Political Science students lead honors society to national award

“The faculty here truly care. They push you in good ways, support you, and treat you like part of a learning community.” 

When Political Science majors Chi Luu ’26 and Wendy Aguilar ’26 first arrived at University of Redlands, they sought community, purpose, and challenge. What they found was something greater—a pathway to create meaningful impact on campus and within the broader civic landscape. Through their involvement in the National Political Science Honor Society Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA), the duo—along with peers including Gaby Herrera ’25, Lily Eichinger ’26, and faculty mentor and Political Science Professor Renée Van Vechten—culminated this year in a prestigious national achievement: the 2024–2025 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award.

As current PSA president, Luu sees the award, which recognizes chapters that stimulate scholarship and intellectual engagement in political science, as an affirmation of the chapter’s work engaging students in civic life, including voter registration and Constitution Day programming.

“We did a lot of hard work last year, and the award is proof of those efforts paying off,” she said. “It’s also encouragement for us to keep moving forward—that the work is being recognized and will inspire students to be more involved in politics.”

Aguilar, PSA’s vice president, sees the recognition as a meaningful validation for one of the smaller chapters on campus.

“It’s very rewarding to see that events like Constitution Day, the court tours for equal justice, and the judge career panel don’t just offer opportunities for students, but also provide real support for PSA,” she said. “After each event, we see increased interest and funding for future programming, which allows us to continue the work.”

Over the past year, the chapter led a robust slate of initiatives designed to deepen political awareness and expand access to real-world learning. Students helped peers navigate voter registration ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, hosted Constitution Day activities on campus, and organized tabling events to inform students on current political issues. Additionally, they partnered with campus offices to bring court judges to campus for a career panel, offered monthly résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn workshops tailored to political science students, and coordinated letter-writing campaigns to congressional representatives regarding financial aid.

“Our extraordinary set of leaders possess a rare combination of vision and action in service to the Redlands community,” Van Vechten said. As a longtime faculty advisor to the chapter, she was the recipient of an additional advisor award from the society. “Last year's events generated not merely interest, but more importantly, reaction and accomplishment. What's more, they're on track to surpass last year's record of achievement!”

Luu and Aguilar attribute much of their development to the mentorship they’ve received from faculty like Van Vechten and Professor Art Svenson. Whether offering snacks and coffee during challenging afternoon lectures or meeting students after hours to unpack complex readings, faculty members have shaped their academic growth and confidence as leaders.

“The faculty here truly care,” Luu said. “They push you in good ways, support you, and treat you like part of a learning community.” Aguilar echoed this sentiment, describing PSA’s work as “a way to give back to the community that’s already given us so much.”

For Redlands’ political science community, the award stands as more than recognition—it is a testament to a department where mentorship, scholarship, and civic responsibility intersect. As Van Vechten put it, “Good energy fosters good synergy.” And at Redlands, that synergy is clearly thriving.