POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS NOTES

2004

Clint Leach (BA, 2004)

Mr. J. Clint Leach received his BA in Political Science in December
2004. Recently, Clint was promoted to Policy Analyst with the South
Carolina Senate, in the office of the Senate Finance Committee, chaired
by Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr.

Additionally, he will receive a graduate degree in public relations from
the USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications in May 2007.

2003

Wayne T. Curtin (MPA, USC),

has been promoted to the Director of Governmental Affairs, Harley-Davidson, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ayesha Gill (MPA) agill@sccommerce.com.

Ayesha received her BA in political science (2001) and her MPA (2003) from USC. She is a grants manager for community development at the SC Department of Commerce.

2002

Debora Johnson-Ross (PhD International Studies '02)

I am currently in Cameroon as a Fulbright
Scholar. I am teaching and doing research at the University of Buea in the
South West Province of Cameroon. I am teaching courses in International
Organizations, Colonial Policy and African Politics. I am also working with
graduate students directing research projects. I arrived in September and
will be here through July 2007.

 

Travis Commodore ('02)

Currently residing in Seattle, WA, I
serve as the Community / Business Relations Liaison to Metropolitan King
County Council Chairman Larry Phillips. Some of my responsibilities include:
Meeting with community, business, and labor leaders; gather information and
brief Councilmember on various county issues; staff Councilmember at civic,
business, and labor meetings and functions.

 

Rhonda Dean, MPA '02 

Rhonda works at the Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Program.

 

Sven Gerzer (IS BA May 2000, IS MA Dec 2002) (update 3/03) SGerzer@wvdo.org

I am working for the State of West Virginia European Office in Munich. Main activities include attracting foreign direct investment into WV; representing the State in Europe; promoting trade, cultural exchange and tourism between West Virginia and the European Union nations. Sven also set up the Carolina Alumni Club Europe (http://www.carolina-europe.org)

 

Carmen Harper Thomas , MPA '02 cthomas@sccommerce.com www.SCCommerce.com

Carmen works at the Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Program.

2001

Yeva Avakyan (MPA 2001)

I work with the International Programs Group of World Vision United States
in DC as International Program Officer managing funding portfolios in
China, Russia, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and Georgia. Prior to this I worked
for World Vision in Armenia and Lebanon and was involved in program design,
monitoring and evaluation.

Reese Edwards (MPA December 2001) 

I’m now located in Albuquerque, NM and work with a governmental relations consulting firm in Santa Fe. I am not the only USC MPA grad out here either. Courtney Hunter works for the NM Democratic Party as the Caucus Director for the upcoming Presidential caucus in NM.

 

Ayesha Gill (MPA) agill@sccommerce.com. (please see 2003)

 

Roxanne Matthews (December 2001 MPA Graduate)

Research Manager, Richland County Administrator's Office, P.O. Box 192 Columbia, SC 29202

2000

Noriyuki Katagiria (BA) (update 11/01) yaponorry@hotmail.com

Nori is now in his second year for a Master's degree at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University. His concentration is International Security Policy. This past summer he spent three months in Great Britain doing an internship on security/military research and analysis at the Centre for Defence and International Security Studies. In Fall 2001, two former GINT students joined him at Columbia - Tahir Cevik and Qiang Zhou. Qiang and Nori are currently taking the same course in the Political Science Department and organizing a SIPA student group called East Asian Security Forum.

 

Sven Gerzer (IS BA May 2000, IS MA Dec 2002) Please see 2002

 

Ayesha Gill (BA) (update 8/02) agill@teamsc.edu

Ayesha received her BA in political science (2001) from USC. She is a grants manager for community development at the SC Department of Commerce. Currently, she is working on her graduate degree in Public Administration at USC. 

 

Angela Miles (MPA) (update 11/01)

Angela is an evaluator for the General Accounting Office. Her focus is on economic development.

 

Maryanne Rhett (BA) (update 5/02) mazerhett@hotmail.com

Maryanne is currently finishing her Masters in Near Eastern Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Following graduation, she hopes to work and travel for a while before pursuing a PhD in World History Education.  

