Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, a non-profit operating 850+ chapters at colleges and universities across the US, Canada, and Mexico, serving undergraduate political science students and faculty advisors through membership, scholarships, an annual research conference, and a peer-reviewed undergraduate journal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1920
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pi Sigma Alpha does
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, a private non-profit founded in 1920 and headquartered at 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The society operates a membership-based model through more than 850 chapters at colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, serving undergraduate political science students, faculty advisors, and an alumni network drawn from those chapters. Students are inducted after meeting academic criteria set at the chapter level, with faculty advisors facilitating membership initiation and chapter activities.
The society's product surface spans honor society membership, the peer-reviewed Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics (ISSN: 1556-2034, founded 2001, bi-annual, with editorial hosting rotating across academic institutions — currently Elon University, transitioning to St. Olaf College in Fall 2026), the annual National Student Research Conference (introduced 2014, hosted 2016–2025 at George Washington University and moving to American University in 2026), and several award and scholarship programs. Financial-support offerings include the Howard Penniman Graduate Scholarships (up to five awards of $2,000 each), the Nancy McManus Washington Internship Scholarships (up to five of $2,000 each), and Best Paper/Thesis Awards ($250 first place). Underlying technology is a website-based membership management system hosted at pisigmaalpha.org with online chapter forms and submission portals, alongside branded merchandise distributed through an external e-commerce partner (Printing Plus) and a partner diploma-frame vendor (Church Hill).
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time membership initiation fees collected at the chapter level via the national office, supplemented by regalia and merchandise sales through the external store; specific financial figures are not publicly disclosed. The society is governed by an elected Executive Council serving four-year terms and funds a portfolio of sponsored awards at partner organizations including APSA, MPSA, NCAPSA, NCOBPS, NEPSA, SPSA, SWPSA, and WPSA, plus a partnership with The Washington Center for internship housing support.
Pi Sigma Alpha firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pi Sigma Alpha
- Legal name
- Pi Sigma Alpha
- Website
- https://pisigmaalpha.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1920
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, a non-profit operating 850+ chapters at colleges and universities across the US, Canada, and Mexico, serving undergraduate political science students and faculty advisors through membership, scholarships, an annual research conference, and a peer-reviewed undergraduate journal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pi Sigma Alpha industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Honor Society
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD), Alumni Benefits, Membership & Affinity Programs (EDALAOAM), Alumni Events, Reunions & Regional Chapters (EDALAOAG)
Keywords
Where Pi Sigma Alpha is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pi Sigma Alpha business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Initiation Fees: One-time initiation fees collected from new chapter members upon induction; fee structure varies and is managed through the national office
- Regalia and Merchandise Sales: Sale of honor regalia, medallions, diploma frames, and branded merchandise through an external e-commerce platform (Printing Plus) and partner diploma frame company (Church Hill)
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Pi Sigma Alpha product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, providing academic recognition through membership to undergraduate political science students at 850+ chapters across North America. The society delivers peer-reviewed research publication via the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics, an annual National Student Research Conference, graduate and internship scholarships, chapter activity grants, and best paper/thesis awards.
Product overview
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society operating as a membership-based organization rather than a technology product. The core offering centers on honor society membership with associated benefits including the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics for publishing undergraduate research, the annual National Student Research Conference for presenting research and professional development, and Best Paper & Thesis Awards for academic recognition. Financial support programs include Howard Penniman Graduate Scholarships and Nancy McManus Washington Internship Scholarships. Additional offerings encompass the Alumni Award, Chapter Activity Grants (civic engagement, speaker, and start-up grants), regalia/merchandise sales, and virtual induction ceremonies. The society maintains over 850 chapters across North America and sponsors various awards at other political science organizations including APSA, MPSA, and regional conferences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society Membership National Political Science Honor Society with over 850 chapters at colleges and universities. Provides recognition of academic excellence, honor regalia, access to National Student Research Conference, scholarships, and best paper awards for student members.
- Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics A peer-reviewed journal (ISSN: 1556-2034) publishing undergraduate research in political science and government, published bi-annually. Founded in 2001, currently hosted at Elon University with St. Olaf College taking over from Fall 2026.
- National Student Research Conference Annual conference providing a venue for student members to present research, receive feedback, attend professional development events, and network with peers and industry professionals; traditionally hosted at George Washington University (2016-2025) and moving to American University in 2026.
- Best Paper & Thesis Awards Annual awards recognizing outstanding undergraduate class papers and honors theses. First place prize is $250 with runners-up receiving $100 each.
- Howard Penniman Graduate Scholarships Scholarships awarded annually to up to 5 members entering graduate school in political science, each worth $2,000. Nominations come from chapter advisors.
- Nancy McManus Washington Internship Scholarships Up to 5 scholarships of $2,000 awarded annually to members participating in political science internship programs in Washington, DC. At least one scholarship is reserved for Washington Center participants.
- Alumni Award Annual award recognizing alumni under age 35 who have emerged as leaders through personal and professional achievements in political science and related fields. Recipient receives plaque and serves as keynote speaker at National Student Research Conference.
- Chapter Activity Grants Grants supporting chapter activities including Civic Engagement Grants, Speaker Grants, and Reactivation & Start-up Grants of up to $750 for new chapters.
Quantifiable outcome
- Since 2014, thousands of students have attended and presented research at the National Student Research Conference
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pi Sigma Alpha
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pi Sigma Alpha technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Pi Sigma Alpha partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC)coreThe Washington Center partners with Pi Sigma Alpha to provide $2,500 housing cost support for McManus Scholarship winners participating in TWC internship programs each season (spring, summer, fall). The Washington Center, founded in 1975, is the largest full-time internship program in the nation's capital.
- Church HillminorChurch Hill is a partner for diploma frames and certificates, referenced on the Pi Sigma Alpha website as a recommended vendor for framing Pi Sigma Alpha certificates and medallions.
- St. Olaf CollegecoreStarting Fall 2026, St. Olaf College becomes the new editorial host institution for The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics, hosting the submission portal and editorial operations.
- Elon UniversitycoreElon University has hosted the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics since Fall 2020, with their last issue being Spring 2026. The Sigma Upsilon chapter at Elon manages editorial operations.
- American Political Science Association (APSA)coreAPSA partners with Pi Sigma Alpha to sponsor the Franklin L. Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award ($750) for the best paper at the APSA Annual Meeting. Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society affiliated with APSA.
- Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA)corePi Sigma Alpha partners with MPSA to fund the Best Paper by a Graduate Student Award, Best Undergraduate Paper in Poster Format Award, and Graduate Student Travel Scholarship, all presented at MPSA Annual Meeting.
- North Central Political Science Association (NCAPSA)minorPi Sigma Alpha funds the Award for Undergraduate Mentoring ($250 cash prize) presented annually in the fall by NCAPSA.
- National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS)minorPi Sigma Alpha provides funds to support the Lena Harris Stromile Student Leadership Award and the Sammy Younge Best Student Paper Award at NCOBPS Annual Meeting.
- New England Political Science Association (NEPSA)minorPi Sigma Alpha supports two NEPSA student paper awards: the Robert C. Wood Prize for Best Paper by a Graduate Student and the Wilson Carey McWilliams Prize for Best Paper by an Undergraduate.
- Southern Political Science Association (SPSA)minorPi Sigma Alpha funds the Malcolm Jewell Award for Best Student Paper presented at the SPSA Annual Meeting.
- Southwestern Political Science Association (SWPSA)minorPi Sigma Alpha partners with SWPSA to fund an award for the best undergraduate paper of the calendar year, invited to present at the next year's SWPSA meeting.
- Western Political Science Association (WPSA)minorPi Sigma Alpha provides funding to support the Undergraduate Poster Session and Graduate Student Reception held annually at the WPSA Annual Meeting.
- George Washington UniversitycoreGeorge Washington University, through its Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), has served as the traditional host venue for the Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference since 2016. The conference was held at GWU from 2016-2025 before moving to American University in 2026.
