Meet Your Professors
John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D.
Professor in Political Science
John W. Sutherlin is a Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of the
Research Corporation of Louisiana. He received his Ph.D. from the University of New
Orleans in 1998. Dr. Sutherlin was named professor of the year twice by the Student
Government Association and held the Tom and Mayme Scott Endowed Professorship in Teaching
Excellence for three years. He currently holds a grant to co-coordinate the Delta
Leadership Institute for the Delta Regional Authority.
Dr. Sutherlin has worked extensively abroad, to include Argentina, Belgium, Costa
Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, United Kingdom,
and the United Arab Emirates. He sits on the Board of Directors for a London-based
company. Dr. Sutherlin has written two books on environmental policy and hold several
patents. He has also produced or directed 28 documentary films and was nominated for
the Volvo for Life Award. Dr. Sutherlin was a finalist for the position of Secretary
of the Department of Environmental Quality under Governor Blanco and recently completed
a leadership program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Joshua Stockley, Ph.D.
Professor in Political Science
Joshua Stockley is a Professor of Political Science and Director of the ULM Honors
Program. He received his B.A. in Political Science and History from Oklahoma Baptist
University and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma. Dr.
Stockley’s teaching and research cover American government, state and local politics,
campaigns and elections, political parties, Congress, Presidency, Southern politics,
culture and politics, public policy, and public administration. His works have appeared
in the journal Race, Class, and Gender and edited volumes such as The Roads to Congress,
The 2012 Nomination and the Future of the Republican Party, and Mediated Images of
the South.
Dr. Stockley has published several book reviews, presented numerous papers at professional
conferences around the nation, and serves on several editorial boards for publishers
and journals. He has worked on numerous grants at the local, state, and federal level.
Dr. Stockley frequently appears on media at the local, state, national, and international
level, making appearances for Louisiana Public Broadcasting and Louisiana Radio Network.
He regularly speaks to groups and at public forums around the state and nation about
various topics in political science and public policy. In 2014, Dr. Stockley was presented
with the ULM Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Student Government Association’s
Faculty Award of Excellence, and the Accent on Excellence Teacher of the Year Award.
Leigh Nanney Hersey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Political Science
Leigh Nanney Hersey is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and program coordinator
for the MPA program. She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from Arizona
State
University in 2009, with a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Leadership & Management.
She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia in Journalism
and her M.Ed. from Temple University in Athletic Administration. Dr. Hersey’s teaching
and research covers public and nonprofit administration, grant writing, civic engagement,
and social media.
Dr. Hersey has presented at numerous academic and professional conferences throughout
the United States. She has several journal articles and book chapters, and recently
co-edited a book on the arts and civic engagement. Prior to joining academia, she
worked in the nonprofit sector for more than a dozen years. Dr. Hersey served on the
City of Scottsdale (AZ) Parks and Recreation Commission, chairing the commission in
2004. In 2012 Dr. Hersey was nominated for the Volunteer Mid-South Spirit of Giving
Award.
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Political Science