CILA Staff
Dan Hofrenning, Professor of Political Science, Assoc. Dean of Social Sciences Email: dhofrenn@stolaf.edu
Phone: 507-786-3128
Hofrenning’s teaching focuses on American politics including campaigns and elections, environmental politics, and the intersection of religion and politics. As a scholar, he has written a book and numerous articles about a range of topics including religion, campaigns, lobbying, and issues of pedagogy
In January 2004 and 2008, he took students to New Hampshire and South Carolina immediately prior to the presidential primaries in those states. The class studied the nominating process and students interned with presidential campaigns. Various media outlets covered the course. In 2008, students also wrote for a popular blog, Oles in ’08, featured in the StarTribune. Viewers accessed the site over 15,000 times.
As a media commentator, Hofrenning has written op-ed pieces and provided commentary for a range of print, radio, and television outlets across the country. The StarTribune has been the most frequent place for his commentary, but he has also commented for Minnesota Public Radio, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and BBC Worldwide Radio. He has been part of the Political Science panel on the Twin Cities Public Television show, Almanac.
Hofrenning also has done some administrative work at the college as department chair for six years and now as Associate Dean of the Social Sciences. He also has served twice as interim director of the Center for Innovation and the Liberal Arts, a college center that focuses on teaching and learning.
Professor Hofrenning was born in New York and grew up in Minnesota. After studying at a seminary, he did his graduate work in political science and public policy at Duke University and the University of Minnesota.
Gary Muir, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Email: muir@stolaf.edu
Phone: 507-786-3138
Gary Muir is currently leading St. Olaf's Global Semester (Fall 2011-January 2012). He will take over as CILA's director Spring 2012.
Susan Carlson, Program Coordinator for the Center for Innovation in the Liberal Arts.
