Washington University students available for interviews
If you are looking for student perspectives on the 2000 election, presidential debates and campaign issues in general, there is no shortage of opinions among the students of Washington University in St. Louis. The following list provides a sampling of students who have agreed to share their political perspectives and debate-related anecdotes with interested media. It includes students involved in student government, campus political organizations and issue-oriented clubs, as well as students who are gaining first-hand experience in extraordinary debate volunteer positions. Students may be contacted directly at the phone numbers or e-mail addresses listed below. For assistance, contact Public Affairs at (314) 935-5230.
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Daniel Beckmann Senior Toledo, Ohio Political Science/American Culture Studies Arts & Sciences (314) 368-6515 cell (314) 935-4964 office dpbeckma@artsci.wustl.edu |
Beckmann serves as the general manager of WUTV, the campus television station. A political science and American Culture Studies major, he has also written for Student Life, the campus' primary student newspaper. This past summer, Beckmann worked as a reporter for the CBS station in Butte, Mont.
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Jen Bers Senior Arlington Heights, IL Arts & Sciences (314) 862-5135 jgbers@artsci.wustl.edu |
Bers serves as a member of Students for Choice, a group that advocates pro-choice initiatives in the St. Louis and Washington University community. Bers also participates in Alpha Phi sorority.
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Heather Brouillet Senior Bloomington, IL Environmental Studies Arts & Sciences (314) 935-3374 hmbrouil@artsci.wustl.edu |
Brouillet's passionate interest in environmental issues has intensified after hands-on experience in the field. She participates in the Sierra Student Coalition, a political organization that works to ensure that student voices are heard on environmental issues. Brouillet minors in political science and plans to attend law school.
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William
Bulman Junior Eatontown, NJ Arts & Sciences (314) 361-4421 wjbulman@artsci.wustl.edu |
Bulman plans to pursue a career in law, education, and/or public service. He engages in a variety of campus activities geared toward his interests in reading and writing and his desire to confront issues of public interest from an "apolitical" perspective. An opinion editor for Student Life, the campus' primary student newspaper, he also founded Philosophia, an intellectual discussion group.
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Julia Chamovitz Graduated - 1992 Pittsburgh, PA (412) 243-6141 home (412) 644-0667 work julia.chamovitz@us.cgeyc.com |
After graduating from Washington University in 1992, Chamovitz worked for Vice President Al Gore on the National Performance Review. She also worked for the National Economic Council for three years, serving as a staff analyst and writing briefing memos about local business conditions for President Bill Clinton as he traveled around the country. She and her husband, Brad Nilson, WU grad '92, have been volunteering at the Gore/Lieberman headquarters in Pittsburgh. She received her MBA from MIT and she is currently employed as a senior consultant at Gemini Ernst & Young in Pittsburgh.
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Matthew
S. Cole Senior Hannibal, MO John M. Olin School of Business (314) 862-2383 colem@olin.wustl.edu |
Cole serves as the chairman of the Conservative Leadership Association, a nonpartisan group committed to conservative ideals. For more information on the group, visit its website at www.rescomp.wustl.edu/~cla. Cole also serves as the president of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
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Robert Dahlgren Senior Atlanta, GA Architecture/Anthropology School of Architecture/Arts & Sciences (314) 935-3648 robertd@architecture.wustl.edu |
Dahlgren has established himself as an intergral part of the Washington University community, participating in activities ranging from the crew team through Theta Xi fraternity to the pre-law society. He also serves on Interfraternity Council, the governing body of the campus fraternities, and Order of Omega, a philanthropic Greek honorary. Dahlgren plans to pursue architectural consulting and architectural law.
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Brian Hamman Junior San Clemente, CA English/American Culture Studies/Computer Science Arts & Sciences/School of Engineering & Applied Science (314) 863-9473 bh1@cec.wustl.edu |
Hamman brings a diverse geographic perspective to Washington University, having lived in California, Holland and South Carolina. Editor-in-chief for Student Life, the primary student newspaper on campus, Hamman aspires to pursue a career in journalism.
