Division of Humanities & Social Sciences

Faculty

Dr. Frank Niles
Assistant Professor of English

Jake Stratman received his B.A in English and Secondary Education from William Jewell College where he met his future wife, Julia. After graduation he taught English and coached soccer in the Springfield Public School system in Springfield, MO for six years. During that time, he completed his M.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing at Missouri State University. Feeling a call to continue his education and work with college students, Jake earned his PhD in English—American Literature from the fine Jesuit community of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was there that Jake and Julia were educated about Social Catholic Teaching and the great responsibility for Christians to engage with social justice issues. Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Mequon, WI was also instrumental in their spiritual growth.

Stratman’s research areas include religion and literature, Paulo Freire’s pedagogical theories, teaching writing and literature for social change, teaching literature in the secondary schools, and nineteenth-century American Literature.

Here at JBU, Stratman emphasizes writing for social change in his English I course and teaching literature for social change in his English II course. He also teaches American Literature to 1900, World Masterpieces, and special topics courses (hopefully) focusing on Poetics and African-American Literature. Stratman was also hired to work alongside English Education majors, so he will teach the Young Adult Literature course.

The Stratmans have a wonderfully energetic boy named Benjamin Curtis. Feel free to see pictures of Ben at www.thestratmans2.blogspot.com. Jake’s free-time is spent cooking, reading, running, and praying about ways to change the world.