Hello! I am an assistant professor at Washington and Lee University in the Department of Politics . Prior to joining the faculty at W&L, I taught at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA, for three years (2020–2023), as well as Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN (2019–2020) and The University of the South in Sewanee, TN (2023–2024). Each, like W&L, is a small, residential liberal arts college; so, I am well acquainted with, and committed to, the liberal arts model of education—that is, teaching students to be interdisciplinary, life-long learners who think critically about the world around them.
I received my Ph.D. (2019) in Political Science from Vanderbilt University. My scholarly work focuses on electoral rules and reform in the U.S., particularly the motivations that actors have to change (or preserve) status quos. I have published in The American Journal of Political Science and Electoral Studies.
My interest in the study of elections dates to my years at Grinnell College (BA, 2008) and the University of Chicago (MA, 2011). Following these programs, I was a research fellow with the electoral reform nonprofit FairVote (2012), located in Washington D.C., working on proportional representation, ranked-choice voting, and electoral college reform. On a personal note, I am a devotee of Sibelius, a tennis enthusiast, and a doting dog papa. I'm happy to talk collaborations, teaching strategies, or classical music!
Contact me:
Mentoring hours for students
Location: Huntley 205A (campus map)
M . . . . . . . by appointment, 1:30—3:00
T . . . . . . . . walk-ins, 2:00—3:00
W . . . . . . . by appointment, 1:30—3:00
R . . . . . . . . walk-ins, 2:00—3:00
Mail
Sheahan G. Virgin, Ph.D.
Department of Politics, Williams School
Washington and Lee University
204 W. Washington St., Lexington, VA 24450