Zhang awarded Fall 2025 University Small Research Grant

Zhang USRG announcement

We are excited to announce that Dr. Zhiwei Zhang has been awarded a $5000 University Small Research Grant (USRG) for his proposal, “Competing for Public Attention: Eye-Tracking and Online Experiments to Improve Government Communication.”

Dr. Zhang was one of nine awardees selected for a Fall 2025 USRG. USRGs are seed grants awarded each fall and spring by the Office of the Vice President for Research through the Office of Research Development to support small research projects, scholarly activity, and other creative efforts.

This award supports the final stage of a three-study research program on how governments can design citizen-facing communications (financial and beyond) so key facts are actually seen, understood, and trusted. Here’s what Dr. Zhang’s research has found so far:

Study 1 (published, International Public Management Journal, 2025): Popular Financial Reports (PFRs) significantly improve comprehension, interest, and trust compared to technical ACFR-style pages—when the content is identical.

Study 2 (eye-tracking lab): The “why” is attention. Cleaner layouts + stronger visuals capture gaze earlier, guide readers to decision-relevant info, and reduce search effort—less hunting, more understanding. These design lessons apply beyond finance: service updates, risk advisories, public notices, and more.

Study 3 (next): A pre-registered 2×2 experiment with ~3,500 U.S. adults will test when simplified designs outperform technical ones—especially under good vs. bad news—and validate attention mechanisms at scale.

“I am honored to receive a K-State USRG for my project “Competing for Public Attention”—using eye-tracking + pre-registered online experiments to test how citizen-facing vs. technical government communications (good vs. bad news) affect what people see, understand, and trust.” - Zhiwei Zhang

Read the full award announcement here

Political science graduate recognized for outstanding research, leadership experience at K-State

Huge congrats to Andrew Navarro, who was one of only 48 recipients nationwide to receive the prestigious $8,500 Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship! Andrew will be heading to the University of Miami School of Law to continue making a difference in the world. He shared, "K-State is where I learned how to lead with both purpose and humility. Whether I was coordinating fundraising efforts, helping revise the student code of conduct or pushing sustainability initiatives, K-State gave me the space to turn conviction into experience and that experience into action.”

Read the full story

We are very excited to share that two Political Science seniors – Andrew Navarro and Bently Taulbert – were selected for Dean of Students Outstanding Graduating Senior Awards.

Thomas Lane, vice president for academic success and student affairs and dean of students, will present the awards at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the Flint Hills Room of the K-State Student Union. Family, friends, faculty and staff are invited to attend the celebration.

Read the full announcement here - K-State Today announcment

Live Ideas Photography Contest Winners

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Political Science Scholarship/Assistantship Winners

award collage

For the 2025-2026 academic year, the political science department awarded more than $33,000 in scholarship funds to its undergraduate and graduate students. The department also awarded stipends for graduate assistantships to six students across two graduate programs.

The Political Science Department's 2025-2026 scholarship recipients are:

