Jeremy Neely

Academic Interests

American history.  I am especially interested in the nineteenth-century West and the Civil War era; my book, "The Border Between Them," tries to tell those stories by looking at the Missouri-Kansas border.  Other subjects of interests include environmental history, social history and historical geography.

Top Scholarly Accomplishments

Book: "The Border Between Them: Violence and Reconciliation on the Kansas-Missouri Line" (University of Missouri Press, 2007), which won the Kansas State Historical Society's Edward Tihen Award.

Previous Experience

I've taught at MSU on a per-course basis for a few semesters.  I've also taught at Cottey College and the University of Missouri.

Hometown

I live near Lockwood, Missouri with my wife Annie and three kids.

Hobbies

I like to play with my kids and to go camping with them.  I also enjoy gardening, exercising and reading.

Future Goals and Aspirations

I would like to become a tenured faculty member someday, but as long as I can make a living teaching, researching, and writing about history, I will consider myself lucky.

Life Outside the University

Right after I finished my dissertation, I became a stay-at-home dad, a gig that I performed for the next seven years, taking care of my sons, Owen (now 7) and Miles (4), and daughter, Annie (also 4).  I was able to get my book published while taking care of the kids full-time, in addition to teaching a few courses here and there. Now that my kids are all in school, I am happy to be back in the classroom full-time!