Janet Jock

My teaching and service philosophy is grounded in the belief that public administration and nonprofit management education should equip students not only with analytical and technical skills, but also with the cultural awareness, ethical grounding, and collaborative capacity necessary to serve diverse communities effectively. As an educator and scholar, I strive to create learning environments that are inclusive, applied, student-centered, and connected to real-world public service challenges. My experiences working across academic, nonprofit, and international development settings have reinforced my commitment to preparing students to become thoughtful, socially responsible and community-engaged leaders.

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My teaching approach emphasizes three core principles: applied learning, collaborative engagement and critical reflection. I believe students learn best when they are actively engaged in connecting theory to practice and when they are encouraged to critically examine how public and nonprofit institutions shape social outcomes for different populations and communities.

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Since joining Auburn University as an Assistant Professor and core member of the Master and PhD of Public Administration and Policy faculty in Fall 2024, I have taught graduate level courses including Nonprofit Law and Governance, NGOs and International Development, Civil Society and Democracy in South Africa, Research Methods and Foundations of Public Administration. These courses integrate theoretical foundations with practical case studies, policy analysis, collaborative projects, and experiential and service-learning opportunities designed to prepare students for careers in public and nonprofit leadership.

One of the most meaningful teaching experiences I have developed is the Civil Society and Democracy in South Africa course which included a study abroad component. In this course, students examine the historical and contemporary role of civil society organizations in governance, reconciliation, and development before traveling to South Africa to engage directly with nonprofit leaders, community organizations, academics, and public officials. Through these experiences, students gain a deeper understanding of participatory governance, inequality, and community-centered approaches to public problem solving. I believe these forms of immersive and reflective learning help students connect classroom concepts to the realities of governance and nonprofit management in diverse cultural contexts.

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Additionally, my Nonprofit Law and Governance course incorporates a substantial service-learning component that connects students directly with nonprofit organizations in the community. Students identify and partner with nonprofit organizations throughout the semester, conducting board analyses and nonprofit audit projects designed to assess organizational governance, capacity, and operational needs. Based on their findings, students develop practical materials and recommendations tailored to the organization’s identified needs and present their work both to the nonprofit partners and to their fellow students at the end of the semester. This experiential approach allows students to apply classroom concepts to real organizational challenges while building collaborative relationships with nonprofit practitioners.

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In the classroom, I prioritize creating an environment where students feel comfortable contributing their perspectives and learning from one another. I use group work, discussion-based learning, case studies, policy simulations, and applied assignments to encourage participation and strengthen practical skills in leadership, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. My teaching is also informed by my professional and international experiences outside academia. Prior to my academic career, I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia and Nicaragua, worked as an international educator in South Korea and Turkey, and served as a campaign office director across several different locations in the United States. These experiences strengthened my commitment to culturally responsive teaching and reinforced the importance of listening to communities, understanding local contexts, and valuing diverse perspectives in public service work.

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Beyond the classroom, I actively contribute to Auburn University’s graduate program by serving on five PhD dissertation committees, including three as co-chair, and regularly participating in PhD Brown Bag sessions. I also developed and organized a professional speaker series that brings nonprofit and public service leaders to the university to engage graduate students in discussions about leadership, governance, community engagement, and contemporary challenges facing the public and nonprofit sectors. This year, I helped develop Auburn’s online MPA program by designing two core graduate courses (Foundations of Public Administration and Quantitative Research Methods), including course design, recorded lectures, assignments, and interactive discussion activities. Additionally, I have served as faculty for Auburn’s Center for Election Administration Certification Program, teaching election administrators from across the United States in both online and in-person settings. This work reflects my broader commitment to strengthening democratic governance and public institutions through applied education and professional engagement.

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My research and service activities are deeply connected through collaborative community-engaged work. As a member of Auburn’s Global Development Solutions Research Lab, I collaborate with faculty, PhD and Masters students to examine the role of nonprofit and civil society organizations in health, education, governance, and participatory development initiatives across international contexts. We have just returned from piloting a Girls Empowerment and Civic Engagement Workshop which will be implemented this fall in Liberia and I will travel to Indonesia this summer to work with a nonprofit organization to implement a similar program. These faculty-student collaborations have reinforced our contribution to research that helps communities support practical problem solving.