Luke Chaney is a senior Kris Bhansali Scholar. He studied at Oxford University for two summers. Luke studied Trans-Atlantic Relations between the two World Wars one summer, and studied Shakespeare and completed a tutorial in early Christian doctrine in another. He is also a key member of MSU's very successful Speech and Debate Council. He was Champion in the Junior Varsity Division of the National Championship Tournament one year, and placed 3rd in the Professional division the next year. Most recently, in January 2024 he was the number one debater in Mississippi for professional debate, determined by the SFC regional championship. He is also President of The Round Table at MSU, which is a club devoted to promoting free speech and discussing complex topics in current events and philosophy.
Erin Clifford is a senior Haley Barbour Scholar from Ocean Springs, MS. She is an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Stennis Institute of Government and serves as the Undergraduate Representative for the I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility) Committee. Erin also serves as the Secretary of the Stennis-Montgomery Association, Policy Director of MSU College Democrats, and an Ambassador of the College of Arts & Sciences. In the summer of 2023, she interned in Washington, D.C. as a Policy and Communications intern at Shared Hope International.
Jodee Crane is a Tip Allen Scholar and a Senior Political Science major from Meridian, MS. Jodee currently serves as the Vice President of the Student Association here at MSU where she presides over the SA Senate, sits on university committees, and serves as an advocate for student ideas and initiatives to university administration. Other than her involvement in student government, Jodee has also served as Panhellenic Delegate for her sorority, Chi Omega, is a member of the Shackouls Honors College, an Alumni Delegate, a member of the Stennis Montgomery Association, and a mentor through the Brickfire Mentoring Program. Throughout her collegiate experience, she has interned for the Distinguished Young Women of Mississippi Program, the Mississippi Children’s Museum - Meridian, and most recently, as a Congressional Intern for Michael Guest of Mississippi’s Third District.
Emma Crouch is a senior Tip Allen Scholar from Saltillo, Mississippi. Emma is majoring in Political Science and Public Relations. While furthering her academic career at MSU, Emma has been involved in several organizations on campus. She has served as Vice President of Membership for Roadrunner, and has been active in the Brickfire Mentoring Program, College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors, Fashion Board, Public Relations Student Society of America, and the Pre-Law Society. She has also been inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Emma is also a Panhellenic sorority woman where she has served as the Director of Member Retention, Director of Social Media, and Chaplain for her chapter. Over the 2022 summer, Emma worked as an intern in the Office of Congressman Trent Kelly in Washington DC where she focused on tasks in Foreign Affairs and Communications. In the summer of 2023, she interned at Pinkston, a strategy and communication firm just outside of D.C.
Christian Fulcher is a senior Haley Barbour Scholar and a Tip Allen Scholar, majoring in Political Science, who is from Cleveland MS. He is the Secretary General for MSU's Model United Nations Program, the President of the Stennis-Montgomery Association, and a member of Cowbell Catholic. During his time at MSU he participated in the Oxford Study Abroad Program, served in the Student Association Cabinet, and interned in the office of Senator Roger Wicker.
Laney Hulbert is a junior John C. Stennis Scholar majoring in political science and criminology with a minor in pre-law, from Lucedale, MS. She started at the Stennis Institute of Government in September 2023. Laney is involved on campus as a member of the Student Association, where she serves as a Political Organizational Senator. She is also a member of Maroon VIP, where she serves on the recruitment committee. Laney serves her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, as the Director of Social Events. She is also a member of the Stennis Montgomery Association, Pre-Law Society, Fashion Board, and Undergraduate Women in Business.
Chloe Jackson is a John C. Stennis Scholar, a Tip Allen Scholar, a Bill Collins Scholar, and a Charles Menifield Scholar. She is a senior from Jackson, MS, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a Concentration in Public Relations. Chloe graduated high school from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. Chloe currently serves as Vice President of the College Democrats of Mississippi and MSU and Secretary of the Indigenous and Allies Association. She is an official MSU Student Recruiter, conducting campus tours and contributing to prospective student outreach. She also serves as a weekly mentor at the Brickfire Project. Outside of her academic and civic engagement, she notes her most valuable professional experience being a congressional intern in Senator Wicker’s Washington D.C. office and completing the Demmer Scholar program.
Alijah Jones is a junior Bill Collins Scholar, a Charles Menifield Scholar, and a member of the Shackouls Honors College from Greenwood, MS. He is a Political Science major with a focus on International Relations. Additionally, he has four minors which include International Studies in Diplomacy and Governance, Linguistics, TESOL, and Italian which he has completed maintaining an A average. Following his freshman year, he studied Trans-Atlantic Relations 1914-1945 at Oxford University in the summer of 2022. He has served in the Service Pod of Freshman Reach Student Association, as a Peer Leader- Teaching Assistant, as a New Maroon Camp Counselor, Private Italian Tutor, and Voter Registration Ambassador during the 2022 election cycle. Last summer, he interned with El Pueblo Legal Services as an English professor. Alijah continues to serve as an Alumni Delegate, Lead Freshman Year Navigator, Honor Code Councilman, and member of the MSU Spanish Club. He aspires to work in the foreign service and become a polyglot, studying languages such as Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and ASL.
Madison Maglievaz is a Tip Allen Scholar and former Demmer scholar. She is a junior political science major with a minor in International studies from Poteet, Texas. During her time as a Demmer she interned at the United States Department of Agriculture with the Foreign Agricultural Services under the global programs division; more specifically the Cochran program named after former Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran. While at Mississippi State, she obtained her FFA American degree, which is the highest degree possible to be earned by former FFA members. Madison is also a part of various political science organizations on campus such as the pre-law society as well as the Stennis Montgomery Association where she got to attend their annual trip to Washington D.C. in 2023. In addition to this, she also works as a student worker at the Sonny Montgomery Center for America's Veterans helping veterans, service members, and military dependents.
