Virginia Tech Department of Political Science

Virginia Tech Department of Political Science The Facebook home of Virginia Tech's Department of Political Science and International Studies Program.

Welcome to Virginia Tech's Department of Political Science, which also houses the Program in International Studies. The Department offers multiple undergraduate majors and minors in Political Science and International Studies, as well as a master's degree in Political Science. The Department is also home to the award-winning Online MA Program in Political Science (OLMA), the first graduate degree at Virginia Tech offered completely online.

Dr. Binio Binev, assistant professor of political science, recently published Crossroads After Communism (Cambridge Univ...
08/27/2026

Dr. Binio Binev, assistant professor of political science, recently published Crossroads After Communism (Cambridge University Press, 2026). 📚

This new book offers an innovative interpretation of the relationship between economic liberalism and political illiberalism in contemporary Eastern Europe and Latin America. Focusing primarily on the former region, he emphasizes linkages between the legacies of early market reform and the adaptive strategies of subsequent populists.

By integrating elements of path dependency and human agency, this book advances a distinctive explanation of illiberals' electoral viability and behavior in power.

It uses both quantitative analysis of region-wide patterns and in-depth case studies informed by interviews from fieldwork in both regions to offer a comprehensive and nuanced perspective on the long-term effects of building capitalism, the political Left, and the persistent appeal of populist forces after the end of communism.

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓Meet Chet Culver, he earned his B.A. in political science in 1988. Chet was elected as Iowa Secretary...
08/26/2026

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓

Meet Chet Culver, he earned his B.A. in political science in 1988. Chet was elected as Iowa Secretary of State in 1998 and he was re-elected in 2002. He was elected Governor in 2006 and served one term. He is the founder and President of the Culver Group, 2011-Present. He represents clients in all areas of public policy (energy, education, sports) at the state and federal level. 👏

As a student in the political science program, Chet was able to take classes where he learned about campaigns and public office, while also taking advantage of various internships that solidified his ambition to run for office. 🏫

"My favorite memories from my time at Virginia Tech while on the field, playing football with Bruce Smith and going to the Independence Bowl in 1984. Off the field; Attending excellent political science and history classes," Chet said.📚

Join us in congratulating Chet on all of his achievements! 🎉🧡

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓Meet Grayson Savage, he earned his B.A. in Political Science in 2019 with a legal studies option. Gra...
08/21/2026

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓

Meet Grayson Savage, he earned his B.A. in Political Science in 2019 with a legal studies option. Grayson is currently an Associate Attorney with Portner & Shure, P.A., where his practice includes personal injury, workers’ compensation, and criminal defense. 👏

As a student in the political science program, Grayson gained a strong foundation in critical thinking, writing, research, and understanding legal and governmental institutions. These skills helped him prepare for law school and continue to be important in his work as an attorney. 🏫🏛️

"Some of my favorite memories were the classroom discussions within the Political Science program and being challenged to think critically about law, government, and public policy. Outside of the classroom, Virginia Tech football games in Lane Stadium and the game-day atmosphere in Blacksburg are definitely among my favorite memories. Looking back, I’m grateful for both the education I received and the overall experience of being a Hokie," Grayson said. 📚

Join us in congratulating Grayson on all of his achievements! 🎉🧡

We continue to highlight our master's students summer work, and all the other incredible things they do for the departme...
08/07/2026

We continue to highlight our master's students summer work, and all the other incredible things they do for the department! ☀️

Up next are current master's students Laci Reed and Iasmina Idris. Laci and Iasmina worked on administrative projects for the department, which includes helping with the Department of Political Science's 60th Anniversary event on August 20th!📚🎉

Laci and Iasmina visited the archives in the Newman Library Special Collections on multiple occasions to gather photos and various news articles over the years that highlights the growth and development of the Political Science department at Virginia Tech. 📝

"One of the best parts of this experience has been visiting the archives and researching the department's history. It was my first time working in the archives, and it has been fascinating to see how the department has grown over the years," Laci said.👏

"Throughout this experience, I have not only strengthened my research, organizational, and communication skills, as well as gained experience working in the archives, but also got a chance to explore the history of the Political Science Department. It has made me appreciate even more the opportunity to be part of the department," Iasmina said on her experience. ♥️🧡

Both commend the program for sharpening their research and analytical skills, offering a wide range of courses that touch on many complex political issues, and providing personal and academic support to students. "They are genuinely invested in their students," Iasmina said.

