Melissa C. Will

Curriculum Vitae (June 2024)

Purdue University Department of Political Science

100 N. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2098 USA

Will5@purdue.edu

EDUCATION

Master of Arts, Political Science                                                                                                2004

New York University, New York, NY

Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Economics                                                             2001

Smith College, Northampton, MA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Assistant Professor of Practice, Department of Political Science                           2019-present

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Leadership roles at Purdue

·      Director of Undergraduate Studies                                        2022 – present

·      Founding Director, Department Preceptor Program                 2021 – present

·      Faculty Advisor, Purdue Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha                  2019 – present

Limited-term Lecturer, Department of Political Science                                                                                                                                                                  2016-2019  Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Political Analyst, Directorate of Intelligence                                                                                          2009-2015 Central Intelligence Agency, Washington DC

Analytic Methodologist, Directorate of Intelligence                                                        2005-2009

Central Intelligence Agency, Washington DC

Teaching Assistant, ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods                          Summer 2003

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Teaching Assistant, Department of Political Science                                                      Spring 2003

New York University, New York, NY

Intern, Office of Europe and the Mediterranean                                                           Summer 1999

Office of the United States Trade Representative, Washington DC

Intern, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison                                           Fall 1999

Office of the United States Trade Representative, Washington DC

FELLOWSHIPS

2023-2024 Teach for Tomorrow Fellowship with Purdue Teaching Academy, Purdue University

2022-2023 Scholarship of Engagement Fellowship with the Provost’s office at Purdue University

HONORS AND AWARDS

National Awards

·      2023 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award

·      2022 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award

 ·     2021 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award

·      2020 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award

·      2019 Pi Sigma Alpha Best Chapter Award

Teaching Awards

·      2023-2024 Nominee for Purdue University Residences Favorite Faculty Award

·      2022-2023 College of Liberal Arts Kenneth T. Kofmehl Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

·      2022-2023 Nominee for Purdue University Residences Favorite Faculty Award

·      2021-2022 College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award

·      2020-2021 Professor of the Year Award from Purdue’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha

·      2020-2022 Honored as Influential Professor, Purdue Farmhouse Fraternity

·      2019-2020 Professor of the Year Award from Purdue’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha

Professional Awards

·      August 2014 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      January 2014 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      August 2013 ODNI Intelligence Integration Award

·      July 2012 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      December 2011 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      July 2011 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      August 2010 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      March 2009 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      April 2008 Sherman Kent School of Analysis Certificate of Appreciation

·      August 2007 CIA Exceptional Performance Award

·      May 2007 Office of Russian and European Analysis Director’s Award

·      April 2007 CIA Meritorious Unit Citation

TEACHING

* Developed new course or curriculum

**Newly developed course or curriculum added to Purdue’s curriculum

Purdue University, Department of Politics

Concentration in the Major

**National and International Security Concentration for Political Science (Launch in Fall 2024)

**International and Comparative Politics Concentration for Political Science (Launch in Fall 2024)

**Public Policy Concentration for Political Science (Launch in Fall 2024)

**American Politics Concentration for Political Science (Launch in Fall 2024)

Courses

·  POL 130: Introduction to International Relations (Fall 2019, 2020, 2021; Spring 2023)

·  POL 130 Distance: Introduction to International Relations (Fall 2023, Spring 2023)

·  **POL 229/204: Spies and Lies: Studies in Intelligence and National Security (Fall 2021, 2023)

·  **POL 229/234: Terrorism and National Security/The Politics of Terrorism (Spring 2023, Spring 2024)

·  POL 231: Introduction to US Foreign Policy (Fall 2020, 2021, 2022; Spring 2020, 2022)

·  POL 237: Modern Weapons and International Relations (Fall 2019, 2022, 2023)

·  POL 403: Internships for Credit (Fall 2022, Spring 2020, Summer 2020)

·  *POL 430: Terrorism and National Security (Spring 2021)

·  *POL 430: Conflict and Development: US in Afghanistan (Fall 2020)

·  *POL 430: Spies and Lies: Studies in Intelligence and National Security (Fall 2019)

