2025 National Student Research Conference
Over Presidents’ Day Weekend, Pi Sigma Alpha welcomed nearly 350 attendees in person at George Washington University in Washington, DC and virtually for the 12th Annual National Student Research Conference. Undergraduate and graduate student presenters, graduate student discussants, and faculty chairs came from 104 colleges and universities across the country.
The event kicked off with a Career Reception on Friday evening. Participants had the opportunity to connect with professionals in various fields to learn more about career paths for political science majors.
Saturday and early Sunday featured 176 research presentations across 44 panels by Pi Sigma Alpha undergraduate and Master’s student members from across the United States. Several professional development panels were also held for students to learn about succeeding in graduate school, law school, and career options outside of academia.
On Saturday morning, students had the opportunity to meet with representatives from over a dozen graduate programs in political science and public policy at the Graduate School Reception.
This year’s keynote discussion, “The Relevance and Evolving Nature of Research on Race and Political Communication,” featured Dr. Stephen Maynard Caliendo, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of political science at North Central College.
Since Pi Sigma Alpha introduced the National Student Research Conference in 2014, thousands of students have attended and presented their research. Diverse institution types, from small liberal arts colleges to large research institutions, were represented at the 2025 conference. Over 18% of the institutions represented are designated Minority-Serving Institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU); Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI); and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI). We look forward to next year’s event!
If you have questions, contact the Pi Sigma Alpha national office office@pisigmaalpha.org
“Attending and speaking at the Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference was an incredible experience. It was my first time participating in a conference, and it served as a fantastic stepping stone for future opportunities. I truly enjoyed engaging with fellow scholars, sharing research, and being part of an environment that fosters academic growth. I highly recommend this experience to any student looking to expand their horizons!” – 2025 student presenter
“I chaired a panel at this year’s Pi Sigma Alpha conference and was blown away by the quality of the undergraduate research presentations and the comments of the graduate student discussant. An incredible way to support and showcase the scholarship of political science students. ” – 2025 panel chair
“I had an outstanding time at the Pi Sigma Alpha conference! It was a valuable opportunity to step out of my college community and meet peers from all across the county.” – 2025 student presenter