Political Science Highlights

Christopher Vasillopulos, political science professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored a new book titled “Interpreting Euripides’s Medea from Aristotelian and Nietzschean Perspectives,” published by Edwin Mellen Press.

Vasillopulos to sit on accreditation panel of Greek university

November 10, 2021

Political Science Professor Christopher Vasillopulos to serve on a Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) committee.

Governor Lamont visits Eastern in the Fall 2021

October 18, 2021

Governor Lamont visit to Eastern

Polisci Professor Nicole Krassas advocates for ECSU faculty with the Board of Regents (BOR)

June 29, 2021

Professor Krassas and other members of the faculty from all four CSCU university campuses have been in negotiations with the Board of Regents every week since January over faculty contracts.

Polisci student Aicha Ly receives Gilman Scholarship to study Human Rights in Costa Rica

June 11, 2021

Eastern Connecticut State University student Aicha Ly has been named a recipient of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the competitive scholarship will fund Ly’s field studies in Costa Rica in the winter of 2022.

Professor Patrick Vitale's new book ‘Nuclear Suburbs’

June 10, 2021

Eastern Connecticut State University Shows a Hybrid Induction Model Works

February 18, 2021

In the age of COVID, developing in person programming has not been easy on many campuses. Professor Martin Mendoza-Botelho, faculty advisor for the Alpha Beta Gamma chapter at Eastern Connecticut State University, felt it was time to give something a shot. After the pandemic postponed their spring induction event he was driven to develop something in the fall. "Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is a nice reward to motivated students; we wanted to do something special and as 'normal' as possible." With approval from the Provost and support from his colleagues, the chapter gathered on October 29 for a hybrid induction event to mark the chapter's 17th induction class and the Centennial of Pi Sigma Alpha. The event welcomed six students on site and another five joining virtually.

Hartford Courant: Students to lead strike for climate action on Friday at Capitol with ECSU polisci student Mitchel Kvedar

February 28, 2020

Inspired by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, college students Sena Wazer and Mitchel Kvedar of Sunrise Movement CT will lead a climate action protest at the state Capitol Friday. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend, demanding that Gov. Ned Lamont declare a climate emergency and establish a Green New Deal for the state.

Professor Mendoza-Botelho Discusses Amazonian Wildfires and its Impact on Bolivia at Human Rights event at UConn

October 28, 2019

Recently, the tragedy of the Amazon burning has consumed environmental news. There are many implications both environmentally and politically due to the large impacts of this event. A country of importance during this ongoing event is Bolivia in which a large portion of the Amazon blaze has occurred in.

Working for the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C.

October 11, 2019

This past July, I was extremely excited to learn that I was one of 70 individuals selected from a pool of international applicants to participate in the fall internship session at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC. OAS is a regional organization comprising all 35 independent states of the Americas.

Mendoza-Botelho Conducts Panel on Bolivia’s Political Future at Harvard University

June 10, 2019

Martin Mendoza-Botelho, a political science professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, attended the Gathering of Bolivianists (Encuentro De Bolivianistas) on May 27 at Harvard University in Boston. Mendoza-Botelho is the chair of the Bolivia Section of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), which sponsored the gathering.

Professor Mendoza-Botelho provides keynote address at the CSCU Faculty Research & Creative Activity Conference (RAC)

May 17, 2019

Political Science Professor Martín Mendoza-Botelho was honored as one of the keynote speakers at the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Faculty Research and Creative Activity Conference (RAC). The conference was held at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven on May 4

Eastern polisci student Demitra Kourtzidis ('19) Represents Connecticut on Capitol Hill

May 10, 2019

Eastern Connecticut State University student Demitra Kourtzidis ’19 of East Hampton was one of two researchers from Connecticut who presented their projects at the highly selective Posters on the Hill (POH) research conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on April 30. The annual event featured 60 representatives from colleges and universities across the nation. Eastern has represented Connecticut eight out of the past 12 years.

Eastern geography students cited in Senator Chris Murphy’s report

May 10, 2019

On May 6, 2019 Senator Chris Murphy released a report on food and housing insecurity among college and university students. Senator Murphy cites research that Eastern students conducted in Professor Patrick Vitale’s Geography of Food class. The report notes that given the lack of uniform data, students are collecting their own research on food insecurity on Connecticut campuses.

