Kent State Political Science Department

Political Science MA students admitted into great PhD programs at University of Virginia and University of Cincinnati!

Wahinya Njau (2025) began PhD studies this past fall at University of Virginia and Ryan Miller (2026) will begin PhD studies this fall at University of Cincinnati.

Join Kent State for the 2026 Juneteenth Jubilee, a celebration of community, culture and history. This free event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 18 on Risman Plaza and will feature live performances, music, food, vendors and more. See you there!

Ph.D. Candidate Meghan Geist and Dr. Ashley E. Nickels publish a study critically examining the marginalization of the Second Founding period (1865–1877) in public administration scholarship.

This study analyzed 67 articles and book chapters across leading public administration journals and handbooks and identified key gaps in PA literature. Their findings suggest that acknowledging the Second Founding’s contributions can deepen the field’s commitment to social equity and reshape understanding of historical narratives.

Link to read the full article through the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration (JSEPA):

Historical Amnesia: Public Administration and the Second Founding | Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration Published for a global audience, JSEPA’s mission is to illuminate inequities and to provide a learning space. The journal’s content makes it possible for public service profe...

Drs. Claassen, Ensley, and Beam awarded $20,000 LaunchPad Grant from the Healthy Communities Research Institute.
The grant will fund research into the effects of politics on relationships and the associated implications for the loneliness epidemic.