A passion to promote public policy
  - Ashley Walkley ('03)

Whether teaching research methods at Louisiana State University's Manship School of Mass Communication, writing books and articles with former professors from JMU or directing the Louisiana Survey, Kirby Goidel ('89) actively involves himself in the public policy arena.

Originally a psychology major, Goidel found his passion when he enrolled in Anthony Eksterowicz's American Government class in the fall of his sophomore year. He describes the experience as "life transforming," directing his education and career into political science and public policy research.

Goidel is director of public policy research at LSU's Manship School of Mass Communication. His responsibilities in-clude co-directing the school's Public Policy Research Lab, a state-of-the-art, public-opinion research center that helps to inform policymakers about citizen preferences in a responsive, nonpartisan and responsible fashion; teaching research methods at both the graduate and undergraduate level; and directing the Louisiana Survey, a series of studies examining the attitudes and behaviors of Louisiana residents. In addition, he has written and published two books and numerous essays and articles for journals, magazines and newspapers.

Money Matters, Goidel's first book, focuses on U.S. national elections and the impact of the Federal Election Campaign Act on electoral behaviors and processes. Because he felt that many questions were left unanswered, he penned a second book, The States of Campaign Finance Reform. Goidel is also contributing an essay to a special issue of White House Studiestitled, "The Presidency: Chief Architect or General Contractor?" Goidel also received the Hoosier State Press Award for best general column for an editorial he wrote in the aftermath of September 11th.

Goidel attributes his success to the generosity and influences of those who believed in him, especially Eksterowicz. The student/ mentor team has worked together on several occasions. "We educators often speak about passing the torch to another generation, but we do not actually see it in a personal sense. I am so fortunate to have seen this," Eksterowicz says.           

"We are culturally inclined to believe that we succeed or fail largely of our own accord. In reality, our successes are due largely to the generosity of others," says Goidel, who tries to pass along goodwill of his own by helping his students, providing assistance to other faculty members, and providing research to non-profit organizations and government agencies.