Jefferson honored with college's top teaching award

Jefferson
Jefferson

Kurt Jefferson is the 2016 recipient of Westminster College's highest award for teaching: the Buschman-President's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Jefferson has taught at the college for 23 years. He is professor and chair of Transnational and International Studies, assistant dean of Global Initiatives and director of the Churchill Institute for Global Engagement

"It's nice to be recognized," Jefferson said. "It validates the reasons I came here, and I am grateful to my colleagues and students who have recognized and rewarded me."

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 courses focused on Western Europe, Central Europe, and post-Soviet Russian politics.

Last week was the culmination of 50 weeks of work, when the two-day Hancock Symposium was given with more than 25 speakers and engaging scientific discussions. Then on Monday evening, the college hosted South Korean Ambassador Ahn Ho Young, an event with which Jefferson also was engaged.

"I've got to take a rest," he said, laughing. "It's time to slide back under the radar."

Jefferson has published two books, the most recent being "Celtic Politics: Politics in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales," in 2011, and he has also been published in numerous journals and scholarly sources. His political commentaries and analyses have appeared in the Global New York Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Christian Science Monitor, BBC World Service and Wisconsin Public Radio, and he has taken numerous teaching and educational tours.

In 2009, 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 director of the Churchill Academy, and he has directed the Hancock Symposium since 2010.

In his private time, Jefferson enjoys sports, music, reading and spending as much time possible with his family and their two dogs, a Cavachon named Rosie and a Maltese named Penny.