Howard D. Polsky '73 Award Winners 2023

"The Constitution and Freedom To" (1st place award): Scot is a sophomore from Pennsylvania. Raised in Palestine, he attended high school in Germany where he developed an interest in American domestic politics. He is currently pursuing a double major in Political Science and Philosophy with a specialization in American politics, public law and public policy. After graduating from Lehigh, Scot intends to pursue a career in political consultancy in Washington D.C.

"Amending the Constitution: The Path Toward A More Perfect Democracy" (2nd place award): Julianna is a senior from Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania studying political science with minors in both architecture studio and women, gender, and sexuality studies. She is one of the co-captains of the Lehigh Mock Trial team and serves as one of the youth representatives to the United Nations for Nor Luyce, an Armenian non-governmental organization. After graduating from Lehigh she will continue her studies and pursue a master's in political science from American University.

"Beyond the Parchment: Unveiling the Strengths and Flaws of the US Constitution Through a Modern Lens" (3rd place tie): Jeffrey (Jake) Amidon is a junior studying Political Science with a planned minor in Philosophy, Law, and Public Policy. He plans to study law following his undergraduate studies with an interest in corporate or environmental law. After starting his studies here at Lehigh in engineering, he discovered his passion for the social sciences and advocating for others through the political and legal arena.

"The Constitution: A Scapegoat of the Partisan Divide" (3rd place tie): Cece is a Sophomore from Cambridge, Massachusetts pursuing a double major in Political Science and English with a minor in Ethics. She is president of Lehigh Debate Society, treasurer of the Lehigh Letters and Literature society, as well as a member of the Club Lacrosse team, Parking Appeals Committee, Douglas Society, Student Senate, Pre-Law Society, and Kappa Delta Sorority.

"The Role of University; Censorship, Disourse, and Building an Academic Community" (1st place award): Liam is a senior from New York, graduating with a major in Political Science as well as minors in Spanish Language and Global Studies. While at Lehigh, he sat on the executive and standards boards of the Penn Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, found a passion for playing the bass guitar, and co-founded The Douglass Dialogues.

"The Criteria for the Civilized Marketplace of Ideas" (2nd place tie): Raihan Alam is a senior at Lehigh University double majoring in psychology and political science, with a minor in philosophy. He is the founder of the Douglass Dialogues, a speaker series and student discussion club devoted to dialogue about sociopolitical issues.

"Stabilizing Democracy: Why individuals with extreme views should not be invited to speak at Lehigh University" (2nd place tie): I am pursuing my bachelors degree in Political Science, centering my focus in american politics, public law, and public policy. My chosen minor is Health, Medicine, and Society, as I have particular interest in health policy within the United States. In addition to my major, I am a lead fellow for the TRAC Writing Fellows program, a member of Peer Health Advisors, and am on the Lehigh Cheerleading Team.

"Across the Aisle: Why Lehigh University Should Invite Speakers with Extreme Views to Speak" (3rd place tie): My name is Jason McGuire. I’m studying Economics and Political Science at Lehigh. After graduating I will seek out a career in public service and run for elected office.

"Let the People Speak" (3rd place tie): Spyrithoula is a sophomore from Long Island, New York studying political science with a minor in history. Outside of class, Spyrithoula is the President of Lehigh’s Mock Trial team, volunteers for the Community Service Office, and serves as Vice President of Membership for Kappa Alpha Theta. Over the summer she will be interning at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York City and she hopes to attend law school after her time here at Lehigh.