Director

Larry Baas, Ph. D.

After receiving his B. Ed. at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Professor Baas taught at Beaver Dam High School in Wisconsin. He then returned to college attending Kent State University where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. He taught at Kent State University for three years before arriving at Valparaiso University in 1974. He is currently a Professor and the Chair of the Political Science Department. Professor Baas teaches courses in Constitutional law, the judicial process, the presidency and political behavior. His research interests have varied and he has published articles in a wide variety of social science journals. His current project focuses on 'presidents in the public mind,' and seeks to describe and explain the public's peculiar understanding of the Clinton's.

Associate Director

James Paul Old, Ph.D.

Professor Old was born in the upper peninsula of Michigan and received his B.A. degree in 1992 from Hillsdale College in southern Michigan. He then began graduate work in American Politics and Political Theory at the University of Notre Dame where he completed an M.A. and Ph.D. He taught briefly at Hillsdale College before coming to to Valparaiso in 1999, originally to teach in the Valpo Core. His areas of expertise are in political theory, especially Christian political thought and American political thought, and religion and American politics. He currently teaches courses in Political Theory and US Government.

Research Associates

Marty DeNicolo

Tom Stratton

Matt LaBarbera

Zach Keller

Brian Stefanich

Dan Klosowski