CMC Welcomes New Government Hires
Professors Taw and Thomas to Teach
Kevin Vance
Last Updated: 9/26/07 Section: News
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Claremont McKenna College has hired two new tenure-track professors to teach in the government department. The department selected Jennifer Taw, adjunct professor at CMC, and George Thomas, assistant professor at Williams College, from an application pool of over 100 applicants.
Taw moved to CMC in 2006 after teaching international relations courses at Occidental College and the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate from UCLA. Taw worked for 10 years at the RAND Corporation, a non-partisan global policy think tank where she studied peace operations and counterterrorism. She is a contributing editor to "Studies in Conflict and Terrorism."
According to Joseph Bessette, chairman of the government department, Taw "will teach courses in international relations, American foreign policy, national security, and terrorism, thus strengthening and expanding departmental offerings in these important areas."
Taw enjoys CMC and is excited about the college's international relations program. "I can't think of a place with more interesting colleagues, better support and services, and more motivated students," she says.
Thomas is assistant professor of political science at Williams College. Before Williams, he taught at the University of Oklahoma. Thomas received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in 1992, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Thomas received the American Political Science Association's Alexander L. George Award for his essay "What Dataset? The Qualitative Foundation of Law and Courts Scholarship" in 2006.
Bessette says Thomas "will add strength to the department's public law offerings and expand our curriculum with new courses on freedom of conscience, the First Amendment, and jurisprudence." Jurisprudence is the intersection of law and political theory.
Other possible courses could include the role of courts in American history and war and the Supreme Court. Charles Kesler, professor of government and director of the Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World, regards Thomas as a "bright, young professor who I think will be a great, student-friendly teacher."
Both professors were chosen after a long selection process. Several candidates visited the campus, met with students and professors, and gave lectures. Taw and Thomas will begin in their new positions at CMC this fall.
Taw moved to CMC in 2006 after teaching international relations courses at Occidental College and the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate from UCLA. Taw worked for 10 years at the RAND Corporation, a non-partisan global policy think tank where she studied peace operations and counterterrorism. She is a contributing editor to "Studies in Conflict and Terrorism."
According to Joseph Bessette, chairman of the government department, Taw "will teach courses in international relations, American foreign policy, national security, and terrorism, thus strengthening and expanding departmental offerings in these important areas."
Taw enjoys CMC and is excited about the college's international relations program. "I can't think of a place with more interesting colleagues, better support and services, and more motivated students," she says.
Thomas is assistant professor of political science at Williams College. Before Williams, he taught at the University of Oklahoma. Thomas received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in 1992, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Thomas received the American Political Science Association's Alexander L. George Award for his essay "What Dataset? The Qualitative Foundation of Law and Courts Scholarship" in 2006.
Bessette says Thomas "will add strength to the department's public law offerings and expand our curriculum with new courses on freedom of conscience, the First Amendment, and jurisprudence." Jurisprudence is the intersection of law and political theory.
Other possible courses could include the role of courts in American history and war and the Supreme Court. Charles Kesler, professor of government and director of the Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World, regards Thomas as a "bright, young professor who I think will be a great, student-friendly teacher."
Both professors were chosen after a long selection process. Several candidates visited the campus, met with students and professors, and gave lectures. Taw and Thomas will begin in their new positions at CMC this fall.
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