Michelle Vázquez Jacobus, JD
SHE | HER | HERS
- Associate Professor
Education
- JD, Stanford Law School, 1990
- MSW, New York University, 1994
- BA in Psychology, Political Science, and Spanish, Duke University, 1986
Michelle Vázquez Jacobus, JD, MSW, is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Sociology program at the University of Southern Maine where she works from backgrounds in both social work and law to promote equity, inclusion, and community-engaged learning. Dr. Vázquez Jacobus’ scholarship explores the policy implications of food access; public art and culture; assets and programs for immigrant communities; collaborative multi-disciplinary community engagement projects; and the importance of community engagement on pedagogy and social justice. Recently, her scholarship has focused on promoting access to education for marginalized communities and addressing climate change through community empowerment and cross-cultural communication.
Michelle earned her JD at Stanford Law School, her MSW at New York University and her BA at Duke University. Michelle lives in Brunswick, ME with her husband, three dogs, and varying combinations of her young-adult children. She spends her “free” time exploring international culinary experiences and looking for her keys.
Selected Publications
Vazquez Jacobus, M., Ahmed, H., and Jalali, R. (2013). “My daughter does not know how to make the chappati”: Understanding food access among African immigrants in Lewiston, ME. Metropolitan Universities Journal, 23(3), 79-94.
Vazquez Jacobus, M.; Baskett, R and Bechstein, C. (2011). Building Castles Together: A sustainable collaboration as a perpetual work in progress, Gateways International Journal of Community Research and Engagement: Special Edition on Sustaining Community-University Partnerships, 4, 65-82.
Vazquez Jacobus, M. and Jalali, R. (2011). Challenges to food access among Lewiston’s African immigrants. Maine Policy Review: Special Food Issue, 20(1), 150-158.
Vazquez Jacobus, M., Tiemann, M. and Reed, E. (2011). The Downtown Education Collaborative: A new model for collaborative community engagement. Metropolitan Universities Journal, 21(3), 98-117.
Harris, D.E., Vazquez Jacobus, M., Ewing, H.A., Pieck, S. K., Kane, E., Blum, J.W. (2011). Local food, the built environment and single-parent households in Local Food Geographies: Concepts, Spatial Context and the Local Practices Food Systems in Old Industrial Regions: Spatial Context and Local Practices, Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing Inc.
Nigro, G., McCabe-Park, E. & Vazquez Jacobus, M. (2011). The effects of service-learning on retention: A study of 17 Northern New England institutions of higher education, unpublished manuscript; findings published on Maine Campus Compact website.
Vazquez Jacobus, M. and Baskett, R. (2010). Building community capacity through school based service-learning. Metropolitan Universities Journal, 22(3) 93-110.
Harris, D., Aboueissa, A., Vazquez Jacobus, M., Dharod, J., and Walter, K. (2010). Mapping food stores and people at-risk for insecurity in Lewiston, Maine. Journal of Extension, 48 (6).
Vazquez Jacobus, M. and Harris, D. (2007). Mapping hunger in Maine: A complex collaboration, Academic Exchange Quarterly, 11(4)202.
Schmitz, C., Vazquez Jacobus, M., Stakeman, C, Valenzuela, G. and Sprankel J. (2003). Immigrant and refugee communities: Resiliency, trauma, policy and practice. Social Thought, 22 (2/3), 135-158.
Education
- JD, Stanford Law School, 1990
- MSW, New York University, 1994
- BA in Psychology, Political Science, and Spanish, Duke University, 1986