Student Organizations
The Political Science Association of Students
The Political Science Association of Students (PSA) provides UTRGV students with a chance to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it in the real world. PSA is involved in a number of campus activities, including sponsoring faculty debates on controversial subjects and sponsoring appearances by candidates for local, state, and national office.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Michael Todd Smith, PSA Advisor for Brownsville
michael.smith@utrgv.edu
Office: Brownsville, BMSLC 3.217
Phone: 956-882-7842
Dr. Robert W. Velez, PSA Advisor for Edinburg
robert.velez@utrgv.edu
Office: Edinburg, ELABN 212
Phone: 956-665-3347
Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honors Fraternity
The Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley was established in 2009. However, Pi Sigma Alpha was founded in 1920 at the University of Texas for the purpose of bringing together students and faculty interested in the study of government and politics. Today there are over 650 chapters throughout the country. There is at least one college or university with a Pi Sigma Alpha chapter in every state and the District of Columbia and, as of 1995, the U. S. territory of Guam.
Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students currently enrolled in programs of political science in institutions where chapters are located. Undergraduates must meet the following criteria: They must be at least juniors who have completed at least ten semester-credits (or 15 quarter-credits if their institution is on the quarter system) of work in political science including at least one upper-division course, with an average grade of B or higher in those courses. They must have achieved an overall GPA placing them in the top one-third of their whole class (i.e., junior or senior class). They need NOT be political science majors to qualify for membership.
Graduate students must have completed 9 graduate credits in political science with no grade lower than a B. Undergraduate coursework does not count towards graduate student eligibility, and graduate students must be pursuing a degree in political science to qualify for membership.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Natasha Altema-McNeely
natasha.altema@utrgv.edu
Office: Edinburg, ELABN 215
Phone: 956-665-5045
Pre-Law Society & Pre-Law Student Association
The Pre-Law Student Association on the Brownsville campus and the Pre-Law Society on the Edinburg campus are student-run organizations that are open to students of all majors. At the general meetings for both organizations, participants listen to speakers, such as leaders of the local legal community as well as law school admission officers, or engage in other activities designed to facilitate their application to law school.
Pre-Law Student Association (Brownsville). The fee to be a member of the association is $15 per academic year. However, anyone is welcome to attend its events without becoming an official member. This Fall 2018 Term, the Pre-Law Student Association is holding general membership meetings on Wednesdays from 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM in BMSLC 1.113.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Charles Olney, Pre-Law Advisor for Brownsville
charles.olney@utrgv.edu
Office: Brownsville, BMSLC 3.220
Phone: 956-882-7436
Pre-Law Society (Edinburg). The fee to be a member of the society is $5 per term. This Fall 2018 Term, the Pre-Law Society is holding general membership meetings in ELABN 207 from 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM every Tuesday.
For more information, contact:
Dr. William A. Gordon, Pre-Law Advisor for Edinburg
william.gordon@utrgv.edu
Office: Edinburg, ELABN 226
Phone: 956-665-3322
RGV Model United Nations
Students on both campuses are welcome to take POLS 3394 Special Topics in Politics Model United Nations offered in the fall semesters. This course, which will be held on Fridays 10:30 AM – 12:40 PM at the Brownsville campus, will give students the opportunity to stimulate UN functions and debate major issues of the United Nations. This course will include current events, pressing international issues, the basics of international law and some of the protocol and procedures of diplomacy. Students who successfully complete the course will be eligible to attend the National Model United Nations conference in New York City.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Michelle Keck
michelle.keck@utrgv.edu
Office: Brownsville, BPOB2 1.103B
Phone: 956-882-6517
UTRGV Students Who Participated in the 2019 National Model UN Conference in New York City During Mid-April.