Assistant Professor Jessica Waters, director of the Politics, Policy and Law Program, has been named Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education in the School of Public Affairs.

“Jessica’s enthusiasm and devotion to students, her department, school, university, profession, and community make her an ideal selection for this role,” Dean Barbara Romzek said.

In the spring of 2013, Waters was presented with the American University award for Outstanding Teaching in a Term Faculty Appointment, and received SPA’s award for Outstanding Teaching in a Term Faculty Appointment in 2012. Her expertise in reproductive rights and legal advocacy is reflected in numerous law review articles and other publications. In addition to notable work in the classroom, Waters has been recognized for her outstanding coaching of the Mock Trial Team, advising, collaboration with students in research projects, and active participation with students in professional activities.

“Jessica has taken a leadership role in SPA in envisioning new models of 21st-century education, seeking to provide students with an outstanding education by considering experimentation with teaching in new ways,” Romzek added.

Beyond the academic, Waters has also worked many hours in the community as a guardian ad litem, serving as a voice for children in the legal system and advocating more broadly for those whose voices may not otherwise be heard. Prior to joining the AU faculty, Waters was a litigator at WilmerHale and a federal law clerk for the Honorable Emmet Sullivan on the D.C. District Court.

Finally, Waters’ commitment to American University runs deep, as she is an alumna of SPA and the University Honors Program, and she also earned her JD from the Washington College of Law.