1999

 John K Ballentine (BA) (Update 9/02)

John is married with a 13-month old son, and lives in Columbia Area. He currently works as a loan officer for Sturkie Mortgage Corp. in Lexington and owns Ballentine TitleServices.

 

Michael Kuchinsky (update 11/01)

Michael is working for Bread for the World, a nonprofit NGO in Washington, D.C.

 

Chip Payne USC Class of '94, '99 and '00 Chippayne@aol.com

B.A. - Political Science - 1994 MPA - 1999 Juris Doctor - 2000

I am still in Columbia and am now managing the SC Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children's Task Force.

 

John Shumann (update 11/01)

John is an evaluator for with the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress. His focus is on housing and homelessness issues. He is a recent graduate of the MPA program here at USC and received his BA in Political Science from Mary Washington College

1998 

Dan Crabtree (MA) (update 10/02) dancrabtree1@aol.com

Since leaving USC with a Masters degree in Political Science in 1998, Dan spent a year at the London School of Economics (reading for an MSc in Politics of the World Economy) and then moved into employment with the National Audit Office (the British equivalent of the GAO). He is a Senior Analyst for the NAO and specializes in Public-Private Partnerships.

1997

Ashlyn Kuersten (Ph.D.) (update 11/01) Assistant Professor, Western Michigan University

 

Amy L. Romey Parker (BA) (update 11/01) SSParker@msn.com

Moved to Maryland in 1988 and married USC graduate S. Stephen Parker in September of 1999.

 

Kirk A. Randazzo, Ph.D (MA) (update 9/03) Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky Kirk.Randazzo@uky.edu

I recently finished my Ph.D. in Political Science from Michigan State University and am now an Assistant Professor in the Dept of Political Science at the University of Kentucky.

1996 

Jean Garrison, Ph.D. (update 4/03) pols.info@uwyo.edu

Jean is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming, and has received an international affairs fellowship with the Council on Foreign Relations. She plans to spend the next year working on her research project "The Competing Strategies of Engagement: Coordinating China Policy in a Complex Policymaking Environment" while working with agencies like the State Department and National Security Council.

 

J.J. Gentry, Esq. (update 8/02) JJG@scstatehouse.net

J.J. is currently living in Columbia, S.C., and serving as an attorney for the South Carolina House of Representative's Education and Public Works Committee.

 

Laura Hall BARSC, International Relations (update 11/04) HallLA@state.gov

Laura A. Hall (Intl Studies/BARSC '96) has joined the newly established Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) at the US Department of State where she will be the Director for Planning. The office's mission is: To lead and coordinate U.S. Government planning, and institutionalize U.S. capacity, to help stabilize and reconstruct societies in transition from conflict or civil strife so they can reach a sustainable path toward peace, democracy and a market economy. Laura comes to S/CRS after 3 1/2 years with the Office of the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources where she managed personnel policy, legislation, budget, and planning. In that job, Laura worked with Department leadership to build support for the creation of S/CRS. www.state.gov/s/crs (email: loorahall@yahoo.com)

I went from USC to the University of Maryland School of Public Affairs where I received a Master of Public Policy degree in International Security and Economics. From there I started work in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. After two and a half years of working on strategic arms control and other security issues, I worked in Moscow in the Embassy's political section to see the Department from the Foreign Service perspective. Two years ago I moved to the Bureau of Human Resources where I am a policy advisor to the head of HR for the Department. I credit GINT with getting me into international security issues and public policy. I remember well that Harvey Starr, Bruce Marshall, Gordon Smith, and Peter Sederberg set me on a path that I will likely not leave.

 

Michael A. Lewis, BA (update 8/02) LMeIwKiEs@aol.com

Michael is currently employed with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control/ Bureau of Environmental Health

1995

Steven Benjamin (update 11/01)

Stephen was appointed by Governor Hodges as director of the S.C. Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services in 1999, charged with supervision of over 50,000 criminal offenders. He recently ran for SC Attorney General. Benjamin received his BA in Political Science and a JD from USC.

 

John Cavanaugh (update 12/02)

John is a program officer at the Kettering Foundation. He works primarily with the National Issues Forums (NIF), a nationwide network of convenors of public policy deliberation. He has a bachelor's, cum laude, in political science from Framingham State College, a master's of science in public affairs from the John W. McCormack School of Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of South Carolina.

