The 2024 election is over, and many have shifted their focus and discussions to what policies the incoming administration will implement. Although some may be ready to move on, it’s important to explore explanations for the outcome and how different demographic voters impacted the results in Michigan and across the country. The trends and explanations for 2024 can help predict what’s next and what future candidates must do to win elections. Michigan State University’s political science experts including Matt Grossmann, director of MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, as well as Nura Sediqe and Meghan Wilson, assistant professors in the Department of Political Science followed the election closely. Here, they answer questions about how these trends and key demographic groups impacted the outcome.
Experts from MSU’s Department of Political Science break down the presidential outcome and Michigan’s statewide election results with podcaster Russ White. These guests include Matt Grossmann, director of MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) and professor of American Politics; Nura Sediqe, assistant professor and a core faculty member in the Muslim Studies Program; and Meghan Wilson, assistant professor of American Politics.
Introducing U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris before her East Lansing rally was not an honor that Sedrick Huff ever expected, even after he spent months campaigning for the Democratic presidential candidate.
MSU’s first cohort of 1855 Professors aims to elevate underrepresented communities — on campus and beyond
Several MSU PLS students have been given Provost's Undergraduate Research Initiative (PURI) Awards to support their work with faculty.
Nazita Lajevardi is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science. She is an expert in American politics, and her work focuses mainly on issues related to race and ethnic politics, political behavior, voting rights and immigration. Here, she answers questions on key groups of voters and the issues they care about that could determine who wins Michigan — and likely who will win the presidency.
The presidential election is just weeks away, and the matchup between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is historic in so many ways. In one instance, a former president was renominated but faces conviction on 34 felony counts of business fraud, and in the other instance, a vice president replaced her party’s standing president as the presidential nominee after the Democratic primary concluded.
For the second year, students are invited to apply for the Jon & Tina Lynch Family Promoting Civility Scholarship fund, designed to inspire MSU students who want to give back to their communities. And this year they have twice the chance to receive a $1,500 scholarship as the Lynch family doubled the number of scholarships they will give.
2024 Homecoming Court Member Abigail Rodriguez shares what it means to be a Spartan during National Hispanic Heritage Month
Three of the six Michigan State University nominees for this year’s U.S. Rhodes Scholarship is earning a Political Science degree from the College of Social Science. Jerome Hamilton Jr., Belma Hodžić and Abigail Rodriguez were each nominated for the prestigious scholarship.
Eric Juenke, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, has launched an election prediction game in which participants make choices in 24 key national races. Juenke first created the game — Election Madness — during the 2020 election with Matt Grossmann, director of MSU’s Institute for Public Policy, and is offering an updated version for the upcoming election.
Michigan State University has nominated six undergraduate students and two alumni for the Marshall Scholarship, including three Political Science majors. The Marshall Scholarship provides support to approximately 50 of the most outstanding undergraduates in the country to study at any university in the United Kingdom. MSU has produced 20 Marshall Scholars to date.
MSU Men's Basketball Head Coach Tom Izzo is "our lighthouse" said former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard as he presented him with the Spartan Statesmanship Award for Distinguished Public Service on Tuesday Sept. 24 at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts.
Drayton Willey joined MSU PLS as a University Distinguished Fellow after graduating from Emporia State University.
Stephen Przybylinski, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, and John Kuk, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University, were recently awarded funding from the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research through its 2024-25 Public Policy Grant program to study student homelessness. The study will survey student rates of homelessness and housing insecurity for Michigan State students, as well as examine factors leading to homelessness and housing insecurity. They will begin the study during the fall semester and plan to have a report and news brief to share during the spring term.
The African Politics Conference Group award committee attributed the Lynne Rienner Best Dissertation Award to MSU PLS alumnus Nikolaos Frantzeskakis (now at University of Birmingham) for his dissertation titled "Speaking of Home: Local Representation and Re-Election in Africa"
Tom Izzo, Men’s Basketball Coach for Michigan State University, will be Governor Jim Blanchard’s special guest at the Blanchard Public Service Forum on Tuesday September 24th. The conversational Q and A style event begins at 730pm at the Wharton Center in East Lansing.
Larsen-Becker DC Study Away Award Up to $10,000 Scholarship Opportunity: Available for undergraduate students at Michigan State University looking to expand their educational horizons through study away in Washington, DC. Application Deadline: September 20th, 2024. Ensure all parts of your application are complete and accurate to be considered.
Jordyn Peterson was thrilled to be selected as an intern in Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office this summer. As a pre-law MSU PLS senior, she is interested in all aspects of the justice system.
Two Public Policy graduates are among the 10 MSU students offered Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Dr. Carolyn Logan writes for Good Authority that new Afrobarometer data show citizens want more democratic governance than they are getting.
