OU’s Nu Omega chapter earns Best Chapter Award for 13th straight year

Graduating seniors are pictured with their honor cords at the political science department's honors reception.

Oakland University’s Nu Omega chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, has been recognized with a 2025-26 Best Chapter Award, marking the 13th consecutive year the chapter has received the national honor.

The award recognizes local chapters that are particularly active within their institutions and communities and embody Pi Sigma Alpha’s mission of stimulating scholarship and intellectual interest in political science.

For Nu Omega members, the recognition reflects the chapter’s longstanding commitment to providing students with opportunities to conduct research, develop professional skills, connect with alumni and experts, and engage with the broader community.

“It’s amazing to have been recognized for 13 straight years,” said Nicole Mathew, associate professor of political science and Nu Omega faculty adviser. “It means that each cohort of students is setting a high bar for the next.”

Oakland is one of only six universities in its enrollment cohort to receive a 2025-26 Best Chapter Award. Also on that list is Eastern Michigan University, whose Pi Sigma Alpha faculty adviser, Josh Koss, is an Oakland University alumnus. Koss was inducted into OU’s Nu Omega chapter in 2016 and served as chapter treasurer during the 2016-17 academic year.

Putting political science into practice

Alden Kachal presented his research at the Pi Sigma Alpha National Conference in Washington, D.C.

Undergraduate research is a central part of the Nu Omega experience, giving students opportunities to pursue their own research interests and present their work to academic audiences.

In October 2025, four Nu Omega members — Grace Nassif, Allison Drezwiecki, Karley Dougherty and Brandon Donahue — presented their research at the Michigan Political Science Association Conference hosted by Wayne State University.

Donahue, the chapter president, also had the opportunity to meet keynote speaker Andy Levin, a former U.S. representative. Larissa Giacomin, a 2026 OU graduate and current Wayne State Law student, received the Michigan Political Science Association Undergraduate Best Paper Award at the conference.

The chapter’s involvement in undergraduate research extends to national events as well. Eight Oakland University students attended the 2026 Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference in Washington, D.C., with one additional student participating virtually.

“I’m particularly proud of our students’ achievements in undergraduate research,” Mathew said. “We sent eight students to the conference this year — the most of any school in the nation.”

Karley Dougherty, Marion Brumer and Brandon Donahue presented their research at the political science department’s annual symposium and received Best Poster Awards.

The students presented their research and received positive feedback from faculty members, chairs and discussants at the conference. They also attended research panels and explored Washington, D.C., including a White House tour, walking tours of monuments and the National Mall, and a group dinner in the H Street neighborhood.

Dana Parke, an OU alumna and global public health professional, gave the keynote address at the conference and was also honored with Pi Sigma Alpha’s inaugural Young Alumni Award.

For Nu Omega President Brandon Donahue, being involved with the chapter has shaped his experience as a student, creating opportunities to connect with peers and professors.

“It’s enabled me to get to know my political science professors and work with them in ways I otherwise likely wouldn’t have,” he said. “It’s enabled me to build friendships with other political science students that I otherwise may not have known, and it’s taken me to conferences that I had no idea I’d attend. From those conferences, I’ve learned how to present political science research to other academics, and I gained a lot of knowledge about what kinds of things are being researched in political science.”

Back on campus, students also helped organize the political science department’s annual research symposium. More than 50 people attended the April 2026 event, during which 16 students presented poster versions of their original research projects.

The spring also saw another milestone when then-Nu Omega member, now OU graduate, Mallory Waligora became the first OU student to publish research in the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics. Her article, “Live and Let Tie: The Visual Aesthetics of Partisan Identity,” provided an opportunity to share her undergraduate research with a broader academic audience.

Building professional connections

Students connected virtually with political science and Nu Omega chapter alumni, who shared career experiences and offered tips for success after graduation.

Along with research presentations, Nu Omega members participate in networking and social events throughout the year.

One highlight was a career panel featuring three alumni of OU’s political science department and Nu Omega chapter. The alumni shared their experiences and discussed how students can prepare for their future careers.

“These are great events that help students understand how to use their time at OU to ensure their future success,” said Matthew Fails, professor of political science and Nu Omega faculty adviser. “It is especially gratifying to see past members donate their time and energy so enthusiastically.”

The chapter also gives students opportunities to interact with professionals and scholars through academic and community events.

Nu Omega co-sponsored the Department of Political Science’s annual Meadow Brook Lecture in International Affairs, featuring Dr. Emma Ashford, who discussed a more realist and pragmatic approach to U.S. foreign policy. Nu Omega members helped promote the event, and several students had the opportunity to have dinner with Ashford before her lecture.

Connecting with the community

Nu Omega also has expanded its community connections through a partnership with the Southeast Michigan World Affairs Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes understanding of international affairs.

The partnership began in September 2025, with Nu Omega helping promote the council’s speaker series, which featured experts including former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela Patrick Duffy, foreign policy expert Melanie Sisson and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Roy Gutman.

The collaboration continued during the winter 2026 semester, with Nu Omega co-sponsoring additional Southeast Michigan World Affairs Council events. Each event brought a distinguished expert to campus, including former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Paul Jones. Nu Omega members attended the events and had opportunities to meet and network with the speakers.

Donahue, the chapter president, said participating in Nu Omega teaches students valuable leadership skills, including communication, budgeting and event planning.

“It can show students what directing an organization and planning its events with university money looks like,” he said. “Being the president specifically has taught me a lot about communication.”

Nu Omega is open to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in political science who have achieved the required level of academic excellence. To be considered for membership, students must have declared political science or public administration as a major or minor, attained at least junior standing with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA, and completed a minimum of 12 semester credits in political science or public administration courses at Oakland University.

To learn more about the chapter, contact Nicole Mathew at nmathew@oakland.edu. For more information about programs and opportunities in the Department of Political Science, visit oakland.edu/polisci.