His experience includes a year as a constituent services staff assistant in the Boston office of US Senator John Kerry, two years as a budget analyst in the office of the Massachusetts' State Auditor, and four years as a research assistant professor in the Center for Citizenship, Institute of Public Affairs, University of South Carolina-Columbia.

 

Raymond C. “Trey” Eubanks, III

Upon graduating with my MPA in December of ’95, I was appointed Town Administrator of Chesterfield and Jefferson. I became Manager of the City of York in June of ’97. I am a member of ICMA, Vice Chairman of the SCMIT Board and active in the SCCCMA. I am married and have two wonderful daughters. Hope this is some of the feedback you were looking for and please keep the newsletter coming.

 

Ryan Faulkner (update 11/02) rfaulkne@bcentral.cl

Since I graduated, I have been largely out of touch with many of my old professors and friends at USC. 

Here is what I have been up to:After graduating from Columbia University's SIPA in 1998, I worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for four years in the foreign exchange and investments department as a trader and analyst. In May of this year though, I left the Fed to take a one-year position at the Central Bank of Chile in their international investments group, working as a market analyst and portfolio manager. I was married last year in Chicago, and my wife is here with me in Santiago Chile, too. We are having a great time, but are also looking forward to getting back to our old home in Brooklyn. 

 

Stefanie Lindquist (Ph.D.) (update 11/01) Assistant Professor, University of Georgia

 

Sharon Parks Mancuso (MPA December 1995)

For the past four years, I've been working for the Office of State Budget at the South Carolina Budget & Control Board as a budget analystfor the state health agencies. I am currently searching for ways to include the word 'budget' on my resume a few more times (that's a joke).My supervisor is MPA grad Harry Bell, and current MPA student Beth Campbell is on our "team". I've been married for almost 8 years to Marshall, who proposed while I was in the MPA program (I guess he didn't know that having a Master's degree would guarantee me a life of poverty). My son Michael is 2 years old, and my daughter Samantha is 3 months old.

 

Betsy Preston (update 11/01)

Betsy is a program specialist for Mitigation Outreach at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining FEMA in 1999, Betsy was an analyst in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Betsy holds the BA in Political Science from DePauw University and an MPA degree from the University of South Carolina.

 

Carol Seawright MPA (update 08/02) caseaw@santee.djj.state.sc.us

Chief Financial Officer, SC Department of Juvenile Justice. Received a BS in Business Administration from USC. Prior to joining DJJ, I was associated with the USC Foundation and the SC Department of Public Safety.

 

Brian T. Tullis (update 8/02) Brian.Tullis@verizon.net

Received a Master of International Business from USC in 1997 (French track). Worked for Fairchild Corporation in Dulles, VA since 1998 as project manager, director of data management integration, year-2000 director, and as Director of Information Technology Projects. Currently director of information technology projects at Alcoa Fasteners, a division of Alcoa, Inc.

1994

Jason Boxt (update 8/02) JBoxt@globalstrategygroup.com www.globalstrategygroup.com

Graduated Columbia University, 1999, MA in Political Science (with one year at the Rothberg School Graduate Program, Hebrew University, Jerusalem). Have been working at a Democratic political consulting firm called Global Strategy Group for three years now, and was recently promoted to Vice President. Moved to the DC area just last year, and am very involved with the USC Alumni chapter here.

Thanks much, and Go Cocks!

 

Jeanne (Jacoby) Brooker (JD/MPA 1994(update 02/03) jeanne.brooker@ bellsouth.com

Since receiving her JD/MPA from USC in 1994, Jeanne clerked for the Texas Supreme Court, did environmental litigation for Exxon in Houston, general corporate law for Burlington Resources, Inc. in Houston, and RBMG in Columbia, SC and is currently employed by the firm of Young Clement Rivers and Tisdale, working exclusively for BellSouth. Jeanne's practice includes general litigation, corporate law and telecommunications regulatory law. Jeanne lives in Columbia, is married to Jeff Z. Brooker, III (JD 1994) and has one son.

