By Julia Hess '15
Professor of Political Science and School of Liberal Arts Associate Dean Vera Eccarius-Kelly, Ph.D. is always willing to go the extra mile for her students. She is constantly striving to broaden their horizons by collaborating on outside projects and providing them with travel experiences, ensuring that they have enriching experiences that complement what they are learning in the classroom.
Eccarius-Kelly is the author of “Militant Kurds: A Dual Strategy for Freedom” and was recently invited to Washington D.C. as a renowned expert to take part in the Rethink Institute’s panel on the future of the Kurds in the Middle East.
While she travels and has exchanges with fellow experts in her field, Eccarius-Kelly also learns from her students’ unique perspectives. She strives to explore their ideas as a mentor on individual projects and by including their perspectives into class discussion.
“I have a certain way of looking at a problem, but my students always have a different way of looking at the same issue,” Eccarius-Kelly said. “It makes the classroom much more dynamic when you have students contributing ideas. They always add a new dimension.”
As this year’s political science senior capstone professor, Eccarius-Kelly worked with thirteen students on their independent research to help them produce an original analysis of a topic of their choice, many of which stemmed from discussions in her classes.
Political science major Katherine Smith ’15 spent the semester working with Eccarius-Kelly on a project concerning water issues that stemmed from her experience studying abroad in Jordan.
“Dr. Eccarius-Kelly embodies the very best of what Siena College has to offer as an institution of higher learning. I feel privileged to have received the opportunity to work with her on such a personal level,” Smith said. “With her enthusiasm for life and her dedication to making the world a better place, Dr. Eccarius-Kelly has been a source of great inspiration to me. I can honestly say that I am a better person for knowing her.”
Eccarius-Kelly also strives to educate her students by bringing them abroad. She recently traveled with Siena students to Guatemala, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and Finland and plans to bring Siena students in the Fair Trade Club to the Mayan Highlands next spring.
“I really like my students to study an issue in the classroom, read about what’s going on and then actually visit those sights to talk with the people there and figure out what life is really like,” Eccarius-Kelly said. “It makes them think about how privileged they might be, or how lives are really different in other countries.”
While on sabbatical next year, Eccarius-Kelly will conduct research in Turkey and possibly Northern Iraq. No matter where she goes, Eccarius-Kelly will be gathering research and ideas to help Siena students gain an education and fresh perspective they will not find in their textbooks.
