Professional

Ashleigh Smith Powers (Ph.D. expected August 2006) is an Americanist specializing in political behavior and psychology.  She has completed graduate training in both the Political Science and Social Psychology programs at UNC, Chapel Hill, passing comprehensive exams in both American Government and Social Psychology.  Ashleigh’s dissertation blends these disciplines to explore the intersection of gender and social norms within the public practice of political deliberation.  In other research, she recently published a co-authored article on citizen evaluations of politicians confronted with political scandal (Political Psychology, 26 (February 2005): 115-134; this research was also featured in the UNC research magazine, Endeavors (volume xxi, no 1).   

Ashleigh is particularly interested in how citizens—especially women—learn and think about politics throughout life.  This research focus on civic education and citizenship is reflected in the classroom, where Ashleigh regularly teaches introductory courses in State and Local Politics and American Government.  Ashleigh is an experienced teacher in both classroom and distance learning settings.  In addition to teaching for UNC and Alamance Community College, she is currently an instructor in the UNC distance learning program, where she teaches online and correspondence courses.   Her other teaching interests include political behavior, elections and campaigns, public opinion, women and politics, undergraduate research methods and design, and the politics of social movements and groups.  

Both in the classroom and in her research, Ashleigh is committed to active learning pedagogies.  In addition to opportunities for deliberation, her classroom design often features other experiential learning tools, including her capstone simulation in State and Local Politics.   She is also experienced in service-learning pedagogy, having previously served as service-learning research intern for the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C.  She is interested in a teaching setting in which she can integrate experiential learning curricula into her classroom design even more thoroughly. 

Ashleigh’s undergraduate background is in the liberal arts tradition (Furman University), and she is seeking a position in a similarly oriented teaching and research environment.

Family

I have one sister, Staci, who recently moved to North Carolina from Texas, where she was studying Audiology (they make hearing aids).  Currently, she does hearing testing for a private ENT medical practice.  My parents live in Greeneville, TN, in the house where I grew up.  In September 2003, I married Preston Powers.  See below for some family pics from the wedding.

Me, Mom, Daddy, and Sis	Me and Sis	Preston and I

Faith

I am an active member of the United Methodist Church.  Here in Chapel Hill, I attend Carrboro United Methodist Church, where I sing in the choir and play hand bells.  I do not believe in pushing  faith on others, but living in a community where all faiths are respected is important to me. 

Personal Interests

music

I love all things musical.  In my spare time, I sing and play the piano.  Long ago in another life, I also played french horn.

Sports

I love Kentucky basketball.  I even love Kentucky football.  My dad's from the great state, and it's in my blood.  Go Cats! Since I married Preston, I've also been known to watch (gulp)  the occasional NASCAR race. Really, I 'm a great spectator.  I've never met a sport I couldn't watch with enthusiasm, including golf and bowling.

reading

These days, I mostly read for the academy, but I love books of all kinds.  In the summers, I manage to sneak in the occasional great big mystery novel, and I'm always a sucker for Grisham.

games

I love games of all kinds.  Card games, board games, word games, party games.  I'm in.   I prefer games of strategy to those of luck; I'm not lucky, and I don't bluff very convincingly, either.

Travels

Preston and I like to travel.  We don't get to go as many places as we would like, but recently we took an exciting trip to Texas to visit my sister.  Neither Preston not I had ever been to Texas, so my sister showed us all of the sites, from San Antonio to Dallas.  Click here to see select pics of our Texas adventure.