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The department is committed to the education of the whole student, to the scholarly life, and to an approach which is not "ivory tower," but rather which reaches out in service to society. The primary focus of the discipline of Political Science is the good life. Within the context of St. Mary's University, the mission of the Department of Political Science, the civic conscience of the university community, is to foster the building of the good life.
As Aristotle states: "The end and purpose of a polis [a civic community] is the good life, and the institutions of social life are means to that end."
Through the courses it offers, the research its members conduct and the events it sponsors, the Department of Political Science stimulates examination of questions like "What is the good life?" and "How can members of the civic community be effective creators of a good life characterized by justice?"
The department is committed to the education of the whole student, to the scholarly life, and to an approach which is not "ivory tower," but rather which reaches out in service to society. The primary focus of the discipline of Political Science is the good life. Within the context of St. Mary's University, the mission of the Department of Political Science, the civic conscience of the university community, is to foster the building of the good life.
Our goal is that St. Mary's Political Science graduates apply the answers they formulate in their private lives and in their careers-careers that may take them into public service, the law, teaching, journalism, business and further graduate studies, among other options.
In addition to the traditional four-year bachelor's degree program in Political Science, the department offers an innovative five-year BA/MA program that allows the student to begin graduate study in his/her senior year.
Contact Us
Timothy Powell, M.A., Administrator(210) 436-3110
tpowell1@stmarytx.edu
St. Louis Hall 326
(210) 431-2012
sneiheisel@stmarytx.edu
St. Louis Hall 325
Required Courses
American National Government
Texas State and Local Government or Understanding Politics
Political Research Methodology
Applied Research Methods
Senior Seminar in Political Science
American Politics and Political Behavior
Public Administration/Public Policy and Public Law
Political Theory
Comparitive and International Politics
The International Public Careers Minor (Political Science Majors)
This minor centers more on the world economy and international economics. For more information, please see the degree plans and course catalog.The International Public Careers Minor (Non-Political Science Majors)
This minor is available to non-political science majors only. For more information, please see the degree plans and course catalog.Public Administration Minors
Two Minors: A 21 hour minor in Public Careers and a 21 hour minor in International Public Careers. These interdisciplinary minors are available for those majoring in Political Science with a Program Concentration in Public Administration. They are also available to Non-Political Science Majors.
For more information, please see the degree plans and course catalog.
Faculty
Amber Aubone
Director, Undergraduate International RelationsAssistant Professor
Political Science
International Relations
Email: aaubone@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., St. Mary's University
B.A., University of Texas at San Antonio
Courses taught:
- Causes of War
- International Relations
- National Security
- Political Research Methods
- Political Violence
- Understanding Politics
- U.S. Foreign Policy
Alex Briseno
Public Service in ResidenceEmail:abriseno@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., Trinity University, San Antonio TX 1973
B.A., Trinity University, San Antonio TX 1971
Courses taught:
- Managing Public Budgets
Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.
President EmeritusProfessor of Political Science
Email: ccotrell@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., St. Mary's University
B.A., St. Mary's University
Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., was selected by the University's Board of Trustees as St. Mary's first lay president in the school's proud history that dates back to 1852.
Cotrell, who stepped down from the presidency May 31, 2012, to return to teaching and scholarship, has held many positions during his more than 45 year at St. Mary’s, serving as department chair, director of graduate programs, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, assistant to the president for planning and research, and vice president of academic affairs for 14 years.
His top priorities as president included: a commitment to service learning and civic engagement (which resulted in numerous national recognitions); recruitment and retention of top students; strengthening the Catholic and Marianist tradition of St. Mary's; advancing the academic mission, especially in information technologies and new academic programs; maintaining a diverse student body, faculty and administration; and increasing the general endowment for essential needs, including student scholarships and faculty development.
Cotrell received his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from St. Mary's in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and earned a doctorate in political science from the University of Arizona in 1970. He began teaching at St. Mary’s in 1966.
A tenured professor in political science, Cotrell is well known for his expertise on issues involving elections systems and minority participation. He has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice on these issues, and he is the author of numerous articles in professional journals. He has presented his research on Capitol Hill regarding federal voting rights cases.
Promoting St. Mary's as a premiere Catholic and Marianist liberal arts institution by advancing academic excellence was one of Cotrell's priorities a president. Accomplishments included: acquiring academic chairs; establishing partnerships with The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and with multiple educational institutions abroad; developing hubs of scholarship and leadership development; and implementing academic innovations for students. He secured federal funding for information technology that transformed traditional classrooms into "smart" learning laboratories, wired the campus, and ensured faculty and staff are trained in the newest teaching technologies.
Under his leadership, the University’s physical plant was enhanced, including openings of numerous facilities and completion of several campus beautification projects. His hopes for St. Mary's future resulted in a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, elements of which were completed or in progress at the end of his presidency. In addition, he launched the St. Mary’s University Neighborhood Revitalization Project that led to many improvements to the neighborhoods surrounding the University.
Cotrell was instrumental in raising more than $100 million during his presidency, including the University's largest single gift of $25 million from former Valero Chairman and St. Mary's alum Bill Greehey. In addition, more than 100 endowed scholarships for students were added, and the University’s endowment grew to the highest level in the history of St. Mary’s.
