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Distinguished Alumni

The Stony Brook Alumni Association seeks to reach, serve, and engage all Stony Brook alumni, students, and other constituencies to foster a lifelong intellectual and emotional connection between the University and its graduates, and to provide the University with goodwill and support.

The Department of Political Science proudly recognizes its Distinguished Alumni Award winners. Please send your nominations for the Political Science Distinguished Alumni Award to polsci_alumni@stonybrook.edu.

2025 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

 An individual dressed formally in a blue suit, white shirt, and light blue tie stands in front of a backdrop featuring the American flag and a gradient blue background.

steven raga (MA in public policy Class of 2008)

New York State Assemblymember for District 30

Steven Raga proudly serves as Assemblymember for District 30, encompassing the neighborhoods of Woodside, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Maspeth, and Jackson Heights.

With two decades of public service experience, Steven has served as Executive Director of the non-profit organization Woodside on the Move, as the Northeast Regional Manager for Policy & Advocacy for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Chief of Staff for Assemblymember Brian Barnwell, and Senior Strategist for Multicultural Leadership at AARP.

He has previously sat on the boards of the Western Queens Community Land Trust, Queens LGBT Pride, National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), National Urban Fellows Alumni, and Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro), which he founded in Woodside. Steven also served as a Member of Queens Community Board 2 and the Queens District Attorney’s Advisory Commission for Asian American Affairs.

Currently, he is also a NY State Advisory Committee Member for the U.S. Federal Commission on Civil Rights, appointed under President Obama, which has conducted investigations on discriminatory practices in housing, education, and prison reform.
Steven has completed fellowships at the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance, New American Leaders, National Urban Fellows, We Are All New York-Queens Fellowship, Cornell Law School, the Cornell University Emerging Markets Institute, and Coro New York's Immigrant Civic Leadership Program.

Past Distinguished Alumni

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Alumni Association

The Stony Brook Alumni Association seeks to reach, serve, and engage all Stony Brook alumni, students, and other constituencies to foster a lifelong intellectual and emotional connection between the University and its graduates, and to provide the University with goodwill and support.