Anne Preston McRae is a freshman John C. Stennis Scholar, a Mississippi State Presidential Endowed Scholar, and a Donald W. Zacharias Scholar. She is from Meridian, MS, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Pre-Law studies. Anne Preston is a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, Stennis Montgomery Association, Shackouls Honors College, MSU Pre-Law Society, MSU College Republicans, Pro-Life at MSU, and has served as a mentor through the Brickfire Mentoring Program.
Ann Olivia Radicioni is a senior John C. Stennis Scholar and a Marty Wiseman Scholar from Clinton, Mississippi. During her time at Clinton High School, she was the lead guitarist of Attaché Show Choir, which consistently ranks as the number one show choir in the nation. Ann Olivia also served as President of multiple organizations, including Model United Nations Security Council, History Club, Crown Club, and Anchor Club. At Mississippi State, she has had the honor of furthering her extracurricular and academic involvement. Ann Olivia is a Presidential Endowed Scholar and effective member of the Student Association. Through student government, Ann Olivia is both a Campus Wide Senator and the Director of Health and Wellness. In the 60th session of the Student Association Senate, she singlehandedly created and passed a bill ensuring free period products in major MSU bathrooms. Furthermore, she devised a legislative plan for student mental health days. Ann Olivia’s further club involvement includes Delta Gamma Sorority, New Maroon Camp, and InterGreek Committee. She is a leader in her sorority, and she was awarded both MSU’s Panhellenic New Member of the Year Award and Delta Gamma’s Model New Member Award. Her career goals are ultimately to learn, discuss, and write about international policy for the rest of her life (hopefully in a southern academic institution), and she looks forward to growing as a John C. Stennis Scholar! She is a Rhodes Scholarship Finalist, and recently interned with the U.S. Department of State Diplomat in Residence for the Central South Region.
Alexandra Williams is a sophomore John C. Stennis Scholar from Starkville, Mississippi. While at Starkville High School, Alexandra was Vice President of the Theatre Troop; a member of both Chamber singers and Sextet; National Honor Society President; and a Shackouls Early Honors Student. As an MSU student, Alexandra has declared majors in Political Science and History along with minors in Pre-Law, French, and International Relations (Diplomacy and Governance). Alexandra is a Team Lead College Coach for the ACCESS Program at MSU and spends most of her time academically coaching students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She is a member of the Pre-Law Society, Stennis-Montgomery Association, and a Justice on the SA Judicial Council. She is a former member of Freshman Reach and now serves as the President of the Shackouls Honors Ambassadors. Academically, Alexandra has a research interest in the continuing effects of early French colonization in modern Africa. Outside of Political Science, Alexandra is a Garner Endowed Scholar with the MSU History Department. Alexandra is grateful for the opportunity to receive an MSU education and looks forward to continuing her education through an MPPA and a Juris Doctorate.
Our department's John C. Stennis Scholars are named in memory of MSU alumnus John C. Stennis, who served in the United States Senate from 1947 to 1988, rising to the powerful position of President Pro Tempore of the senate and fourth in line for the presidency. Senator Stennis also served as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee and previously as chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He was so respected in the senate that Congress named a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after him, which was commissioned into service before the carrier honoring former president Harry Truman. Because John Stennis inspired Mississippians to be active in public affairs, we include our department's Bill Collins (the founding director of the Stennis Institute of Government) and Haley Barbour (our two-term governor and a formidable Stennis challenger in 1982) scholars on this webpage.
The Haley Barbour Scholars are named after a distinguished public servant and native of Yazoo City who rose to the position of Chair of the Republican National Committee. As RNC Chairman, Haley Barbour inaugurated an aggressive fundraising, public relations, and candidate assistance program that led the GOP in 1994 to majority control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years. Barbour was elected Governor in the 2003 state elections, when for the first time Republicans won half of Mississippi's statewide executive offices as well as historically high percentages of state house and state senate seats. When Barbour was re-elected governor four years later, he swept his party to control of every statewide elected office with one exception.
The Bill Collins Scholars are named after a distinguished educational leader, who was the first Director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University. A Bill Collins Speakership series was established in his honor in the MSU Library.
The Tip Allen Scholars are named after retired (now deceased) professor Tip H. Allen Jr., whose decades of teaching political science at MSU helped so many of our students that he was awarded the department's outstanding teaching award on two occasions. One student whom he mentored went on to become an MSU President (Dr. Malcolm Portera, who then became the Chancellor of The University of Alabama System).
The Kris Bhansali Scholars are named after retired (now deceased) professor Kris Bhansali. The scholarship supports students with a demonstrated interest in international relations, such as by pursuing study abroad programs. One of his students, Scott Ross, became a Truman Scholar, state legislator, mayor, and College Board member.
The Marty Wiseman Scholars are named after retired professor Marty Wiseman, a Mississippi native who earned four degrees at MSU and who directed the Stennis Institute of Government for two decades.
The Charles Menifield Scholars are named after former professor Charles Menifield, a Mississippi native who earned a BA in political science and an MPPA degree from MSU, and who rose to the position of academic Dean at Rutgers University.
The Jason L. Shelton Scholars are named after the former mayor of Tupelo Mississippi, who earned a B.A. in political science at MSU and was a John C. Stennis Scholar.