This Professor spent 30 years in political communication. Now, he’s giving it all back to students.

This article was written for a class and is not published anywhere.

Peter Loge has taught political communications for over 17 years, worked for the FDA and the United States Institute of Peace, has written two books, and has worked with countless lobbying firms, senators and representatives. Now, he’s brought all of that expertise to his new position: Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. 

Since his appointment in 2023, he’s been clear: he knows what he’s doing, even if there is a small learning curve. 

“It [GW] is a big, complicated organization,” he said. “But I know, like and respect SMPA students. Nobody here is a stranger to me.” 

Stranger is the exact opposite word that Sarah Morisette, his Chief of Staff would describe him as. In her time working with him, she credited him with bringing together the community and creating an open space for students to express themselves. 

“I think he does a really good job of making people feel welcome,” Morisette said. “With SMPA being over 400 undergrads, it’s nice to feel that community.” 

Those undergraduates do feel that community, according to Hayden Rometty, a sophomore in SMPA. He and Sarah both cite how Loge attempts to bring himself to the student’s level and connect with them personally. 

“He shows up to our 8 AM shoots for GW-TV, and that is something you don’t see often, especially someone in his position,” Rometty said. “He’s an incredibly humble man.” 

Despite a generally good response, there have been some controversies since he’s become director. One of those is diversity. 

While SMPA is an incredibly large school, a majority of the students in the organization are white, and as Loge says, are often from the same states. 

“I know you’re one of the only one of the few people who looks like you, or sounds like you, or whatever, but I need to make sure you’re comfortable.” he said. “We need to do better.”

He acknowledged that when students of color walk into a room, they might not feel represented, which is exactly why he is attempting to recruit students and faculty from different backgrounds. 

“We’re really lucky in DC that we are swimming in smart, interesting, accomplished people who want to teach,” he said. “With just the slightest effort, you can find interesting different people.” 

Diversity of backgrounds also includes diversity in political opinions and creating welcoming dialog, something that Loge prioritizes very much. 

He publishes a weekly piece called “View from the Loge” detailing advice to students on a range of topics. He continued with a campaign and elections series that elevated not only diverse perspectives in political science, but also from students that Loge places on the stage alongside them. He’s created a Director’s Advisory Council for students to suggest ways SMPA can improve. He even created a series with Michael Tomasky on the intersection of journalism and democracy. 

Despite these efforts to bring together diverse perspectives, another controversy that emerged is around the Israel and Palestine conflict, in particular, the pro-Palestinian protests, which took place right across from the SMPA building. Loge admitted that he could’ve done more in the moment. 

“I’m not sure I knew how to have those [conversations],” he said. “It’s a cop out to say that then wasn’t the moment for the conversation, even though it might not have been.”

Despite not facilitating the conversation, he claimed his focus remained on the students. 

“I was interested in them being okay first. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you getting rest?” he said. “We help take care of each other as people, and then the noise outside is important. Inside, let’s be students and part of a different community.”

In particular, he acknowledged that America is reaching a tumultuous time in its history: the 2024 election, which he has yet to speak out on or endorse a candidate, something which he has struggled over the past few months. 

“There is enough tension and chaos that I would like SMPA to be a place of calm. And I have very strong feelings on this election,” he said. “On some level, I want to make sure that SMPA is a place we can have those conversations.” 

Loge is all about conversation and open dialog. In his free time, he sits in his office, with his door open, facing the hallway, hoping students walk in to have a conversation with him about whatever they please. It’s that level of what Morisette and Rometty call humbleness that has really touched students - in particular, Andrew Lautz, a former student of Loge, now the associate director of the Bipartisan Policy Center. 

“He genuinely cares about his students, and you know, he’s invested in their success,” Lautz said. “He’s in a city full of gigantic egos. He not only doesn’t have that, he also keeps himself humble.” 

It’s students like Lautz which make it clear to Loge that he has a clear impact, something he hopes to continue as director, especially as he moves into his second year. Besides just rebalancing the school from journalism to political communication and creating more dialog and introducing more diversity, he hopes to remind students of the importance of SMPA. 

“SMPA is a really big deal, both here on campus and to American journalism and politics, and to some extent, world politics and world journalism,” Loge said. “I just hope to leave it stronger.”