DONATING TO THE WPSA
The WPSA is launching a fund-raising campaign as part of its 75th Anniversary
celebration. There are three areas in which the Association is seeking
donations in this campaign. First, please consider contributing to the
WPSA Travel Fund. This new fund will provide support
to help graduate students and lower-income faculty attend the annual meeting.
Alternatively, we encourage you to contribute to one of our awards
funds. Contributions to these funds will help ensure their long-term
survival and build the size of the awards. If you just want to provide
help to the Association to ensure its long-term viability and to build
a base for growth, please consider donating to the WPSA Endowment
Fund. This fund was created to provide security if a financial
crisis occurs and to provide support for major projects. Click
here now to make a donation online. If you prefer to make
a donation through the mail, send your check or credit card information
to:
Western Political Science Association
4211 Corona Way
Sacramento, CA 95864
There are several funds that are supported by contributions from association
members and others:
The WPSA Endowment Fund
The WPSA Endowment was created to provide a financial reservoir
to help protect the long-term security of the Association and to fund
special projects. Your generous contribution to this fund enables the
WPSA to better handle unanticipated challenges and to launch new projects
and programs that benefit the association and its members.
The Fund for Asian Pacific Americans
The Fund for Asian Pacific Americans will be used to support
Asian Pacific American Caucus (APAC) research and education efforts broadly,
to serve as awards for scholarship and service, and to subsidize meetings,
events and publicity.
Betty Moulds Lifetime Service Award
The Betty Moulds Lifetime Service Award will be given to individuals who
have made a long history of service and an extraordinary contribution
to the WPSA. The award is named in honor of Betty Moulds, who served for
25 years as the chief administrator for the WPSA. The award is funded
entirely through an endowment, so your contribution is critical to its
success. The award will not be given until the endowment reaches its funding
goal.
Joel Olson Award Endowment
This endowment was created to fund an award honoring Joel Olson,
an associate professor of political theory at Northern Arizona University
and a long-time WPSA member. The award is for activist-scholars whose
work is at the creative intersection of radical political theory and practice.
The Joel Olson Award is also entirely through an endowment. The award
will not be given until the endowment reaches its funding goal.
Award Funds
Historically, the association has funded most of its annual awards
out of its general operating budget. However, the association has begun
to accept donations that will be set aside for underwriting the cost of
these awards. The association hopes to eventually raise a sufficient amount
of money so that these awards can be funded entirely through the interest
generated through contributions. Your generous support for these awards
helps ensure that there will be adequate funding in future years. Donations
can be directed to the following awards:
Betty Nesvold Award (Women and Politics)
This award is for the best paper on women and politics presented at the
previous annual meeting of the WPSA. The award is named in honor of Betty
Nesvold, a long-term member of the association who played an important
leadership role in improving the status and treatment of women political
scientists.
Blacks and Politics Award
The Blacks and Politics Award is given to an outstanding paper
that focuses on issues and problems that concern Black Americans.
Dissertation Award
The Dissertation Award is given to the best doctoral dissertation completed
at a university within the regional groupings of the WPSA between July
1 and June 30 of the previous academic year.
Don T. Nakanishi Award for for Distinguished Scholarship and
Service in Asian Pacific American Politics
This annual award will recognize outstanding scholarship or service advancing
the understanding or practice of Asian Pacific American politics. The
recipient will be someone who has made a significant contribution to the
understanding of Asian Pacific American politics (scholarship that examines
more than one ethnoracial group is also eligible), or whose professional
work has made a substantial contribution to the practice of Asian Pacific
American politics.
Environmental Political Theory Award
This award is presented to the best paper in environmental political theory
presented at the annual WPSA meeting.
Latina/Latino Politics Award
This award is for an outstanding paper on Latina/Latino politics
that is presented at the annual meeting.
William E. Connolly Award
This annual award is for the best political theory paper in contemporary
democratic thought, whether recognizing daring and innovative work by
a young scholar or a bold new line of inquiry by an established scholar.
It is named after William E. Connolly, world renowned political theorist,
revered teacher and mentor, and long-time WPSA member.
WPSA Virtual Communities
WPSA Virtual Communities bring academics together regularly on Zoom or
other virtual platforms for scholarly, pedagogical, and/or professional
development in political science and related fields. The program has multiple
purposes: to maximize scholarly engagement while minimizing climate-warming
carbon emissions; to support the professional growth of those who find
it difficult to travel to in-person conferences for any reason; to help
democratize access to academic networks; to broaden participation in WPSA;
and to provide academics in political science and related fields the opportunity
for regular intellectual exchange and development throughout the year.
