Recent Placements of Graduate Students
Shereen Ainsworth (August, 2025).
Holly Kartchner (August, 2025).
Dissertation: Dual Credit in Rural Southeast Idaho, A Case Study: Access, Address, and Barriers
Sarah Menish-Geryk (May 2025).
Dissertation: The Personalities of Conspiracy Theorists: An Examination of the Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on the Belief in Conspiracy Theories
Erika Richards (December 2024)
Jonathan W. Blakeman (December 2024)
Dissertation: Familial Political Socialization: A Family Strength Study
Current Position: Faculty, Department of Sociology and Social Work, at BYU-Idaho.
Jessica Sargent (May 2024)
Dissertation: Optimistic Realism in Higher Education: Empowering Students for a Complex World.
Current Position: Teaching Assistant Professor, Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (starting fall 2025).
Phil Sibanda Nyaku (December 2023)
Dissertation: The Southern African Development Community’s Two Identities and the Islamic Insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province: The Search for An Alternative African Transnational Administration Theory
Current Position: On the job market
Misty Prigent (May 2023)
Dissertation: Measuring the Power of Non-State Actors against State Power:
Presenting a New Non-State Actor and Nation-State Power Index
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Columbia Basin College
James Pascali (May 2023)
Dissertation: Developing Deaf Voices: Understanding the Role of Emerging Deaf Identity on Political Engagement Regarding Issues of Accessibility.
Current Position: Associate Director, TRIO, Idaho State University
Chadwick Pearsall (August 2022)
Dissertation - Memory and Salience of Japanese and Japanese American Internment in the 21st Century
Current Position: Assistant Professor and Director of Global Connections, Northwest Nazarene University.
Krystoff Kissoon (May 2022)
Dissertation –Here Every Creed and Race Find an Equal Place”: Public Perceptions of LGBTQ Policymaking in Trinidad & Tobago
Current Position: Assistant Director, Social Justice Education, Student Affairs, Denver University.
Laticia Herkshan (May 2022)
Dissertation – Water is life: An Exploration of Indigenous Perspectives on River Management
Current Position: Undergraduate Advisor/Mentor, Department of Geosciences/Indigenous STEM Education Researcher, Idaho State University.
Jill Kirkham (December 2022)
Dissertation - Where the Sun Should Not Shine: How the Perceptions of Victims Shape Victim Redaction Policies in Idaho.
Current Position: Instructor, College of Eastern Idaho.
Travis Taylor (December 2021)
Dissertation – “Imperative to Participate: Understanding African American Voter Turnout in High-Profile Elections with African-American Candidates.”
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Southwest Tennessee Community College.
Chris Brown (August 2021)
Dissertation – “ Boomers, Doomers, and Zoomers: Examining America’s Existential Moment"
Current Position: Missouri State Technical College.
Bruce Blair (December 2020)
Dissertation: “Imagining Sisyphus Happy: Macro-Narratives and the Politics of Fear.”
Current Position: Senior Analyst, Gas Division, Department of Energy. State of New Hampshire.
Cheryl O’Brien (May 2020).
Dissertation: “Emergence of Supportive State Nuclear Energy Policy in the 21st century: Event History Analysis of Substantive and Symbolic Policy Adoption.”
Current Position: IWBC-East Associate Director, Serving the Great State of Idaho.
Dylan Stiegmeier (December 2019)
Dissertation – “An Examination of Freedom to Roam Principles and Access of Undeveloped Lands in Idaho.”
Current Position: Executive Director, The Theodores. Adjunct faculty: Spokane Community College.
William Toombs (May 2019)
Dissertation – “Value of Information: Influences on and Public Perceptions of Wildfire and Land Management Policy.”
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Regional Planning and Development at Muskingum University (Ohio).
Kurt Fertig (May 2019)
Dissertation – “Justifying Justice: Strengthening Foundations for the Rights of Accused Persons.”
Current Position: Chief of Police, Tremonton, Utah, Retired.
Larry Leibrock (May 2018)
Dissertation: An Awkward Embrace: Reconsidering the Yemen Model — Critical, Feminist, and Gender Theory Alternative Perspectives.”