 

Chip Payne USC Class of '94, '99 and '00 Chippayne@aol.com (see 1999)

1993

Susan Haire (Ph.D.) (update 11/01) Assistant Professor, University of Georgia.

 

William W. Bain, Political Science BA (update 9/03)

William received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of British Columbia in 2001. He has been a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and will be taking up a position in the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in January 2004. His Ph.D. has just recently been published by Oxford University Press as, Between Anarchy and Society: Trusteeship and the Obligations of Power. Will’s dissertation was awarded the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies 2002 Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Fine Arts.

1992

Jennifer Gohlke (MA & J.D.)(update 10/02) jennifer.gohlke@weil.com

I graduated in 1992 (BA) and have very fond memories of my professors, as well as a number of excellent TAs that were around at the time. After graduation I worked in Washington, DC for a year with a program involved in legal reform projects in the former Soviet Union, and then headed off to do a masters degree at the Fletcher School in Boston and a law degree at the University of Virginia, completing both in 1997. I am currently an attorney practicing in the London office of a New York law firm, Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Kind regards!

 

Jeffrey D. Greene (Ph.D.) (update 11/01) jeffrey@selway.umt.edu www.umt.edu/polsci

I graduated in 1992 with a Ph.D. in political science from the GINT department. After graduating from USC, I moved West to the University of Montana, where I have remained for the past 9 years. I am now a full professor here and recently published a book, Cities and Privatization: Prospects for the New Century (Prentice Hall, 2002). I am currently writing another book, a PA textbook for Wadsworth, that will be released next year (2003).

 

Robert Herron (update 8/02) rherron@sc.rr.com

MAT, 1995, History (USC) MEd, 2002, Secondary Administration (USC)

I am an administrator at Ridge View High School in Richland School District Two.

 

Barry Loudermilk (update 11/01) barryosha@msn.com

Senior Compliance Officer, SC Department of Labor, Construction Specialist. Spouse: Lauren Loudermilk, who is a 6th Grade Science Teacher @ Summit Parkway Middle School. Child: 6 month old son, Howard Mason Loudermilk .

 

Christian Torgrimson, (1992 BA in Political Science)

Christian is a litigator with the Atlanta law firm of Pursley Lowery Meeks LLP specializing in condemnation law, has been selected to receive the 2004 Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award. The award is given to recognize attorneys for their humanitarian service, and recipients are selected by the Georgia Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. Ms. Torgrimson was nominated by the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) because of her work on the Board of the GAWL Foundation, which was created in 2003 to spearhead GAWL’s community service. Ms. Torgrimson was actively involved in creating the Foundation and has served as President since its inception.

1991

Thomas Rainey is now Thomas A. Mengesha, J.D. (update 8/02) www.mengesha.com

Thomas received his Law Degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School located in Lansing, Michigan in 1998, and his Masters Degree in Public Adminstration from The University of Akron in Ohio in 1994. He is a Federal Defender Panel Attorney and is licensed to practice in Federal Court and willing to travel anywhere in the US to handle Federal cases. Thomas is currently a Captain in the United States Army Reserves with over 18 years of military experience, and is the host of "Common Ground" airing weekly on Wednesday evenings on Flint's local TV channel 17 at 6:30pm.

1990

Natalie Parker Bluestein (Class of 1990). Natalie.Bluestein@scbar.org

JD, USC Law, 1993, partner at Bluestein & Douglas, L.L.P., a firm practicing Family Law in Charleston, SC.

 

Lois Duke (Ph.D) (update 11/01) Professor and Chair, Georgia Southern University

 

Susan K. Durso, USC JD 88 MPA 90 Susan.durso@puc.state.tx.us

General Counsel, The Public Utility Commission of Texas

 

Ross Kiser (BA) (update 8/02) 

Ross Kiser is an attorney for the American Staffing Association, located in Alexandria, Virginia. He keeps track of state legislative, regulatory and court developments affecting the temporary help industry. Ross received his BA in political science and history from USC in 1990 and got his law degree at American University in 1994.

