PNW’s Pi Sigma Alpha receives Best Chapter Award for 2021-2022

Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA), the national political science honor society, has been awarded a Best Chapter Award for 2021-2022. This latest recognition marks the third year in a row that PNW’s Tau Psi chapter has received this award.

“To have received this honor for the third time is pretty outstanding,” says Yu Ouyang, associate professor of Political Science and faculty advisor to PNW’s chapter. “It really shows how motivated and engaged the students here at Purdue Northwest are and the effort they put into developing a wide range of activities for the campus community.”

“Our chapter works extremely hard putting together different political events for our students and faculty to enjoy,” says Sophia Becker-Toro, a third-year Political Science major and president of PNW’s PSA chapter. “It’ refreshing to know our hard work and behind the scenes efforts are not going unnoticed by our peers.”

[This honor] really shows how motivated and engaged the students here at Purdue Northwest are and the effort they put into developing a wide range of activities for the campus community.

Yu Ouyang, associate professor of Political Science and faculty advisor to PNW’s Tau Psi chapter

The award, which includes a $500 cash prize for the chapter, recognizes local chapters that are particularly active at their university and embody the society’s mission to stimulate scholarship and intellectual interest in political science.

The PNW chapter sponsors a variety of events throughout the academic year, including presentations and discussions on current events and topics in the news.

“We take headlines from the real world and incorporate them into our meetings,” says Becker-Toro. “We do this to help grasp the ever changing political climate of the world around us. We’re a non-partisan group, which allows students of different beliefs to safely express political views in a civil manner without the hype of outside politics.”

Last year, the chapter held lectures and discussions on U.S. – China relations and the role China plays in North Korea’s international relationships. The speakers, visiting professors at PNW from Chinese universities, provided first-hand knowledge on the topics. Other lectures included PNW professors who spoke on topics and current events in their areas of expertise.

All events are open to the university community and anyone interested in learning about and discussing the important political and social issues of the day.