Faculty
Baas, Larry Ph. D.
After receiving his B. Ed. at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Professor Baas taught at Beaver Dam High School in Wisconsin. He then returned to college attending Kent State University where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. He taught at Kent State University for three years before arriving at Valparaiso University in 1974. He is currently a Professor and the Chair of the Political Science Department. Professor Baas teaches courses in Constitutional law, the judicial process, the presidency, research methods, and political behavior. His research interests have varied and he has published articles in a wide variety of social science journals. His is also director of the department’s Community Research and Service Center where faculty and students are involved in community research projects.
Pamela Blackmon, Ph.D.
Professor Blackmon did her undergraduate work at Virginia Commonwealth University and received her Ph. D. from the University of Miami. She began teaching ar VU in the fall of 2006. Prior to coming to VU she taught at Oklahoma State University. She will teach courses in comparative politics and international relations with emphasis on international economics. Her current research focuses on economic development and reform in the former Soviet Union countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Jennifer Hora, Ph. D.
Professor began teaching at VU in the fall of 2006. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire and received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. Prior to coming to VU she taught at Roanoke College in Virginia.. She teaches courses in American Politics, Public Policy, Public Administration and state and local government. Her current research focuses on an analysis of persuasive communications found in the tape-recorded conversations of both President Nixon and Johnson.
Kingsland, James Ph. D.
James Kingsland was born in North Carolina and raised at the center of the Universe (Brooklyn, N.Y.). He graduated from Erasmus Hall High School two years ahead of Barbra Streisand. Professor Kingsland majored in Political Science at Western Reserve University, which is now known as Case-Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. He then began graduate work in the African studies program at Northwestern and spent a year doing field research for his Ph.D. in Sierra Leone West Africa. After teaching at Penn State for about seven years he came to Valparaiso to attend law school. After practicing law for more than ten years he tired of helping rich people stay rich and returned to teaching. He now teaches Law and Politics course at Valparaiso University.
Lin, Zhimin Ph.D.
Zhimin Lin was born in China in 1954. Professor Lin received his bachelor degree from Fudan University in Shanghai, his Master's degree from Princeton, and Ph.D. from the University of Washington. A specialist on China and East Asia, Professor Lin has done extensive research on Chinese Politics and international relations in the Asia-Pacific area. Many of his works have appeared in professional journals and books. Professor Lin is now working on two book projects. One is focused on China's changing central-local relations, and the other is on the prospect of modernization of China's diplomacy.
Old, James Paul Ph.D.
Professor Old was born in the upper peninsula of Michigan and received his B.A. degree in 1992 from Hillsdale College in southern Michigan. He then began graduate work in American Politics and Political Theory at the University of Notre Dame where he completed an M.A. and Ph.D. He taught briefly at Hillsdale College before coming to to Valparaiso in 1999, originally to teach in the Valpo Core. His areas of expertise are in political theory, especially Christian political thought and American political thought, and religion and American politics. He currently teaches courses in Political Theory and US Government and serves as Associate Director of the Community Research & Service Center.
Shearer, Susan Biddle Ph. D.
Professor Shearer received her B.A. degree from Purdue University. She
then went on to receive her M.A. with distinction from the School of Public
and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. After working for three
years as a Senior Market Research Analyst in Freeport, Illinois she went
on to earn her Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame. Her dissertation
entitled " The Domestic Economics and International Politics of U.S. Foreign
Trade Policy: 1945-1980" was selected by Garland Press for publication
and recognized for outstanding economic research for the period 1985-1990.
At Valparaiso University she is currently teaching Comparative Politics,
International Relations and U.S. Foreign Policy.
Trost, Al. Ph.D.
Professor Trost has been a part of the faculty at Valparaiso University since 1963. He received his B.A. at Valparaiso University, and then went on to Washington University in St. Louis to complete graduate work. There he received his M.A. and Ph.D. and specializes in comparative Politics and political behavior. Since coming to Valparaiso he has been the Chair of the Department and completed a two-year term as director of V.U.'s Cambridge, England Study Center. Professor Trost teaches courses on comparative politics, international relations, American Politics, and political theory. In March of 1996 Professor Trost became Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
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