Among his honors, Cotrell received the Marianist Heritage Award, the University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Henry B. Gonzalez Hispanic Achievement Award from the St. Mary's Hispanic Law Alumni Association, the Thomas More Award from the School of Law, and he was inducted into the St. Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame. He received the Career Achievement Award from the American Political Science Association, and the Brotherhood Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice. Cotrell received the Albert Pena Lifetime Achievement award as one of the founders of the Mexican American Unity Council and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Bexar County Commissioners Court presented him with its prestigious Hidalgo Award for his contributions to education and to the community.
His involvement in education and community organizations is widespread, including president of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference; chair of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas; and member of the U.S. Department of Education/Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Leadership Group.
Monica D. Cruz
LecturerEmail:mcruz7@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
B.A., The University of Texas at San Antonio
Courses taught:
- Gender and Public Policy
- Texas Politics
- Topics in Public Administration and Urban Policy
Henry Flores, Ph.D.
Dean of Graduate SchoolEmail: hflores@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., University of California at Santa Barbara, 1975
B.A., St. Mary's University, 1974
Read Dr. Flores' full bio here.
Sonia Garcia, Ph.D.
ProfessorDirector, Graduate Political Science Department
Director, Women's Studies
Director, Latin American and U.S. Latino Studies
Email:sgarcia@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., University of Arizona, 1987
B.A., St. Mary's University, 1984
Courses taught:
- Constitutional LawTexas
- Gender Politics
- Judicial Process
- State and Local Government
Tom Hoffman, Ph.D.
Professorthoffman@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., University of Arizona, 1979
B.A., St. Mary's University, 1973
Courses taught:
- American National Government
- Classical Political Thought
- Political Research MethodologyTexas State and Local Government
- Religion and Politics
- Texas Politics
Larry Hufford
ProfessorPolitical Science
International Relations
Email: lhufford@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.S.W., Our Lady of the Lake University, 1978
M.A., University of Miami (Ohio), 1965
B.S., Ohio State University. 1964
Courses taught:
- Causes of War and Sustainable Human Development
- Ethical Issues in International Relations
- International Conflict Resolution
- International Relations Theory
Celine A. Jacquemin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Political ScienceAssociate Dean for Student & Curricular Affairs
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Email:cjacquemin1@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., University of California, Irvine, 2000
B.A. Political Science with German minor, CA State University, Fullerton, 1993
Dr. Celine A. Jacquemin was born and raised in France. Dr Celine, as her students call her, is an Associate Professor in Political Science and is currently serving as Associate Dean for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on international response to genocide and to patterns of human rights violations.
Her expertise covers parts of Europe and the Great Lakes of Africa where she more closely studies Rwanda. A constructivist by training, she is developing a new framework that can further help us understand what makes it 'easy' for people to violate the rights of others in order to educate for the respect of human rights. She is expanding her focus to the case of Darfur in the Sudan. This is how she has come to "Researching the Road to Peace" where she makes ground breaking conclusions.
She also serves as a pro-bono expert witness for political asylum cases often linked to female genital mutilation and rape with the St Mary's University Center for Legal and Social Justice.
She co-authored a chapter with Alison Brysk "Bridging Borders for Human Rights" in Transnational Civil Society published by Kumarian Press in 2006. In November 2008, she published "Allied against all odds to fight genocide: How far has the US come?" in Revista Espaco Academico. In April 2010, she published "Female Genital Cutting: shattering the debate yet still violating human rights" also in Revista Espaco Academico.
Eva Bueno, Ph.D., and Celine Jacquemin, Ph.D., were published in the latest Revista Espaco Academico. Read both articles online here.
Steve Neiheisel, Ph.D.
ProfessorChairman, Political Science Department
London Study Abroad Director
Email: sneiheisel@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.B.A., Xavier University, 1982
B.A., Xavier University, 1981
Area of interest: Leadership, Non-Profit Organizations, Catholic Education
Neiheisel is an award-winning lecturer, internationally published writer, and national leader in civic education.
Courses taught:
- American National Goverment
- Business Government and the Public
- Leadership and Organizations
- Nonprofit Management
Recent Awards
2012 - La Salle Pillar Distinguished Alumni Award, 2011 - Contributing author to the Catholic Press Associations third place in history award winning edited volume Urban Catholic Education, publshed by Alliance for Catholic Education Press, Notre Dame University, 2010, Tom Hunt and Tim Walch editors, with his piece entitled Latino City Catholicism: Catholic Education in San AntonioLeona Pallansch, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Faculty, Assessment and Accreditation Associate Professor, Political ScienceInternational Relations
St. Louis Hall 320
Phone: 436-3110
Ext.: 3204
Email: lpallansch@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., Georgetown University, 1983
B.A., University of Virginia, 1981
Courses taught:
- Applied Research Methods
- International Political Economy
- Scope and Methods in International Relations
- Theories on the Causes of War
- Understanding Politics
Art Vega, Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorGraduate Public Administration Program
Email:avega2@stmarytx.edu Full Bio Details
M.A., St. Mary's University, 1983
B.A., St. Mary's University, 1981
Courses taught:
- American National Government
- Scope of Political Science
- The Legislative Process
