Stamford resident inducted into political science honor society at Eastern Connecticut

Eastern student Fiorella Beccaglia of Stamford inducted into political science honor society

On Oct. 28, Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 11 students into Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA), the national political science honor society. In keeping with COVID-19 guidelines, students were not allowed to bring family members, but guests and those who chose to attend virtually were able to participate through WebEx.

Among the inductees is Fiorella Beccaglia, a senior from Stamford who majors in Political Science and Communications.

To be inducted into PSA, students must hold at least a junior standing and have an overall GPA of at least a 3.4, with a minimum 3.2 GPA in the political science major.

"The Honor Society is a nice reward to motivated students, so we wanted to do something special and as 'normal' as possible," says Professor Martin Mendoza-Botelho, chair of the Political Science, Philosophy, and Geography department.

Along with the students and staff in attendance, Dean Carmen Cid, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences spoke, as well as Sean Twombly, executive director of Pi Sigma Alpha at the national level in Washington, DC.

Pi Sigma Alpha celebrated its 100-year anniversary this year. Founded in 1920 at the University of Texas, PSA was created to bring together students and staff with a shared interest in government and politics. Once inducted, students receive recognition for academic excellence, potential scholarship opportunities for graduate students and opportunities for student leadership positions.

"Pi Sigma Alpha offers students a unique opportunity to link broadly with like-minded individuals in our country and beyond, in addition to that well-deserved academic distinction," says Professor Martin Mendoza-Botelho.