My Fulbright experience in the Czech Republic

April 17, 2019

August 26th 2017 represents a transformative day in my life. It was on that day that I boarded a one-way flight to the Czech Republic, where I would live and teach English for 10 months as a Fulbright Grantee. Although I was afraid of stepping into the unknown, I suppressed my fear. I recognized that I’d been given a unique opportunity to engage in the global world, which is something I’ve always yearned for. With this mentality, I was ready to accept any and all challenges that would come my way.

Eastern again in Posters on the Hill in Washington DC with Demitra Kourtzidis (’19)

March 27, 2019

The Political Science, Geography and Philosophy (PPG) Department is proud to announce the participation of polisci student Demitra Kourtzidis (’19) to the Posters on the Hill conference on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. This prestigious event is organized by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Students compete nationally with an acceptance rate of only 10%. Eastern has been represented in the last 8 out of the 13 Posters on the Hill conferences and for the past 4 consecutive years.

Discussing Walls

March 22, 2019

Walking into my first meeting with many established members of the Political Science department was without a doubt very daunting as a young student beginning my experience with the program. And of course, with such a heavy topic it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and under-prepared in the face of experts. We were fortunate enough to get an inside look at Dr. David Frye’s books Walls: A History of Civilization in Blood and Brick, a historical account of one of modern politics most volatile topics.

Polisci student Morgane Russell receives the prestigious MLK Distinguished Service Award

March 18, 2019

Political Science major Morgane Russell ’19; Isabel Logan, assistant professor of social work; and Leah Ralls, president of the NAACP Windham/Willimantic Branch, received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards at Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual award reception on Feb. 27.

PhD life at The Ohio State

February 15, 2019

There’s a chance if you’re reading this, you’re considering graduate school. Congratulations! Attending graduate school is sincerely the best decision I’ve ever made. If you love research, being pushed to your limits, and trying to answer questions about the world, you should really be thinking about it.

Life at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE)

February 11, 2019

This month it is exactly one year since I started applying to grad schools. At the time, I had no idea what to do, nor did I know where I potentially could end up. It was a stressful period, but luckily, I received a great amount of support from this department's faculty, which helped me to have some sort of a red line in my application process

Governor-Elect’s Policy Summit Hosted at Eastern

December 10, 2018

Nearly 500 people convened on Eastern’s campus on Nov. 27 for Governor-elect Ned Lamont’s public policy summit. The gathering consisted of the incoming administration’s transition team as well as concerned citizens from a range of economic sectors and political affiliations. Fifteen policy committees met across campus with the goal of establishing a roadmap for the incoming governor.

Eastern Professor Patrick Vitale Wins Ashby Prize

December 10, 2018

Patrick Vitale, a geography professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently won the Ashby Prize for the most innovative paper of 2017 in the journal “Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space.” Vitale’s article is titled “Making Science Suburban: The Suburbanization of Industrial Research and the Invention of ‘Research Man.'”

Trump at the G-20 Summit in Argentina

December 10, 2018

The G-20, Group of Twenty, is an international forum in which governments, central banks governors, heads of state, and finance and foreign ministers meet annually to discuss key issues and elements of the global economy. The G-20 was established in 1999, and has since expanded in order for more economic leaders to discuss the international stability of the developed wealthy countries.

Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Monte Frank visits Eastern

November 16, 2018

Three weeks before the election, Eastern welcomed the third party candidate for Lieutenant Governor: Monte Frank. Eastern students were excited to hear the platform of this third party candidate. While most of the Connecticut voters chose to cast their ballots for the either the Democratic or Republican Party, this was a historic moment for third party candidates.

Polisci students represent Eastern at prestigious policy competition at Yale University

November 15, 2018

Last October, Eastern Connecticut State University was proud to sponsor a group of six Political Science majors to attend and compete in the Yale undergraduate International Policy Competition (Yale/IPC). The students who attended were Leigh Generous, Megan Hull, Nour Kalbouneh, Zoe Marien, Jacqueline Pillo, and Joahanna Vega lbarra.