Current Position: Assistant Clinical Professor, Cybersecurity, Idaho State University
Adam Brewer (August 2017)
Dissertation – "A Bridge’s Demise: A Study of Coalitional Narrative Strategies Advanced in the Columbia River Crossing Boondoggle."
Current Position: Visiting Professor, Political Science, BYU-Idaho.
Carine de Sy (August 2016)
Dissertation – "Media sources tell stories to frame groups: A study of Syrian refugees in Quebec analyzed by the Narrative Policy Framework"
Current Position: Adult Protective Services Investigator, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
Barbara Cunningham (December 2015)
Dissertation – "Individualism and collectivism and its relation to Americorp"
Current Position: Senior Grant Project Coordinator, Institute for Rural Health, Idaho State University.
Kacee Garner (December 2015)
Dissertation – "Social good: Citizen entrepreneurs and the social good"
Current Position: Instructor, Wartburg College, Iowa.
Adam Clapp (August 2015)
Dissertation – "Recess in Africa, AK 47s and hand grenades: A comparative study of four African nation states and the underlying causes of child soldiers"
Current Position: Instructor, Alvin Community College.
Shea Robison (August 2015)
Dissertation – "The political implications of epigenetics: Novel narratives of the self, the environment, and causal responsibility."
Current Position: Post-doc, Public Policy, City University, Hong Kong.
Scott Lee (December 2014)
Dissertation – "CIEDRA: An anomaly or the death knell of collaborative decision making for Idaho public lands use issues."
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Indiana University, East.
Jody Hicks (May 2014)
Dissertation – "A public service component to online teaching: An empirical analysis."
Current Position: Instructor, Mohawk Community College.
Caleb Husmann (May 2013)
Dissertation – "Curling Alone: An examination of transnational social capital."
Current Position: Assistant professor, William Peace University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Elizabeth Kusko (May 2013)
Dissertation – "Policy narratives, religious politics, and the Salvadoran Civil War: The implications of narrative framing on U.S. foreign Policy in Central America."
Current Position: Assistant professor, William Peace University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Phillip Allred (May 2012)
Dissertation – "LDS Democrats: Utilization of Lakoff's thesis."
Current Position: Faculty, Department of Religion, BYU-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho.
Henry Evans (May 2011)
Dissertation – "Policies where people matter: Anti-poverty programs and the importance of citizen participation."
Current Position: EO/AA and Diversity Management Analyst, Idaho State University.
Tyler Watson (May 2011)
Dissertation – "How can I improve my ratings?: a regression of analysis of student evaluations of university professors."
Current position: Faculty, Public Health, BYU-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho.
Ruth Arnell (May 2011)
Dissertation – "The most affected principle: a foundation for ethical cosmopolitical governance."
Current Position: Faculty, BYU-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho (retired).
Jason Blazevic (May 2011)
Dissertation – "China's pursuit of power: objectives and consequeces of the security boundary."
Current Position: Director of Social Studies / Director of Statewide Online Program - Dixie State University
Andrew Steinfeldt (May 2010)
Dissertation – "The early modern presidency and the significance of Grover Cleveland's presidencies in its development."
Current position: Instructor at Lamar State College in Texas.
David Bowlby (May 2009)
Dissertation – "Sixteen words: The religion clauses of the First Amendment."
Current Position: Instructor of History and Political Science, Motlow State Community College, Motlow, Tennessee.
Paul Pope (August 2008)
Dissertation - "George W. Bush and the Unitary Theory: Deconstructing Unitary Claims of Unilateral Executive Authority."
Current Position: Assistant Professor and MPA Director in the Department of Political Science at Montana State, Billings.
Paul Hathaway (May 2008)
Dissertation - "Groupthink Phenomenon and Self Esteem in Bureaucracies: A Comparison Between Private and Public Sector Organizations."
Current Position: Associate Professor, Public Administration, Department of Political Science, Jacksonville State University, Alabama.
Kathleen DiLorenzo (December 2006)
Dissertation - "Accountability in the Changing Environment of Public Administration: Is Contracting Out Changing the Way Accountability is Perceived in the Public Sector?"
Current Position: Associate Professor of Public Administration, University of Alaska, Southeast, Juneau, Alaska.
Trent Rose (May 2006)
Dissertation: "Measuring Social Capital."
Current Position: Professor, BYU-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho.
