Ken Goldstein:
Office Hours, a half hour weekly talk show on the Big Ten Network, is hosted by University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Ken Goldstein. The show is produced by University Communications and the guest selection, research, and writing is done by Goldstein’s upper level political science class Political Communication: Theory and Practice.
Goldstein said working on the show is a valuable experience for the students.
“The students understand that this is the real deal,” Goldstein said. “They make the show come together and get to learn about what happens behind the scenes in a studio. They have to research and write under pressure, sometimes over a commercial break, and then they immediately get to see their hard work pay off.”
In addition to the students working on the show, Goldstein said it is a success because of the cooperation and support of Amy Toburen, the director of University Communications, and Peter Kleppin, who coordinates the University of Wisconsin’s BTN programming.
“Amy has gone above and beyond helping the political science department combine classroom teaching with real world experience,” Goldstein said. “Peter is simply a pro. He has been able to teach the students about all the different stages of production while producing a high quality television program. The two of them and all the professional staff behind the scenes have really made the show succeed.”
The show brings in guests from all across the University of Wisconsin campus to talk to them about what they are doing to make a difference, from unlocking the DNA of the common cold to investigating stem cells.
Goldstein said Office Hours reminds him of all the amazing work happening on the University of Wisconsin campus.
“We could never run out of topics to do on the show,” Goldstein said. “There is so much happening on this campus that everyday advances are being made somewhere. Hopefully the show can help share these talented individuals and their discoveries with people outside of Madison.”
University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Ken Goldstein is nationally known for his unbiased political analysis making him a favorite source and guest on the major networks. He brings an extensive background as a political pundit and media contributor to the table as host of Office Hours, a weekly talk show on the Big Ten Network highlighting and engaging UW-Madison’s leading faculty and researchers.
Goldstein received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1996 focusing on American politics and research methodology. He is the author of Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Participation in America (Cambridge University Press) and Campaign Advertising and American Democracy (Temple University Press), has written various book chapters and has published numerous articles in journals including in The American Journal of Political Science, The Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Science and Political Communications.
Goldstein’s background in journalism includes working for the PBS show Charlie Rose, appearing on Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Nightline, ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, CNBC and CNN and NPR. He is frequently quoted nationally, especially in election season, and has worked on network election night coverage in every U.S. federal election in the last 20 years.
Goldstein also serves as the director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project, the UW News Lab, and the Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies. He is on the Board of Overseers of the National Elections Study, the University of Wisconsin Athletic Board and the University of Wisconsin Social Studies Divisional Committee.
Nicole Aaron:
Nicole is a senior from Ann Arbor, Michigan studying political science and communication arts. On campus, she works at a local clothing store and interned at The Democratic Party of Wisconsin. After graduation, Nicole plans on pursuing a job in either marketing or public relations.
Andrew Gilbert:
Andrew is a sophomore from Arlington, Virginia studying economics. Currently he works at the UW Foundation and plans on studying abroad next year in Senegal.
Miranda Hirner:
Miranda is a senior from Green Bay, Wisconsin majoring in marketing and political science. She currently works in the Marketing Services department of the Wisconsin School of Business. After graduation, Miranda plans to attend law school or pursue a job in marketing.
Erik Larson:
Erik is a junior from Crystal Lake, Illinois and is majoring in political science. As part of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, he has worked as a research assistant in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis studying government fiscal policy. He plans on attending law school and becoming a conservative political strategist and commentator.
Alanna Morgan:
Alanna is a senior from Chicago, Illinois, studying legal studies and psychology. She works as an assistant and experimenter in a psychology lab at the Waisman Center. After graduation, Alanna plans on attending law school.
Steven Olikara:
Steven is a sophomore from Brookfield, Wisconsin studying political science and environmental studies. On campus, he serves as the Diversity Chair in student government and is involved in starting a new sustainability initiative. Steven is also an avid musician and radio DJ.
Jackie Roessler::
Jackie is a senior studying political science. After graduating in the spring, Jackie plans to attend public policy school.
Abram Shanedling:
Abram is a senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota studying political science, journalism and Middle Eastern studies. He is an intern at Clean Wisconsin and serves as the president of the Madison-Israel Public Affairs Society. After graduation, Abram hopes to get a job in Washington D.C. in public affairs before eventually attending law school.
Jon Tabacoff:
Jon is a junior from Dobbs Ferry, New York studying history and political science. He is involved in various groups across campus as well as working for the University of Wisconsin Foundation and is in the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity.
Carly Thanhouser:
Carly is a junior from Northbrook, Illinois studying psychology and legal studies. She is president of the American Civil Liberties Union Student Alliance and a research assistant in the psychology department studying biological bases of behavior. Carly plans on pursuing a career in clinical psychology and hopes to eventually work in the Criminal Justice System.
Whitney Trotta
Whitney is a senior from Madison studying political science and Spanish. On campus she worked for the Badger Herald Newspaper, one of Madison's student newspapers, and was a research assistant with the Wisconsin Advertising Project. After graduation, Whitney plans to work abroad in community development.
Lizzi Ulmer:
Lizzi is a junior from Kalamazoo, Michigan studying political science and French and earning a certificate in business. On campus, she works as a supervisor for the University's Visitor and Information Programs and is the captain of the women's club water polo team. She is also a reading tutor for the Americorps Schools of Hope program in Madison.
Nicole is a senior from Madison, Wisconsin studying biology. She works as a gymnastics coach and plans to go into medical sales after graduation.
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© 2008 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System