political campaigning program alumni
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
(M.A. 1990)
U.S. House of Representatives
"The Political Campaigning Program gave me a strong foundation upon which to build a career in public service. My degree certainly caught the eye of elected officials when I first looked for a job. And the experiences I had as a student, particularly the opportunity to wage a mock campaign, helped give me the confidence I needed to run for office myself."
David Beattie
(M.A. 1997)
President,
Hamilton Campaigns - Washington, DC
"The Campaigning Program at UF helped to expand the knowledge I had gained earlier as both a campaign manager and candidate. It greatly enhanced my understanding of voting behavior, partisanship, and the impact of communications, while providing me with a useful theoretical framework for campaign decision making."
David Rancourt
(M.A. 1990)
Founding Partner, Southern Strategy Group -
Tallahassee, FL
"The UF Political Campaigning Program is simply a great education and a great experience. The combined academic and real-world approach to this graduate program is the right way to go. It helps to elevate the professioin and instill strong values of hard work, ethics, and an historic understanding of Florida politics and government. I wholeheartedly recommend the Political Campaigning Program to anyone interested in either."
Shannon McAleavey
(M.A.
1994)
Senior VP of Public Affairs,
Walt Disney World
- Orlando, FL
"The University of Florida Graduate Program in Political Campaigning prepared me in many ways for working in the world of politics. Although I am a lobbyist rather than a campaign manager, the strategic thinking and research skills taught in the program are thoroughly applicable. I approach each legislative bill we are working on as a "mini-campaign" and apply everything we learned during my time at UF. On top of everything else, the program presents a realistic view of the overall political environment and what it is like to work within it. That is probably the most valuable thing a lobbyist or any politico can have."
Tom Rooney
(M.A. 1996)
Attorney and
Candidate for U.S.
House of Representatives
"The Political Campaigning Program enabled me to understand politics in a way that most candidates would not. Running for Congress is extermely difficult, but the program at UF taught me what to expect and lent insight into the strategy that we are using in our campaign."
Donna
Victoria
(M.A. 1989)
President, Goodwin, Simon, Victoria Research - Washington, D.C.
"I was not really sure what I was looking for when I entered graduate school at UF. As it turns out, the Political Campaigning Program provided the perfect mix of practical experience (including exposure to many of those who have worked in the consulting industry) combined with rigorous methodological training and academic grounding. The experience made me more certain about where I was going with my career and gave me the tools to get there. I've been a guest lecturer for some of the campaigning programs at other universities, and I haven't seen anything that compares to the University of Florida."
Michael Cohen
(M.A. 1994, Ph.D. 1996)
President and CEO,
Cohen Research Group, Washington, DC
"The joint
program in political campaigning and mass communications
was a perfect fit for my career. It provided me the theoretical
and practical experience to run political campaigns,
work for the Gallup Poll, and ultimately open my own
firm. The Campaigning Program enhances your ability to
think critically and compete professionally in an arena
that needs both. But most of all, it provides you the
unique opportunity to work with future leaders in all
areas of business and politics."
Jay Payne
(M.A. 1998)
VP, Creative Services,
Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potholm
- Alexandria, VA
"The Campaigning Program at UF provided me with a base of knowledge that I now rely on everyday in creating effective political ads. The balance between theoretical and practical learning was unique and extremely important in my understanding of professional politics. For anyone interested in making a career in the political marketplace, this program is an invaluable experience and tool."
