Andrew Buher

The Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington, D.C., has selected Andrew Buher, a senior political science major at Rider University, as one of its 65 Presidential Fellows for the 2006-07 academic year.

Buher will join a select group of graduate and undergraduate students from leading colleges and universities across the country to study the U.S. presidency in-depth for the year.

The Center’s Fellows Program is a unique non-residential, educational initiative that allows the chosen students the chance to examine the president’s role in the nation and the world, the public policymaking process, and the chief executive’s relations with Congress, allies, the media and the American public. The program seeks to develop a new generation of leaders committed to public service.

“It is an incredible opportunity to learn first hand the effect that presidential policy has on the nation,” Buher said. “It is also a great opportunity to meet and learn from other students who want to be involved in public policy. I am humbled to be part of the program and am looking forward to the experience.”

As a Presidential Fellow, Buher will research, write and present an original paper on an issue of the modern presidency. He will also attend two conferences in Washington, D.C., – the first will be November 9-11 and the other will be in the spring.

The Center appoints professional mentors drawn from the community of public policy experts in Washington, D.C., to assist each student in the development of his or her paper, and to help guide in the research and writing of the paper. The students will present their papers at the spring conference. The Center will publish the 20 best papers and include the others as abstracts.

At Rider, Buher is working with Dr. Harvey Kornberg, professor of political science, on the development of his proposed paper. The working title of the paper is “Departing from the Status Quo – A Comparison of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s and George W. Bush’s Attempts to Mold Politics through the Courts.” In addition, Buher is involved in Rider’s Baccalaureate Honors Program and is writing an honors thesis entitled, “The Politics of George W. Bush’s Judicial Nominations.” Kornberg is his advisor for that paper as well.

Buher learned of the Fellows Program when he worked as an intern in Acting Governor Richard J. Codey’s office during the 2005 fall semester. He noted that Rider President Mordechai Rozanski and Jonathan Meer, vice president for university advancement, were both very encouraging and supportive. “Vice President Meer was able to provide some funding that made this experience possible for me,” said Buher.

While an intern in Gov. Codey’s office, Buher was involved in the development of the steroid legislation, cell phone driving policy, and stem cell policy. In the previous semester, he served as community relations intern for Congressman Rush Holt and assisted with his reelection campaign.

At Rider, he serves as elections and recruitment chair to the Student Government Association and is a student representative on the University Academic Policy Council. When he graduates in May, he plans to attend graduate or law school and is interested in a career in public policy and law.

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