Jefferson Wins Excellence in Teaching Award
Dr. Kurt Jefferson, Professor and Chair of Transnational and International Studies, Assistant Dean of Global Initiatives and Director of the Churchill Institute for Global Engagement, is the 2016 recipient of Westminster’s highest award for teaching at Westminster College, the Buschman-President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
After 23 years at Westminster, this is an important moment for me,” says Dr. Jefferson. “It validates the reasons I came here and I am grateful to my colleagues and students who have recognized and rewarded me.”
Dr. Jefferson, who has been teaching and serving at Westminster since 1993, has taught in the areas of political science and transnational studies and specializes in comparative European politics with course focused on Western Europe, Central Europe, and post-Soviet Russian politics. He also teaches transnational studies.
Dr. Jefferson studies European political parties, political development and small nations in Europe. He has published two books, the most recent being Celtic Politics: Politics in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (2011). He has also published in numerous journals and scholarly sources including American Review of Politics, Global Economic Review, PS: Political Science and Politics, Journal of Legislative Studies, Journal of Scientific Psychology and Encyclopedia of Race and Racism.
His political commentaries and analyses have appeared in the Global New York Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Christian Science Monitor, BBC World Service, Radio Kingston (Jamaica), Wisconsin Public Radio and others.
In 2009, Dr. Jefferson was named one of the “Top Ten Legends of the Faculty” by the Westminster College Alumni Association. He has held several positions at Westminster since his arrival, including Chair of the Department of Political Science, Social Sciences Division Chair, Coordinator of the Leadership Studies program and Director of the Churchill Academy. He has directed the Hancock Symposium since 2010.
In his private time, Dr. Jefferson enjoys sports, music, reading and spending as much time possible with his family and their two beloved dogs, a Cavachon named Rosie and a Maltese named Penny.
