About Philip Barker

Academic Leader in Honors Education, Curriculum Reform, and Student Success

Philip Barker — higher education leader

Professional Profile

Philip Barker is a higher-education leader with broad experience in academic administration, honors education, general-education reform, and interdisciplinary program development. As Director of the Morris-August Honors Program at Keene State College, he oversees a full academic unit with its own curriculum, governance structures, advising systems, and donor-supported resources. His leadership emphasizes student success, collaborative governance, and the development of high-impact academic experiences that support access, equity, and institutional mission.

In the Honors Program, Philip has more than doubled student participation in program events, improved satisfaction with the academic experience, expanded undergraduate research and experiential learning, and strengthened support for first-generation and underrepresented students. He led a comprehensive redesign of the Honors curriculum aligned with NECHE accreditation outcomes and the college’s general-education reform, while stewarding a $150,000 annual budget and a $1.3M endowment.

From 2020–2023, Philip served as Chair of the Political Science Department, where he helped expand the major by 25% during a period of sharp institutional contraction and launched the new Legal Studies major. His work included faculty development, curriculum oversight, assessment, accreditation contributions, and strategic planning in coordination with the Dean and Provost.

Philip is also an active public scholar. He co-hosts The Politics Lab, a national podcast reaching thousands of listeners, and has delivered invited lectures and keynotes around the world, including talks in Germany, Finland, and Malta. His work sits at the intersection of political science, civic learning, and public engagement, reflecting a commitment to making complex global issues accessible and relevant to diverse audiences.

Leadership Highlights

    • Lead a college-wide academic unit with its own curriculum, governance, advising, and budgets.

    • Grew Honors participation by 200% and increased student satisfaction through redesigned programming and targeted advising.

    • Directed comprehensive curricular redesign aligned with NECHE accreditation and general-education reform.

    • Expanded access and success for first-generation and underrepresented students through coordinated partnerships.

    • Steward a $150k annual budget and $1.3M+ endowment; collaborate with Advancement on donor stewardship.

    • Serve as ex officio member of key General Education committees.

    • Expanded the major by 25% despite a 30% institutional enrollment drop.

    • Developed and launched the Legal Studies major, now enrolling nearly as many students as Political Science.

    • Oversaw curriculum, assessment, scheduling, and integration of high-impact practices (research, civic engagement, internships, study abroad).

    • Mentored and supported faculty through tenure and promotion processes.

    • Managed budgets, staffing, resource allocation, and departmental academic planning.

    • Elected member of the Faculty Union Executive Board, representing 200+ faculty.

    • Co-led assessment and accreditation initiatives at departmental and institutional levels.

    • Invited internationally (Germany, Finland, Malta) to speak on religion and politics, nationalism, and democratic engagement.

    • Expanded Honors undergraduate research, civic learning, and global-engagement opportunities through cross-campus partnerships.

    • Designed high-impact courses in international relations, comparative politics, and political theory using active and inclusive pedagogies.

    • Developed interdisciplinary offerings integrating political science and data science, emphasizing quantitative analysis and visualization.

    • Mentored hundreds of students pursuing law, public-service careers, graduate school, and research fellowships.

    • Supervised numerous Honors theses and independent research projects.

    • Directed an award-winning Model UN program with a $100k+ annual budget and endowed funds.

    • Chaired faculty committees on global education, budget strategy, and assessment.

    • Designed and led interdisciplinary travel courses across Europe.

Media and Public Scholarship

  • Co-host, The Politics Lab — weekly national podcast with ~5,000 listeners.

  • Invited lectures and keynotes on nationalism, identity, religion, and civic learning (Germany, Finland, Malta, PBS appearances).

  • Public scholarship contributions to Georgetown’s Berkley Center and other outlets.

Contact and C.V.

Professional Email: philip.barker@keene.edu

Personal Email: pbarker76@gmail.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/philip-barker-2b4385207

Podcast: The Politics Lab

Vita: download