Public Affairs Faculty Spotlight February
Dr. Holly Baggett
History
At Missouri State University our public affairs mission is comprised of three pillars: ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement. Dr. Holly Baggett is an excellent example of what it looks like when members of our campus community engage in research and practices that advance the public affairs mission.
Since coming to Springfield in 1996, Dr. Baggett has been involved with several organizations that advocate for the rights of LGBTQ individuals on campus and in the Springfield community. She was on the Board of Directors for the GLO Center during their opening stages and helped lay the groundwork for success with this organization. She also worked with a team of faculty for ten years to advocate for Sexual Orientation and Non-discrimination policies to be included in the University’s Code of Conduct. In addition to her advocacy efforts on campus, Dr. Baggett has also been involved with the organization PROMO, an advocacy group that focuses on policies affecting LGBTQ rights at state and national levels.
Dr. Baggett has done extensive research on the history of the LGBTQ population in Springfield and strives to incorporate her research and activism in the classroom. “History tends to repeat itself and those who don’t learn their history have their rights taken away much easier,” she says, “Once your rights have been taken away it is much more difficult to get them back”. By demonstrating cultural competence and community engagement and setting a good example of ethical leadership for her students, Dr. Baggett is a perfect fit for this month’s Public Affairs Faculty spotlight. Congratulations and keep up the good work!