The Department of Government and Politics (GVPT) is proud to announce Matthew Zinno, a GVPT Honors student, has been awarded a Winston Award for Outstanding Honors Thesis for his paper, "Executive Orders Under Judicial Scrutiny: The Role of Partisanship in Judicial Outcomes."

Matthew’s paper explores the connection between partisanship and the likelihood of federal judges casting favorable votes for the executive branch when reviewing executive orders. He received valuable support and mentorship throughout the process from Dr. Patrick Wohlfarth.

The Winston Family Honors Writing Awards, established by Roger (’76, ’79) and Karen Winston (’75), celebrate the finest writing by Honors students at the University of Maryland. Funded through the generosity of the Winston family—including their daughter, Emily Winston (’06)—these awards underscore a deep commitment to academic excellence and the critical role of faculty mentorship in student success.

Congratulations to Matthew on this outstanding achievement!