 

Peter Schraeder (Ph.D)(update 11/01)

Peter is an associate professor at Loyola University of Chicago with teaching and research interests in international relations theory, comparative foreign policy analysis, and politics of developing areas, especially Africa. He has published articles in The Journal of Modern African Studies, The Journal of Politics, Politique Africain, and The Middle East Journal, and he is the author of United States Foreign Policy Toward Africa: Incrementalism, Crisis and Change and the editor of Intervention into the 1990s: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Third World. He has conducted research and lectured throughout Africa and spent the 1994–95 academic year as a Fulbright Scholar at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal.

 

Reggie Sheehan (Ph.D.) (update 11/01)

Reggie is an Associate Professor, Michigan State University. Director of the Program for Law and Judicial Politics.

1989

Abdulrahman Al Osail (update 11/01) Government Service, Saudi Arabia

 

Charles P. Boyles, II.(update 11/01) Chip@cityofclemson.org

Accepted position of Clemson Assistant City Manager after five years as City Manager of Taneytown, MD. Began in Clemson on November 1, 2000.

 

Ted Greene (MA) (update 8/02)

I moved to Chicago in 1989 and began a banking career working for large international banks, ABN/AMRO, IBJ and The Bank of Nova Scotia. In 1996 I co-founded a software development company and was CEO until stepping out of management earlier this year. I am currently a private investor in emerging technologies

 

Sarah Martin (BA) (update 8/02) Sarah_Martin@jsi.com

I graduated with an MA in International Development with a concentration in Anthropology from George Washington University in 1997 and I am currently working in Washington DC for an international health NGO on monitoring and evaluation of health information systems. I currently work for Refugees International in Washington DC as a humanitarian affairs advocate. My family still lives in South Carolina and I travel there a lot. I'd be happy to come talk to current students about my career in international development and relief work

 

Ruth Ann Strickland (Ph.D.) (update 1/03) strcklndra@appstate.edu

Ruth was promoted to Professor in 1998, ten years after her Assistant Professor appointment in the Political Science and Criminal Justice department at Appalachian State University. She was more recently appointed Acting Chair of the Political Science and Criminal Justice department in Fall 2000. She began service as full-time Chairperson of the department in Fall 2001 and continues to serve in that capacity. She has a single-authored book, Restorative Justice, forthcoming in May 2004. In addition, she has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in mainstream academic journals, 3 co-authored books and several book chapters. Since April 3, 1999 she has been happily married to John R. Burlinson.

1998

Kasey Dill Carnley (update 8/02) k.carnley@verizon.net

Business and Community Development Manager, Northern Star Credit Union, Portsmouth VA. President, Tidewater Chapter, Virginia Credit Union League, 2001-present. Recipient, 4 National Marketing awards from Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Madison, WI Member, 2 committees, Virginia Credit Union League 2001-2003. Married, Daniel O. Carnley, October 10, 1992 Two Children: Julia Reed Carnley, 7; Ian Paul Carnley, 3

In the past Kasey has worked on national and state political campaigns as pollster and strategic analyst before joining credit union movement to defeat House Bill 1151 against credit unions.

 

Jerrell Coggburn (1998) Assistant Professor, University of Texas-San Antonio

 

Marie Louise Ramsdale, J.D. (update 11/01)

Marie was a GINT undergraduate major during the late 1980s, and went on to Harvard Law School. Upon receiving her JD, she returned to Columbia and founded City Year. She is now in private law practice in Columbia.

 

Joyce Wiley, Ph.D.(update 8/02)

Joyce is an associate professor at the University of South Carolina Spartanburg. She is the author of The Islamic Movement of Iraqi SHI`AS and of chapters on Iraqi politics in several other books.

1987

Deborah Conway (B.A. 1984, M.A. 1987) Debconway@aol.com

Since graduating in 1987, I have worked in NYC managing imports and exports of textile products used in non-apparel related industries. My job has brought me to Asia, South America, and Japan, where I've fulfilled a life-long dream of interacting with people of different cultures on an everyday basis. I have learned more than I ever thought possible about international trade, and every day I work to reverse the United States trade deficit by promoting exports of American goods. I am happily married and currently live in New Jersey.

