Phone: 828-227-3320
Email: jjacobs@wcu.edu
Office Address: Killian 234

Education:

• Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, 1982.
• M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 1974.
• B.S., Southern Illinois University, 1973.

Teaching:

• The role of school leaders in special education (MSA/Ed.S.), and research writing in the doctoral program.

Research Interests:

• Role of the principal; issues in educating girls and young women; issues in educational leadership and special education; supervision of education.

Personal Statement:

It has been my good fortune in my adult life to live and work on five continents. The opportunities afforded me through these experiences contribute to making me aware of the importance of recognizing the roles each of us have in the larger context of living on this earth. As one interested in public education in this country, I try to consider the needs of the children and young people we serve.

In 1992, as a principal, our school experienced a dramatic shift in the demographics of our students. In response to a teacher who was concerned about “how” we could serve children of such diversity and poverty, I responded, “Children do not choose the circumstances into which they are born, nor in which they live. We must teach each one.” I later realized how much that sums up my beliefs about the role of education in a democracy.

As department head for Educational Leadership and Foundations, I am privileged to be with a faculty who value our role as teachers, mentors, and contributors to the development of future teachers for secondary schools and community colleges and leaders for our PK-12 schools, community colleges, and universities. I welcome any inquiries on ways we can serve student needs for preparation and how we can serve the educational needs of your communities. I look forward to a long and productive association with our constituents in the great state of North Carolina: the western region and beyond.