Louisiana State University is home to a lot of great professors, but one stands out by opening students’ eyes to the vastness and complexity of the world.
Catherine Jacquet is assistant professor of history and women’s and gender studies at the University. Jacquet moved from Connecticut, where she was born and raised, to Louisiana to pursue a tenure-track job at a research university and took the job at the University because it was a perfect fit for her research and teaching interests.
Jacquet said she pursued a career in teaching history because she knew that history is a topic that motivates students to ask questions, think critically and make changes in the world.
Jacquet teaches various history classes, ranging from sexuality, gender and race. Jacquet’s focus on women and minorities helps bring light to a new perspective of American history since the Civil War.
“She is great at bringing the people to life and explaining why they are so important to history,” said Emily Belanger, undergraduate history major and former supplemental instructor for Jacquet. “Students respond well to her, which made my job that much easier, because the students wanted to go to class and were eager to learn.”
Jacquet not only brings her passion to the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. She connects her unique style of teaching with the community. Jacquet offers extra credit for attending history seminars, public speeches and other conferences held on and off campus. While some students may treat this as only an extra credit opportunity, she wants students to get involved, have knowledge of the world around them and help improve the world.
“Dr. Jacquet helped me understand that academia can be a fun, laid-back place without losing any academic rigor,” said J. Matthew Ward, history graduate student and former teacher’s assistant for Jacquet. “She’s helped me chill out without forgetting to handle assignments and student relations with a certain amount of gravitas. If I can be more like her—charming, smiling, happy, yet still smart and confident, then my life in academia will be all the better.”
Alongside Ward, Chase Tomlin, history graduate student and former teacher’s assistant for Jacquet, said he loved working with Jacquet and benefited from being her TA.
In addition to her academic accomplishments and inspirational teaching, she has written a book “The Injustices of Rape.” In it, she’s one of the first writers to touch upon sexual violence from the viewpoint of both the Black freedom and women’s liberation movement from 1950 until 1980. Jacquet also provides insights into the social injustice happening today.
A University student rated Jacquet a perfect score of five out of five on the popular website, www.ratemyprofessors.com. “Professor Jacquet is one of the best teachers at LSU. She is incredibly passionate about what she teaches and knows her stuff,” the student said.