Program Leaders

In addition to the program staff, you will have the opportunity to interact with numerous campus and community members that will lend their varied expertise to the Institute program:

Dr. Yeqing Bao is Associate Professor of Marketing and Management in the UAH College of Business Administration. He is a graduate of Tsinghua University in China and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the U.S. Dr. Bao's research interests include consumer socialization, advertising, and international marketing. He will address the Institute students on topics related to U.S.–China relations in the global economy.

Dr. Mitchell Berbrier, Associate Professor and Chair of the UAH Sociology Department, also serves as Chair of the Social Problems Theory Division of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. Dr. Berbrier's research interests include social constructionist, social historical, and social movement approaches to race, ethnicity, and minority status. His current research project looks at the construction of ethnicity and race in 20th century America by focusing on the symbolic politics and social history of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. He will speak to Institute students about religion in the U.S.

Dr. Sonja Brown Givens, Associate Professor of Communication Arts at UAH, was the recipient of the 2006 NCA African American Communication & Culture Division outstanding book award for her co-authored book Black Pioneers in Communication Research. Her research interests include racial stereotypes & media, cognitive processes and social decision making. Dr. Givens will address Institute students on topics related to gender relations and the role of the media in the U.S.

Rev. Frank Broyles will moderate an interfaith panel consisting of local religious leaders from diverse religious traditions. Reverend Broyles serves as Minister of Church and Community with the Faith Presbyterian Church in Huntsville. He also serves as Executive Minister of the Huntsville Association for Pastoral Care, Program Director of the Area Chapter of the National Conference For Community and Justice (originally known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews), and Senior Program Specialist for the Interfaith Mission Service.

Dr. Sandra Carpenter, Professor and Chair of the UAH Department of Psychology, specializes in the study of cross-cultural issues. She will speak to the group about issues related to learning culture and learning gender. Dr. Carpenter was Director of Women's Studies at UAH from 1999 to 2001 and teaches a Social Psychology course, using the lenses of gender and culture to examine social behavior and influences. She also teaches a course in the Psychology of Women, a feminist examination of women's physical, emotional, cognitive, and personality development, as well as issues related to women's lives (e.g., work and family).

Ms. Taralyn Caudle, Coordinator of UAH Service-Learning & Volunteer Services, will develop and supervise service-learning and volunteer opportunities during the Institute. Ms. Caudle is a graduate of Spelman College, with a B.A. in Philosophy, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Affairs in the Political Science Department at UAH. She has several years of experience in volunteer recruitment/management for non-profit organizations and grassroots political campaigns. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Ms. Cathi Curtis, Director of Student Activities & Greek Life at UAH, will coordinate leadership development training for Institute students. Ms. Curtis is involved in the UAH Empower Leadership program, which provides emerging leaders in the campus community the skills and connections to become a campus leader.

Ms. Courtney Evans will act as Teaching Assistant for the Institute and will lead regular discussion sessions on course material. Ms. Evans graduated from UAH in 2007 with a B.A. in Political Science and minors in Philosophy and Psychology. She is currently employed as an Associate Application Support Specialist by SirsiDynix in Huntsville.

Dr. Philip Kovacs, Assistant Professor in the UAH Department of Education, will serve as the Institute's student research director. In this capacity, he will work closely with you and your fellow students as you design, research, and present your capstone Institute projects. Dr. Kovacs specializes in education in and for a democracy, neoconservative/neoliberal think tanks and educational policy, and high quality teachers. He received his Masters of Education in English Education and his Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies from Georgia State University.

Dr. Roy Meek, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, is Co-Coordinator of the UAH Political Science Department. Dr. Meek, an expert in Constitution Law and American Government, will share his insights on these topics during the first week of the Institute. Dr. Meek has served as a professor with the University of Alabama in Huntsville since 1981 and has held many distinguished positions, to include Department Chair and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Meek has maintained an extensive and dedicated career as a teacher since 1958; the educational institutions include: the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech University, Colorado State University, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Before entering the field of teaching, Dr. Meek served 4 years in the United States Navy.

Dr. Belinda Ong, Ed.S, Ph.D., is a reference librarian specializing in science and nursing subjects at the M. Louis Salmon Library at UAH. Dr. Ong will provide an orientation to library research and guidance for the Institute student projects. She has extensive experience initiating and implementing educational programs that help promote diversity on campus and in the community and allow the exchange of ideas of scholars and learners from different regions of the world.

Dr. John R. Pottenger, director of the Office of International Programs and Services, and associate professor of political science at UAH, will serve as the academic director of the Institute. In this capacity, Dr. Pottenger will provide close guidance and professional advice as you participate in the Institute and develop a project for presentation in Washington, D.C. As a university professor, Dr. Pottenger has spent over 20 years teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in classical, medieval, and modern political philosophy; American political thought; contemporary social theory; and political ethics and public policy.

Dr. Andrée Reeves, Associate Professor in the UAH Political Science Department, teaches American government with a particular emphasis on political institutions. For the Institute, she will lead several discussion sessions on elections and political campaigns. Her primary research interests are the U.S. Congress, committee leadership in particular, and political parties in Congress and in the electoral arena. She has written a book, Congressional Committee Chairmen: Three Who Made an Evolution, and a number of articles on Congress and on intergovernmental relations. She currently is researching members of Congress who have switched political parties while in office.

Dr. Ronald Slaughter will coordinate and lecture in the Race Relations portion of the Institute. Dr. Slaughter is Interim Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Alabama A&M University (AAMU), a historically black university founded in 1890. Professor Slaughter recently completed a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute on African Cinema in Dakar, Senegal. He is advisor to several campus organizations, including the the AAMU Democrats and the Pre-Law Society.

Ms. Delois Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs at UAH, will moderate the Leadership Development roundtable on student leadership. Ms. Smith is known for her excellent rapport with the UAH student body: "When I'm asked what I do for fun, I often respond, 'I go to work!' It's true, I absolutely love the work I do at UAH. The students are an absolute joy to work with. They keep me on my toes and keep my creative juices flowing as I work with them on any number of issues across the spectrum." Ms. Smith has a Master's degree in educational psychology with licenses and certifications in counseling.