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Since graduating from Grissom, I completed a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology (double major) at the University of North Alabama in 1980, and a master’s degree in political science (minor in history) at Auburn University in 1992, specializing in comparative politics and international relations. During the 1980s, I also attended the University of Alabama briefly, and worked as a staff reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, a political pollster for Southeast Research in Montgomery, and a graduate assistant in the Auburn University Extension Service and the political science department.
Soon after completing my master’s degree at Auburn in 1992, I worked for almost three years as an instructor of social sciences at Draughon’s Junior College in Montgomery. Since 1995, I’ve been a professor of social sciences at Iowa Central Community College. I served as department chair of social sciences at the institution from 1995 to 2001, and have been a faculty member since that time. I instruct a wide variety of courses including American National Government, Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, International Relations, Social History of Rock n Roll, Latin American History and Culture, Chinese History and Culture, African History and Culture, and East European History and Culture.
During the past decade or so, I’ve published over twenty peer-reviewed articles in various academic journals and books. My most famous article was published by Cambridge University (UK) and has been cited by the United Nations and numerous publications and course syllabi all over the world. I’m a two-time Fulbright Scholar (in China and the Czech-Slovak Republics), Oxford Roundtable alumnus, and Cambridge (UK) Scholar. I've also completed post-masters certifications in higher education and sociology coursework at Iowa State University, and am completing a doctoral degree in international development at the University of Southern Mississippi.
I’ve become an avid world traveler, having visited over thirty different countries since the late 1990s. I love to do sociological and political research while in other countries, and often take lots of photos. I also enjoy seeing live musical performances (especially classic rock and punk/alternative), hiking, swimming laps, snorkeling, walking on beaches, mountain climbing, weight lifting, reading books and articles on social science topics, collecting and reading comic books, watching movies, dining at great restaurants around the world, visiting historic sites in the U.S. and other countries, debating politics (I’m a strong liberal Democrat), singing karaoke, working in political campaigns, engaging in social movement activism for progressive causes, political blogging, and discussing current issues on Facebook.
