The Political Science Department at The University of Scranton welcomed a new assistant professor this year.
Professor JoyAnna Hopper, PhD.
JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D. began her career as an assistant professor at The University of Scranton this past summer. Before teaching at Scranton, she worked as a graduate professor at the University of Missouri and an assistant professor at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Professor Hopper currently teaches introductory American politics courses, including a class that covers U.S. politics, citizenship and principles as well as a class that covers the U.S. Congress. Hopper said that her favorite classes to teach are the ones dealing with policy.
“I love all of my classes, but I really like teaching my policy classes [because] that’s my area of specialization,” Hopper said.
Professor Hopper is teaching both of her classes online this semester. She said that teaching online is a brand-new experience, but that it’s worked out so far.
“I feel OK about it because the online environment is allowing me to see [my students’] faces, where I wouldn’t actually be able to see [them] in a classroom,” Hopper said.
She said that her students have been engaged in the material, despite the virtual format.