We are pleased to announce the winners of the department's annual prizes! Thank you, Joshua Kaplan, for providing the below information.
The John Roos Prize for the best senior thesis in the field of American Politics goes to Adam Henderson for his thesis, "Playing the Catholic Card: Catholic Candidate and Religious Cues." Adam's thesis was advised by David Campbell.
Honorable Mention goes to Lindsay Karcher for her thesis, "The Whistle and the Fury: Race, Religion, and Dog Whistle Politics in the United States Presidential Campaigns," advised by David Campbell.
The Stephen Kertesz Prize for the best senior thesis in the field of international relations goes to Kyle Witzigman for his thesis, "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue: How Elections Affect Military Strategy," advised by Michael Desch.
Honorable Mention goes to Angela Adduci for her thesis, "Working Under Non-Democracy: Explaining Success and Failure of Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations," advised by Susan Rosato.
The Guillermo O'Donnell Prize for the best senior thesis in the field of comparative politics goes to Connor Hayes for his thesis, "Outing the Party: Irish Political Party Engagement in the 2015 Same-Sex Marriage Referendum," advised by Fr. Sean McGraw, C.S.C.
Honorable Mention goes to Lauran Feist for her thesis, "A Battle of Giants: Presidents against Governors in the Argentine Federal System," advised by Scott Mainwaring, and Magdalena Guzman, for her thesis, "The Private Sector and Public Security in Mexico," advised by Guillermo Trejo.
The Paul Bartholomew Prize for the best senior thesis in the field of political theory goes to Kelly McGee for her thesis, "Faltering 'Frames of Exception': Feminist Contestations of Gendered Nationalism via Family Law and Artistic Productions in the Occupied West Bank," advised by Atalia Omer (Kroc Institute).
Honorable mention goes to Patrick Kearney for his thesis, "Original Intentions: A Historical Account of the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," advised by Michael Zuckert.
The Gary F. Barnabo Writing Award for the best paper contributing to nonviolent solutions to world conflict goes to Jonathan Fazzino.
The George Brinkley Prize for service to the department, the University, and the wider community is awarded to Francesca Simon. Francesca has been President of the Black Students Association, Parliamentarian for the Diversity Council, and Multicultural Commissioner for her dorm, Pangborn Hall, as well as a volunteer at St. Margaret's House, and a member of the Development Advisory Team for ACE that went to Haiti to study community engagement as a way to increase literacy among young children.
Congratulations to these students and to those who helped bring them to this point. We congratulate all of our students who wrote senior theses this year and their faculty advisors, with special thanks to the thesis prize judges.