Awarded to the graduating senior(s) nominated by the capstone director, whose work on the capstone project was meritorious (received a grade of A) and focused on a research question in the subfield of comparative politics, and whose overall grade point average in political science courses was outstanding (highest or tied for highest among all students nominated for the prize).

2025

• Anne Castagnero

2024

• Ariana Ellis
• Ussaid Ishaq

2023

• Joseph Gonzalez
• Melissa Newsham

2022

• Faheem Ali
• Ronnie Sharangpani

2020

• Alexander Quinn

2019

• Koko Etokebe

Awarded to the graduating senior(s) nominated by the capstone director, whose work on the capstone project was meritorious (received a grade of A) and focused on a research question in the subfield of international relations, and whose overall grade point average in political science courses was outstanding (highest or tied for highest among all students nominated for the prize).

2025

• Rori Holm

2024

• Savannah Gazda

2023

• Enya Eettickal

2022

• Ramona Johnson

2020

• Zhenyan Zhong

2019

• Amanda Smith

Awarded to the graduating senior(s) nominated by the capstone director, whose work on the capstone project was meritorious (received a grade of A) and focused on a research question in the subfield of U.S. politics, and whose overall grade point average in political science courses was outstanding (highest or tied for highest among all students nominated for the prize).

2025

• Margaret Coyle
• Cameron Page
• Sachin Rao

2024

• Sarah Karkoff
• Kelly Mallon
• Lucien Schoolmaster
• Corey Stofko

2023

• Ingrid Gillies
• Ashley Hawkins
• Cameron Tong

2022

• James Fitzgibbon
• Noah Stein

2020

• David McGrath
• Gillian Prater-Lee

2019

• Kirsten Costedio
• Parker Glotfelty
• Kelsey Holmberg
• Jacob Sandstrom

This prize is established to enable and to encourage further empirical and/or theoretical political science capstone projects on women, power, and politics, and to sustain and advance recognition of this work within political science. Awarded annually, the prize will be given to the student, nominated by the capstone director, with an A on the capstone project and the highest grade point average in political science courses among those nominated.

The prize is named after Professor Beckwith’s paternal grandmother, Grace Geisinger Beckwith, to recognize the encouragement she provided to Beckwith as a young girl and to celebrate Grace Geisinger Beckwith’s Public Health certification from the CWRU Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and her commitments to public health and public service.

The prize is an award of $500, funded by Professor Beckwith and the Department of Political Science.

2025

• Anne Castagnero

For outstanding academic performance in political science.

2025

• Anne Castagnero
• Rori Holm

2024

• Kelly Mallon

2023

• Ashley Hawkins

2022

• Jordan Reif
• Ramona Johnson

2020

• Sneha Darba
• Gillian Prater-Lee
• Amanda Spangler

2019

• Sydney Anderson
• Kirsten Costedio
• Koko Etokebe
• Jacob Sandstrom

2004

• Alexia De Vincentis
• Matthew Weybrecht
• Veronica Norman

2003

• Stephen Prest

2002

• Timothy Schnabel

2001

• Anne Fligor

2000

• Raquel Cross
• Pamela Poland

1999

• Jack Trachtenberg
• Ilse Wiecher

1998

• Tannis Burk
• Renata Kosc

1997

• Elizabeth Hill

1995

• Tanya Pollack
• Aaron Smith

1994

• Roman Jakubowycz
• Beth McDermott

1993

• Melissa McNichols
• Florencio Yuzon

1992

• Bernadette Nye
• Michael Welter

1991

• Andrew Morse

1990

• George Dwyer

1989

• Douglas Lemke

1988

• Stuart Altman

1987

• John Fulmer

1986

• Joseph Hayton

1985

• Alan Fox

1984

• Kip Sweda

1983

• La Donna Hatton

1982

• Kathleen Mack

1981

• Alan Chen
• Brian Gaj