1985

P.K. Das (update 8/03) Retired from Indian Administrative Service, India pkdas77@hotmail.com

P. K. Das earned his MPA in 1983 and Ph.D. in Political Science in 1985 in the GINT department. He retired from Indian Administrative Service in June, 2001 in the rank of Additional Chief Secretary to Government Of Gujarat. He is presently adviser (Energy) to Gujarat Electricity Board, Gujarat State, India (from July, 2001) His areas of interest are: Public Policy Practice and analysis (particularly Energy Policy); Modeling Policy Results; Policy Forecasting;Governance Issues of Civil Societies; Public Sector Management; Strategic Management and Business Policy. 

1984

Deborah Conway (B.A. 1984) Please see 1987, above.

 

Jose Rocha (Ph.D) (update 11/01) Professor and Chair, Public Administration, University of Minko, Portugal 

1983

Bukowski, Charles Ph.D. (update 10/02) cjb@bumail.bradley.edu

Charles is Director of the Institute of International Studies at Bradley University. He was recently promoted to the rank of professor.

 

Octavio E. Manduley (update 8/02) omandul1@san.rr.com

Serving in the U.S. Navy as Commanding Officer of Guided Missile Frigate, USS SIDES (FFG-14). Recently returned from an Indian Ocean and Pacific deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Commanded a multi-national Task Group tasked with defending a strategic harbor and airfield critical to the international war on terrorism in the Indian Ocean. Also performed independent Cooperative Regional Engagement missions representing the United States at a variety of military and diplomatic functions in Cochin, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Bali, Indonesia; Broome and Darwin, Australia and the Kingdom of Tonga. MA from Webster Univ. St Louis, MO 1996. Presently residing in San Diego, Ca.

 

Elizabeth (Becky) Thompson MA (Update8/03) PeterLThompson@aol.com 

Becky joined the Foreign Service in 1985 and has served in Lagos, Brazzaville, Washington, Rangoon, and New Hampshire to date. She is going to Kabul in August 2003 for a one-year tour, after which she will return to Washington to join her husband Peter and sons Steve (age 18) and Jim (age 14).

1981

Cathy Bindewald MPA. (update 8/02)

Cathy is the Director of Communications, Marketing and Planning for the Chief Information Officer of The Ohio State University. She also serves as the Executive Assistant to the CIO.

 

Steve Metz (BA 1977, MA 1981, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins 1986).(update 8/03) : http://carlisle-www.army.mil/ssi//bios/smetz.htm

Steve is Director of Research and Chairman of the Regional Strategy and Planning Department at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute (SSI), a think tank dealing with national security policy and military strategy. He has been with SSI since 1993, previously serving as Research Professor of National Security Affairs and the Henry L. Stimson Professor of Military Studies. Steve has also been on the faculty of the Air War College, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and several universities. He has served as an advisor to U.S. political organizations, campaigns and commissions; testified in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; and spoken on military and security issues around the world. He is author of more than 90 articles, essays, and book chapters. Steve's research has taken him to 30 countries to include Iraq immediately after the fall of the Hussein regime.

 

Craig M. Wheeland, Ph.D.

I joined the faculty at Villanova University in 1990. I currently serve as Chair of the Department of Political Science and MPA Director. My research and teaching feature local government politics and professional management. I published an article in the Spring 2003 issue of the American Review of Public Administration on the implementation of Rock Hill, SC's community wide strategic plan. My book on Rock Hill's community-wide planning effort known as Empowering the Vision, and the plan's ten-year implementation, is forthcoming with University Press of America in March 2004. On the personal side, my wife and I are enjoying our two children, Lucy (our first grader) and Ryan (our pre-schooler).

1980

Yaw A. Badu (update 11/01) YBadu@vsu.edu

Professor & Chair, Department of Economics & Finance, Virginia State University

 

John Huffman (update 8/02) jhuffman@centralmidlands.org

John received an MPA, a Master of Arts in Geography, and a BA degree in history from USC. I took early retirement from the S. C. Budget and Control Board where I was a Research Planner for the Division of Regional Government. I then spent a short while as a Research Specialist with Bobby Bowers at Research and Statistics at the BCB before taking an early retirement offer from the state and leaving at the end of December, 2001. Oh, joyous retirement. Well, not really. Not enough to live on so I started my own consulting firm Huffman Planning & Consulting. I now work as a contract employee at the Central Midlands Council of Governments in Columbia which I left in July, 2000 to move to the BCB. Exciting stuff, what?

