In a historic moment, the nation’s longest-standing political science association, the Pennsylvania Political Science Association (PPSA) has announced that Jeffrey Carroll, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and chair of the Center for Data & Society at Chestnut Hill College, will be serving as the new president following his most recent term as first vice president. In assuming the role, Carroll makes history, becoming the first person of color to serve as president in the organization’s 85-year history.
“I am honored and humbled to be able to continue the work and legacy of the PPSA, our nation’s oldest political science association, and to do so at a time when the study of power, government, politics and policy is awfully complex.” Carroll notes. “The PPSA has been a vital part of my life and career for decades and it’s been amazing to have been able to participate in the work they are doing to advance political science throughout Pennsylvania. I look forward to continuing the PPSA’s storied tradition.”
As Carroll describes, the PPSA has offered him a scholarly home ever since he first had the opportunity to get involved with the organization as a graduate student at Temple University in the mid-2000s. As a graduate student, Carroll attended his first PPSA event and was hooked right away.
“The PPSA provided a place where students could interact with faculty and like-minded others in a way that was not pretentious or intimidating” Carroll recalls. “The uniqueness of that relationship allowed me early on to be in the room and to have a voice in affecting the dialogue on important issues across the Commonwealth. To be able to do that as a student set me up on the trajectory I ended up on, all paving the way to being in the position to serve as president. It’s been a full circle moment.”
His involvement in PPSA has been vast, as in the decades since he first got involved, Carroll has climbed the ladder of the organization and served in various roles including as conference attendee, presenter, panel chair, conference organizer/program chair, and published author in PPSA’s Commonwealth, a peer-reviewed journal on Pennsylvania politics and policy. Carroll’s continued involvement led him to a position on PPSA’s board and then a term as first vice president, which he started in 2022. It was during this time that Carroll brought the Annual PPSA conference and meeting to Chestnut Hill College in April 2024.
“It was an incredible feeling to be able to give my students the same opportunity I had, and they certainly made the most of it. A memorable moment given that we were celebrating the 85th anniversary of the PPSA and the 100th anniversary of Chestnut Hill College simultaneously.” Carroll notes.
Leading up to the conference, CHC students had the chance to help plan, organize, and promote the event, learning valuable skills in the process. During the conference, the students attended both in a volunteer capacity the day of, as attendees, who enjoyed the chance to hear presentations from some of the top minds in the state’s political science realm, and some even as presenters, a truly unique and defining opportunity.
In bringing the conference to Chestnut Hill College, Carroll was also bringing the conference to Philadelphia as part of his effort to reengage PPSA’s reach in the southeastern part of the state. It is a goal that Carroll hopes to continue to focus on as president, especially as the city of Philadelphia prepares to play host in 2026, to the 250th Semiquincentennial of the founding of the United States of America.
“Many political scientists are already preparing for America 250,” Carroll shares. “It is our opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge an incredible moment in history. The role the PPSA can play in those celebrations is so important and we are committed to ensuring our involvement as best we can. It’s a momentous occasion and the dialogue that is building around it is something special.”
As the country turns the page on another election cycle, perhaps one of the biggest in American history, another goal Carroll has for the PPSA is to keep politics and policy on the mind year-round.
“We tend to only tune in around election time, but political science is something that informs our lives daily and we should focus on that,” Carroll notes. “One of my goals as president is to encourage and support that idea, to educate and inform year-round and not just during an election cycle. We interact with government and politics in various ways on a daily basis, despite not always being aware of it. Through PPSA and a more intentional involvement of educational leaders, community stakeholders, students, and others in the conversations that matter to all people, we hope to contribute to the Commonwealth civic health.”
– Marilee Gallagher ’14