SCHOLARSHIP/FELLOWSHIP WINNERS

Evelyn M. Bieker Scholarship	Patrick Donnelly, sophomore in the university honors program majoring in political science
Amy Button-Renz Public Administration Scholarship	Josie Brooks, master’s student in public administration
Don and Marian Button Political Science Scholarship	Andrew Quang Le, junior in the university honors program, double majoring in political science and global food system leadership, with a minor in leadership studies
John W. and Lynn L. Carlin Public Administration Scholarship	Jacob Hofman, accelerated master’s student in public administration
Reba L. Cobb Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Women in Political Science	Gracie Jo Stanton, junior in political science with two minors in business and English, a pre-law designation, and a primary text certificate
Sally Coberly Political Science Scholarship	MaKenna Villwok, sophomore in political science and economics
Louis H. Douglas Scholarship	Brenna Barnes, junior in political science and natural resources and environmental science, with a pre-law designation
Joseph Hadja Student Scholarship	Gibson Akers, master’s student in public administration
Donald R. Hill Scholarship	Gabriela Patricia Guillen, junior in political science and Spanish, with a pre-law designation
Edward Allen McCoy, Jr. Memorial Scholarship	Alondra Alvarez, junior in political science and Spanish with a pre-law designation Samantha Suchanek, junior in political science with a pre-law designation, a certificate in film studies, and a minor in gender, women, and sexuality studies
Barbara Meyer Scholarship in Political Science	Reagan Montgomery, junior in the university honors program, majoring in political science, with a minor in business, and a pre-law designation
Political Science Excellence Award	Anna Halstead, sophomore in the university honors program, majoring in political science and art, with a pre-law designation Kadence Henke, freshman in political science with a pre-law designation Dylann Hoffman, freshman in political science with a pre-law designation Isabella Leo, freshman in political science with a minor in journalism & mass communications Zachary Weeks, freshman in political science with a pre-law designation and a primary texts certificate.
Richter Family “Beyond the Campus” Scholarship	Brooke Miller, junior in political science and Spanish with a pre-law designation and a primary texts certificate
Rieger-McCrery Scholarship	Zahir Nooristani, master’s student in public administration
Nicolas Salgo Political Science Scholarship	Lilly Schultejans, junior in political science and history with a pre-law designation
Samarrai Middle East Fellowship	Grant Holsman, freshman in political science with a minor in middle east studies
Dennis K. Tapsak Memorial Scholarship	Emily Freeman, sophomore in political science and history with a pre-law designation and a minor in leadership studies
Tummala Master of Public Administration Fellowship Student	Emily Voskoyan, master’s student in public administration
Jon David Wagner Scholarship	Sophie Bond, junior in political science and French with a pre-law designation and a primary texts certificate
Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship in International Relations	Rosa Estrada-Ramirez, master’s student in public administration

GRADUATE TEACHING/RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP RECIPIENTS

Graduate Teaching Assistantship

Lamya Achelha, doctoral student in security studies

Emmanuel Ofori-Bah, doctoral student in security studies

Stephen Zimmer, master’s student in public administration

Mia Wells, master’s student in public administration

Graduate Research Assistantship

Richard Johnson, doctoral student in security studies

Channa Dissanayake, doctoral student in security studies

Congratulations to all the award recipients and thank you to all the donors who make these scholarships possible!

Ribbon-cutting for renovated 3rd Floor Student Lounge

3rd floor ribbon

A ribbon-cutting was held on Sept. 9 to celebrate the recently renovated study space on the third floor of Calvin Hall! The space now boasts:

The renovation project began around 2.5 years ago, when Kate Thomas, Student Governing Association (SGA) Tuition Enhancements Committee (TEC) Chair (2022-2023 AY) approached the department head, Nathaniel Birkhead, about improving Calvin Hall's 3rd floor lounge. Kate knew funds were available for such projets through the SGA and with her insight, Dr. Birkhead made a presentation to the TEC for Student-Centered Tuition Enhancement funds to upgrade the lights and repair the ceiling, as well as, paint and re-carpet the space.

Dr. Birkhead went back to the Tuition Enhancements Committee the next year to request funds for new furniture and fixtures. The TEC, then chaired by Samantha Suchanek, approved the proposal.

We would like to recognize Ryan Zecha, K-State Facilities project manager, Dr. Birkhead, political science department head; and Evelynn Ediger, chair of the Student Governing Association’s Tuition Enhancements committee (2024-2025 AY); for their outstanding work in the renovation process.

View past news

Department of Political Science
Kansas State University
802 Mid Campus Dr. South
101D Calvin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506

785-532-6842
polsci@ksu.edu

Departmental News

RECENT NEWS

Zhang awarded Fall 2025 University Small Research Grant

SCHOLARSHIP/FELLOWSHIP WINNERS

Evelyn M. Bieker Scholarship

Amy Button-Renz Public Administration Scholarship

Don and Marian Button Political Science Scholarship

John W. and Lynn L. Carlin Public Administration Scholarship

Reba L. Cobb Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Women in Political Science

Sally Coberly Political Science Scholarship

Louis H. Douglas Scholarship

Joseph Hadja Student Scholarship

Donald R. Hill Scholarship

Edward Allen McCoy, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Barbara Meyer Scholarship in Political Science

Political Science Excellence Award

Richter Family “Beyond the Campus” Scholarship

Rieger-McCrery Scholarship

Nicolas Salgo Political Science Scholarship

Samarrai Middle East Fellowship

Dennis K. Tapsak Memorial Scholarship

Tummala Master of Public Administration Fellowship Student

Jon David Wagner Scholarship

Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship in International Relations

GRADUATE TEACHING/RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP RECIPIENTS

Graduate Teaching Assistantship

Graduate Research Assistantship