Biography

Dr. Rhonda Wrzenski is an associate professor of political science at IU Southeast, and has been a member of the faculty since 2010. Before coming to IU Southeast, she earned her B.A. at Hastings College and her M.A. and Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. Wrzenski teaches an introductory course in American politics each semester along with upper-level classes in state politics, public policymaking, elections and voting, gender and politics, and political parties and interest groups. She received a Commitment to Innovation Award in 2014 for her regularly scheduled field trip to the state capitol in Indianapolis, and was one of eight faculty selected campus-wide for a Trustees’ Teaching Award in 2015. Wrzenski’s research focuses on legislative behavior, campaign finance, and the underrepresentation of women in politics. She recently published a textbook chapter on state and local government and an article on the electoral benefits of bill sponsorship and passage within the journal Social Science Quarterly. Among her service commitments, Wrzenski is the pre-law advisor for the IU Southeast campus and was instrumental in developing the new inter-disciplinary pre-law minor. She is also the co-advisor for two student groups, the College Democrats and the Civil Liberties Union and is a co-chair of the Social Sciences Forum committee, which plans educational forums open to the campus and community each semester. Dr. Wrzenski spoke with Academic Information Officer Steven Krolak.

Why is an election year a great time to study political science at IU Southeast?

It’s always a great time to study political science at IU Southeast! But in an election year, I think students are paying more attention to politics and can see the connection to their lives more clearly. The energy level tends to be high across campus as the election presents a lot of opportunities to connect socially with fellow students at events hosted by the political clubs on campus or by the political science department. In addition, students can put their knowledge of political science to use and further their political networks by working on campaigns during the fall semester. This gives them a real world, hands-on experience that is incredibly valuable. The election also presents an opportunity to bring in relevant political examples, activities, speakers, or films into class. Plus, the political science department offers courses specifically designed to serve students who have a particular interest in elections, the presidency, or campaign management, and want to learn more.

2016 has been called the “year of the outsider” in American politics. What do you think this says about Americans’ attitudes toward government?

I believe the public sees Donald Trump as a political outsider but Hillary Clinton is regarded as part of the Washington “establishment.” Where Hillary Clinton might be seen as an outsider is the fact she is a female politician in a profession that is very male dominated. But, if we view this election as one between “outsiders” in some capacity, I think it points to the general dissatisfaction and frustration the American public has with elected officials in general. I think Americans are tired of the partisan bickering and want to see the federal government pass more public policies.

There’s a tendency to focus on the presidential race, but you specialize in state and local races. Why are they just as important?

State and local elections tend to be decided with narrower voter margins due to the lower voter turnouts in these elections. Thus, it is more likely that your vote could actually make a difference in the outcome of an election at the local level. In addition, state and local officials make decisions about taxation rates, the provision of public services, community protection, community improvements, zoning, and so much more. In short, their decisions matter more in our day-to-day lives, and we are much more likely to interact with local government officials on a regular basis.

How did growing up in small-town Nebraska shape your approach to politics?

Small towns are very community oriented and members of these neighborhoods are often very engaged in political affairs and take the time to vote. Yet, politicians often fail to visit these rural communities personally because they are focused on maximizing their outreach in metropolitan areas. Nonetheless, I still remember every time in my youth that I had the opportunity to meet and shake hands with elected officials and what a special experience that was. I believe this voter outreach is critical to making citizens feel more engaged in the political process and more positive about their ability to shape political outcomes.

How do you seek to enrich the learning experience for students of political science?

In general, my classes support the philosophy that students should not be passive receptors of the educational process. Students are expected to engage in class discussions, collaborative group learning and research, think-pair-share exercises, in-class activities, and in-class presentations. My goal is to foster a learning environment where students feel free to ask questions, are compelled to participate, and learn from the experiences and ideas of other students, as well as their professor. In addition, students in all of my upper-levels at IU Southeast host guest speakers from throughout Indiana and Kentucky who can provide them with a sense of future career opportunities in our profession, offer internship possibilities, and enable them to connect course material to real life individuals. As part of this objective, I also (when appropriate to the course) immerse students in field trips and other out-of-classroom experiences like our biannual election night party. I also believe in the importance of engaging students in research and helping them to develop stronger written and verbal skills. Thus, I try to enrich the learning experience for my students by adding opportunities to develop these skills. For instance, I’ve asked students to follow and predict the outcome of competitive federal level campaigns, to conduct comprehensive public policy analyses, to build data sets on female representation, state variation, and electoral rules, and to read and summarize journal articles.

What can students gain from an immersive approach to political science?

When students are immersed in our field of study they can sharpen the connection between what they read in a textbook and what they experience in the real world. Depending on a given student’s interest, they are encouraged to do a political or legal internship during their tenure at IU Southeast. These experiences help them to build a political network, to peek behind the curtain into the inner-workings of government, and to get practice performing tasks that they would be expected to do in a career. For instance, each fall students have the opportunity to apply to intern during the spring with the Indiana State House or State Senate. This experience has been enriching for our students and has also opened doors to future paid campaign work.

Why are you so passionate about politics?

In particular, I’m passionate about understanding what drives the behavior of political actors ranging from politicians to party elites and campaign donors to average citizens. People believe there is a lack of rational action in politics but much of what happens is actually quite strategic. So, I’m fascinated with understanding the justifications for political decisions, the reaction to rule changes, the impact of introducing new groups into longstanding political institutions, and the unintended consequences of public policies. I try to understand the motivations for groups involved in the political process and why proponents and opponents to a course of action take the positions that they do. This helps me to make sense out of conflict and gridlock within politics.