Jessica Elfenbein

Jessica Elfenbein is a Professor and Department Chair of History at the University of South Carolina, affiliated with the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware’s Hagley Program, an M.A. from George Washington University, and an A.B. from Barnard College. Her research focuses on American urban and public history, philanthropy, and marginalized communities. She directed the award-winning Baltimore ’68: Riots and Rebirth project and led the National Park Service’s study of Ferguson, SC—a submerged company town reflecting 20th-century industrial and environmental challenges.

Administratively, she served as Senior Associate Dean of The Graduate School (2012–2016), Associate Provost at the University of Baltimore (2007–2012), and ACE/ALDP Fellow. She has secured over $600,000 in grants for community-university partnerships and graduate education. Her teaching spans urban history, public history, and community studies, with courses like HIST 400 (Urban America) and GRAD 801 (Presidential Fellows Seminar).

Notable awards include the National Council on Public History’s Outstanding Project Award and the University System of Maryland’s highest honor for public service. Her work emphasizes civic engagement, diversity initiatives, and bridging academic and community needs through programs like the Graduate Civic Scholars Program and Bridge Humanities Corps.