Join us in congratulating Laci and Iasmina on all their hard work supporting faculty and the department this summer! 👏🎉

Also, if you have not already done so, please be sure to RSVP for Political Science's 60th Anniversary Celebration on August 20th at 5pm at The Inn at Virginia Tech! 🦃

https://buff.ly/k6eXBY6

We continue to highlight our master's students summer work, and all the other incredible things they do for the departme...
08/05/2026

We continue to highlight our master's students summer work, and all the other incredible things they do for the department! ☀️

Up next is current master's student Logan Klain. Logan largely worked with Dr. Desiree poets and Dr. Andrea Davila Saad on a department research assistantship. He also helped several other faculty members this summer.📚

In his work with Dr. Poets and Dr. Davilla Saad, Logan researched, collected, and cleaned various datasets in support of the theoretical grounding laid by the rest of the team. 📝

"Every week brings a new challenge or learning opportunity, from complicated and geopolitically contingent coding choices made by different databases to practicing public speaking in the low-stakes environment of our weekly meeting," he said.👏

Logan commends the robust quantitative methods curriculum required for the PSCI MA program for his confidence and competence in completing this assignment despite his research being more qualitative in its focus.

"The most impactful part of this assignment has been learning from more established scholars as they begin a large research project. Initial plans rarely result in perfect ex*****on, and the resilience and excitement with which the team overcomes each obstacle is inspiring for a young researcher like me," Logan said on his experience.

Logan intends to continue working with Dr. Poets and Dr. Davilla Saad on this research after the summer ends. "I am reminded each day that the process for creating knowledge is iterative, and significantly more enjoyable and rewarding when part of a team," he said on his experience this summer. ♥️🧡

Join us in congratulating Logan on all his hard work supporting faculty in the department this summer! 👏🎉

With mid-term elections approaching, Dr. Karen Hult, professor of political science, was recently interviewed in the Roa...
08/05/2026

With mid-term elections approaching, Dr. Karen Hult, professor of political science, was recently interviewed in the Roanoke Times about the upcoming primary elections for several U.S. House of Representatives seats. In this interview, Hult discusses the discrepancy in financial contributions and spending, specifically in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District. 🗳️

Incumbent Morgan Griffith, R- Salem, has received six times more campaign contributions in 2026 ($634,000) than the three democratic primary challengers combined. Due to this stark fundraising difference, Hult notes that the perception among donors is this district is "uncompetitive.” “The funding disparity in the 9th district likely reflects the advantages of incumbent candidates and/or the clear partisan makeup of the district,” she said.

Primary elections are held across Virginia on August 4th. Hult believes that campaign spending will increase after primaries, but Democratic donors will likely prioritize more competitive races in Virginia. These races include the 5th and 6th Congressional Districts; the latter includes Democrat Beth Macy of Roanoke challenging Republican incumbent Ben Cline of Botetourt County.

She clarifies that current research suggests having more money does not always win elections. More important, she says, “challengers reach a threshold of having sufficient funds to run good campaigns; such so-called "quality candidates" have better chances of being competitive.” In fact, spending more money can sometimes be unrelated or negatively related to the outcome of an election. You can read the full story in the July 26th, 2026, edition of The Roanoke Times.