 

Margaret Thorne Seidler, MPA, 1980 (update8/02) seidler@mindspring.com

President, Seidler & Associates, Organization Development and Training, 1260 Winchester Drive, Charleston, SC 29407 Phone: 843-573-3485

1983

Randolph Alford (update 8/02) ralford@sc.rr.com

I spent one year in law school, then went on to business school in Philadelphia. I married a girl from Northeastern Pa. After a few years in Atlanta, I returned to Myrtle Beach and now own my own Financial Services Firm in Conway and Pawleys Island. I have written two books. One published and one privately done. I remember Gambrell Hall fondly and still watch politics more than business news. I intend to run for office this year.

 

Mary R. Ellis.(update 11/01) mellis@ellisagency.org

After spending a year in the Masters in International Business program at USC, I returned to my hometown of Hampton to enter the insurance business. My brother, Lee, and I co-own an independent agency with branch offices in Barnwell and Edisto Beach, SC. One of the great loves of my life remains Carolina athletics. Therefore I still spend a lot of time in Columbia and remember my days at USC quite fondly.

 

Bob Wislinski (update 8/02)

Since graduating from USC, I have served in a number of non-profit and political capacities, including 13 years with the Columbia Museum Of Art (Deputy Director).Following completion of the largest portion of their capital campaign for their new Main Street in 1995, I opened WizWorks that year. Wizworks is a non-profit and political fundraising consultancy, with a small direct mail company component that services lobbying support and political campaigns in Columbia and South Carolina. I have a website at wizworks-sc.com.

1977

Steve Metz (BA 1977, MA 1981, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins 1986). (update 7/06)

Steve recently returned to the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies
Institute (SSI), a think tank dealing with national security policy and
military strategy, after a year's sabbatical to work on a book entitled
"Iraq and the Evolution of American Strategy" He is also under contract to
write a book on insurgency for publication in 2007. In addition to serving
as a department chairman at the Strategic Studies Institute, Steve spends a
lot of time in Washington as a speaker, consultant and adviser on insurgency
and the conflict in Iraq. His oldest daughter will attend Penn State
beginning in the fall of 2006 while his youngest will be a rising junior in
high school. Steve tries to hold on to what little sanity he has left by
photography--galleries are at
http://members13.clubphoto.com/steve637513/guest-1.phtml

Carol Routh (MPA) (update 2/04)

It's great to be able to see what my classmates are doing and some were in the last alumni newsletter. I was in the MPA class of 1977. Currently, I'm Assistant Director of the Office of State Budget, Budget and Control Board, with oversight responsibilities over the Capital Budgeting area. (Dr. Graham's classes paid off well for me!) I've been with the Budget and Control Board for 15 years in various capacities, all of which included capital budgeting. Prior to working for the Board, I had 10 years of varied experiences with the Legislative Audit Council and worked with Dr. Tyer at the old Bureau of Governmental Research and Service immediately out of graduate school. I'm still single, no children, and devote my "leisure" time to 1) choir, women's ministries and other activities with First Baptist Church, 2) to the Carolina Alumni Association as a Board member of the Alumni Club of Richland/Lexington Counties and 3) to Carolina athletics as a avid fan of USC football and basketball. I stay active in the SC Chapter of ASPA, having just concluded more than a decade as a board member and past President.

 

John Siskind (BA) (update 8/02) Boldav8tr@aol.com

After graduation I spent over 6 years in the US Air Force as a pilot and then attended Wake Forest University from which I received a Juris Doctor degree in 1976. I am with the Legal Services office of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools here in Winston-Salem. I remember fondly many of the professors I had, especially one named Vulcan Kuic. As a result of his influence, I have continued a life-long study of eastern Europe.

