On top of this dedication, Jacobs is backed up by tremendous resources, as the only thing possibly more entertaining than himself is the rare footage he shows to exemplify his points. With the help of quite a bit of grant money, Jacobs has amassed some of the rarest Vietnam, World War II, and Cold War-era footage that can still be found today. In just the first three weeks of class, students were exposed to Nazi and American propaganda, a nuclear explosion, and the horrors of fighting in Southeast Asia. Nobody can complain that the lectures have been even the slightest bit dry.
Born in Texas, raised in New York, and educated in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Chicago, Jacobs now resides in Woburn, Mass., with his wife of 17 years and his two daughters, 11-year-old Miranda and 8-year-old Sophie. Both Miranda and Sophie were born while he was still in graduate school, forcing him to finish his dissertation in only five years, as opposed to the standard seven.
Since joining the faculty in 2001, Jacobs has taught numerous history courses, including seminars on the '50s, the '60s, and the Vietnam War, as well as a class on foreign policy. Both the foreign policy class and America's War in Vietnam are being offered this semester. Both his 747-page dissertation and his second book were written on Vietnam, focusing more specifically on the Diem regime, a topic he feels has not been covered enough despite its importance in setting the stage for the Vietnam War. His latest book, soon to be in publication, details a history of relations between the United States and Laos. Now, most people don't even really know where Laos is (it actually neighbors Vietnam), but Jacobs' new book has shed light on its importance to the events that unfolded in Southeast Asia during the Cold War.
Jacobs' love for teaching, even though it was discovered years after his undergraduate education, is unique and selfless. Since returning to Boston, he's been involved in many community service organizations, but the two that stood out most for him both concentrated on education. He participated in a Read-Aloud program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and Teachers For a New Era. Teachers For a New Era is a program that allows college professors to assist local high school teachers prepare material and reach students in schools that are not exactly considered "well to do." This program not only brought him a newfound respect for high school teachers, but it served to reinforce his appreciation for the BC student body.
If you've taken one of his classes, you've heard him profess his love for the student body for its hard work and motivation. Teachers For a New Era opened his eyes to the fact that students are hard to motivate, and as a high school teacher, it's your job to do just that. Being a professor at BC, Jacobs found that students here consistently motivate themselves, and has gone as far as to say he will never work anywhere else because of the productive and continually impressive work ethic he so often sees.
Spring Break