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Risa Hoffman Junior Milwaukee, WI Spanish Arts & Sciences (314) 935-0397 home (314) 935-9046 work rwhoffma@artsci.wustl.edu |
Hoffman participates in Black Women/Jewish Women, a dialogue group on campus that has spurred the creation of two similar groups, and the Social Justice Institute at Hillel. She also organized Out of the Blue, Literacy Through the Arts, a group that makes it possible for Washington University Black and Jewish volunteers to work with children to promote literacy and art.
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Angela Howard Senior Denver, CO Civil Engineering School of Engineering & Applied Science (314) 935-2001 amh1@cec.wustl.edu |
Howard currently serves as the president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), a resource for women in the engineering school. In addition, she acts as the regional student representative to the National Council of Section Representatives for SWE at two annual conferences. SWE provides a fun, relaxed atmosphere to further academic, career and outreach opportunities for women engineers. Howard also participates in Delta Gamma sorority.
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Ian Klaus Senior San Francisco, CA History Arts & Sciences (314) 721-3358 irklaus@artsci.wustl.edu |
Klaus is a particularly well-rounded student. The senior honors thesis candidate in history also captains the men's soccer team and serves as one of two student members of the Washington University Board of Trustees. He is in the process of founding a service organization to get athletes involved in the community. Last summer he was awarded a Bemis Fellowship to study the letters and manuscripts of British WWI soldier poets at the Imperial War Museum in London.
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Dan Krochmal Junior Farmington Hills, MI Biology & Philosophy/Neuroscience/Psychology Arts & Sciences (314) 935-3170 dkrochmal63@aol.com |
Krochmal has pursued a variety of interests at Washington University. He has volunteered in a clinic, traveled to Peru to study the medicinal uses of plants, and renovated a mental health home in Bolivia. Krochmal also volunteered for the Gore campaign this summer as part of Gore's advance team.
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Shawn Kumar Sophomore Ballwin, MO Arts & Sciences (314) 935-2693 home (314) 360-3459 pager skumara@artsci.wustl.edu |
A student with a focus on social issues, Kumar participates in Amnesty International and the Progressive Action Coalition. He also works with the Socialist Forum, a group committed to promoting a wide variety of anti-capitalist theories. Kumar serves as a disc jockey and executive staff member for KWUR, the campus radio station; writes for Confluence newspaper; and participates in the Philosophy Club.
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Jordan Lewis Graduate Student Seaside, OR School of Social Work (314) 862-7561 home (314) 378-2691 cell jp1@gwbmail.wustl.edu |
Lewis is volunteering for the presidential debate at Washington University, working on DebateWatch, and working via the Internet to increase the number of Native Americans who vote both on campus and in other communities. He worked with Senator Daschel in Washington, D.C. for his practicum, concentrating on American Indian issues and working with tribal leaders from South Dakota to resolve conflicts on Pine Ridge.
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Jessica Logan Graduate Student Austin, TX Psychology Arts & Sciences (314) 935-6524 jmlogan@artsci.wustl.edu |
Logan currently serves as the south central regional coordinator of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students Association, a lobbying group based in Washington, D.C. She also acted as the president of the Washington University Graduate Student Senate last year. During her undergraduate years at the University of Texas-Austin, she was a "staunch Democrat," volunteering as a voter registrar on campus and collecting data for the Travis County Democratic Party.
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Laura Mendiola Sophomore Laredo, TX Arts & Sciences (314) 935-0317 LLmendio@artsci.wustl.edu |
Mendiola participates in a variety of campus activities, including Student Union Senate, Academic Affairs Committee, and Lock and Chain, a sophomore honorary. A member of the Association of Latin American Students and the Catholic Student Center, she also works with the Arts & Sciences Admission Program, the Assembly Series Committee and the Celebrations Committee.
