John Holder (political scientist)

John T. R. Holder is an American academic and political scientist. He is president of both the South Carolina Political Science Association and the North Carolina Political Science Association. He teaches various courses at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He is the son of Angela Roddey Holder, who was one of the first female lawyers to practice law in South Carolina.

Education

Holder studied political science at Haverford College in the 1980s. He received an M.A. and M.Phil. from George Washington University in the 1990s. In December 2004, he appeared on an episode of Wheel of Fortune. He used his winnings to pay for graduate study. He received his doctorate in public policy at the University of North Carolina.

Career

Holder previously worked as a congressional staffer in Washington, D.C. In 1995, Holder began teaching at Winthrop University, where his mother worked as an assistant professor in the 1970s. His family has been involved with the university for four generations. He serves on the executive board of the York County Democratic Party, and he served as a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention.