Board of Directors
William F. Connelly
William F. Connelly, Jr. is the John K. Boardman Politics Professor at Washington and Lee University where he has taught since 1986. He has a Ph.D. in American Government from the University of Virginia and a Masters Degree in Political Philosophy from Boston College. Dr. Connelly's practical experience complements his teaching.
After college he worked for the Connecticut General Assembly. Following graduate study and three years of teaching, Dr. Connelly was an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow in 1985-86, working as a Legislative Assistant on Capitol Hill. In 1991-92 Dr. Connelly was a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution. His research interests focus on congressional politics, including co-authoring with John J. Pitney, Jr. a book titled, Congress' Permanent Minority? Republicans in the U.S. House. Dr. Connelly has published articles in such publications as Political Science Quarterly, The Journal of Political Science, PS: Political Science and Politics, The Southeastern Political Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Roll Call, and The Hill.
At W&L Dr. Connelly teaches courses on Congress, the Presidency, Political Parties, Interest Groups and the Media, along with courses on the thought of James Madison and Alexis de Tocqueville. Dr. Connelly founded and directs Washington and Lee University's Washington Term Program. He has been faculty advisor to W&L's Mock Presidential Convention since 1988. In 2007 Dr. Connelly received the Virginia Council of Higher Education Outstanding Faculty Award.