Connor Le, a senior majoring in history and political science (with a minor in law, justice, and public policy), was recently named the President of the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU). We sat down with Connor to talk about his goals for the upcoming semester, his love for helping people, and what led him to run for student body president.
A study by MSU PLS Assistant Professor John Kuk published in the peer-reviewed journal Public Opinion Quarterly in July 2024, looked at the impact of academic claims of electoral fraud in the 2020 South Korean general election. It found that bad electoral science can cause lasting harm to democracy, undermining public confidence in the voting process.
Daniel Baker’s great-grandmother was from Flint so the Political Science Pre-Law senior’s attention was caught when he saw the opportunity to fulfill his experiential learning requirement in a place close to his home and his heart.
As Michigan honors Migrant and Seasonal Farmwork Appreciation Month this July, the College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, reaches a new milestone with nine CAMP students - two of them PLS majors - interning nationally. Each student overcame many challenges with resilience and determination to achieve these experiential opportunities.
MSU Political Science Study Abroad program participants have returned from the United Kingdom after an event-filled trip. Led by PLS Professor Dr. Michael Wahman, "British Politics and Society" was based in London and included side trips to Brighton, Cardiff and Oxford.
Nearly every country in the world has a central bank – a public institution that manages a country’s currency and its monetary policy. And these banks have an extraordinary amount of power. By controlling the flow of money and credit in a country, they can affect economic growth, inflation, employment and financial stability – all things that can, if played right, provide politicians with economic boosts around election time, only to saddle the economy with problems further down the line.
Krista Zeig was chosen by the College of Social Science Dean's Student Advisory Council as the recipient of the 2024 Student Impact Award. This award recognizes an advisor for the positive impact they have on students in the college.
Political Science Professor Melinda Gann Hall is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association this fall, on the heels of attaining Professor Emerita status at Michigan State University.
Three PLS PhD students have been named as 2024-2025 American Political Science Association Diversity Fellowship Program recipients during the spring 2024 application cycle. These fellows are currently in the first or second year of PhD programs in Political Science.
Megan Smejkal is a senior majoring in political science, economics and history. She is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the MSU Residence Halls Association, Cultural Vogue Chair for the Asian Pacific American Student Organization, President of the Professional Asian Student Organization, and a member of the Women’s Leadership Institute. Originally an adoptee from Korea, Megan grew up in Mount Prospect, Illinois.
Dr. Sarah Reckhow’s Civic Education and Local Democracy class this spring was a hybrid of undergraduates and students in the department’s Master of Public Policy graduate program. The group of 18 students used a blueprint from Detroit to create the website Lansing Citizens Manual (lansingcitizen.com). It is targeted at teens and young people who are interested in becoming more knowledgeable and active in their community.
Angie Torres-Beltran is currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Government at Cornell University and a Predoctoral Fellow with the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at the University of California, San Diego; Research Fellow in the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School; and a United States Institute of Peace Scholar. She is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Research Affiliate with the Gender and Security Sector Lab and the Eliminating Violence Against Women Lab. Torres Beltran’s research examines the political causes and consequences of gender-based violence, with an emphasis on political behavior and institutions in conflict-affected countries. She also studies the role of domestic and international actors on violence and the intersection of gender, public opinion, and civic engagement.
Graduating PLS senior Malcom Charles has been “an ambassador for the department” in his four years at Michigan State University, and it is for that reason – among many others – that Dr. Eric Gonzalez Juenke nominated him as the Political Science Outstanding Senior.
Political Science students Lola Browne and Jerome Hamilton Jr both brought home first place awards in this year’s University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF).
For his research on foreign direct investment, asymmetric political rhetoric and several other areas, Michael Conte has been named the recipient 2024 Political Science Undergraduate Research Award.
Christine Mason Soneral, senior vice president and general counsel for ITC Holdings, joined together with fellow PLS alum Steve Faulkner, Managing Director and head of Private Business Advisory in J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s Advice Lab, for a networking event in Political Science’s Careers in PLS Series.
Political Science Pre-law senior Paige Strawska has been awarded the 2024 Political Science Undergraduate Assistance Award for her research into Chinese politics.
Dr. Nura Sedique is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and a core faculty member in the Muslim Studies program. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, religion and gender with political behavior and preferences.
Graduating Political Science senior Megan Smejkal has been awarded the department’s Public Service Award, announced department chair Dr. Jeff Conroy-Krutz.
Michigan State University has nominated third-year student Abigail Rodriguez for the nationally competitive Beinecke Scholarship. Results of the scholarship competition will be announced in April.
Jacob Novak, a recent Michigan State University graduate who earned a double Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History in three years, is already making a positive impact in the lives of others. Novak is now working as the domestic violence court administrative and pretrial compliance coordinator under the honorable Judge Cynthia Ward at the 54A District Court in Lansing.
