On Saturday, May 9, the Department of History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies held its annual departmental graduation. The ceremony honored 43 undergraduate students and two graduate students who earned degrees and certificates across the department’s eight degree programs.
Benjamin Chan and granddaughter Charise McNeal
The department was proud to recognize outstanding student achievement through a number of awards. Madison Schramm was recognized for her history honors thesis, "Bronze Age Trading in the Aegean, Crete, and the Near East: A Cultural Exchange." Mallory Dixon earned the Alice Shuster Award for Outstanding Achievement, presented to the history major with the highest cumulative GPA. Jacob Winstead received the Judith McDonough Award for Outstanding Achievement, honoring the top GPA in the Social Studies Education program. Charise McNeal was recognized with the Political Science Academic Excellence Award. Safa Ismail received the Outstanding Undergraduate Political Science Intern Award, and Monserrat Lopez Villagomez was honored with the Political Science Service and Leadership Award. At the graduate level, Kamden Boyle received both the Outstanding Master of Public Affairs Intern Award and the Master of Public Affairs Service and Leadership Award.
The ceremony also welcomed a distinguished guest: Benjamin Chan, professor emeritus, who joined the IUP faculty in 1969 and whose vision and leadership gave rise to the Religious Studies program and, ultimately, the Religious Studies Department. Chan attended to celebrate his granddaughter, Charise McNeal, who received her degree in political science and was herself an award recipient on the day.