Chair's Message

Welcome POLS Community!

This has been an amazing year for the department! We had more students, staff and faculty win university and community recognition than I can remember. These students, staff and faculty were recognized for their creative accomplishments, community service and work to improve our institutions.

This year, the university hired a new dean for the College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Philip Williams, a political scientist who comes from the University of Florida, where he most recently served as the director for the Center for Latin American Studies. I am excited to welcome Dean Williams to campus. The Political Science Department successfully hired a new tenure-line faculty member, RG Cravens, who started in the fall and will focus his teaching and research in the areas of American politics and political theory, with an emphasis on LGBTQ politics and policy. We are excited to have RG join us!

In this issue of Alumni Connections, you will read amazing stories about the impact you have on our department! We offered awards to support students with demonstrated financial need so that they could take unpaid internships. Our successful Model UN team continued to achieve and grow this season. Our students continue to learn the California legislative process while drafting and advocating for changes to higher education. Dr. Matt Moore started a senior project program focused on understanding resiliency. You can also catch up with what your fellow alumni have been up to since graduation.

Thank you for your continued support of our students, faculty and staff. You make so much of what we do possible. If you’d like to reconnect with the department, please do let us know. We’d love to hear from you! Please email us at politicalscience@ calpoly.edu or visit us at politicalscience.calpoly.edu.

Finally, one last note. For the next academic year, I have been appointed interim dean of graduate education. I am excited (and nervous) about the position. But, I know I leave the department in the very capable hands of Dr. Anika Leithner. I am so excited for Dr. Leithner to be able to lead the department’s work and look forward to catching up with you all in a year!

Elizabeth Lowham
Department Chair