Maxwell School News and Commentary

Catherine Herrold, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, discussed different strategies for civil society under threat and highlighted the need for continued investment in civil society organization resilience as essential to defending democratic principles and achieving social justice.

Initial findings found that Republicans were more invested in watching the first presidential debate between President Biden and former President Trump than Democrats or independents.  

Zoe Tatum Best, a rising senior majoring in political science, is the recipient of this year’s Matthew Ross Wanetik Memorial Scholarship, which honors the life of a Maxwell School student who passed away from an undetected heart ailment while studying abroad in 2008. 

Latest cohort of graduates receive degrees as Maxwell celebrates its centennial. 

Born on July 30, 1924, she was just three months old when the school was founded by entrepreneur George H. Maxwell. Some 18 years later, Rudolph—whose maiden name is Millinger—left her home in New York to attend the school, which fostered her lifelong interest in world affairs, politics and government.

The late professor was instrumental in shaping citizenship curriculum and impacted thousands of students in his more than 40 years on the faculty. 

Marguerite J. Fisher was a revered teacher known for her international scholarship and activism for domestic social issues. 

The Maxwell School has evolved to meet the needs of an increasingly interconnected world while continuing its focus on citizenship. 

The educational and research resource will create “new, urgently needed, accessible opportunities for the humanities to speak to public health and broaden access to humanities higher learning opportunities,” says Professor Amy Fairchild, who is principal investigator (PI).

Doris “Dottie” Payson ’57 passed away on Feb. 12, 2024, at the age of 87. She served on the Maxwell Advisory Board from 1998 to 2013 and was a life member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which she joined in 2000.