Alum David Jackson named Professor of Service Excellence at Bowling Green State University

David Jackson, who received his Ph.D. from the Department of Political Science at Wayne State University in 1999, wears many hats, including a professor of political science at Bowling Green State University, faculty association president and political expert.

Through these roles and others, Jackson has performed a wide range of services to Bowling Green, his profession and the community. As a result, he was granted a Professorship of Service Excellence at Bowling Green State University's annual Faculty Excellence Awards on April 16.

The title is conferred upon BGSU faculty members who have established national and international recognition through professional service, public service and external engagement. In his nomination of Jackson for this award, Dr. Neal Jesse, Political Science Professor of Teaching Excellence, highlighted Jackson's service to BGSU as president of the Faculty Association and his engagement with national media: "Dr. Jackson provides an invaluable service to BGSU as president of the BGSU-FA. Thus, through two contracts, Dr. Jackson has been central to not only the cooperative relationship between faculty and administration on campus, but he has also engaged with the national organization and earned national recognition for his efforts. Jackson's unique perspectives on U.S. politics have also earned him national and international recognition. His work has helped frame the emerging role of celebrity on political thought through a lens of academic research and civic responsibility."

In addition to these areas of service, Jackson is known for his interest in Poland, including the Polish diaspora in the United States. He has written about the role of music in the creation and maintenance of the Polish-American identity and hosts the Sunday Morning Polka Show on WXUT, 88.3 FM. This interest led to a Fulbright Fellowship to teach for a semester at the University of Lodz in Poland. While there, he taught U.S. government, media and politics, and Canadian government. Jackson arrived at Bowling Green State University in 1997 as an adjunct instructor, advancing to the rank of full professor in 2015.