Popular poli-sci prof departs for Dayton

After seven years of teaching, political enthusiast and presidential candidate guru Dr. Christopher Devine is leaving MVNU.

While Devine dearly loves MVNU and the people here, he is taking his talents and passion to another school. This fall he will be teaching and researching at the University of Dayton in the political science department.

One of his areas of interest is presidential elections. He has written a book entitled “The VP Advantage: How Running Mates Influence Home State Voting in Presidential Elections.” He wishes to continue similar research, and UD offers him more opportunities to do so.

Devine is an enthusiastic professor with an obvious love for the material he teaches. His passion for politics has brought many students to his classroom.

Senior political science major Konnor Byers is one of those students.

“I was interested in politics before taking one of his classes, but his enthusiasm and classroom structure made me so excited about learning more about politics and the government and how it all works,” Byers said.

Though Devine shows an incredible love for politics now, he says his interest did not develop until he was 16. He grew up in a home that was not particularly political, and he was more interested in baseball.

When baseball was in its off-season, Devine got bored. He turned on the TV and eventually landed feet first in the world of politics. Devine sees politics as “another sport to get into” due to the competition and strategy at play.

Devine has become a coach of sorts for the students he teaches. “He has always pushed me to do my best work and have confidence in my work and what I am capable of doing,” Byers said.

Devine said his goal as a professor is for students to understand their potential, be passionate about their work and feel empowered to find out information on their own. He also emphasizes making connections, valuing education and relying on God to work in every situation.

Devine says he was not looking to go beyond MVNU but applied to UD on a whim. When he was offered the job, he knew God was in the situation.

“God will shut the door if it’s not meant to be,” he said. But, the door was left wide open, so Devine is taking the opportunity, as he strives to “always emphasize the positive.”

As a husband and father of two, Devine is thinking about his family in this move. It will bring him closer to extended family, something he values greatly.

Dr. Devine is the assistant professor of political science at MVNU. Terilyn Johnston Huntington will step in to take Devine’s place. For more on Huntington, click here.