Melody Rose, B.A., M.P.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Melody Rose is the chair of Political Science. She teaches courses in American government and politics and holds degrees from U.C. Santa Cruz (B.A. with honors and Phi Beta Kappa, 1988) and Cornell University (Masters in Public Affairs, 1991; M.A. in Government, 1995; Ph.D. in Government, 1997). She has authored a number of articles and book chapters on social and election policy. Most recently, she is the author of two books: Safe, Legal, and Unavailable? Abortion Politics in the United States (2007, CQ Press) and Abortion: A Documentary Reference Guide (2008, Greenwood Press). She is currently writing a book on the presidential campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton with Regina Lawrence (Louisiana State University) entitled An Exception to Every Rules? Media and Gender in the Candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton (forthcoming, Lynne Rienner Publishers)

Dr. Rose is the Founder and Director of the nationally-recognized NEW Leadership™ Oregon program, which offers leadership training programs to women college students in Oregon. This program is dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of women leaders in our nation.

Rose's teaching, research, and community service interests reflect her broad interest in citizen engagement and political participation. She is a regular political analyst on local, state, and national media on matters of elections, voting, and women's political action. In 2007, she was named one of the "100 Most Powerful Women in the Northwest" by Northwest Women's Journal and in 2008, she received the PSU Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty of the Year Award.