Position:
Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of History
Phone:
(540) 665-4587
Email:
jcoker2@su.edu
Employed Since:
2015
Educational History:
B.A., University of Texas at Austin
M.A., Texas State University-San Marcos
Ph.D., Ohio University
Fields of Expertise:
- United States Intellectual, Cultural, and Social History
- 20th Century American Politics; History of Modern Africa
Professional Highlights:
Dr. Jeff W. Coker is an accomplished scholar and teacher with extensive leadership experience in higher education. In his role as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, he leads a diverse and talented faculty that includes programs in the natural and behavioral sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
Dr. Coker holds the rank of professor in the Department of History. He received his B.A. in history from the University of Texas at Austin, holds the Ph.D. from Ohio University and the Contemporary History Institute, and is the author of three books and numerous articles in United States political and intellectual history. He has served as a student mentor throughout his career, acting as a faculty advisor to student organizations, overseeing undergraduate research initiatives, serving on graduate student thesis committees, and traveling abroad with students. He has served as a reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities, has consulted for the College Board, and has served on multiple university accreditation teams. The U.S. Department of State has tapped Dr. Coker on numerous occasions to speak internationally on current challenges in higher education, administrative issues, and teaching. In 2007, he was named Distinguished Alumnus in the Department of History at Ohio University.
Prior to arriving at Shenandoah, Coker held appointments at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, and Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Coker is actively engaged in the broader Winchester community, including serving of the Board of Directors of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and the Board of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He is an avid baseball and soccer fan. He has a daughter, Kate.