Brent Nelsen

Who is Brent Nelsen?

Brent Franklin Nelsen is an American political science professor at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He serves as chair of the South Carolina Educational Television Commission, having been appointed to the position by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in 2011. In 2010 he was a Republican candidate for the position of South Carolina State Superintendent of Education. On Thursday, April 25, 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama nominated him for confirmation by the U.S. Senate to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Corporation for Public Broadcasting, for a term expiring Sunday, January 31, 2016, replacing Gay Hart Gaines, whose term expired. He was confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2013.

Nelsen completed his undergraduate study at Wheaton College and then pursued a Masters and Doctorate of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has taught political science at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina since 1989. He was chair of the Furman Department of Political Science from 2003 to 2009. Nelsen also served as President of the South Carolina Political Science Association from 2009 to 2010 and President of Christians in Political Science from 2004 to 2006. His scholarship focuses on the European Union, especially the role of religion in the formation of attitudes toward European integration.