2016 Teaching Initiative Award Winner

Shelly Clevenger, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2012)
Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice Sciences

Teaching philosophy

To teach my students through creativity and innovation.

The resource that has been the most important influence in my teaching career

Comic books. I use them as a teaching tool in every course. There is not one topic in criminal justice that I could not use an example of a character or find a comic book issue that illustrates it. I have learned many things about myself, crime, and society through reading comics. It has changed the way I teach and the way my students learn.

Best compliment from a student

“You made me feel at ease and not so intimidated about college.”

My motivation to become a college professor comes from

I teach because I want to have an influence on the people who will be the future caretakers of the criminal justice system. Teaching in our discipline is unique because I am trying to prepare students for a job in which they likely will be interacting with people during the worst time of their entire life. What students learn in my classes could affect how they interact with victims and offenders, as well as their families.

Photo of Shelly Clevenger — “If I can use a character that they are already familiar with to approach a sensitive topic, it makes it much easier.”