As you might imagine, our Political Science faculty get called upon frequently to contribute their expertise to local and national media outlets.  Did you catch these?

Sara Benesh

• Just how impartial are State Supreme Court justices? Associate professor Sara Benesh gave her take in the . As the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election loomed, she also commented on partisanship and campaign spending in a different  article. 
• Sara Benesh spoke to  about the harms that could follow if state supreme courts are viewed as partisans entities.��

Kathleen Dolan

• Does a background in politics help or hinder a candidate? Distinguished Professor Kathleen Dolan weighed in on  and  analyze the impact of Democratic outreach across party lines. She was also quoted in an article in  that explored the gender gap in general political orientation, and in  about how reproductive policies can also impact men.  consulted Dolan to analyze the impact of Vice President Kamala Harris’ candidacy on the presidential race in 2024, and  sought her explanation for whether ballot drop boxes increase election turnout. 
• New election maps in Wisconsin mean that LGBTQ candidates running for state government likely face less partisan opposition than before, Kathleen Dolan said in an article by . 
• What would be the impact of former Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris on the 2024 presidential race? Kathleen Dolan weighed in on . She also spoke on  about the importance of candidates motivating their bases to vote, and to  about Senator Baldwin receiving an endorsement from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau in the 2024 election. 
•  spoke to Kathleen Dolan about female political candidates’ increasing visibility in the United States. She also spoke to  about the political leanings of young people after the election, and was quoted by  about Trump’s efforts to appeal to young male voters in the 2024 election. 
• ������������Kathleen Dolan her opinion on what Judge Susan Crawford’s win of Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court race in spring 2025 meant about prevailing attitudes towards national politics.��

Kennan Ferguson

• Quotes from Professor Kennan Ferguson’s book Cookbook Politics were included in a  about how the stresses of parenting and household chores can impact the joy of cooking. 
• Do political yards signs make a difference in elections? Kennan Ferguson weighed in on  and spoke  regarding candidates’ need for a political record. He also spoke on how local elections are often overlooked in favor of national elections in the .��

Shale Horowitz

• Professor Shale Horowitz penned an article published by the  examining geopolitical threats to the democracy and free society of Taiwan. 

Joel Rast

• The  reported on a new study co-authored by Professor Joel Rast (Urban Studies) that examines environmental equity in Milwaukee. 

Faculty Accomplishments

�ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���Kennan Ferguson was selected as a Distinguished Scholar Fulbright for Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic, to be taken in the spring of 2026.�� Ferguson is the first faculty member from 51���� to be named as a Distinguished Scholar. The awards “are viewed as the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program,” according to Fulbright.��

Faculty Publications

Michael Hansen and Distinguished �ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���Kathleen Dolan. 2025. “Cross-Cutting Identities in American Politics: Gender, Party, and Attitudes on Gun Reform.” American Politics Research, 53(3).��.��

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Our PhD students traveled to academic conferences this year. Pictured to the left is Ahmet Ergurum and friends after their panel at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting where Ahmet presented his research using computational text analysis to consider the salience of emerging tech (AI, drones, semiconductors) on the United Nations Security agenda.  Ahmet also presented research at a couple of International Studies Association meetings AND published two peer-reviewed papers and several book chapters this year! (When does he sleep?) 

Our PhD and MA students in Visiting Assistant Professor Kyle McWagner’s POL SCI 935 course presented their research stemming from an original survey and set of survey experiments they designed and implemented in a public forum in 51����’s new Chemistry Building. They have uncovered some important findings and we are excited to watch them ready their papers for publication! Big thanks to Bradley Brin for funding the survey and for joining us for the presentations! 

Publications

Graduate student Chan-Song Kim (Political Science) and Gi-Woo Roh. 2025. The More The Worse: Effects of Childcare Burdens on Parents’ Pro-Environmental Attitudes. Social Science Quarterly. . 

Graduates

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Jaclyn Jecha (’24, MA Political Science) attended the 2025 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers at Georgetown University Law Center this summer. She shared her recollections of the program in this testimonial:

This summer, I had the privilege of attending the 2025 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers at Georgetown University Law Center, co-sponsored by and the . The program deepened my understanding of constitutional interpretation, judicial decision-making, and the institutional role of the Court. The Institute offered invaluable access to experts, including Elizabeth Prelogar, former Solicitor General of the United States; recent Supreme Court law clerks, and seasoned Supreme Court advocates, whose insights brought the Court’s processes and philosophies vividly to life. One of the highlights was the opportunity to sit in the Supreme Court chamber as opinions were announced, seeing firsthand how theory and interpretation translate into precedent and impact. 

This experience is directly connected to my graduate research on originalism and the use of history in judicial interpretation. Many of the Institute’s sessions, ranging from the certiorari process and statutory interpretation to debates over competing interpretive philosophies, echoed the questions I explored in my thesis. Engaging in moot courts (as a justice!), deliberations, and case studies reaffirmed for me how theory and history shape real judicial outcomes, while also giving me new strategies to bring these complex debates into my high school classroom.  

