Wendy St. Jean

Wendy St. Jean, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of History at Purdue University Northwest (PNW), affiliated with the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences. She serves as the Advisor for the Masters Program and leads course redesign initiatives for Freshman Year Experience and Gateway History courses. Her research focuses on Native American history, natural disasters in deep time, big history frameworks, and innovative pedagogical methods like Reacting to the Past. Dr. St. Jean holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Connecticut, an M.A. from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. from Yale University.

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered learning, incorporating surveys to align historical content with contemporary student interests. Courses reflect diverse perspectives, including Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and Indigenous histories. She has been instrumental in organizing campus events like PNW’s Juneteenth programming, where students actively engage in community education around racial equality and social justice.

Dr. St. Jean is certified by the Association of College Unions International (ACUE) in Effective College Instruction and prioritizes inclusive teaching strategies that foster civic engagement. Her office is located in Classroom Office Building 211, and she is reachable at (219) 989-4161.