Honors and Awards

The Department of Politics recognizes exceptional undergraduate performance through a variety of prizes and awards. Information about those honors, as well as a list of recent recipients, are available below. See the honors calculation page for information regarding the determination of highest honors, high honors, and honors.

Department Prizes

Caroline M. Picard Prize in Politics

Established in 1985 by her family in memory of Caroline M. Picard, Class of 1986. It is awarded annually to the junior(s) in the Department of Politics who, in the judgment of the faculty, present the most promising senior thesis project(s) which needs summer thesis support.

Lyman H. Atwater Prize in Politics

Established by the Class of 1883 as a memorial to the Reverend Lyman H. Atwater, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Political Science, 1869-1883. It is awarded to the senior who has written the best thesis on a subject in political science.

New York Herald Prize in Politics

Established by James Gordon Bennett. It is awarded to the senior who has presented the best thesis on a subject of contemporaneous interest in the domestic or foreign policy of the United States government.

Philo Sherman Bennett Prize in Politics

Established by Philo Sherman Bennett of New Haven, Conn. It is awarded to the junior or senior who has written the best essay discussing the principles of free government.

The John G. Buchanan Prize in Politics

Established by John G. Buchanan, Class of 1909, the John G. Buchanan Prize in Politics is awarded annually to the senior who has attained, during junior and senior years, the highest standing in the Department of Politics. In the event that more than one senior has attained the highest standing, the prize will be awarded to the individual who has the highest standing in Constitutional Interpretation.

Related Prize

The Stephen Whelan ’68 Senior Thesis Prize

Awarded by The James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions for the best senior thesis on a topic relating to the study of public or constitutional law.

Recent Recipients, Department Honors

Summa Cum Laude
Highest Honors, 2026

Wade Thomas Bednar

Joshua Cigoianu

Grace Coller

Charles Zacharias Gardner Jr.

Emma Jean Hermacinski

Henry Hsiao

Pariyakorn Kasemsawade

Mia Anne Sampson

Jocelyne Rachelle Wijaya

Olin D. Zimmet

Magna Cum Laude
High Honors, 2026

James Bement

Cole Basas Crosby

James Gunnar Fraley

Luis Xaiver Guaman

Hadi Kamara

Petra Anastasia Knupp

Abigail Margaux Lee

Michelle Miao

Chana Lee Mitty

Jamison Patrick Moore

Jonathan Michael Silverman

Kabir Ercolani Singh

Diego Enrique Uribe-Corao

Cum Laude
Honors, 2026

Minna Abdella

Kyara Elisa Arteaga

Nana Adwoa Barwuah

Mia Gwen Brown

Zavier Jonathan Foster

Zachary Jamison Friedman

George Bekton Lathrop

Abigail Sapir Leibowitz

Makenna Grace Marshall

Valentina Moreno

Allison Estefan Rodrigues

James Charles Wells

Haotian Yang

Hayk Yengibaryan

Recent Recipients, Senior Thesis Prizes

Below is a list of recent Alumni (Politics Classes of 2023 and beyond) who were awarded departmental prizes for distinction in their senior theses. To view these prize-winning senior theses by primary field, click on the linked titles which will take you to the Mudd Library Archives for the given document.