A heartfelt thank you to Street Law and the Supreme Court Historical Society. And, thank you to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Political Science Department for preparing me so well to engage in this experience fully. 

Alumni Achievements

City of Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson (’16, BA Political Science) was recently recognized as a Champion of Conservation by the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership.  In reporting the news, the Great Lakes and St-Lawrence Cities Initiative said: “Mayor Sorenson’s passion for protecting the Great Lakes and his dedication to bringing people together to tackle tough challenges have made a real difference, not just in Sheboygan, but across our region. His leadership on coastal resilience and community engagement is exactly what this award is all about.” Congratulations Mayor Sorenson! 

Lael Keiser (‘96, PhD Political Science) was chosen to receive the 2024 John Gaus Award. The award, presented each year by the , recognizes scholars with a “lifetime of exemplary scholarship” in both political science and public administration. Keiser is a professor and director of the Harry S Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri. Her research focuses on the role of gender and race in representative bureaucracy. Keiser will deliver the Gaus Lecture in September at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association. 

Lisa Kotter (‘92, BA Political Science; ‘94, Master of Public Administration) was named the new city administrator of . She brings 30 years of administrative experience to the job, having served in cities around Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. She was most recently the city administrator in Cascade, Iowa. Kotter began her job on Sept. 18. 

Following her graduation from UW Madison Law School, Eleanor Borden (‘19, BA Spanish and Political Science) has joined the Minneapolis law firm of Winthrop & Weinstine in their Business & Commercial Litigation department.  

Alumnus Glenn Maloney (‘02, BA Political Science and Journalism & Mass Communication) was featured in the  for his recently published book, which explores “finding the humor in psychotherapy.” Maloney is a licensed therapist. 

L&S graduate Reginald (Reggie) Newson (’95, BA Political Science; ’03, MA Political Science) has been appointed President & CEO of Wellpoint Care Network. He currently serves as Chief Community Impact and Advocacy Officer at Ascension. Read more on this from the . 

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Epsilon Xi Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society 

Members of our chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha also traveled to a national conference to present research this year! Three students – Ellyn Blakeman, Miso Choi, and Josephine Joanis – spent three days in Washington, D.C. at the Pi Sigma Alpha National Conference to present their own papers and listen to panelists and other presentations to learn more about the practice of political science.

Student Undergraduate Research Fellows 

Philosophy major Inaara McCray (also in the Honors College) continues to shine in her work with Professor Sara Benesh on her research on Supreme Court Justices Appearances. This year, Inaara presented that research not only at the 51���� Undergraduate Research Symposium (where she earned all 10s from her judge!), but also at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh. Inaara had a great time presenting her research and found that many people at the conference were very interested in the findings and looked forward to more results from this major data collection effort.  Inaara will work with Professor Benesh and her coauthors for one more year and then plans to graduate early and head to law school.  

Undergraduate Program Spotlight

International Politics and Foreign Policy Summer Seminar 2025 

Students from 51����, led by Professor Shale Horowitz and Graduate Assistant Nasrin Chaleshtari, had an amazing experiential learning experience this summer, visiting New York City and Washington D.C. to engage with the Permanent Missions of Eritrea, Azerbaijan, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Iran, and Mali; the Consulates of Serbia, Georgia, Argentina, Greece; international organizations including the World Bank, Carnegie, and CSIS; and the Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese, and Polish Embassies. 

This incredible experience deepened students’ understanding of international security, economic development, and global diplomacy. Kudos to 51����’s Center for International Education for its coordination, 51����’s College of Letters and Science for its support, and Professor Horowitz for his vision and dedication.

Want to support this fantastic program or start a scholarship so more of our students can afford to experience it? Contact Department Chair Hong Min Park, or send a donation dedicated to the program! Thank you! 

Undergraduate Honors 

Shout out to our Phi Beta Kappa honorees and this year’s Scholarship Awardees. We are so proud of the excellence our students display.

Phi Beta Kappa inductees include Thomas Cavanaugh, Spence Crouch, Giselle Guerrero, Lena Harms, Lauren Meehan, Emerson Odeja, Ivonne Perez, Sara Simonova, and Emma Widmann.

Awardees of the Michael C. LeMay Political Science Scholarship ($1,000) include Jakobe Godbolt and Shpresa Arneti. Awardees of the Wilder Crane Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) include Emma Bulinski and Senjuti Yesmin.

Students in the News

The  detailed the efforts of Political Science major Mia Moore to encourage her peers to vote in the presidential election. 

May Graduate Spotlight: Eve Buda, POL SCI Minor 

You don’t (necessarily) have to be a POL SCI major to score an amazing internship experience in politics – just ask Eve Buda, a brand-new 51���� Journalism, Advertising, & Media Studies alum who spent fall 2024 as a Scheduling and Advance Intern at the White House.

Of course, she didn’t just start at the top. Eve first interned at the Milwaukee Mayor’s Office, a position she found via an email from our department.  While working for the Mayor, she got to know a Marquette University intern who applied successfully to be a summer intern at the White House, and was inspired. So she applied, interviewed, and found out mid-July she’d be heading to the White House. Her favorite Political Science professor suggested she attempt to get credit for the experience, which she did, and off she went.

