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Home / Academics / Academic Majors / Government / Government Faculty and Staff / Dr. Melissa Matthes

Melissa Matthes, Ph.D.

Government, Professor Department of Humanities
MMatthes

Education

  • Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz
  • MDiv, Yale Divinity School

Courses Taught

  • The History of Political Theory
  • African American Political Thought (Modern)
  • Religion and Politics
  • Feminist Political Thought
  • Women, Religion and Globalization
  • Morals and Ethical Philosophy
MMatthes

Education

  • Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz
  • MDiv, Yale Divinity School

Courses Taught

  • The History of Political Theory
  • African American Political Thought (Modern)
  • Religion and Politics
  • Feminist Political Thought
  • Women, Religion and Globalization
  • Morals and Ethical Philosophy

Selected Publications and Presentations

  • “The Rape of Lucretia and the Founding of Republics: Readings in Livy, Machiavelli and Rousseau”, Penn State Press, 2000
  • Livy, Lucretia and Rome’s Republican Founding: A Reading of Female Rape and Masculine Virtu” in The Nature of Woman and the Art of Politics edited by Eduardo Velasquez, Rowman and Littlefied Press, 2000
  • “Machiavelli’s Mandragola and the Seduction of Lucrezia” in Feminist Re-Interpretations of Machiavelli edited by Maria Falco, Penn State Press, Winter 2000
  • “Shahrazade’s Sisters: Storytelling and Politics in the Memoirs of Fatima Mernissi, Nawal El Saadawi and Hanan Ashrawi,” Alif 19 (Journal of Middle East Studies), Summer 1999
  • “Machiavelli and Democracy” American Political Science Association, Toronto, Summer 2009
  • “The Making of American Christian Patriotism in the Sermons of 9/11,” American Political Science Association, Boston, Summer 2008
  • “Is Religion Rational? The Political Economy of Belief,” Women, Religion, and Globalization Forum, Yale Faculty Seminar Presentation, Spring 2008
  • “Getting Personal: Religious Faith and Elected Office” Moderated dinner discussion with Representative Tony Hall and author David Kuo. Yale Divinity School, Fall 2007
  • “Getting Down to Business: Shaping the New Moral Agenda” Panel Discussant, Voices and Votes II: Shaping a New Moral Agenda, Yale Divinity School, Fall 2007
  • “Candidates Expressing Their Faith: How Much Is Too Much?” Panel Moderator, Voices and Votes: Religious Convictions in the Public Square, Yale Divinity School, Winter 2007

Honors

  • Jonathan Edwards Fellow, Yale Council of Masters, Yale University, January 2009
  • Institute of Sacred Music Full Tuition Scholarship, Yale Divinity School, 2005-2008
  • Tutu Institute for Pilgrimage and Peace, Scholarship Retreat Fellow, South Africa, July 2007
  • Outstanding Teacher of the Year – Behavioral and Social Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Maryland. Spring 1999

Professional Memberships

  • American Political Science Association
  • American Academy of Religion
  • Middle East Studies Association

Contact Information

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Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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