John Gruhl, Professor of Political Science, received his AB from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and his PhD from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Since joining the University of Nebraska faculty in 1976, he has taught and done research in the areas of judicial process, criminal justice, and civil rights and liberties. He holds campus- and university-wide distinguished teaching awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching and became a charter member of the university's Academy of Distinguished Teachers.
Cartoonist Bill Watterson was born in Washington, D.C. on July 5, 1958. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1980 with a B.A. in Political Science. Before beginning to publish his popular Calvin and Hobbes comic strip in 1985, Watterson worked briefly as a political cartoonist and also designed grocery advertisements. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the most well-regarded, successful comics of the twentieth century. Watterson depicted the adventures of an imaginative six-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger for ten years and ended the strip at the height of its popularity. The creator is known for his revolutionary design techniques and refusal to merchandise his characters or allow them to appear… in an animated series. Watterson published several collections of his Calvin and Hobbes strips, including "It's a Magical World," "The Days Are Just Packed," and "The Revenge of the Baby-Sat." He has been recognized numerous times for excellence, including receiving two Reuben Awards for Cartoonist of the Year, consecutive Harvey Awards for Best Syndicated Comic Strip from 1990 to 1996, and two Eisner Awards for Best Comic Strip Collection.