My academic career started at a small, comprehensive liberal arts institution, and I carry the perspective of a campus of 1800 students with me, bringing that individual attention to all of my classes. I utilize not only my academic experiences but also my professional training as a policy analyst in Washington, D.C. to inform my teaching philosophy—to cultivate smart political consumers by developing transferable skills such as critical thinking and analytic writing. I maximize student participation by refocusing student attention every 30 minutes, usually with hot-button topics or political satire. I incorporate students into demonstrations of social science, such as using surveys to highlight the process of research and asking them to critique scholarship in discussions. In recognition of my teaching at Ohio State, I won the Henry R. Spencer Award for Distinguished Teaching by a graduate student in the Department of Political Science for the 2013-14 academic year. I received an Influential Professor award from a scholar-athlete at the Spring 2017 athletic awards banquet, and for the 2016-17 academic year, I was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award at Bloomsburg University, nominated by graduating seniors and bestowed upon three faculty members university-wide.
I teach a wide variety of courses in American politics, including but not limited to: U.S. Government, Campaigns and Elections, Public Opinion, Women and Politics, and Research Methods. Recently, I have returned to my public policy roots by developing a hands-on State and Local Government course that engages real-world political questions through special speakers, including the town mayor, the county registrar for elections, a former school superintendent, a state budget analyst, and more. The class requires attendance at two town council meetings, and we traveled to the state capitol to spend the day with our state senator. I am a relentless advocate for internship experiences, and as such, I support Bloomsburg University students as the campus coordinator for The Harrisburg Internship Semester.
Example Syllabi:
Jessica A. Defenderfer 