Meet Josh Weikert: ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion Who is Involved in Politics & Beer Judging

Josh Weikert is now a four-day Jeopardy! champion with a total of $59,202. But there’s more to him than just his game show smarts. Here is everything to know about Weikert.

With his winnings, Weikert has pledged 10 percent of them to a scholarship fund for veterans and their families.

He is from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and is a life-long fan of Jeopardy!. Weikert took the online test for more than 10 years before finally getting the call to come on the show. He then had one month to prepare for his episode.

“We didn’t watch it for entertainment; we watched it to answer the questions—we took it seriously,” he told his university. “Being on Jeopardy! was a dream come true. It’s something I’ve wanted my whole life.”

The game show contestant is an associate professor of political science and chair of the Department of Civic Engagement at Immaculata University in East Whiteland Township. He has gotten his degrees from Temple University, Immaculata, Villanova University, West Chester University, and the Foreign Language Center. According to his faculty bio page, Weikert has won numerous awards, including the Fulbright Specialist Program Fellow, a nomination for the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award, 2016 Outstanding Faculty Award, dean’s assessment from West Chester University Honors College, and was a Temple University Presidential Fellow.

 

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A post shared by Barbara Sliker Weikert (@bsweikert)

Friends, family, and faculty members gathered on campus to watch his first game on Friday, March 21, according to 6ABC Action News. Students also took part in a trivia game hosted by Weikert before his appearance. He is the first from the university to compete on Jeopardy!, according to the college’s website.

“It’s almost tough to put into words. I’m ecstatic. I’m so proud of him. He’s always been outstanding, so it doesn’t surprise me,” James Weikert, Josh’s grandfather, told the outlet.

Aside from teaching politics, Weikert is also involved in the field. He is a policy advisor for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and is a simple affairs officer for the U.S. Army. He believes that his background in the field helps him with trivia since it encompasses history, politics, economics, communications, and many other pertinent areas.

On the most recent episode, Weikert revealed that he was in the Army reserves. “I was done with school once I hit 18, so I enrolled,” he said on the show.

When he is not on Jeopardy!, teaching, serving his country, or dealing with politics, Weikert spends his time judging beer competitions. According to Beer Connoisseur, he took up home brewing in 2007 during graduate school. He is a founding member and past president of the Stoney Creek Homebrewers, has medaled in every BJCP beer style, is a BJCP Grand Master Judge and Certified Cicerone, and is a two-time Eastern Pennsylvania Homebrewer of the Year. Weikert also runs a blog about his hobby, Beer: Simple (beer-simple.com). His wife is also an award-winning brewer.

Weikert is married to a woman named Barbara (Sliker) Weikert, who flew with him to Los Angeles, California, to film his episodes on February 10. All of his episodes were filmed in a single day. They live with their dog, Biscuit.

 

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A post shared by Josh Weikert (@drjoshweikert)

The couple first met as students in middle school in East Norriton, Pennsylvania, according to Villanova’s website. She is a musician and teaches music to middle school students. The couple lost touch throughout the years but reunited while in college. After graduating, Josh went into the military, but when he came back home, his relationship with Barbara continued.

“It’s been so much more fun looking back on the experience,” he told Immaculata.

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