During Whitworth’s 2026 Spring Convocation on Jan. 29, political science professor Dr. Megan Hershey was awarded the Amy M. Ryan Endowed Professorship. The endowment grants the honored professor the time and funds to work on research that will benefit the Whitworth community, as well as for further development in the professor’s field of study. 

Hershey specializes in African politics as well as comparative politics, and her research focuses on civil society and youth citizenship in East Africa, according to an interview with Ursinus College. 

The endowment was named after Whitworth student Amy M. (Johns) Ryan, who attended Whitworth from 1894 to 1897. During her time at Whitworth, Ryan served as an editor for the student newspaper and demonstrated a love of learning as well as a compassionate spirit. The professor who receives the endowment must show proficiency in writing skills, a passion for innovation in the liberal arts and dedication to their students, according to Whitworth University News. Faculty and students alike agree that Hershey meets those requirements. 

“She’s just perfect for that position,” said Cheyenne Rodgers, a senior political science major who has taken multiple classes with Hershey. “She is so intelligent and just has a way with words, and teaching as well, that is inspiring to me. She truly deserves that more than any other professor I can think of,” she added.

During her endowment, Hershey plans to work on projects that will not only support the political science department, but also the peace studies program and the entire Whitworth community, said Hershey. 

“Specifically, I am planning to finish a book that I’m working on for general audiences titled, ‘How to Protest: Lessons in Nonviolent Action from Around the World’,” Hershey said, “And I look forward to conducting more research on youth activism in East Africa, Kenya and possibly Tanzania, over the next few years.” 

“I think she’s going to do some incredible research,” said junior Melaina Kloberdanz, one of Hershey’s advisees in the political science department.  “I think that it’s going to promote Whitworth into leading research, especially in the political science area and comparative politics area, and it’s going to benefit her students, because she has this broad understanding and can connect them with really important research and great areas of further investigation for their own studies.”