James Douglas

This was a really engaging and worthwhile J-Term course. I learned a lot about Vermont politics, both past and present, and it was especially unique because it was taught by former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. His perspective and experiences made the class both informative and memorable. The workload was very manageable: we wrote one medium-length paper per week, each on a topic of our own choosing related to the readings. This flexibility made the assignments more enjoyable, since you could dive deeper into areas that personally interested you. While the papers sometimes felt challenging, they were always rewarding because of that freedom of choice. Class sessions typically started with a discussion of current events, so it’s important to stay updated on the news in order to participate fully. We also discussed the readings, though much of the class time was spent listening to Governor Douglas’s lectures. His lectures were always interesting, though he occasionally drifted off-topic, so it’s worth coming prepared with questions from the readings to help guide the discussion and keep things focused. Overall, I would recommend this course to anyone interested in politics, government, or Vermont history. It’s not overly demanding, but you’ll get much more out of it if you stay on top of the readings, keep up with current events, and take the initiative to engage with Governor Douglas during class.

This was a really engaging and worthwhile J-Term course. I learned a lot about Vermont politics, both past and present, and it was especially unique because it was taught by former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. His perspective and experiences made the class both informative and memorable. The workload was very manageable: we wrote o …Read more

There is no one better to take this course with! Jim Douglas is a legend and it is really enjoyable to take a course from someone who has played the game. You only have to write 4, 3 page papers and he's a pretty chill grader. You also get to meet with Phil Scott. Couldn't ask for a better experience, 10/10!

I recommend the class. The class was very informative and interactive about the VT government. There is a field trip to the state house, which was very cool, and you get to interact and see officials. The class values participation and requires you to get involved. The material to me was very interesting.