Seth Andersen

As Director of the John C. Culver Public Policy Center, Seth Andersen works with students interested in pursuing careers in politics and public service. The Center’s nonpartisan programs encourage students to actively participate in our democracy and consider public service as their life’s work. Andersen fosters student development through the Culver Fellows program, which awards four-year scholarships to incoming Simpson College students who demonstrate a commitment to public service. He works with the Culver Fellows and Simpson College faculty and professional staff to educate the campus community and the broader public through the annual Culver Lecture, which brings prominent national figures to campus to meet with students and deliver a public lecture. The Culver Center also sponsors nonpartisan voter registration drives, dialogue and civil discourse programs, panel discussions, policy forums, film screenings, candidate visits, and student trips to national conferences.

Prior to joining the Culver Center, Andersen served as Executive Director of the American Judicature Society, an independent national organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice. He also served on the staff of the American Bar Association as Special Assistant to the President and Project Manager for the Standing Committee on Judicial Independence. He has written and spoken extensively on judicial independence, judicial selection, and the jury system.

In addition to directing the Culver Center, Andersen serves on the board of the Iowa International Center and as a volunteer news reader for IRIS, the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service for the Blind and Print Handicapped. He also contributes his event planning and management experience to major concerts and festivals in Central Iowa including the Hinterland Music Festival, 80/35 Music Festival, Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, Iowa Craft Brew Fest, and Des Moines’ Oktoberfest.

B.A., University of Kansas, 1993

“The Voters’ Views on Judicial Merit Selection,” Wayne Law Review, Volume 56, Number 2 (2010) (symposium).

“Examining the Decline in Support for Merit Selection in the States,” Albany Law Review, State Constitutional Commentary, Volume 67, Number 3 (2004) (symposium).

“The Role of the Organized Bar in Promoting an Independent and Accountable Judiciary,” co-author with D. Dudley Oldham, Ohio State Law Journal, Volume 64, Issue 1 (2003) (symposium).

“Merit Selection,” co-author with Joel F. Knutson, entry in Legal Encyclopedia of the World, Herbert Kritzer, ed., (ABC-CLIO, 2002).

“Judicial Retention Evaluation Programs,” Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, Volume 34, Issue 4 (June 2001) (symposium).

Diversity and the Judicial Merit Selection Process, American Judicature Society, 2000; co-author with Kevin M. Esterling.

Des Moines Music Coalition – Volunteer and Community Activist of the Year Award, 2016.