Selected

Teaching

American Government. This introductory-level class examines key aspects of American government and politics. It is intended to prepare to college graduates to understand and analyze important social and political issues with greater depth and sophistication. It discusses important features of the American and Missouri state constitutions.

Civic Engagement in a Democratic Society. This class examines the role of civic engagement in shaping American communities and government. Students engage in "participant observation" related to civic engagement as a means of testing academic theories of civic engagement in the course. Class concepts include civic participation, trust, and polarization.

State Politics and Policy. This class examines the structure and politics of state government. Topics include elections, parties, state constitutions, and the different ways that states organize their branches of government. The class also examines key state policy domains including health, education, and the environment.

COVID-19 and Election Laws. This Fall 2020 undergraduate research class examined the unique challenges of administering the 2020 presidential election during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The election presented unique challenges of preserving public health, while ensuring the accessibility and integrity of the election. Election jurisdictions rapidly expanded mail voting operations, and faced other significant challenges such as recruiting poll working and processing a record number of ballots. Students researched state election practices, tracked state and local media coverage, and utilized voter turnout and residual vote data to assess state election systems.

Political Research and Analysis. This class introduces students to statistical methods and data related to government and politics. Students apply descriptive and inferential statistical methods to real-world data using R and R-Studio.