Betsy L. Smith, Ph.D.

• Smith, B. (2023). Expert Witness for Asylum Case for Asylum Seeker from Venezuela, Rio Grande Legal Aide, Inc
• Smith, B. (2021). An uphill battle: The International Criminal Court and Maduro’s Venezuela, In J. Hyles (Ed), From the Columbian Exchange to Trumpism: Latin America and the global political stage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Scholars Publishing.
• Smith, B. (2018). Killing democracy softly: Executive privilege and the defense of democracy in the Americas. Latin American Policy 9(2): 208-237
• Smith, B. (2018). Strengths and weaknesses of the Inter-American Defense-of-Democracy regime: An analysis of the 2014-2017 Venezuela crisis, in J. Hyles (Ed)., The cultural frabirc of the Americas- Collected essays from the 21st Annual Eugene Scassa MOAS Conference. Cambidge: Cambridge University Scholars Publishing.
• Smith, Betsy. (2017). Expert Witness for Asylum Case for Asylum Seeker from Honduras, St. Mary's Immigration Clinic.

• Model Organization of American States: A how-to guide for professors, Under negotiation with Cambridge Scholars Publishing
• Defending democracy in a receding Pink Tide: The OAS and democratic crises in Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Venezuela, Article in progress
• Secretaries General of the Organization of American States: The Evolution from Camargo to Almagro, Book In Progress

• Smith, B. (2024, June 4). KSAT interview regarding historic presidential elections in Mexico
• Smith, B. with C. Flores [student] and S. Martinez [student] (2018, December 5th), KSAT5 interview regarding the outcome of Mexico’s 2018 elections
• Smith, B. (2018, June 27) KSAT5 interview regarding Mexico’s elections.
• Smith, B. (2018, March 22). Kens5 Facebook Live: Discussion and Analysis of July 1st Presidential Elections in Mexico.
• Smith, B. (2020, November 10). KSAT interview regarding President-elect Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
• Smith, B. (2018, June 30). What would an AMLO win mean for Mexico? San Antonio Express News
• Smith, B. (2018, May 12). Venezuela’s elections are rigged to undermine democracy, 05/12/18, San Antonio Express News

• Title V: Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) Grant, 2022, $2.8 Million, awarded 2022
• Department of Education Basic Needs Grant, $900,000, grant application submitted August 2024
• St. Mary’s University 2019 Provost Teaching Showcase Prize, 2019, $2000
• Georgia State University Doctoral Dissertation Research Stipend Enhancement, 2013-2014, $5751
• Georgia State University Dissertation Finishing Grant, Spring 2015, $8000

• Defending democracy in a receding Pink Tide: The OAS and democratic crises in Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Venezuela, presented at the 2021 Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, LA (virtual)
• An Uphill Battle: The International Criminal Court and Maduro’s Venezuela, presented at the 2019 Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States Academic Conference in San Antonio, TX
• How do I even teach these skills? A guide for first-timers in model simulations, presented at the 2019 Southern Political Science Association Conference, Austin, TX
• Incorporating student perceptions of diplomatic simulations into our pedagogy, with Ximena Mondragon (student), presented at the 2019 Southern Political Science Association Conference in Austin, TX
• Explaining the rise of The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), presented at the 2018 Southern Political Science Association Conference, Austin, TX
• Regional IGOs in the Americas: Clubs of presidents or autonomous defenders of democracy,” presented at the 2016 International Studies Association Conference in Atlanta, GA
• International responses to threats to executives in Latin America: Explaining capacity and motivation: Ecuador 2000 and Honduras 2009,” presented at the 2015 Southern Political Science Association Conference in New Orleans, LA
• “International responses to threats to executives in Latin America: Explaining capacity and motivation,” presented at the 2014 Latin American Studies Association Convention in Chicago, IL
• “International responses to threats to executives in Latin America: Determining the role of linkage and leverage in explaining capacity and motivation,” presented at the 2014 Southern Political Science Association Conference in New Orleans, LA
• “Changing presidential term limits in Latin America: Explaining success and failure,” presented at the 2011 Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, LA
• “Looking for a fight? Civil-Military relations and conflict,” presented at the 2011 Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, LA

• Associate Dean for Student Matters [Summer 2022 – current]
• Assistant to the Dean for Student Matters [Summer 2021-Spring 2022]
• Chair, Department of Political Science, Summer 2020 - current
• Election Judge, Bexar County, November 2022; November 2020
• Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States (ESMOAS) Conference Host, 2019-2021
• 2019 St. Mary’s University Teach-In: What is Happening on the U.S.-Mexico Border, Co-Organizer with Drs. Lindsey Wieck and Sara Ronis
• St. Mary’s University McNair Scholars Program Mentor [2017-2018]: Ximena Mondragon [2017-18], “Agua Para el Pueblo: A Preliminary Examination into Group Motives to Protest during the 2000 Bolivian Water War Protests”; Anthony Robledo [2019-20], “OAS Relevance and Responses to Corruption”; Omar Herrera-Miramontes [2020-21], “Rhetoric & Reality: Reviewing Vice President Harris’s Rhetoric and the Causes of Immigration
• St. Mary’s University Faculty Academic Mentor Program (FAM): 2016-2017: 4 students; 2017-2018: 3 students
• St. Mary’s University Department of Political Science [2019]: Strategic Assessment Review
• Faculty Advisor- St. Mary’s Political Science Living Learning Community; JOLT Action!
• Undergraduate Research Symposium Judge [2016, 2017]
• Zaragoza Representative- Department of Political Science [2017,2018,2019]
• Political Science Dual Credit Point of Contact- Pope John Paul II [2018-2023]
• Continuing the Heritage Community Service- [Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019]
• Georgia State Political Science Graduate Student Association, President, Fall 2012-Spring 2013
• Georgia State Political Science Graduate Student Conference, Co-Chair, Spring 2012
• Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society, Graduate Liaison, Spring 2012

• Latin American Studies Association
• International Studies Association
• Southern Political Science Association
• American Political Science Association

• Leona Pallansch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, St. Mary’s University, Lpallansch@stmarytx.edu
• Nancy LaGreca, Ph.D., Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nlagreca@stmarytx.edu
• Celine Jacquemin, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, St. Mary’s University, Cjacquemin1@stmarytx.edu

References:

Leona Pallansch, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Political Science

Former Interim Dean of CAHSS

St. Mary’s University

Lpallansch@stmarytx.edu

Tim Bessler, Ed.D

Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

St. Mary's University

tbessler@stmarytx.edu

Celine Jacquemin, Ph.D.

Professor of Political Science

St. Mary’s University

Cjacquemin1@stmarytx.edu