Kevan M. Yenerall, PhD

Kevan M. Yenerall, Ph.D., teaches courses in American politics (the presidency, parties and electoral behavior), popular culture, civil discourse, and experiential learning. He is a faculty liaison for The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (twc.edu), and founding director of the Joseph and Mary Ellen Yenerall Politics & Public Service Scholarship, which honors his beloved grandparents by investing in the experiential education of PennWest Clarion students in the nation’s capital.

He is the recipient of the Clarion University Alumni Association’s  2025 Distinguished Faculty Award and Clarion Student Senate’s 2024 Outstanding Employee Award.

Dr. Yenerall is the author of “How Trump Won the United States of Pennsylvania” in Luke Perry, ed., The 2024 Presidential Election: Key Issues and Regional Strategies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025); "Pennsylvania: A New Bellwether?" in Luke Perry, ed., The 2020 Presidential Election: Key Issues and Regional Strategies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022); and coauthor of Seeing the Bigger Picture: American and International Politics in Film and Popular Culture, second edition (Peter Lang, 2012). He has authored chapters, essays, and articles in peer-reviewed publications and academic papers and presentations at professional conferences, universities, and civic organizations.

Committed to fostering political literacy and civic engagement through experiential education, Dr. Yenerall has facilitated student participation at nine Democratic and Republican national conventions, a presidential inauguration, gubernatorial inauguration, and seven Inside Washington academic seminars.

Dr. Yenerall served as the founding chair of the Popular Culture & Politics section of Northeastern Political Science Association (NPSA) for over a decade, was a faculty leader in AP American Government & congressional debate with the Junior State of America Foundation, and continues to serve as a board member with the Academic Seminars Advisory Group at The Washington Center.

In the realm of public service, government relations, policy, and politics, he has served as a legislative intern with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; legislative delegate, state executive council member, public relations chair, and government relations intern with the Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties (APSCUF); research associate with the Center for Public Management & Regional Affairs (Miami University); and an elected delegate to a national party convention and state party committee.

A native of western Pennsylvania, Dr. Yenerall earned his B.A. in English & political science at Duquesne University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in political science at Miami University.

Media (political analysis and commentary): Reuters, The Economist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Pennsylvania Cable News Network (PCN), Erie News Now, The Briefing with Steve Scully (POTUS Politics/SiriusXM), KDKA, Dallas Morning News, Agence-France Presse, De Groene Amsterdammer, NewsNation, Fox News, Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, WMBS Uniontown, PennWest POV, others.