- American UniversitycoreAmerican University hosted the 13th Annual National Student Research Conference in February 2026, marking the first year the conference was held at this institution.
- Printing PlusminorPrinting Plus operates the official Pi Sigma Alpha store (printing-plus.net) for merchandise including regalia, medallions, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and pins.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pi Sigma Alpha competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mortar Board: Mortar Board is a national honor society recognizing college seniors for distinguished scholarship, leadership, and service. It operates similarly to Pi Sigma Alpha in being a chapter-based honor society with national programming and scholarships.
- Golden Key International Honour Society: Golden Key is a large international honor society with chapters at universities globally, providing recognition, scholarships, and leadership opportunities. It is comparable as a chapter-based academic honor society, though broader in scope than Pi Sigma Alpha.
- National Honor Society (NHS): The National Honor Society is the largest and best-known high school honor society in the U.S. While focused on secondary rather than postsecondary education, it is comparable in mission structure (academic recognition + chapter model + scholarship programs) to Pi Sigma Alpha.
- Sigma Xi: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, is a much larger and longer-established honor society promoting research across STEM disciplines. While focused on science rather than political science, it is highly comparable in mission and chapter-based operating model.
Direct peers
- Phi Beta Kappa: The Phi Beta Kappa Society is the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States, covering the humanities and social sciences. It is the closest direct peer to Pi Sigma Alpha in mission, structure, and chapter-based model.
- Omicron Delta Epsilon: Omicron Delta Epsilon is the international honor society for economics, operating a chapter-based model at colleges conferring economics degrees. It is closely comparable in academic-discipline scope and membership structure to Pi Sigma Alpha.
- Alpha Kappa Delta: Alpha Kappa Delta is the international honor society for sociology, with a chapter-based model at sociology programs across the U.S. It is a close adjacent-discipline peer with an almost identical operating structure.
- Pi Gamma Mu: Pi Gamma Mu is the international honor society for the social sciences, recognizing excellence across multiple social science disciplines. Its member base and chapter structure closely mirror Pi Sigma Alpha's, though it spans a broader social science scope.
- Pi Alpha Alpha: Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for public affairs and administration, operating a similar chapter-based model at universities awarding degrees in public administration. It is the closest subject-matter peer to Pi Sigma Alpha within the political science / public affairs academic honor society space.
Others
- American Political Science Association (APSA): APSA is the parent professional association with which Pi Sigma Alpha is formally affiliated and co-sponsors the Franklin L. Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award. While not itself an honor society, APSA is the principal ecosystem partner governing Pi Sigma Alpha's academic standing.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pi Sigma Alpha social profiles
Digital presencePi Sigma Alpha financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pi Sigma Alpha leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pi Sigma Alpha funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Pi Sigma Alpha M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Pi Sigma Alpha
What does Pi Sigma Alpha do?
Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society, providing academic recognition through membership to undergraduate political science students at 850+ chapters across North America. The society delivers peer-reviewed research publication via the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics, an annual National Student Research Conference, graduate and internship scholarships, chapter activity grants, and best paper/thesis awards.
Is Pi Sigma Alpha a public or private company?
Pi Sigma Alpha is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pi Sigma Alpha founded?
Pi Sigma Alpha was founded in 1920. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pi Sigma Alpha based?
Pi Sigma Alpha is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pi Sigma Alpha make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Initiation Fees are the primary driver. The others are regalia and Merchandise Sales.
Who are Pi Sigma Alpha's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mortar Board, Golden Key International Honour Society, National Honor Society (NHS) and Sigma Xi. Direct peers are Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Alpha Kappa Delta, Pi Gamma Mu and Pi Alpha Alpha. American Political Science Association (APSA) is listed as an others.
Does Pi Sigma Alpha have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pi Sigma Alpha.
What industry is Pi Sigma Alpha in?
Pi Sigma Alpha's product category is Academic Honor Society. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAD, Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities, with a secondary code of THAHAJAD, Education, Research & Academic Congresses. Its NAICS code is 611710.