UMW is a teaching focused liberal arts college. Our department houses two majors, Political Science, and International Affairs, the latter of which is interdisciplinary. I teach a First Year Seminar on U.S. Campaigns & Elections as well as upper level major electives, including Congress & the Legislative Process, U.S. Federal Judiciary, Gender & Politics, and, Gender & Public Policy. Fredericksburg’s proximity to our nation’s capital in D.C. and our Commonwealth’s capital in Richmond, allows our students to take advantage of amazing internship opportunities throughout the academic year, not just the summer months. Most semesters I work with majors in our Undergraduate Research (URES) program. Students interested in working with me on a URES project should consult the Cooperman URES FAQ tab.
I approach all of my classes with two main goals – first, to facilitate students’ mastery of course content and, second, to encourage them to meaningfully engage with the course in order to improve their analytical, oral, and written communication skills. These goals go hand in hand as I believe that political knowledge is central to a more engaged citizenry.
Students who take my classes quickly get accustomed to considering the “so what” question in all aspects of the course – that is, to define a concept and then consider why we should care about it. As students move from my introductory to upper level courses, the analysis of the “so what” question becomes more sophisticated. When students can answer the “so what” question they are better able to express their spoken and written ideas clearly and to demonstrate that they can critically engage with ideas and not just restate them on an exam or paper.
Students seeking a letter of recommendation (LOR) from me should consult the Cooperman LOR FAQ tab.