Pi Sigma Alpha Names CSUSB Chapter Best National Chapter for Third Straight Year

Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, has given its highest recognition, the National Best Chapter Award, to its chapter at Cal State San Bernardino for the third consecutive year. The CSUSB chapter is one of three universities nationwide with enrollments of 15,000 to 25,000 to win the award, and one of 16 chapters out of 800 recognized annually. This is the eighth national award for the Pi Sigma Alpha, Theta Iota Chapter since 2000, said Brian Janiskee, professor and chair of the political science department. The chapter won national best chapter awards in 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009 and 2013 and 2014. In 2002, the chapter received a national best chapter adviser award, he said. “I am very proud of our students and grateful for the support of our faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni here at CSUSB,” said Janiskee. “In particular, I want to recognize the hard work of our chapter’s student officers: President Jared Dmello, Vice President Ariel Stern, and Public Relations Officer Anna Kuzieva.” “I feel truly honored that our chapter was selected for this prestigious award under my presidency,” said Dmello, who graduated in June with a master’s degree in national security studies. “Our officers and members worked very hard this year to extend CSUSB's political science curriculum beyond the textbooks and lectures, highlighting the politics of today's world in new and interesting ways. “Our excellent history with winning this award is a firm example of the chapter's dedication to excellence and our commitment to expanding the student experience,” he said. “By integrating as many aspects of the political science department as possible, we truly form a scholarly community where individuals can flourish academically and professionally, providing opportunities not available in general coursework or at other universities.” On a personal level, Dmello, originally from Adelanto, said being part of the honor society provided a network that he tapped into – he will be a doctoral candidate this fall in criminology and terrorism studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. “Although I do not know anyone there, I've already been welcomed to the university by UMass Lowell's Pi Sigma Alpha adviser,” Dmello said. “I know that there is a place I can go to develop my ideas and expand my view of our ever-changing world.” Pi Sigma Alpha is the only honor society for college students of political science and government in the United States. The honor society has more than 800 chapters on college and university campuses in every state of the United States and one in Canada.