Seth Kellam (August 2005)
Dissertation: "Regimes as Solutions to the Problems of International Coordination: An Examination of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime."
Current Position: College of Western Idaho/Adjunct faculty at ISU (out of academia).
Elizabeth Shanahan (August 2005)
Dissertation - "Land Conservation Initiatives in the American West: An Examination of Varying Levels of Support."
Current Position: Associate Professor of Political Science, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.
Tim Tingey (August 2005)
Dissertation: "Evaluating Private and Public Factors in Shaping Local Economic Development Policy: Using a Case Approach."
Current Position: Director of Development, City of Murray, Utah, adjunct instructor, University of Utah.
Martin Jam (May 2004)
Dissertation - "Does Neighborhood Organizing Increase Voter Turnout?"
Current Position: Non-Profit fundraiser, Pocatello, Idaho.
Rick Fawcett (May 2004)
Dissertation - "Decision Making Based Upon the Modeling of Property Devaluation: Generated by the Attached Stigma from the Routine Transportation of Spend Nuclear Fuel."
Current Position: Idaho National Laboratory (retired).
Ralph D. Berenger (May 2002)
Dissertation - "Frame Theory and Political Behavior by Candidates, National Media and Voters in the 2000 Primary Election.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Journalism, American University in Cairo, Egypt.
Chuck Prince (May 2002)
Dissertation: "The Meaning and Purpose of the Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution."
Current Position: Vice President and Director, Idaho Nevada Community Development Financial Institution, Pocatello, Idaho (deceased).
David V. Wold (December 2002)
Dissertation - "The Politics of Angry White Males: An Application of a Social Comparison Model of Relative Deprivation."
Current Position: Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Sociology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho (retired).
Douglas A. Landau (December 2002)
Dissertation: "Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders."
Current Position: Professor, Public Safety Program, Edison College, Florida (retired).
Joseph Morris (August 2000)
Dissertation - "The Role of Narratives in Bureaucratic Problem Solving: The Case of Bison and Brucellosis in Yellowstone National Park."
Current Position: Associate Professor of Political Science, Mercyhurst College, Erie, Pennsylvania.
Kenneth B. Schuster (August 2000)
Dissertation: "The National Environmental Policy Act: An Investigation into the Improvement of Federal Agencies in the Environmental Impact Statement Process over Time."
Current Position: Director, Soil and Conservation District, Washington.
Cynthia Marie Culbertson (May 2000)
Dissertation: "Factors Associated with Effective Rural Community Based Development Groups."
Current Position: Director of Admissions and Student Relations, College of Pharmacy, Idaho State University.
Kai-Chi Hsu (May 2000)
Dissertation: "An Analysis of Political Violence in the Developing Countries."
Current Position: Teaching at a Taiwanese University.
Gary L. Scott (May 1999)
Dissertation: "A treatise on the emergence of an entrepreneurial government. A study on reinventing government: environmental security issues associated with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)."
Current Position: Director of the National Border Technology Partnership Program, under the U.S. Department of Energy, New Mexico.
LaNada War Jack (May 1999)
Dissertation: "Epistemology of a Muted Group: Native American Perceptions of the Natural World with Implications for Political Policy Process."
Current Position - Executive-Director, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Fort Hall, Idaho.
Robert C. Wadman (May 1998)
Dissertation - "Organizing for the Prevention of Crime."
Current Position - Professor of Criminal Justice, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah (retired).
Stephen R. White (May 1997)
Dissertation - "Global Education and Social Reconstructionism: Constructivist Pedagogy in an Era of Global Change."
Current Position - Professor of Leadership and Educational Studies, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina (retired).
Darrial Reynolds (May 1997)
Dissertation - "Political Participation and Health Self-Profiles Among the Elderly Population."
Current Position - Professor of Government, South Texas College, McAllen, Texas.
Kent M. Tingey (May 1997)
Dissertation - "College and University Presidential Leadership: Framed by Leadership Orientation and Institution Type."
Current Position - Vice President for University Advancement, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho.
Earl F. Phippen (Fall 1996)
Dissertation - "Constitutional Crises in Foreign Affairs: The Role of the Judiciary."
Current Position - Instructor, Dept. of Political Science, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho (retired).