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Carl Nordenberg Junior Pittsburgh, Pa. History/Economics/American Culture Studies Arts & Sciences (314) 935-3230 home (314) 935-4964 office cdnorden@artsci.wustl.edu |
Nordenberg serves as the vice president of the junior class, a position he was elected to by his peers. In addition, he acts as the producer and director of special events for WUTV, the campus television station, and serves as the vice president of Phi Alpha Theta, Washington University's history honorary. Nordenberg currently participates on the board of directors for Student Life and the University Undergraduate Council. Last year he was honored as Peer Advisor of the Year.
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Archit Patel Senior Irvine, CA School of Engineering & Applied Science (314) 935-1396 avp1@cec.wustl.edu |
Patel employs his talents in a diverse group of activities on the Washington University campus. A residential advisor in the residence halls on campus, Patel also serves as a student representative to the Board of Trustees, participates in Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honorary, and works with Ashoka, the Indian Students Association.
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Katherine Platt Sophomore Columbus, OH Arts & Sciences (314) 935-2225 home (314) 935-4043 office kaplatt@artsci.wustl.edu |
The Student Union secretary, Platt serves on the Assembly Series Committee, the Homecoming Steering Committee, the Campus Programming Council, and the Student Admissions Committee. Platt also acts as a member of the Presidential Debate Committee.
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Michelle A. Purdy Senior Jackson, MS Educational Studies/African-American Studies Arts & Sciences (314) 935-3223 home (314) 935-5916 office mapurdy@artsci.wustl.edu suprez@su.wustl.edu |
As president of the Student Union, Purdy represents the entire Washington University undergraduate body. She also acts as president of the Beta Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and is a member of the steering committee planning for the presidential debate. Purdy aspires to become a professor of history of education and African-American history.
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David Schuster Junior Webster Groves, MO School of Engineering & Applied Science (314) 935-2800 dms4@cec.wustl.edu |
Schuster serves as a member of Students for Life, a group committed to the idea that all human life is valuable. The group speaks out against abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia. They also volunteer in the St. Louis community. For more information about the group, visit its website at www.rescomp.wustl.edu/~st4life/.
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Ben Smilowitz Sophomore Hartford, CT Public Policy & Pre-Law (314) 935-2042 bssmilow@artsci.wustl.edu |
Smilowitz serves as the president of College Democrats, a group that works to organize student support for the Democratic Party. He also acts as a Student Union senator and serves as a social justice intern at Hillel on campus. This summer he helped write legislation and lobby for the "Younger Americans Act," which was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sen. James Jeffords (R-Vt.) and others. He was featured in Teen People Magazine as one of "Twenty Teens Who Will Change the World." Read more
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Chris Stetler Senior Wheaton, IL Arts & Sciences (314) 361-5351 cjstetle@artsci.wustl.edu |
Stetler serves as chairman of College Republicans, a group of students committed to political action in the Republican party. They are involved in party activities at local, state and national levels. To read an article by Stetler regarding former President Bush's view on serving less fortunate members of society, visit www.rescomp.wustl.edu/~cla/witness/light.htm.
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Matthew Telchner Senior Plymouth, MN Architecture (314) 862-3479 mattt@architecture.wustl.edu |
Teichner, who serves as president of the Architecture Student Council at Washington University, designed a lemur cage for the zoo along with a group of fellow architecture students. For more information on this project, visit the following web site: http://wupa.wustl.edu/record/archive/1999/05-06-99/articles/lemur.html.
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Chris Wheat Sophomore North Little Rock, AR Arts & Sciences (314) 935-2682 home (314) 935-5057 office (314) 424-5937 pager cowheat@artsci.wustl.edu |
Wheat serves as the speaker for the Congress of the South 40 and participates on the debate team. He also dedicates his energies to the Association of Black Students and the Association of Korean Students.