Quinnipiac's Law School Dean of Admissions visits Eastern

October 10, 2018

On Wednesday October 3rd, the Pre-law Society hosted the Dean of Admissions of Quinnipiac Law School, Mr. Adam Barrett. This was an extremely interesting and informative event. Mr. Barret gave helpful advice on the admission process and how to find a school that best fits your professional objectives.

Professor Ana Funes at the 50th anniversary of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy in Poland

September 17, 2018

The Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy held its 50th anniversary in Poland on early June when more than one hundred philosophers from all around the world came together to discuss topics related to Asian and Non-Western traditions from a cross-cultural philosophical perspective.

Eastern Polisci-Economics student Tess Candler presents her work to members of Congress at Capitol Hill in Washington DC

June 18, 2018

One of the cornerstone events of The Council on Undergraduate Research is its annual Posters on the Hill event that meets every spring on Capitol Hill, Washington DC. The purpose of the event is to gather students from undergraduate programs around the country in one location to present their independent research.

Professor Christopher Vasillopulos invited as Distinguished Scholar to Address the International Association of Greek Philosophy

June 15, 2018

Political Science Professor Vasillopulos will speak this July on the Origins of Globalization at the 30th International Conference of the International Association of Greek Philosophy in Athens, Greece.

Women in Politics, is it realistic?

May 04, 2018

Women across the world are starting to become more involved in politics and political parties. However, for centuries, that was not the case.

SUNY Old Westbury Professor Llana Barber visits Eastern

April 25, 2018

“White picket fences, apple orchards” and cookie cutter houses in the suburbs, cross an “unmarked barrier to find condemned mills and poverty in the city”. “How did the city get like this? How did it not affect the suburbs? Is segregation responsible?” These questions ran through my mind as SUNY Old Westbury Professor Llana Barber set the scene and placed me in the city of Lawrence, Massachusetts from 1945 to 2000.

Polisci Professor Mendoza-Botelho Presents at Symposium on Bolivia

April 06, 2018

Eastern Political Science Professor Martin Mendoza-Botelho was invited by a small group of panelists to discuss “Bolivia: Assessing the Contemporary Social and Political Landscape” at a public symposium at American University in Washington, DC, on March 5.

Polisci Student Adam Murphy Wins Prestigious Fulbright-Hays Scholarship to Study in Indonesia

April 06, 2018

Adam Murphy ('18) a double major in Political Science and History, with a minor in Asian Studies, has been awarded a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship to study Indonesian language in an intensive language program in Salatiga, Indonesia.

Eastern polisci students present their work at the Northeastern Political Science Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia

November 20, 2017

A week ago, a group of us, polisci students, presented our work at the Northeast Regional Political Science Association annual conference in Philadelphia. The group included Tess Candler, Emma Avery, Mikhela Hull and me.

Polisci Student Megan Hull joins Connecticut State Universities' March on Hartford

October 16, 2017

Governor Malloy's recent round of budget cuts clearly indicate that the financial crisis in Connecticut is far from finished. Even though the governor vetoed the state's prior budget the threat of budgetary restrictions still looms over the heads of many state-run organizations...

The Pre Law Society gets ready for a busy semester

September 20, 2017

Greetings from the Pre Law Society, here at Eastern Connecticut. The Society was present at Eastern’s Student Fair last week and shared with interested students its mission to prepare undergraduates in their path to Graduate and Law schools.

Bolivian Ambassador to the United Nations talks at Eastern about the dangers of unilateralism

September 15, 2017

To talk about world peace is to talk about war. And why haven't we stopped making war? While the United Nations is supposed to help make countries act multilaterally, Ambassador Sacha Llorenti pushed the point that some nations, such as the United States and Europe, have begun to act unitarily during his visit at Eastern as part of the University Hour program.

Studying Politics as a Digital Arts Major

May 19, 2017

As a student I have always found the topic of politics very interesting, but within the last year and a half with the onslaught of political propaganda brought on by this past election, the most chaotic election to date some U.

Women March in Venezuela

May 17, 2017

Just one day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States women around the world mobilized in opposition to his campaign's divisive rhetoric and marched in cities all across the globe.