MSU PLS graduate Mikaylah Heffernan is the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s legislative liaison. Heffernan previously worked as a House Democratic Policy Advisor for the Michigan House of Representatives, focusing on agriculture and natural resources.
Luz Vazquez currently studies political science and public policy in the College of Social Science and brings a dedication to advocating for migrant farmworker awareness, as she grew up in the community. She identified an opportunity to honor farmworkers and took it upon herself to explore how to share these important stories in an exhibition.
Jerome Hamilton Jr., a third year Political Science Pre-Law student, is one of three Michigan State University students nominated for the prestigious Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.
Jerome Hamilton Jr., third-year Political Science Pre-Law student, has been named a finalist for the Truman Scholarship.
Racial identity may play a huge role in political discourse but when it comes to the ballot box, MSU PLS research has found that racial minority candidates have the same chance of succeeding as majority candidates. They may even have a slight advantage.
Political Science Scholars got the chance to explore the halls of the state Capitol in Lansing and meet with high-level elected officials and policy makers at a renewed tradition - a Day at the Capitol.
The 2024 presidential election is squaring up to be a rematch of the 2020 presidential election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. This comes as Trump continues his primary winning streak. He defeated his only remaining Republican challenger, Nikki Haley, in both South Carolina and Michigan, the most recent primaries ahead of Super Tuesday. As questions arise about how Trump would govern in a second term, some have called attention to what a Trump Administration could mean for American democracy.
MSU PLS senior Liz Armstrong is the first recipient of the Lynch Family Scholarship. She is studying Political Science and minoring in Law, Justice, and Public Policy, and also in her first year of the Linked Master of Public Policy program.
ALEXIS RAMIREZ is a first-generation college senior studying Political Science at Michigan State University with a minor in Business and Law, Justice, and Public Policy. He is from southwest Detroit and is a proud Latino. Alexis is passionate about giving back to the community, having volunteered at Cadillac Urban Gardens and Gleaners Food Bank in the past. He has previously interned with State Representative Tsernoglou and is now interning with US Congresswoman Slotkin. Alexis plans to have a public service career in government. He enjoys reading about current affairs, gaming, watching films, and sports. Alexis was a recipient of the Michigan Government Semester Program Scholarship for 2024.
Josie Danielkiewicz and Jerome Hamilton Jr., both third-year Political Science Pre-Law students, have been nominated for the Truman Scholarship.
Kendall Jones is a senior studying Political Science - Prelaw with a minor in Law, Justice, and Public Policy. She plans to attend law school in the Fall 2024. Kendall is from Muskegon, Michigan. She transferred to MSU from Muskegon Community College, where she spent two years playing college soccer. Kendall enjoys giving back to her community by volunteering at the Kids' Food Basket in Muskegon and the Greater Lansing Food Bank. She enjoys working out and spending time with friends and family in her free time. She is beyond excited to be a part of the MGSP this semester and to intern with Judge Rosemarie Aquilina. Kendall was a recipient of the Michigan Government Semester Program Scholarship for 2024.
SOUAD BAZZI is a rising junior at Michigan State University, studying Pre-law and Political Science with a minor in law, justice, and public policy. Growing up as a first-generation Lebanese American from her hometown, Dearborn, Michigan, Souad is deeply committed to inciting change in areas such as immigration rights, reproductive freedom, and bottom-up political advocacy. With a background in a grassroots political campaign, she gained experience in networking with a diverse range of people, directing community engagement, and navigating the complexities of local-level policy processes. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career as a public defender and, someday, the House of Representatives to be an unwavering advocate for marginalized groups and the voice for the underrepresented. Outside of her academic endeavors, she enjoys yoga, reading, and playing with her two goldendoodles. Souad was a recipient of the Michigan Government Semester Program Scholarship for 2024.
Malik Washington currently serves as City Council Liaison for the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office. Prior to his current role, he worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to support a variety of tasks related to statewide transit policy, travel trend analysis, and project development. Malik earned a Master of Public Policy degree from MSU in 2020. He also has a bachelor’s degree in public policy at MSU.
MSU PLS Associate Professor Erica Frantz wrote for The Conversation about former president Donald Trump and democracy.
Students from MSU Political Science in the College of Social Scientists brought home awards at this year’s Diversity Research Showcase hosted by MSU Honors College. This annual university-wide showcase features MSU undergraduate student work or work in progress on issues of diversity that advance inclusion.
Dr. Marco Morucci has accepted an offer for a new position in computational social science with the MSU Department of Political Science.
Matt Grossmann is the director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, as well as a professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science. Grossmann is an expert in both state and national politics. He answers questions about how to understand different systems and the role Michigan will play in 2024.
Michigan State University sophomore Elaina Rankin’s interest in becoming a public defender bloomed when she was just a freshman at Avondale High School in Auburn Hills.
