political science department awarded $35,000 in scholarship funds to its undergraduate and graduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year. The department also awarded more than $115,000 in graduate assistantship stipends to seven students across two graduate programs.

Congratulations to the following scholarship awardees:

Undergraduate

• Brenna Barnes, junior in political science and natural resources and environmental science, and pre-law, Reba L. Cobb Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Women in Political Science. 
• Macyn Renee Bush, freshman in political science, Donald R. Hill Scholarship.
• Rosa Estrada-Ramirez, senior in political science, community planning minor, and nonprofit leadership certificate, Political Science Excellence Award.
• Gabriela Guillen, sophomore in political science, Rieger-McCrery Scholarship.
• Jacob Hofman, junior in political science and economics, and accelerated MPA student, Don and Marian Button Political Science Scholarship.
• Andrew Le, sophomore in political science, Sally Coberly Political Science Scholarship.
• Reagan Nicole Montgomery, junior in political science, Edward Allen McCoy, Jr. Memorial Scholarship.
• Andrew Navarro, senior in political science, Spanish minor, and nonprofit leadership certificate, Barbara Meyer Scholarship in Political Science.
• Lilly Schultejans, sophomore in political science and history, Richter Family "Beyond the Campus" Scholarship.
• Gracie Jo YingZhen Stanton, sophomore in political science and English minor, Dennis K. Tapsak Memorial Scholarship.
• Samantha Suchanek, junior in political science and pre-law, Louis H. Douglas Scholarship.
• Rachel Sum, junior in social studies education and Middle East Studies minor, Samarrai Middle East Fellowship.
• Emily Kay Voskoyan, senior in political science, Jon David Wagner Scholarship.
• Trace Dean Ward, junior in political science, Edward Allen McCoy, Jr. Memorial Scholarship.
• Katelyn West, junior in political science, pre-law, and Middle East Studies minor, Orma Linford Scholarship.

Graduate

• Levi Bradley, masters student in security studies, Don Kissinger Political Science Excellence Award.
• Melynda Ann Cashman, masters student in public administration, Amy Button-Renz Public Administration Scholarship.
• Fredie C. Cohen II, masters student in public administration, Tummala Master of Public Administration Fellowship Student.
• Marissa Lux, masters student in public administration, John W. and Lynn L. Carlin Public Administration Scholarship.
• Katerina Georgia Rigas, doctorate of security studies candidate, Nicolas Salgo Political Science Scholarship.
• Katerina Georgia Rigas, doctorate of security studies candidate, Joseph Hadja Student Scholarship.
• Leah Sauceda-Jeppe, masters student in public administration, Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship in International Relations.

2024-2025 graduate teaching/research assistantship recipients:

• Lamya Achelha, doctorate of security studies student.
• Lasath Channa Dissanayake, doctorate of security studies student.
• Richard R. Johnson, doctorate of security studies student.
• Emmanuel Ofori-Bah, doctorate of security studies student.
• Emily Velazquez, master of public administration student.
• Mia Wells, master of public administration student.
• Stephen Zimmer, master of public administration student.

The department extends special thanks all the donors who support these scholarships and make the annual award ceremony possible. 

Additionally, the department thanks the security studies and public administration program directors, Michael Flynn and Ethan Bernick, and the members of the Undergraduate Scholarship Committee: John Fliter, Laurie Johnson and John Warner for their efforts in reviewing the competitive applications.