Jimmie Office Hour is a podcast exploring the liberal arts, higher education, and everything in between.
Biography – Jakob Barnard
Originally from Hasting, MN, I have lived in Jamestown, ND, since coming to Jamestown College in the fall of 2000. After graduating from Jamestown College in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History/Political Science, my wife and I moved to Fargo for a year before returning to Jamestown. We have grown our family with a son and pets through this time. My wife (a fellow Jimmie) co-founded Triumph Incorporated here in Jamestown, a human service-orientated company. Over the years, I have worked in roles such as software support, IT Helpdesk, and director of data science at various local companies. I am also a volunteer firefighter with the Jamestown Rural Fire Department.
In 2017 I completed a Master of Science Computer Information Systems degree with a concentration in Databases and Business Intelligence from Boston University. That fall, I had the opportunity to rejoin the University of Jamestown as an adjunct instructor. 2018, I joined the Computer Science & Technology Department as a full-time instructor. In 2019, I began working on a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology program with a concentration in cybersecurity at the University of Cumberlands. I was promoted to Assistant Professor in May 2021 and Department Chair in May 2022. (I added the Director of Online Technology programs title in 2023, along with being promoted to Associate Professor in 2024) The PhD program was completed, and the dissertation was successfully defended in October 2022. I am also passionately involved with the ACM SIGCSE Committee on Computing Education in Liberal Arts Colleges and working with the wider computer science education community. Check out his website at https://barnard.phd!
Biography – Scot Loyd
Scot Loyd, an educator, activist, writer and speech and debate coach from Gosnell, Arkansas, seeks to champion inclusivity, diversity, and understanding through his work. You can read his musings at Scotloyd.blog and more political and cultural content at Faithonview.com. Residing in Jamestown with his partner Candy and dog Ryn, Scot enjoys reading, watching Star Trek both old and new, and generally thinking about things.