Finding Greatness: Dr. Javan Frazier
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 1:47 PM
Categories:
Faculty/Staff | College of Arts and Sciences
Macon, GA
Title: Associate Professor of History.
Degrees:
Doctor of Philosophy, History, Auburn University.
Doctoral Dissertation: "Atomic Apartheid: U.S.-South African Nuclear Relations from Truman to Reagan."
Masters of Arts, History, North Carolina State University.
Master's Thesis: "Key Moments in Nuclear Cooperation between the United States and South Africa, 1953-1981."
Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education: Social Studies focusing on History, Tennessee Technological University.
Describe your service at Middle Georgia State and in the community at large.
“Since arriving at what is now Middle Georgia State in 2006, I have been involved in a variety of different collegiate committees regarding assessment, textbook adoption, faculty development, curriculum development, syllabi development, learning communities and customer service. Since 2013, I have served as one of the faculty senators for the History and Political Science department. I will chair the Faculty Senate beginning fall 2016.
“Within the community, I have been a consultant on a grant to the Georgia Humanities Council for the Perry High School Theatre for the Performing Arts to help fund their ‘Echoes of Evergreen’ program and their ‘Heritage Christmas’ program. Students in my classes have donated books to the Houston County Friends of the Library and the Cochran-Bleckley Friends of the Library for their sales to raise funds for their respective libraries.
"I continue to conduct research on U.S.-South African nuclear relations and have published an article on the subject entitled ‘Almost Persuaded: The Johnson Administration's Extension of Nuclear Cooperation with South Africa, 1965-1967’ in the academic journal Diplomatic History.’”
What attracted you to a faculty position at Middle Georgia State University?
“I thought the school was a good fit for my abilities and experience. I also felt that the college, at the time, as on the brink of expanding and I wanted to be a part of that.”
What do you like best about teaching at Middle Georgia State?
“I enjoy the opportunity I have to teach not only face-to-face traditional classes but online classes. I have also been fortunate in that I am able to not only teach survey classes but also upper-division classes. Finally, I enjoy the working relationship that I have with my colleagues.”
In your opinion, what does it take for students majoring in your discipline to be successful these days?
“Time management is the key to not only be successful in History but also in college. Students have so many demands on their time. These demands are not just academic but also work and family related. Successful students learn how to balance these demands. Balancing these demands is not just about applying so many hours to study, work and family. It is also about realizing that some courses require more time and effort than others because of the nature of the course. Some courses require more time because students do not have as strong a background in a certain subject area. Students who manage their time best are often the most successful.
“For History majors to be successful, they need imagination and strong planning skills. History majors need imagination in order to discover or interpret historical facts and trends in ways not previously explored. Planning skills are necessary in order to finish long-term projects and for History majors to plan out their futures once they have graduated.”
What would students be surprised to learn about you?
“Several things. For three years, I worked as a History teacher at the middle- and high-school grade levels. For our honeymoon, my wife and I spent three weeks in Scotland. My wife and I have several pets: two horses, two birds, one cat and a little white dog named Noelle.”