Brock Tessman, Ph.D.

Brock Tessman was appointed President of Northern Michigan University in September 2022. Previously, Tessman served as the Deputy Commissioner for Academic, Research, and Student Affairs for the Montana University System. Prior to his current position, Tessman served as a Professor of Political Science and Dean of the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana in Missoula. Tessman began his academic career at the University of Georgia, where he earned tenure in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) for his research and teaching on national security, foreign policy, and the relationship between environmental conditions and leadership decision making. While at UGA, Tessman also served as SPIA Director of Graduate Programs, SPIA Director of Undergraduate Programs, Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues, and chair-elect of the Executive Committee of University Council. Tessman received numerous teaching and mentoring awards at the University of Georgia, including SPIA Professor of the Year, Student Government Association Professor of the Year Award, and the Richard B. Russell Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, which is the university’s highest early career teaching honor. Tessman graduated with an honors degree in International Relations from Brown University, and received both his MA and PhD (Political Science) from the University of Colorado at Boulder.