On Tuesday, June 6, 105 seniors who majored in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs graduated as part of Princeton University’s Class of 2017. Among their ranks included members of Ivy League Championship teams in women’s lacrosse, football, and track and field; class officers; college-theater and residential college council members; volunteers from the Pace Center for Civic Engagement; and Orange Key tour guides.
Addressing seniors and their family and friends at Class Day exercises on June 5, Dean Cecilia Rouse said, “Wherever the future takes you, I hope you will take a bit of the spirit of public service with you. But remember that service comes in many different shapes and sizes…The foundation you gained at Princeton in your studies equipped you all to be active participants in our civic society.”
The following Wilson School seniors received distinguished awards and prizes during Class Day, which were presented by Undergraduate Program Faculty Chair David S. Wilcove.
Congratulations to all members of the Wilson School Undergraduate Class of 2017.
Welcome to the Woo Alumni Family!
Woodrow Wilson School Prizes and Awards
The Myron T. Herrick Prize – which is the highest thesis honor for an undergraduate at the Wilson School – was awarded to Kishan Bhatt for his thesis, “Safeguarding American Patients: A National Regression Analysis and State-Focused Case Study of Health Insurance Coverage and Medical Bankruptcy.” Bhatt’s adviser was Heather Howard, lecturer in public affairs, and the second reader was Shirley Tilghman, President of the University, Emeritus, and professor of molecular biology and public affairs. This prize is awarded to the writer of the best senior thesis overall in the Woodrow Wilson School. Bhatt also was a co-winner of the Global Health and Health Policy Senior Thesis Prize, which is awarded in recognition of the most outstanding thesis written by a student earning a certificate in Global Health and Health Policy.
The Lieutenant John A. Larkin Memorial Prize was given to Anna Lewandowska, whose thesis title was “International Pressures and Legal Development: Influence of Investment and Trade Regimes on Property Rights in Non-OECD Countries.” Lewandowska’s adviser was Christina Davis, professor of politics and international affairs, and the second reader was Sophie Meunier, research scholar and lecturer in public and international affairs. This award is given to a senior or seniors who has or have written the best thesis in the field of political economy or on a broadly interdisciplinary subject in which economics plays the most important part. Lewandowska also received the Law in Public Affairs Program’s J. Welles Henderson ’43 Senior Thesis Prize.
The Richard H. Ullman Prize was given to Ryan Dukeman for his thesis, “Legislative Diplomacy: The Impact of Congressional Reform on the Role of Congress in Foreign Policy, 1970-2017.” Dukeman’s adviser was Julian Zelizer, Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs, and the second reader was Paul Starr, Stuart Professor of Communications and Public Affairs and professor of sociology and public affairs. This award is given to the senior who writes the best thesis on United States foreign policy.
The Woodrow Wilson Senior Thesis Prize was given to Jacob Donnelly, whose thesis title was “Civil Procedure as Public Policy: Case Studies in the Federal Standing Doctrine.” Donnelly’s adviser was Randy Beck, visiting associate professor of politics, and the second reader was Stanley Katz, lecturer with the rank of professor in public and international affairs. This prize is awarded to a senior/s who writes a thesis of unusual merit.
The Gale F. Johnston Prize in Public Affairs was presented to Katherine Diller. This prize is awarded to a senior who has shown both great improvement and achieved excellence in work at the Wilson School.
The Class of 1924 Award went to Romie Desrogène and Olivia Hompe. This prize is awarded to senior(s) whose contribution to a policy seminar has been judged most outstanding.
The Donald E. Stokes Dean’s Prize was given to Deirdre Ely and Shaden Nassief. This award recognizes a senior or seniors who has/have displayed extraordinary leadership and made the most significant contributions to the Undergraduate Program and to the Woodrow Wilson School.
Thesis Prizes Awarded by Other Departments
The following Wilson School graduates received thesis prizes from other departments:
Kishan Bhatt was co-winner of the Global Health and Health Policy Senior Thesis Prize for his thesis, “Safeguarding American Patients: A National Regression Analysis and State-Focused Case Study of Health Insurance Coverage and Medical Bankruptcy.” This prize is awarded in recognition of the most outstanding thesis written by a student earning a certificate in Global Health and Health Policy.
The Canadian Studies Program’s Richard D. Challener ’44 Senior Thesis Prize was awarded to Robin Spiess for “A Comparative Analysis of Physician-Assisted Suicide Policy in Canada and the United States of America.” Spiess’ adviser was Harold Shapiro, President of the University, Emeritus, and professor of economics and public affairs, and the second reader was Elizabeth Armstrong, associate professor of sociology and public affairs. This award recognizes a student who writes the most outstanding senior thesis on a topic of substantial relevance to Canadian culture, themes, experience or issues.
The European Union Program Senior Thesis Prize went to Quentin Becheau for “Legitimacy Under Threat: 25 Years of Declining Support for the European Union.” Becheau’s adviser was Ashoka Mody, Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor in International Economic Policy and lecturer in public and international affairs, and the second reader was Helen V. Milner, B.C. Forbes Professor of Public Affairs. This award is given to the best thesis on the European Union.
The Center for Migration and Development Thesis Prize was awarded to Elizabeth Bird for the thesis, “Stories or Statistics? Immigration and the Rise of the Radical Right in Western Europe.” Bird’s adviser was Sophie Meunier, research scholar and lecturer in public and international affairs, and the second reader was Carles Boix, Robert Garrett Professor in Politics and professor of politics and public affairs. This award is given by the Center for Migration and Development to the student who writes the best senior thesis in the fields of migration and development.
The Program in Law and Public Affairs’ J. Welles Henderson ’43 Senior Thesis Prize in Legal Studies went to Anna Lewandowska for “International Pressures and Legal Development: Influence of Investment and Trade Regimes on Property Rights in Non-OECD Countries.” Lewandowska’s adviser was Christina Davis, professor of politics and international affairs, and the second reader was Sophie Meunier, research scholar and lecturer in public and international affairs. This prize is awarded to the senior who has written the most outstanding thesis on a law-related subject.
The inaugural Environmental Studies Book Prize in Environmental Policy, awarded by the Princeton Environmental Institute, went to Brett Usinger for his thesis “Beyond the Pale Blue Dot: Sustainability in Space Resource Policy.” Usinger’s adviser was Christopher Chyba, professor of astrophysical sciences and international affairs. This prize recognizes one student in each of three categories for outstanding senior thesis research and the ability to communicate the results and significance of their work.