DANBURY, Connecticut — The Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) recently announced the names of 12 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) faculty members who are recipients of 2024-25 Board of Regents Faculty Awards. The awards, presented for excellence in research and teaching, are given to assistant and associate professors in tenure-track or tenured positions, as well as adjunct faculty members, and are awarded at the CSCU university and CT State Community College level, with overall winners recognized in the teaching and research categories at the System level as well.
Western Connecticut State University Assistant Professor of Social Sciences Dr. Jessica Schofield, who received awards for teaching at both the university level and the System level, is a political scientist and scholar of international relations with a geographic focus on African politics. Her teaching philosophy revolves around three core principles: (1) Political science should guide students in understanding current events; (2) Students should consistently be asked to apply critical thinking to topics at hand; and (3) Knowledge is gained through understanding broad concepts instead of memorizing specific details.
Schofield said she seeks to provide students with an environment and a space in which they can discuss the world together in pursuit of greater understanding. She has facilitated real-world learning opportunities for her students at the United Nations, through the Scholars at Risk Project, on Capitol Hill, and at the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights.
Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. H. Howell Williams, in his letter nominating Schofield for the Teaching Award, wrote, “Dr. Schofield’s approach to teaching and learning can best be described as a desire to serve students where they are. The field of international relations asks big questions about the world we live in, and its concepts can feel abstract for students taking their first steps into the study of politics. Dr. Schofield’s commitment to experiential learning helps students break down this intimidation.
“Her teaching is guided by a desire to make her courses applicable to the real world, meaning students from a variety of backgrounds can make tangible and personal connections to the course material,” Williams added. “She tailors lessons to speak to the diverse student experiences at WCSU, such as including case studies on Brazil and Ecuador for her introductory course PS 104 World Government. Given our sizable population of Brazilian and Ecuadorian students, such efforts not only reflect best practices for ensuring students retain knowledge through personal connection, they also reflect Dr. Schofield’s commitment to supporting WCSU as a recently designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).”
Reflecting on her awards, Schofield said. “My mission in the classroom is to inspire a curiosity about the world and a joy in learning for my students. It is such an honor to be recognized for my teaching in this way because it shows that my students are learning about the world in ways that enrich their lives, and I get to be a part of that. Teaching really is my dream job, and I’m so grateful every time I enter the classroom.”
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.