PS academic advising will be held in-person in our North Hall offices unless otherwise noted as a “Remote Advising Appointment” in the appointment type when you search for appointments in Starfish. We have designated options available for both appointment types, though the majority of which take place in-person.
The Political Science Department is located in North Hall, the oldest building on campus. Due to its age, this building is not accessible to individuals with mobility disabilities and does not have an elevator or accessible restroom. Faculty, instructors, and staff will accommodate those for whom North Hall presents a disability-related barrier to ensure equal opportunity for all students to attend office hours, advising, and other department-related events.
Scheduling
All currently declared students and current UW-Madison undergraduate students interested in the Political Science major are welcome to schedule an appointment. Advising appointments can be made through Starfish. You can access Starfish from your MyUW dashboard.
To add the Starfish app:
- Login to MyUW
- Search for Starfish
- Click Add to home for easy access
- Launch the app
Please click this link for instructions on how to use Starfish.
Our PS Peer Advisors are available to discuss internship resources, PS classes, future semesters, Wisconsin in Washington, double majors, certificates, and anything else that might be on your mind.
Samantha Sheanin: My name is Samantha Sheanin and I am a senior majoring in Political Science, International Studies, and getting a certificate in Public Policy. I’m from Berkeley, California, and my academic interests specifically include international law, foreign policy, and terrorism. This past summer, I interned in the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. while I was on the Wisconsin in Washington program. I plan to attend law school in the Fall of 2024 after working for a year after graduation (hopefully in D.C.!). I can’t wait to meet you all this year!
Contact Information: Email samantha.sheanin@wisc.edu | Schedule an appointment with Samantha

Julia Nestel: Hi! My name is Julia Nestel and I am a senior double majoring in Political Science and Spanish! I am originally from Bethesda, Maryland which is a suburb outside of Washington, DC. I declared my Political Science Major during my first year on campus and spent the Spring Semester of my junior year studying abroad in Barcelona. I have been a research assistant within the Political Science Department for the last two years for Professor Barry Burden, Ph.D. candidate Kennia Coronado, and now Professor Ryan Owens. I am also a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, a pre-law fraternity, and am on a pre-law track myself!
Contact Information: Email jnestel@wisc.edu | Schedule an Appointment with Julia

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