MSU Political Science Scholar Malcom Charles was recently awarded a First Generation Leadership Award.
Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation will be former Governor Jim Blanchard’s special guest at his upcoming MSU Public Service Forum on November 29, 2023 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing.
Dr. Sarah Reckhow's Urban Politics class puts together the latest editions of their local voting guide.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Jen Flood, who earned her Master of Public Policy in the MSU Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science, will lead the State Budget Office as its new director beginning in mid-November after Chris Harkins accepted a new position outside of state government.
MSU has partnered with The Washington Center (TWC) to provide students with hands-on experience in politics, policy, and governance during a semester-long internship spent in Washington D.C. This is a perfect way to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom and to make connections for your future career. Final application deadline is Nov. 1!
Publishing an ad for an apartment or rental home in Spanish may seem like it would broaden the pool of potential renters, but new research by PLS assistant professor Dr. John Kuk shows it can harm rental-seekers’ perception of the property and its neighborhood.
Sarah Cantwell, along with her husband Matthew, received the Alumni Service Award, given to alumni who have demonstrated service to MSU and/or meritorious public service on a local, state, national or international level. Sarah earned her master’s in public administration from the Department of Political Science in 2005, while Matthew is a 2004 graduate of the Eli Broad College of Business. They are known as dedicated community leaders, philanthropists and Spartans.
Political Science Scholar Megan Smejkal is one of 10 MSU students nominated for the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Megan is majoring in Political Science, Economics and History in the College of Social Science. She is a graduate of Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois.
Detroit InnovateGov Program Coordinator Chayse Hurley and Elias Kokaly, an Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, are this year's Young Alumni Awards from the College of Social Science.
When Tina and Jon Lynch were dating as undergraduate students at Michigan State University, they used to wander along the banks of the Red Cedar River and talk about their future and how they would give back to the university where they met. “Back then we would take walks in the neighborhood across the street from Rather Hall and along the Red Cedar, dreaming about what life had in store for us. Even then we hoped to one day give back to the place that had given so much to us,” Tina said. “For our family, Michigan State is more than a school - it’s our home.” More than 30 years later, the Lynchs, both College of Social Science alumni and residents of Midland, have have fulfilled that dream when they endowed the Jon & Tina Lynch Family Promoting Civility Scholarship fund.
Alyssa Konesky, Political Science major, and Devin Woodruff, Public Policy major, have been selected as members of the MSU Homecoming Court for 2023.
Three MSU Political Science Master of Public Policy students have been awarded Ira Polley Memorial Scholarships for their exceptional work both inside and outside the classroom.
As part of the Flint Study Away program, Matt Sigers has been working out of Flint City Hall since June 1. Among his favorite parts of the program has been the chance to get out into the community of Flint. He worked the City of Flint booth at this summer’s Harmony Festival, passing out information about different city programs and items like water filters.
"Political science student Jacob Pickett has been interning in the Office of Genesee County Clerk/Register of Deeds and is gaining firsthand knowledge of county government at work. Through his internship he is helping to revitalize the office of County Clerk/Register and put new practices in place to make residents experiences easier and more user friendly.”
Senior David Luc is interning with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as part of the Flint Study Away program.
Dr. Cristina Bodea has written an article on the negative effects of the Federal Reserve's most recent hike has on developing countries.
The 2023 Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences was held July 26 in the STEAM Teaching and Learning Facility with more than 330 students presenting their research including several from the MSU Political Science department.
Will sharing a hobby or favorite movie make you like a politician more? The chances are pretty good, and it might even lead to a decrease in partisanship and division between political parties, found MSU Political Science Professor Jennifer Wolak.
Eminent political philosopher Dr. Arthur M. Melzer has retired from his positions of Political Science Professor and co-director of the LeFrak Forum Symposium on Science, Reason, and Modern Democracy.
MSU Department of Political Science is pleased to share that two PSL professors earned promotions that were approved by the MSU Board of Trustees at their June meeting.
Angela Solomon is an undergraduate student pursuing dual degrees in broadcast journalism and political science pre-law. Currently serving as the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the Associated Students of Michigan State University, she actively works toward creating an inclusive campus environment. Solomon also designed the 2023 artwork, “A Summer of Freedom,” for the third annual MSU Juneteenth Celebration.
The MSU Political Science Department honored students at their Spring Graduation Reception at the Broad Museum on May 5, 2023.
MSU’s Department of Political Science and Michigan Government Semester Program celebrated the 22 students participating in the intensive internship program this Spring semester and thanked supporters of the program. We were delighted to have Senate Majority Leader, Winnie Brinks, join us as our Keynote Speaker.
World Politics senior Zachary Zahrt has been awarded the College of Social Science Humanitarian Award for "providing support, aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of crises."