While in D.C., she made great opportunities happen, oftentimes just by asking, and was able to meet some impressive folks, including the guy in the middle of the accompanying photo. Beyond relevant and rewarding work experience, she also was able to explore DC – the museums, the Supreme Court, the National Zoo – and enjoyed a day trip to New York City. She was in DC for the presidential election with a front seat to a historic race. She lived within the security perimeter of the capitol, which wasn’t always convenient. Eva enjoyed the work – she has always loved persuasive writing and campaign work and plans to seek work in public relations taking on projects in politics and sports media – and the experience. We’re delighted we were able to play a small part.  

Bachelor of Arts Graduates

POL SCI Minor Graduates

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First, we bid farewell to our long-time colleague, Distinguished Professor Kathy Dolan, who retired in June after an impactful career. Farewell, and a hearty congratulations!

Professor Dolan served nearly 25 years at 51���� and had just completed her second term as University Committee Chair. She had also just finished her second term as co-editor-in-chief of one of the field’s foremost journals, the American Journal of Political Science. In her tenure at 51����, she served as department chair and director of graduate studies, and held a number of positions in departmental and university governance.

Her prolific scholarship included two books and many peer-reviewed articles on gender and politics, including the best article published in 2009 in Political Research Quarterly. She won a National Science Foundation grant for her research on voting for women candidates and was frequently called upon by local, state, and national media for her astute political commentary. Her work has been cited nearly 6,000 times and she still has research in progress. She’s taught thousands of students about American government, hopefully making a dent in the knowledge deficits she often studies in her research. Our department will not be the same without her! 

Second, I bid farewell as the Chair, leaving the department’s leadership in the capable hands of my colleague, Associate Professor Hong Min Park, after serving for six years. I began my term in fall of 2019, touting engagement as my theme only to be stymied by a worldwide virus. That’ll teach me to dream big! I have learned and grown a lot and have enjoyed being my colleagues’ biggest fan through some difficult times for 51���� and for higher education more generally. I continue to believe strongly in the dual research and teaching missions of this great university and I’m confident that our people, which are obviously our greatest strength, will come through these difficult times with strength and creativity to make 51���� even more remarkable. I hope our friends will stand beside us, speak up for us, and support us in every way in which they are able. 

Enjoy this Fall 2025 newsletter, highlighting what our POL SCI students do that makes an impact while they’re here with us, and once they move on. I know we’ll continue to hear about all the big things they do to make a difference in our world. Kathy would tease me for saying it, but the future remains bright! 

– Professor Sara Benesh

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Our 2025 recipients of the Michael C. LeMay Political Science Scholarship are Jakobe Godbolt and Shpresa Ameti, two impressive Political Science majors on their way to doing great things! Each will be awarded $1000 toward their continued studies.

Our 2025 recipients of the Wilder Crane Memorial Scholarship aimed at graduate study are Emma Bulinski, who will be studying law at the University of Illinois Chicago in the fall, and Senjuti Yesmin, a Political Science PhD student here at 51����.��They will each be awarded $1000 to enable their continued studies.

Congratulations to all four of these fine students and hearty thanks to our donors for investing in our students. We know they are an excellent bet!

51���� Students — Is your Panther Scholarship Portal profile up-to-date?? Put it on your to-do list to update it every semester so that you too might be eligible for consideration for our and many other fantastic scholarship opportunities! You can visit the Portal and get information about how to apply for the FAFSA here: Panther Scholarship Portal.

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Join Team POL SCI @ 51���� on a virtual fall walk that benefits student scholarships:  51���� Alumni Association’s PANTHER PROWL!  We believe in our dual access and research missions, and this is one way to show it!  and walk along with us, for our students!

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Cyberpolitics – POL SCI 398
Section 001, Class # 48974
TR 2:30pm – 3:45pm

Cyberpolitics will explore some of the most critical questions of our time. What is the nature of the contemporary cyber world? What is “Generative Artificial Intelligence” and how might be used for nefarious political purposes? How does cyberpower operate in foreign affairs, including in conventional warfare and nuclear strategy? How do large corporations, cyber arms companies, authoritarian regimes, and cyberterrorists seek to resist or control cyberspace? How has global governance sought to engage issues of privacy, cybercrime, and openness in cyberspace? How do existing international legal rules on sovereignty and the use of force address our cyber world?

Students will be introduced to “Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)” and will be given opportunities to use that revolutionary technology both in the classroom and for a course assignment.

The course will feature guest lectures by very distinguished authorities, including a Chief Information Security Officer, an expert in cyberwarfare who teaches at West Point, and a professor of international law from Georgetown University.

The instructor is particularly qualified to offer this course. A member of 51����’s Political Science faculty, Professor Beck served for nine years, through January of 2023, as 51����’s Chief Information Officer, where he was responsible for the security, stability, and innovation of all our university’s key IT systems and infrastructure.

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