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Hello and welcome to the Honors College at NKU! 

I’m Jim Buss—the Dean of the Honors College.  Don’t let that scare you, though.  When I was a college student, I had no idea what a dean or a professor really meant.  In some ways, I still don’t.  At the heart of it, being the Dean of the Honors College means that I get to teach and work with some really cool students and faculty at the university. 

My research and teaching focus on the intersections of Native American and African American communities in the nineteenth century, as well as how our collective memory of the past influences current events.

I was born in Lima, Ohio, and was the first person in my family to attend college. I did so at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. It might surprise a lot of students in the Honors College, but I wasn’t an honors student. In fact, I almost got kicked out of school. Nonetheless, I graduated with a Bachelors and Masters degree from BGSU, before attending Purdue University for my PhD.

In my spare time, I like to work around the house.  My wife will tell you that I’m always working on some sort of project.  I also like to cook, play golf, and complete crossword puzzles. But, most of all I love spending time with my family, which includes my wife, Leanne, our two year old son, Joey, and our mischievous dog, Lacey. 

I can’t wait to get to meet you and share more of my story while learning more about each of yours’