Walter R. Jacobs, Ph.D. has been on the faculty of public state universities since the summer of 1999. He served as a department chair for five years at his first institution, a college dean at two other universities for nine years (two years at the first institution, and seven at the second), and the provost and vice president for academic affairs for a year and a half at a fourth university. He is currently a full professor of ethnic studies, and the interim co-executive director of a non-profit organization that uses innovative story development practices and participatory media methods to support people in sharing personal narratives rooted in their own life experiences.