Daemen University political science seniors, Alex Lumanog, and Dania Mehani, along with Dr. Jay Wendland, professor of political science and department chair, presented their recent scholarship at the 83rd Annual Midwest Political Science Association’s (MPSA) Conference in Chicago April 23-26.
Their research was funded by a Daemen Student-Faculty Interdisciplinary Research Think Tank Grant.
Lumanog displayed a poster based on his capstone paper, “Political Battlefield: Media Outlets and The Effects on Viewer Perceptions Toward Politics.” He explored the differences between network and cable news coverage and their impact on viewers’ perceptions of political candidates.
Mehani delved into whether or not partisan calcification has reached the Supreme Court in her capstone paper poster presentation, “Supreme Court Calcification in the Wake of a Divided American Government and Electorate.” 
“I was incredibly fortunate to have an opportunity to be in the hub of political science academia; I loved being able to share my research and learn from others,” said Mehani. “I am very lucky to attend an institution that prioritizes enriching students’ experience through their education, and I hope grants like these continue to encourage students to excel in their passions!”
Wendland presented his paper, “Ranked Choice Voting Adoption: What Partisanship Can Tell Us,” which explored whether or not a city’s partisanship affects its willingness to explore electoral reform.
“I am immensely proud of Alex and Dania,” Wendland said. “The MPSA is the Political Science conference at which the most research is presented, so it is a great opportunity for the students to receive feedback on their research projects from experts in the discipline. It also allows other institutions to see the high level of research that is being done at Daemen. Importantly, the conference includes a competitive selection process, so applying does not guarantee acceptance. It is a real testament to Dania and Alex’s research skills that they were accepted to present at this conference.”