Jess Gregory

Jess Gregory, Ed.D., Assistant Professor

Dr. Jess L. Gregory is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department, where she teaches courses in leadership theory, leadership development, research design, dissertation inquiry, and quantitative methods. 

Before joining SCSU, Jess was an Assistant professor at the University of Bridgeport where she taught courses in educational law, curriculum design and development, research methods, assessment, and dissertation preparation. Jess' greatest joy in her work is helping students develop their potential as leaders and researchers. Jess has mentored several students in designing and conducting research at levels that range from post-doctoral work that is presented at regional conferences to high school science students that present their work in the city science fair.

A chemistry teacher for over a decade, Jess remains close to that inner-city setting by frequently volunteering in urban schools working directly with students, facilitating professional development for teachers, and conducting research with an urban focus. Jess' research centers on student engagement.  Students from every school setting and with every level of natural ability can learn. Determining best practices in the field and in preparation for work in the field drives Jess' research on academic optimism, student satisfaction, study skills use and goal setting as well as teacher attitudes towards inclusion.  Students with mild to moderate disabilities are a traditionally marginalized and underserved population of students. 
Through studying teacher attitudes toward inclusion, higher education can better prepare teachers to serve all students and ensure students a greater opportunity to learn.  Opportunity to learn is a theme in a completed project on study skills, as well as research on urban teachers and leaders. This idea of making certain that students have opportunities to learn drives Jess' practice in the classroom, and outside it.  She strives to create a safe, supportive and encouraging environment where students can explore their own ideas and gently challenge the ideas of others.  Students are expected to share their thoughts on issues and are just as welcome to change their mind as they are to change hers. In a classroom or any other setting, we are a community of learners and through our experiences and reflective discussions we can all grow.

Her service to SCSU, beyond the classroom, centers on curricular alignments, and professional development for faculty; working to ensure that there is adequate rigor and opportunity for student growth.  Curricular decisions can facilitate or hinder student access to learning, and by serving as chair of the EDL curriculum committee, and on the School of Education and Graduate Council curriculum committees, Jess has been able to merge her service to the university with her passion for ensuring all students have access to a high quality curriculum.In the past few years Jess has attended or presented at over a dozen conferences and lectures.  She has presented lectures/workshops on Incorporating Active Learning in the University Classroom as well as other faculty development workshops.

When choosing conferences and lectures to attend, she makes decisions based on how the experience may support and continue her own professional growth in research and how it may impact her teaching. Jess has co-authored the 2009 book, A handbook of statistics and quantitative analysis for educational leadership, chapters in the upcoming Research methods through active learning, and a book review of Navigating through the storm; Reinventing education for postmodern democracies.

She has been honored as a nominee for the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award in her first year at SCSU and earned the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award in 2008 from the University of Bridgeport.  Jess, an alumna of Dartmouth College, earned her MS in Environmental Education form SCSU in 2003.