 

David O. Stowell, Ph.D. (update 12/04)

David is an associate professor of U.S. history at Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. He graduated from USC in 1977 with a B.A. in GINT, and is the author of the book, Streets, Railroads, and the Great Strike of 1877 (University of Chicago Press, 1999). David is also the editor of the forthcoming book, The Great Strikes of 1877 (University of Illinois Press) and has published articles in the South Carolina Historical Magazine, New York History, and the Journal of Urban History.

1976 

Michael G. Herring, ICMA-CM (MPA) (update 2/04) mherring@chesterfield.mo.us

Since graduating in 1976, I've served as Town Administrator for Ridgeland, S.C. (1977-79), City Administrator for Garden City, Georgia (1979-1982), Ballwin, Missouri (1982-1988) and Chesterfield, Missouri (1988-present). I've been working in Chesterfield, since the city's incorporation, in 1988. I was the first employee hired, in 1988. I was recognized, last year, as a "Credentialed Manager" by the International City Management Association and had my "credentialed" status renewed this year. I have served as the President of the Missouri City Management Association (MCMA)(1991-92) and the St. Louis Area City Management Association (SLACMA) (1985-86) and received the Jay T. Bell Professional Management Award, from the MCMA (1998 - only one Manager/Administrator statewide is recognized each year), as well as the "Outstanding Achievement in Local Government" award, from the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, here in St. Louis (1990).

 

Loyd Gary Tipton MPA (update 11/01) gtipton@mindspring.com

Upon completion of the MPA program, I spent seven years as the Assistant, & then the City Administrator for the City of Orangeburg S.C. Since 1983, I have been with Merrill Lynch in Atlanta, working with individual and corporate accounts. I have also worked with some public sector and endowment accounts.  

1985

John Stringfellow (update 8/02) jstringman@aol.com

John is the area sales manager, midatlantic region, for Mitek Systems, Inc in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mitek (www.miteksys.com) is a technology company headquartered in San Diego, CA that provides software imaging solutions to the community banking industry. John has been in the banking technology industry for almost 25 years. After graduation, John became Associate Director of Alumni Relations for the Greater USC Alumni Association. He currently enjoys being single, with hobbies of golf, working out, running, tennis, softball, swimming, reading science fiction, and home remodeling. John has lived in Charlotte since 1983, and is a native of Chester, South Carolina.

1973 

W. Ralph Garris (update 11/01) Garris@gwm.sc.edu

Director of Development & Director of Criminal Justice, USC Lancaster.

1972

John Q. Tower, Sr. (update 5/01) towergroup@towergroupinc.com www.towergroupinc.com 

I am the founder & CEO/President of an international tax systems consulting and software development firm. The firm was begun in 1992 after a 15 year career with Alfa-Laval AB, as Swedish process technology business and previous stints with General Electric and Quaker Oats. I am a 1972 BA-International Studies graduate of GINT-USC and received my MBA in Finance from the University of Connecticut.

1970

Edward M. Templeman, Political Science, 1970 (update info 10/03)

In July 2003, I became the Chief of the Court Security Office for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in Washington, D.C. We're the "Third Branch of Government" and I get to witness and deal with many issues involving politics between the exectutive and judicial branch.

 

Brian Watts (update 4/02) bwatts@csusb.edu

Professor, Department of Public Administration, California State University, 550 University Parkway, San Bernardino 92407. I have most recently lectured at the University of Karlstadt (Sweden), the Norweigian National Police Academy (Oslo), and the Guadalajara Police Department (Mexico).  

1966

Ronald Nelson Brown (update 11/01) RNBLAW@swbell.net

It is not news, but I fondly remember classes in the old War Memorial, especially on Thursdays when I arrived in my NROTC dress blues and did battle with some of the "liberal" faculty. USC MBA 1973; JD 1996 Texas.

1961

Larry Weber (update (8/02) weber6560@AOL.com

Retired in 1991 from AT&T as VP Government Affairs after 30 years years with the Bell System and AT&T. Now split my time between Atlanta and Beaufort SC. 

1957

Edward P. Blanton, Jr. (update 11/01) BEPBlanton@aol.com

Retired March 1996 from the US Department of Energy after 29 years with the Federal Government. 13+ years with the Department of Energy at Savannah River Site in Aiken. I practiced law in Charleston for nine years, and in Aiken for two.