For the fourth consecutive year, Cal State San Bernardino’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha has received the national political science honor society’s highest recognition – the National Best Chapter Award.
Along with the consecutive award, it also marks the ninth national award for CSUSB’s Pi Sigma Alpha chapter since 2000, Janiskee said. The chapter won national best chapter awards in 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2002, the chapter received a national best chapter adviser award, he said.
“This award is a team effort. The support we receive from our faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni here at CSUSB is exceptional,” said Brian Janiskee, professor and chair of the CSUSB political science department. “I am so thankful for the hard work of our officers: President Jodi Buckley, Vice President Sandra Hernandez-Galindo, Treasurer Omar Morquecho, and Secretary Jimmy Chavez. In addition, our department administrative support coordinator, Marilyn Gareis, is vital to our group’s success. We would not have won these awards over the years without her tireless efforts on our behalf.”
Jodi Buckley, president of the CSUSB chapter, echoed Janiskee’s comments in crediting her fellow officers for their hard work and dedication in helping the chapter stand out.
“We had the ‘Dream Team’ for officers,” said Buckley. “I wish we could say we did something unique, but we had constant communication, developed a good strategic plan for the chapter, looked at every angle, and asked ourselves if it was achievable and then went about to achieve it.”
Buckley, who holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in pre-law and is working toward a master’s degree in national security studies, said the chapter volunteered at many campus events, as well as hosted a number of events on and off campus, including discussions of books written by faculty members.
She credited Janiskee, especially in working up a strategic plan. “Our adviser, Dr. Janiskee, was always helping us and offering up guidance,” said Buckley who added that she was still in awe of the award.
“This is a wonderful chapter and a wonderful organization,” she said. “But we are very humbled and very happy for this award.”
The CSUSB chapter is one of three universities nationwide with enrollments of 15,000 to 25,000 to win the award, and one of 16 chapters out of 800 recognized annually.
Pi Sigma Alpha is the only honor society for college students of political science and government in the United States. The honor society has more than 800 chapters on college and university campuses in every state of the United States and one in Canada.
For more information on the national political science honor society, visit the Pi Sigma Alpha website, and follow the society on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. CSUSB is listed among the best colleges and universities in the western United States, according to The Princeton Review, Forbes and U.S. News and World Report.
For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, call the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.