Dr. Jamie Frueh
Associate Professor
Department of History and Political Science

For as long as he can remember, Dr. Jamie Frueh has been troubled by the dichotomy of similarity and difference that characterizes human relations. With so many vast differences that exist between the world's populations and societies, he was perplexed by how so many can think they own "exclusive truth." This problem became more dramatic after he graduated college and spent 18 months teaching high school in South Africa.

"As the outsider in a very different culture, I had to adapt to what others considered to be normal and even natural ways to do things. Teaching world politics allows me to challenge students with the widest possible human and social diversity and the ways we use to deal with that diversity. Often my students end up learning more about themselves than they do about the people we study."

Frueh, an associate professor of history and political science, pushes his students to open their minds and hearts to beliefs and mindsets that run counter to what they've always known. And, he says, Bridgewater provides the perfect setting.

"My favorite aspect of Bridgewater is the sense of interconnectedness. Teaching is the art of creating environments in which students can turn on their own light bulbs of understanding. My job is to challenge students by exposing them to new information and ideas, to provoke them to think and rethink, and to get them addicted to the exhilaration that comes when they understand something for themselves."

Beyond that, Frueh appreciates the ability of Bridgewater's community to treat students as individuals. He knows the name of each of this students before the second week of class. This comes, he says, from the philosophy of respect for the individual that permeates the entire campus community.

"I approach each student with an assumption of respect for her or his ability to have an independent, creative idea at any moment. I challenge students to reflect on the information they encounter and to bring their own perspectives, experiences, and insights into class. I embrace differences of opinion, ability, and perspective. Our students do not just coast through their college education. A Bridgewater education is a conscious project that makes students thoughtful adults."