Alumni

Welcome Alumni!

Welcome to all alumni! 

International relations majors are accomplishing incredible things in Michigan and all around the world. We love to hear from you! If you'd be interested in being featured in one of our spotlights, send an email to irdept@gvsu.edu with a picture and some or all of the following:

  • Name, major(s), minor(s) (optional), and year of graduation from GVSU:
  • Describe your accomplishment (education, work, voluntarism, etc.), and optionally, anything you did previously (just a couple of sentences or as much as a page):
  • Anything you’d like to mention about how your classes, professors or activities at GVSU prepared you for your current path (optional): 

If you are looking to make contact with fellow alumni, check out the GVSU PLS and IR alumni Facebook group.

If you need a letter of recommendation, you'll find our letter of recommendation guidelines here, and faculty contact information here

We look forward to hearing from you!

Spotlights

Autumn Modena Spotlight

Autumn Modena

2015 Graduate Founder of RefuTea

Lizzie Heyboer Spotlight

Lizzie Heyboer

Organizing Program Manager for the Western US, Swing Left

Katrina Maynes Spotlight

Katrina Maynes

Senior Consultant, Deloitte Consultants, Detroit

Cody Gradwell Spotlight

Cody Gradwell

Peace Corps Mongolia, now Teacher at Orcholon International School, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Madeline Vander Velde Spotlight

Madeline Vander Velde

2016 Graduate Working and Living in Brussels

View More Spotlights

Distinguished Alumni

Periodically, the Political Science Department is asked by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to invite a Political Science or International Relations alumnus to campus for the Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence program. The program provides a venue for departments to invite outstanding alumni back to campus to share their post-graduation experiences with the GVSU community.  Through the program, our distinguished alumni have the opportunity to share their insights about what constitutes strong academic preparation for students.

Political Science and International Relations Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence:
James Spaanstra 2005
Edward Cardenas 2006
Bob Monaghan 2007
James Meernik 2010
Nerina Cevra 2012
Richard Damstra 2015
Tim Zeeb 2017
Alan Dunklow 2019

Distinguished Alumni

James Meernik Spotlight

James Meernik

Political Science Professor

Richard Damstra Spotlight

Richard Damstra

Foreign Service Office, U.S. Department of State

Robert Monaghan Spotlight

Robert Monaghan

Corporate Executive and Nonprofit Leader

Nerina Cevra Spotlight

Nerina Cevra

Human Rights Lawyer

Tim Zeeb Spotlight

Tim Zeeb

Managing Director in Finance

View More Distinguished Alumni

News

Excellence in a Discipline Award

Excellence in a Discipline Award

The GVSU Political Science Department and the International Relations program congratulate Carly Stengel (IR) and Isabella Grunwaldt (PLS), winners of the Excellence-in-a-Discipline awards for their respective majors.

Apr 15, 2025

Outstanding Student Paper Competition

Outstanding Student Paper Competition

Eligibility is open to all students who major in political science or international relations.

Feb 26, 2025

IR and PLS Alumni Starting Law School

IR and PLS Alumni Starting Law School

IR Alum Jessica Geisler is starting her JD studies this fall at Wayne Law.

Sep 18, 2024

McGhee wins 2024 Zeeb Scholarship for Study Abroad

McGhee wins 2024 Zeeb Scholarship for Study Abroad

Aaron McGhee is the winner of the 2024 Zeeb Scholarship for Study Abroad

Jul 3, 2024

Pullins Wins Outstanding Paper Award

Pullins Wins Outstanding Paper Award

Sarah D. Pullins is the winner of the Outstanding Paper Award for Political Science and International Relations.

May 3, 2024

View More News

Events

There are no upcoming Events at this time

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Page last modified October 25, 2019