Department of Political Science Faculty & Office Staff

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My jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights

My Role in the Mahurin Honors College (MHC)

I pretend to supervise and increase the efficiency of a great group of faculty and professional team members in the MHC. Additionally, I oversee the strategic direction of the College and make decisions that others are glad they do not have to make. Increasingly, my time focuses on building relationships with alumni and friends of the MHC. Finally, when I am really lucky, I hang out and try to influence an amazing group of MHC scholars.

Educational Background

I have Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati and a. B.S. in Political Science, from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Hometown

I was born in Newfoundland, Canada, and grew up in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.

Academic Interests

I primarily researched issues related to how democracies address political terrorism and the international security policy, but as my career has evolved my research has increasingly focused on issues related to educating high-achieving students, academic leadership, and the administrative challenges of building an Honors College from the ground up.

Selected Publications

“Internationalizing with Intention: A Case Study—The Mahurin Honors College.” Chapter accepted for monograph Internationalizing Honors, eds. Kim Klein and Mary Kay Mulvaney, (with Audra Jennings) (forthcoming).

“Internationalization at U.S. Public Comprehensive Universities: Three Case Studies.” Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) Occasional Paper, 2018 (with Jermain Griffin, Mark Schaub, and Brian Steigler). http://www.aieaworld.org/occational-paper.

“Lessons from Honors: National Scholarships, High Impact Practices, and Student Success,” Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, vol. 18, no 1, Spring/Summer 2017, (with Audra R. Jennings).

“Promoting Speech and Debate as Beneficial for College Readiness,” Rostrum: A Publication of the National Forensic League, Vol. 88, Iss. 3, Winter 2014, pp. 46-48. With Jace Lux.

“High School Speech & Debate Activities and College Readiness,” Rostrum: A Publication of the National Forensic League, Vol. 87, Iss. 8, April 2013, pp. 38-42. With Jace Lux.

“The Three “Ts” of Giving Back: Time, Talent and Treasure,” Rostrum: A Publication of the National Forensic League, Vol. 86, Iss. 9, May 2012, pp. 32-34. With Jace Lux.

“Moving Mountains: Honors as Leverage for Institutional Change,” Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Vol. 12, No. 2, 2011, 101-04.

"The Role of Forensics in Selecting a College or University," Rostrum: A Publication of the National Forensic League, Vol. 85, Iss. 9, May 2011, 58-61.

“Elitism Misunderstood: In Defense of Equal Opportunity,” Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2009, 53-56, (Co-authored with Anne Rinn).

“Honors in 2025: Becoming What You Emulate,” HIP: Honors in Practice, Vol. 4, 2008, pp. 25-8.

“Literary New England: Planning and Implementing Domestic Travel Study,” HIP: Honors in Practice, Vol. 4, 2008, 127-142. (Co-authored with Derick Strode).

“The Institutional Perspective: Why National Scholarships Matter,” NAFA Journal, Summer 2007, pp. 15-6. • “BBQ with the Profs” and the Development of Collegial Associations,” HIP: Honors in Practice, Vol. 3, 2007, pp, 129-141. (Co-authored with Lindsey B. Thurman).

“John F. Kennedy’s Foreign Policy,” Book chapter in U.S. Presidents and International Relations. Editors Carl Hodge and Cathal Nolan. ABC-Clio, Inc. Santa Barbara, CA, 2007.

“Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Security Assistance: Comments on an Evolving Concept,” Defense Institute Security Assistance Management (DISAM) August 2005.

Hobbies & Interests

I enjoy international travel, reading and watching science/speculative fiction, exercising, cooking, and gardening. I am a big fan of pugs and I miss my two: Xerxes (passed in 2020 at the age of 17 and Xenophon (passed in 2018 at the age of 15).

What Brought Me to the WKU

The opportunity to be an institutional agent of change and design, develop, and lead what would later become the Mahurin Honors College, the first such college in the Commonwealth.

A Little About Myself

I became a faculty member as a result of JRR Tolkien and a ruined date. I am a lifelong member of Steeler Nation. In a former life known as my youth, I spent ten summers working in the charter sport fishing industry – many of my fondest memories are of taking customers fishing on Lake Michigan. I gave up fishing professionally to run a re-election campaign for my congressman. I miss fishing more than politics.