The start of the new school year is right around the corner. Before it begins, we would like to highlight all the hard w...
08/03/2026

The start of the new school year is right around the corner. Before it begins, we would like to highlight all the hard work our master's students have done over the summer. Throughout the week we will highlight several of our master's students and the important work they have done for the department! ☀️

Up first is current master's student Tristan Reeves. Tristan worked closely with Dr. Lilly Frost on a department research assistantship. 📚

Over the summer, Tristan supported Dr. Frost's research through review, documentation, and analysis of archival documents from British Foreign Intelligence in relation to Jordanian and Arab countries.📚

The primary purpose of this research was to uncover discrepancies in Jordan's policies that affect Palestinian refugees. The deliverable from this archival research is to support Dr. Frost's manuscript on "intentional ambiguity," regarding Jordan's citizenship policies. 📝

Join us in congratulating Tristan on all his hard work supporting faculty in the department this summer! 👏🎉

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓Meet Zach Jacobs, he earned his B.A. in national security and foreign affairs and agribusiness manage...
07/30/2026

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓

Meet Zach Jacobs, he earned his B.A. in national security and foreign affairs and agribusiness management in 2019. Zach most recently worked as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Arkansas Department of Education, and has held several other positions in state and federal government, including the position of Legislative Analyst, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 👏

As a student in the NSFA program, Zach praises the program for helping him apply theoretical concepts to real world examples. This prepared him for his career in public service working at the state and federal levels. 🏫

"My favorite memories from my time in the PSCI Department have to be taking classes with Ken Stiles ... I also really enjoyed getting connected to several campaign cycles while I was a student to get some volunteer experience through local, state, and federal campaigns which was extremely valuable in helping me understand how to create relatable and palatable content and tailor outreach to the issues that constituents were focused on during those times," Zach said on his experience in the program.📚

Join us in congratulating Zach on all of his achievements! 🎉🧡

If you would like to be featured in an alumni highlight or attend our 60th anniversary event please follow this link: https://buff.ly/7nBPL0T

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓Meet Mick Collins, he earned his M.A. in political science in 2000. Mick currently works for SAP in b...
07/28/2026

🎓Alumni Highlight!🎓

Meet Mick Collins, he earned his M.A. in political science in 2000. Mick currently works for SAP in business development and customer consultation for several of the companies products.👏

As a student in the master's program, Mick points to three valuable lessons he learned while completing his master's. First, a commitment to the exploration of ideas through the guidance of professors, such as Dr. Luke, and the many classes offered that challenges students. Second, respect for multiple points of view while studying alongside peers from different backgrounds. This helped him think about different perspectives and listen to others before chiming in. Lastly, simplifying complex topics via clear communication in his thesis allowed him to distill a wealth of information into a coherent argument. Mick now regularly speaks at conferences, where he relies on the experience he gained in the master's program! 🏫📚

Mick enjoys traveling, something his current position allows him to do. His favorite destinations include London(pictured), Bangkok, Lisbon, Brisbane, and Barcelona. 📚

"I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Tim Luke (who accepted me into the Masters program), Dr. Karen Hult and Dr. Charles Walcott (serving as advisors on my presidential politics studies), and Dr. Doug Borer and John Aughenbaugh who helped with my transition from northern England to Blacksburg, most notably through regular games of golf," Mick said. 🧡♥️

Join us in congratulating Mick on all his achievements! 🎉🧡

If you would like to be featured in an alumni highlight or attend our 60th anniversary event please follow the link: https://buff.ly/7nBPL0T

As we approach the department's 60th anniversary, we thought highlighting some of our current graduate students work ove...
07/27/2026

As we approach the department's 60th anniversary, we thought highlighting some of our current graduate students work over the summer would be a great way to get celebrate all the great work our department and students do!☀️

Up first is Miabella Wehri! Miabella is a second year master's student who is currently an intern in the City Manager's Office for the City of Roanoke for the summer!😎👏

Miabella credits the department in helping her better understand public administration, political institutions, leadership, and the complexities of government.

The experience has reinforced her passion for public service, and provided her with the opportunity to put the knowledge she has gained from the master's program into practice. 🧡

"I am incredibly grateful to the City of Roanoke and everyone who took the time to mentor me, share their experiences, and invest in my professional development. Especially those in the Office Of The City Manager," Miabella said.

Join us in congratulating Miabella on her work this summer! 👏🎉

Well done, Miabella!🧡

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