·  CAPSTONE/Scholarly Honors Projects

o   Global Studies Capstone The Significance of Race in Congressional Staffing (2023-2024)

o   Scholarly Project: Modern Weapons and the War in Ukraine (Spring 2022)

o   Scholarly Project: Afghanistan Moving Forward (Fall 2020)

o   Global Studies Capstone: The Lebanese People: In the Midst of The Storm (Spring 2020)

Purdue University, Cornerstone Program for the Integrated Arts

·  SCLA 102: Transformative Texts, Critical Thinking, and Communication (Spring 2020 (2x), 2021 (2x), 2022 (2x))

University of Michigan, ICPSR Summer Program

·  Teaching Assistant for Mathematical Models: Game Theory (Summer 2003)

New York University, Department of Politics

·  Teaching Assistant for Societies and Social Sciences: Political Perspectives on Rationality and Politics (Spring 2003)

RESOURCES AND TALKS

Pedagogy and Teaching

·      Teaching Resource: “Preceptor Program Handbook: Resources for Planning and Directing” -- https://www.melissacwill.com/sp24-preceptor-program-handbook

·      Head Judge, “5-minute Challenge for Political Science” – Student presentation competition, April 2, 2024

·      “What is Research?” for Pi Sigma Alpha, Purdue University, October 1, 2023

·      “How I Teach the Text Workshop on Slaughterhouse-Five” for Cornerstone Faculty at Purdue University, October 3, 2022

·      “Best Practices for TAs” Department of Political Science, Purdue University, August 2022

·      “What is Research?” for Pi Sigma Alpha, Purdue University, February 2022

·      “Best Practices for TAs” Department of Political Science, Purdue University, August 2021

·      Moderated “Election Watch Party and Talk Back”, Department of Political Science, Prude University, November 2020

Career Development

·  Website Resource:  Want to Work in Intelligence?  Website to provide student guidance on intelligence careers, sources of jobs, and advice about application       materials and processes.

·  “Meet the Professor” with Purdue Economics Association, Purdue University, April 6, 2022

·  Chair and Panelist - Government Jobs, Pi Sigma Alpha Annual Undergraduate Research Conference, Washington DC, March 6, 2022

·  Panelist on Jobs in Intelligence and National Security, Pi Sigma Alpha Annual Undergraduate Research Conference, Washington DC, March 7, 2021

·  Chair and panelist on Jobs in Foreign Policy and National Security, Pi Sigma Alpha Annual Undergraduate Research Conference, Washington DC, February 2020

Engagement - International Security and Intelligence

·      2021-2022 US Institute of Peace (USIP) Virtual Roundtables for Universities Program (monthly meetings with scholars and students)

·  “Tech Policies and National Security” Talk for CCSE Pizza and Politics, Purdue University, March 1, 2023

·  “Interview on Classified Materials” Purdue University: Boiler TV “Watching Washington,” February 3, 2023

·  “The Hunt for Osama Bin Laden” guest lecture for Honor’s College Security, Technology, and Society, March 22, 2022

·  Panelist on Ukraine, Department of Political Science, Purdue University, February 2022

·  “The Hunt for Osama Bin Laden” guest lecture for Honor’s College Deterrence and Deception, October 2021

·  Interview on Career at CIA, Purdue Exponent, Purdue University, September 2021

·  “9/11: Reflections After 20 Years” Department of Political Science, Purdue University, September 11, 2021

·  “Afghanistan: Lessons Learned and What’s Next?” Department of Political Science, Purdue University, October 2021

·  “CIA and US National Security,” Naval ROTC, Purdue University, October 22, 2019

·  Introduce Condoleezza Rice, student event October 9, 2019

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Service

·      Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts Program Steering Committee, Purdue University, August 2023-Present

 ·      Truman Selection Committee, Purdue University, August 2023-Present

 ·      College of Liberal Arts Senator, August 2022-Present

·       Department of Political Science Undergraduate Committee, Purdue University August 2019-Present

·       Advising/career development for students across Purdue, 2019-Present

Professional Development

·      APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, September 2022

·      APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, September 2019

·      APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, September 2019

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Peace Professors program, September 2023-Present

American Political Science Association (APSA) membership 2019-Present