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unique graduate program that successfully allowed me and many of my colleagues to immediately enter into academia upon our completion of the program. Words cannot explain my appreciation for his leadership. Dr. Russo demanded professional growth in students. Had I not taken his course my first semester at Miami, I would not have been as successful in my time there. Dr. Jones took a special interest in me as a graduate student and allowed me to coauthor two conference papers with him. Finally, Betsy Burger was the graduate secretary. She was always a personal encouragement to me, and she made sure the program ran smoothly. In addition, she played a vital role in my job searches.
Professionally, six people stand out. Christopher Qualls and Joseph Lane of Emory & Henry College gave me my first opportunity in higher education when they allowed me to fill a visiting position while I was still completing my dissertation. Dr. Lane really became a mentor to me, and I could not have asked for a better colleague during my first year of teaching. Likewise, Robert Wells of Thiel College provided me with an additional opportunity to continue to grow as a young teacher. Finally, there are an inordinate number of individuals whom I could thank at Cedarville University, but I will limit it to David Rich, Steve Winteregg, and Tom Mach. Dr. Rich and Dr. Winteregg played integral roles in the hiring process and provided me with an opportunity to teach at the university at which I had hoped to establish a career. Since being here, Dr. Mach has served as a mentor, friend, and leader in the department and provided much-needed encouragement throughout the research process.
Lastly, I will forever be indebted to my coauthor, Ryan Barilleaux. He was one of the top reasons why Dr. Huber encouraged me to attend Miami University for graduate studies. I knew I wanted to study the presidency, and Dr. Huber recognized Dr. Barilleaux as a special teacher/scholar in this field. To me, Dr. Barilleaux exemplifies what it means to be a teacher/scholar. His classes are engaging, challenging, and rewarding. But more than that, he takes a personal interest in his students. For me, this became especially important when, in my third year in the program, he invited