HPU Political Science Professor Receives Ridenhour Scholarly and Professional Achievement Award

High Point University recently presented The Ruth Ridenhour Scholarly and Professional Achievement Award to Dr. Alixandra Yanus, professor of political science in the Douglas S. Witcher School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences. Pictured were Provost Dr. Daniel Erb, with Yanus receiving the award from HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein.

HIGH POINT, N.C., April 22, 2025 – High Point University recently presented The Ruth Ridenhour Scholarly and Professional Achievement Award to Dr. Alixandra Yanus, professor of political science in the Douglas S. Witcher School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences. The annual award recognizes a full-time faculty member with at least three years of employment at HPU for exceptional contributions to his or her professional discipline.

Since joining HPU 15 years ago, Yanus has produced an impressive record of scholarship. She has authored and co-authored 52 peer-reviewed research manuscripts. Most of these publications have appeared in prestigious journals, such as “PS: Political Science and Politics,” “Political Science Quarterly,” “Interest Groups and Advocacy,” “Sociology and Political Science” and “Journal of Experimental Political Science.” Her publications have been cited by more than 1,000 scholars in the United States and abroad.

“It means a great deal to receive this recognition, not only for myself, but to bring visibility to the many coauthors — including everyone in the HPU Department of Political Science — who I have published with along the way,” Yanus said. “I am honored to join previous Ridenhour recipients, including Drs. Sam Whitt and Nahed Eltantawy, whose work addresses similarly significant questions. Recent events in the U.S. and around the world underscore the importance of empirical, archival and context-informed analyses of democratic values and citizens’ rights and liberties. I am pleased to work at an institution where faculty and students repeatedly recognize the need for and value for this type of work.”

Four of her peers wrote a letter in support of Yanus, saying she is a model teacher-scholar whose accomplishments are worthy of HPU’s highest honor for scholarly achievement. “To say that she is an exceptionally productive scholar is an understatement. She has a national reputation as a political scientist and expert in gender and politics,” the faculty members stated in their letter. “Dr. Yanus uses her scholarly expertise to enhance her teaching and to benefit the larger community.”

Yanus’ current research falls into several distinct categories: interest groups and social movements, women and politics, and a range of contemporary political topics, including the law and courts, U.S. state politics and various aspects of American politics involving historically marginalized groups. She presently has at least a dozen studies in the publication pipeline, including several manuscripts that already are under peer review.

In addition, Yanus has published 11 book chapters, three editions of a top American government textbook titled “American Government: Roots and Reform,” and numerous other high-profile publications, including the “Gender and Politics” entry for the “Oxford Companion to American Politics.” She has been interviewed as a subject matter expert by various media outlets.

“It is important to me to magnify the work of the activists and groups who have worked to increase the representation of marginalized groups, particularly women and Black Americans, from the late 19th century to the present,” Yanus said. “Increasing my knowledge of their stories also makes me a better teacher, able to provide role models and reference points for students from a variety of backgrounds seeking to find their own political voice.”

Dr. Tyler Steelman, a 2014 HPU alumna who is a survey and research data analyst at Atlassian, was another nominator who said he has been consistently impressed by Yanus’s dedication to teaching, research and service.

“She is a hands-on professor who goes above and beyond to ensure her students’ success,” Steelman said. “Her commitment to my development as a scholar was instrumental in my success, ultimately leading me to earn a master’s and Ph.D. in political science, as well as publish several journal articles.”

Yanus has given 79 peer-reviewed presentations at local, state, regional and national conferences. She has also been a manuscript reviewer for 16 peer-reviewed journals, the National Science Foundation, McGraw Hill and WW Norton publishers, as well the managing editor for the journal “Women & Politics.”

Yanus has been recognized with several awards for her expertise, including the Outstanding Achievement in Scholarship Award presented by the Douglas S. Witcher School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences; the “Representation: The Journal of Democracy” Award for Best Paper and the Marian Irish Award for the Best Paper Presented on Women and Politics. Most recently, she received the prestigious Daniel German Visiting Distinguished Professor of Political Science Award from Appalachian State University.

The influence of Yanus’ scholarly activities extends well beyond her publishing success. Her reputation for being a national expert on gender and politics has resulted in her being asked to assume numerous leadership positions in national and local organizations. She serves on the Southern Political Science Association’s (SPSA) Executive Council and chairs the SPSA Committee on the Status of Women in the South. She is also the treasurer of SPSA Women. This year, she was selected to serve as the president of the American Political Science Association’s National Women’s Caucus for Political Science.

Yanus shares her expertise and applies it to developing the life skills of students who have worked with her. Her pedagogy includes introducing and encouraging students to engage with her scholarship. She has developed courses in her specific areas of expertise. She has also supervised in-depth research projects each year as part of students’ Senior Seminar thesis work and mentored students who have presented to undergraduate research and creative works conferences.

Yanus has supervised approximately two dozen student internships in various areas of practical politics and taught eight independent student projects for students interested in her areas of expertise.