Wittenberg University Department of Political Science

Dr. Heather Wright recently gave some new Wittenberg students from her First Year Seminar, "Law, Rights & Pop Culture" a taste of things to do near Wittenberg's campus, when she took them on an outing to Young's Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs.

This weekend is Homecoming! On Saturday (9/27) we’ll be tailgating again before the football game. If you’re in town, please stop by our tent ( #31) to say hello!

Congratulations to Johnny Pryor '99 for being named Alumnus of the Year!

Representing more than 26,000 alumni, the Wittenberg University Alumni Association is excited to recognize personal and professional success as it honors six individuals with special distinctions, Friday, Sept. 26, during Homecoming, Reunion, and Family Weekend. Congratulations to the following members of the Wittenberg community:

🏆Associate Professor of English D. Scot Hinson, Ph.D.: Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching
🏆 Johnny Pryor '99, J.D.: Alumnus of the Year
🏆 Haley Mucha Domenick '16: Pass It On Wittenberg Volunteer Service Award
🏆 Taylor Brown Pumroy '20: Servant Leader Award
🏆 Drew Sykes '11: Outstanding Young Alumnus Award
🏆 Clifford “Cliff” Pope '92: Professional Achievement Award

Learn more: https://ow.ly/5cyk50X0YCa

Professors Heather Wright and Michael Anes joined 16 international scholars this summer at the Annual Seminar on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Taught by leading figures in the field, the event provided attendees with resource materials and suggested approaches for teaching about the Holocaust. See full story at https://ow.ly/Twb450Wx3mP

We're thrilled to share a few of the stories from our Oral History Project. Amb. Robert Perry ’67 credits Professor Robert Hartje, Professor Melvin Laatsch, and Professor Jeffrey Mao with sparking his interest in political science. Dr. Mao encouraged him to apply for a Ford Foundation fellowship, which included a State Department internship and an M.A. from American University. That introduced him to a 34-year career in the Foreign Service, beginning in Vietnam, including posts in Latin America and Africa. Read more about Amb. Perry’s story: www.wittenberg.edu/alumni/oral-history-LifeAfterWitt

We’re grateful for alumni like Amb. Perry who has supported Wittenberg throughout the years with a gift to the University. To join him in supporting Wittenberg, make a gift now: www.wittenberg.edu/giving

Students in Dr. Staci Rhine's Methodology class recently presented their research findings in a poster session held in the Hollenbeck Atrium.

Tiger up!

Pass Your Light! Give Like a Tiger! is underway. For the next 24 hours, help unlock your favorite challenge and celebrate Wittenberg with a gift to your favorite fund. And if you're seeing this late-night post and are heading to campus in the morning, stop by the student-run Sip’s Coffee Bar and choose from the Witt Special, a white chocolate and cinnamon latte; the Tiger Blood Redbull, a strawberry and passionfruit Redbull; and The Wally, a salted caramel latte with caramel drizzle. Join us and make a gift now: wittenberg.edu/commit2witt

Thanks to all the students and faculty who came to the Department’s Colloquium on the international implications of the U.S. presidential election. The discussion was led by Dr. James Allan and Dr. Manuel Soque.

📷: Dr Staci Rhine

Nice to see so many former POLI students at our Homecoming tailgate today!

If you're in Springfield for Homecoming this weekend, we'll be at the tailgate before the football game on Saturday. Please stop by our department tent on East Campus Drive outside Synod Hall and say hello!

Political Science Professor Rob Baker has been featured in a number of national news outlets this week, as Wittenberg University and the wider City of Springfield faced security challenges following the spread of misinformation by former president Donald Trump and his running-mate, Senator J.D. Vance. Links to the “What a Day” podcast, where Dr. Baker was interviewed at length for a segment on the show, as well as other stories in the national media can be found below:

Politico:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/22/springfield-haitians-trump-vance-schools-cats-dogs-00180340.

Chronicle of Higher Education:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/at-2-colleges-the-fall-semester-has-been-disrupted-by-trumps-lies-about-eating-pets.

Inside HigherEd:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/safety/2024/09/17/colleges-springfield-rocked-trumps-lie

What a Day podcast:
https://youtu.be/f5EMjTh7LoU?feature=shared

Vance Doubles Down on Racist Lies, Creates Chaos in Springfield, Ohio In the week since the presidential debate, former President Donald Trump’s lies about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have sown chaos in the small c...