Former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has joined the Vanderbilt faculty as a distinguished visiting professor of political science this fall.
The former governor joined the faculty as a part of the political science department. Haslam, a Republican, served as mayor of Knoxville prior to his two-term governorship from 2011 to 2019.
Haslam has joined Dean of the College of Arts and Science John Geer and political science professor Jon Meacham to teach the popular upper-level political science course, “Leadership.” The course attempts to rise above partisan rancor and facilitate a discussion on how political actors’ actions and decisions can encourage, inspire and change the course of a nation.
While Meacham and Geer provide the historical context and political theory, Haslam has the unique ability to speak to the day-to-day reality of what leadership means as an elected official.
“This class will be a great forum for a lively discussion about leadership in today’s political environment, understood in a historical context,” Haslam said in a Sept. 3 press release. “I look forward to sharing some observations and lessons learned from serving as a mayor and governor.”