No need for Big Bucks to Run for Office

May 09, 2017

On Tuesday, April 4, Elona Vaisnys visited Eastern Connecticut State University to present “No Need for Big Bucks, Run for a State Office”. Vaisnys spoke about CEP, which is the Citizens Election Program.

Polisci Student Adam Murphy is Awarded a Prestigious Scholarship to Study in Indonesia

May 03, 2017

Adam Murphy, a major in Political Science and History, was awarded US-Indonesian Summer Studies scholarship to take part in a 10-week immersive language training program this summer in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The Ordeal of Undocumented Students

April 28, 2017

What's the craziest thing you did over spring break? I'm sure that question leads into many memorable stories. Let me start mine by introducing myself. My name is Yenimar Cortes, I am eighteen years old and I recently changed my major from biology to political science.

Reflections on Water and Politics

April 26, 2017

Last March, I had the opportunity to attend a talk on the water crisis in developing urban cities by UCONN Political Science Professor Veronica Herrera, author of Water and Politics: Clientelism and Reform in Urban Mexico.

Talk on Voting Behavior – Professor Nichole Szembrot, Trinity College

April 25, 2017

Dr. Nichole Szembrot, Trinity College, will present her paper entitled “Perceptions of Special Interest Influence and Voting Behavior” on Wednesday, April 26 at 3:00 in Webb 437.

Polisci student Sierra Colon receives the César Chávez Distinguished Service Award

April 25, 2017

We are very proud to announce that the 2017 student recipient of the César Chávez Distinguished Service Award is our fellow Political Science student, Sierra Colon! We wanted to showcase some of Sierra's many achievements that lead to her receipt of the award.

Polisci alumna ('16) Quanece Williams receives a highly competitive Fullbright grant award to serve in the Czech Republic

April 19, 2017

Quanece Williams '16 of Bridgeport, CT, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to serve an English teaching assistantship in the Czech Republic. The grant, which is for the 2017-18 academic year, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Polisci student Meaghan McFall-Gorman is the winner of the 2016 Election Blog competition

April 14, 2017

On March 8, 2017 Meaghan McFall-Gorman received an award for winning the Elections 2016 Blog Competition. Dr. Mendoza-Botelho and Dr. Krassas were happy to present the award to Meaghan for her excellent post on the rift between Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the 2016 election.

Visit of Polisci Eastern alumna and JD candidate Raagan Mumley

March 10, 2017

This week I had the great opportunity to meet Eastern Alumna and JD Candidate at Vermont Law School, Raagan Mumley.

Eastern Students participate in CPAC 2017

March 03, 2017

In late February the Eastern Conservative/ Libertarian Club attended the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor Maryland just outside of Washington DC.

Professors Vasillopulos and Mendoza-Botelho discuss War and Peace at UConn

February 03, 2017

Over the past two weeks two of our Professors Martín Mendoza-Botelho and Chris Vasillopulos, held talks on the topics of peace and war, respectively, at UConn, for the Center for Learning in Retirement (CLIR).

A Future for Equality

December 16, 2016

By Courtney Regan As kids, we're programmed to view gender as a concept that distinguishes femininity from masculinity based on social and cultural characteristics, rather than biological differences.

Polisci student Sabina Mamedova share her life experiences as part of the Immigrant Project at the Democracy at Work series at Eastern

December 07, 2016

The Democracy at Work series at Eastern included political views, artistic talents and information before the presidential election. There were a variety of events such as drawing cartoons about candidates, lectures and debates, and even students dressed in candidate costumes.

Teaching in France: The Value of International Experiences

November 18, 2016

Over the summer, I was excited to find out that I had been accepted to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) in the Academie de Lille, which is the education district of France’s northernmost province, Nord-Pas-de-Calais. As I had always intended to take a gap year before graduate school, I was very excited for this opportunity to live in another country, learn the language, and get to know the community around me.

The Economic Value of a Political Science Major

November 04, 2016

Every year Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce releases a comprehensive analysis of the economic benefits of the 137 most typical college majors, titled “The Economic Value of College Majors.”

Life after Eastern… and a good one!

