Academic Spotlight: Senior Associate Dean Priscilla Hobbs of First-Year Experience

Dr. Priscilla Hobbs, senior associate dean in Southern New Hampshire University's (SNHU) First-Year Experience program, has always been an educator. She holds master's and doctoral degrees in mythological studies, making her a trained mythologist. She studies Disney and popular culture and how consumer behavior has impacted America's culture.

Recently she answered questions about her background, her work with online students, the importance of education and more.

Can you tell us about your professional background?

I’ve always been an academic. Before becoming an associate dean, I was an adjunct faculty member of a couple of community colleges in addition to SNHU, teaching general education humanities courses. I’m trained as a cultural mythologist, and I research Disney and popular culture, and the role of consumer behavior in shaping the American cultural narrative.

What first drew you to higher education?

Other than briefly wanting to be a paleontologist, I always wanted to be a teacher. I went to university straight out of high school and was enamored with how cool my professors seemed. I decided that I wanted to be one of them when I grew up, and tailored my education journey toward being a professor.

I landed in online education as a non-traditional graduate student. The disciplines I wanted to study were niche and not available at local universities, and I didn’t want to move. So I found low-residency programs that were only doable because of online connectivity and community.

What aspects of your own education have been influential in shaping your career in academia?

I was fortunate to have some really great teachers throughout my entire educational journey. One common thread among the most influential of them was encouraging a broad, holistic way of seeing the world, which led me to question the broader American cultural narrative as a social undercurrent. By recognizing that bigger picture, I find that it makes it easier to recognize what students and faculty bring into the classrooms and what kinds of support they may need.

It also is a helpful perspective as well for looking at a General Education curriculum, because, by its nature, the GenEds are program-agnostic and require an understanding of all students who may cross through the courses.

What attracted you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

I landed in General Education because I have a strong belief in the value of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies on the development of perspective and self-concept, and the idea that specialization can come at the expense of seeing the bigger picture.

What keeps me excited is the curiosity to explore those different perspectives.

How have you found ways to effectively connect with students?

I’ve found that students can sniff out authenticity, so I make sure to bring my authentic self into the classroom. I share aspects of my identity that are relevant to knowing me, and I’m transparent about my style.

I’ve also found that popular culture is a common language for all students. While we may not all consume the same franchises, my ability to flex around their preferences helps build rapport.

What brings you the greatest joy in your work as a senior associate dean?

My greatest joy is getting that one student comment about how a course changed their perspective about something, and how they’re leaving the course ready to share this new perspective in their lives. Since the launch of the new Commons curriculum, I’ve gotten more comments about student growth and personal transformation that let me know that all the work is worth it.

What do you feel is unique about the faculty and students you work with?

The GenEds aren’t popular, but they can be transformative. Students don’t necessarily want to be there, and faculty have to work a little harder to convince them the course is relevant, especially when students don’t see the value in the course or the content and know there are other avenues they could take for the college credit.

Also, the students and faculty can’t be reduced to a single profile because the students are literally all of our undergraduate students and our faculty are those carefully recruited for their dispositions and knowledge. Every interaction is a new experience.

What does SNHU’s mission to transform the lives of learners mean to you?

Anyone who wants to get a degree should be able to get a degree, but there are so many system barriers that get in the way. We offer them a space to come get their degree, and along the way, ignite their curiosity to learn more and to grow as people.

Outside of work, what’s something you’re passionate about or really enjoy doing?

I’m an academic and have worked hard with a number of my peers to make Disney Studies an academically recognized genre. I currently have three book projects in different stages of work, including a second edition of my first book, "Walt’s Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking."

I frequently present at conferences – mostly related to various aspects of Disney culture, from theme park narratives to corporate history as told by YouTubers.

When not being an academic, I love to knit and crochet, play games (especially Disney-themed games), and hang out with my family.

Joe Cote is a writer and organic marketer at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), where he has worked since 2016. Previously he spent more than a dozen years as a reporter and editor at weekly and daily newspapers in Vermont and New Hampshire. He lives near SNHU's Manchester, New Hampshire campus with his wife and daughter. Connect with him on LinkedIn.