Taeko Hiroi – Pi Sigma Alpha

Taeko Hiroi elected President of Pi Sigma Alpha

Dr. Taeko Hiroi
Pi Sigma Alpha President

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, announced the election of Dr. Taeko Hiroi as its 47th president during the organization’s biennial business meeting on September 3, 2026. Dr. Hiroi will serve as president of the Pi Sigma Alpha Council from 2026-2028.

Dr. Taeko Hiroi is a Professor of Political Science at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where she is also affiliated with the Latin American and Border Studies, Brazilian Studies, and Asian Studies programs. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Latin American Social and Public Policy from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Hiroi’s research focuses on comparative politics and political economy, particularly political institutions, legislative politics, executive-legislative relations, electoral systems, political representation, governance and accountability, democratization, development, and political instability. Her work explores how formal and informal institutions shape political incentives and constraints, and how these dynamics influence public policy and broader social, economic, and political outcomes. She is co-author of Regional Integration and Democratic Conditionality: How Democracy Clauses Help Democratic Consolidation and Deepening and Exploring Politics: A Concise Introduction. Dr. Hiroi has published in many scholarly journals, including Comparative Political Studies, Democratization, International Political Science Review, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, and The Journal of Legislative Studies.

A dedicated mentor and advocate for student engagement, Dr. Hiroi has served as faculty advisor to Pi Sigma Alpha’s Epsilon Epsilon Chapter at UTEP since 2008. In this role, she has guided students in leadership development, grant writing, event planning, conference participation, and community service, helping them cultivate the skills and experiences essential for civic engagement and professional success. Under her leadership, the chapter has earned multiple Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Awards in recognition of its outstanding achievements and programming.

At the national level, Dr. Hiroi has served on Pi Sigma Alpha’s National Executive Council and Executive Committee since 2022. She was elected President-Elect for the 2024-2026 term and subsequently assumed the presidency of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, serving as President from 2026 to 2028. Her leadership reflects a long-standing commitment to promoting student excellence, expanding opportunities for engagement in political science, and advancing the mission of the Society.

Pi Sigma Alpha was founded in 1920 and has inducted over 300,000 members in that time. Notable members include former Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist, Nobel laureate Dr. Ralph Bunche, Senator Susan Collins, Representative Ilhan Omar, immigration activist Cristina Jiménez Moreta, and Dr. Jewel Limar Prestage, the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in political science in the U.S.

Pi Sigma Alpha is the only honor society for college students of political science and government in the United States. With chapters on more than 830 campuses across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the organization brings together students and faculty interested in the study of government and politics. Pi Sigma Alpha is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).