October 31, 2016

Graduation night was one of the scariest nights of my life. Walking across a stage in front of thousands did not bother me, as many professors can attest that I love the spotlight.

Professors Martín Mendoza-Botelho and Ricardo Pérez (Sociology) interviewed for Hispanic Heritage Month at the Wayne Norman Show

October 07, 2016

Sptember 15 to October 15 has been designated as National Hispanic Heritage Month by Congress. The main purpose of this period is to celebrate the contribution of Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean cultures and societies to American society in the U.S.

Student utilizes Skype technology for internship with international non-profit

September 14, 2016

This summer was spent working as an intern for the international development organization, Katerva. The organization serves as a platform to provide recognition and consultation to technologies and startups relating to sustainable development, specifically targeting innovation that will help raise the quality of life in the developing world.

Polisci Students present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2016

May 04, 2016

On April 7-9 three of Eastern's Polisci students Alexandra Cross, Sabreena Croteau, and Erin Drouin presented their research at the 30th Annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

Polisci student Alexandra Cross is the 2016 student recipient of the Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Award

April 27, 2016

On March 30, 2016 Polisci student Alexandra Cross received the Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Award at an Awards Ceremony held in the Student Center Theater.

Eastern College Democrats sponsor a voter registration drive

April 25, 2016

Election season is upon on! Eastern College Democrats held two voter registration drives in the past few weeks encouraging people to vote in the primary on April 26th.

Polisci student and actress Lucy Shea performs in an upcoming play based on poet Eve Merriam's work

March 02, 2016

Polisci student Lucy Shea will be part of the cast of the upcoming play Out of Our Father's House, directed by Caitlin McDonough, which is part of the student director showcase POWER PLAYS! Based on Eve Merriam's Growing Up Female in America, this moving play is drawn from the diaries, journals...

Wings over politics - The Republican Presidential Candidates and the Syrian Crisis

December 16, 2015

The Republican Presidential Candidates and the Syrian Crisis: A Millennial Perspective All too often the millennial generation is not considered or taken for granted.

Eastern Students visit Connecticut's Supreme Court

October 28, 2015

Professor Broscious and the students from PSC 341 Judicial Process visited the Connecticut State Supreme Court in Hartford on October 15, 2015. The class observed proceedings in two cases: State of Connecticut v. Kenneth Jamison and Standard Oil of CT, Inc. v.

Life After Eastern

October 09, 2015

After graduating back in May 2015, I thought I was going to immediately find a great job. Heck, why wouldn't I? I had years of military experience, had two internships under my belt, and had been working in financial aid for two years.

My experience with study abroad, rethinking the future by visiting the past in Eastern Europe

September 21, 2015

Participation in a study abroad program was an opportunity that I had often heard about, yet dismissed due to my stringent academic requirements as a double major.

Internship with Senator Murphy's Hartford Office

February 03, 2015

A requirement for all political science majors is to complete an internship before graduation. Knowing that one must reach out beyond school grounds to finish an education can be a daunting task but it is actually much easier than you may think.

News from abroad - David Coffey's first report from England

September 09, 2014

Hey everyone, I successfully arrived in Preston this Sunday to start my semester abroad at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). So far the weather's been good and the people I've met have been even better.

New members of the prestigious Honor's Society for Political Science ΦΣΑ (Pi Sigma Alpha)

May 14, 2014

On Monday, April 28, the political science program inducted 6 students into Eastern's chapter of the National Honor Society for Political Science, Pi Sigma Alpha. Our chapter's name is Alpha Beta Gamma.

Student Matt Hicks reflects on the future of conservatism after his attendance at CPAC 2014

April 04, 2014

Senior at Eastern Connecticut State University Political Science Major and History and Pre-Law Minors Republicans looking for a fresh start, hope for a future in fiscal conservatism This was my third straight year attending the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Visit of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Eastern

February 26, 2014

At the end of March, Eastern will receive former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for a talk on the challenges the U.S. and world face in the XXI Century

Gender and Social Policies in Latin America

October 01, 2013

On October 23 Dr Nagels of the Université de Montréal presented some of her work in Latin America related to the implementation of social policies aimed at improving the livelihood of citizens in this region and related feminist theory.