YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marvin Overby as the C. Judson King Endowed Visiting Professor for the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters. This professorship, together with the William Frazer Endowed Professorship, was established through the generous contribution of the late Edward Avedisian in honor of his longtime fellow trustees on the AUA Board of Trustees.
Dr. Overby is a professor of political science at Penn State University’s (PSU) Harrisburg campus and served as director of PSU’s School of Public Affairs from 2020-2025.
A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Dr. Overby earned his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, where he was a fellow at the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center. Between undergraduate and graduate school, he served as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow in Brussels, Strasbourg, Dublin, and Belfast.
Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. Overby held faculty positions at Loyola University Chicago, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Missouri. At the University of Mississippi, he was a founding co-director of the Social Science Research Laboratory, and at the University of Missouri, he was involved in establishing the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Overby has also taught in Hungary, China, and Belgium, and led a summer study abroad program on democracy in Europe. He said his longstanding commitment to international education was one of the primary reasons he was drawn to the C. Judson King Visiting Professorship. “I believe in the transcendent value of international education. Living and working in an international environment encourages me to consider the American experience not in isolation but in comparative perspective, and to fold that perspective into my courses and research,” he said.
Dr. Overby was also attracted to AUA’s location in the South Caucasus, a region he has long found compelling and has visited extensively. He said the opportunity to spend a year at AUA is particularly meaningful at a time when Armenia is navigating a range of interconnected political and constitutional questions, including its relationship with Russia and Europe, proximity to Iran, church-state relationship, ongoing border issues, and proposed constitutional amendments. “For a political scientist, this is a very interesting place and a fascinating time,” he remarked. “Personally and professionally, I am honored to be here for the 2026-2027 academic year,” he added.
A scholar with broad-ranging interests in American and comparative politics, Dr. Overby’s publications include the co-authored book Cobblestone Leadership: Majority Rule, Minority Power with noted historian James MacGregor Burns as well as some four dozen articles in leading journals, including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Polity, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Studies, Social Science Quarterly, Journal of Legislative Studies, Party Politics, Mass Communication and Society, American Politics Research, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly.
His research and analysis have been featured in various media outlets, including Time, NPR, The Washington Post, the BBC, The New York Times, ESPN’s Grantland, The San Francisco Chronicle, The National Journal, The Kansas City Star, Ouest-France, Newsy, PolitiFact, The London School of Economics “American Politics and Policy” blog, and LSE’s “British Politics and Policy” blog.
Dr. Overby’s current and recent research projects include legislative retirements in the U. S. Congress and other legislatures, the process of constitutional amendment, legislative procedures including the filibuster in the Senate, the “Great Migration” of African Americans out of the South, and the role of legislative parties. He is also currently co-authoring a book on the most important congressional elections in American history.
During his time at AUA, Dr. Overby plans to continue his research while pursuing projects with particular relevance to Armenia.“Political scientists tend to be overly fixated on presidential elections, but there have been truly critical congressional elections as well. Some of these are well-known, but others have been unfortunately overlooked,” he said. “I also plan on continuing some of my research that has more immediate significance for Armenia, such as different ways in which constitutions may be amended and the proper role for religion in democratic societies.”
An award-winning teacher, Dr. Overby was recognized by the University of Mississippi for excellence in the teaching of first year students, and by the University of Missouri for leadership in international education, undergraduate mentoring, and graduate teaching excellence.
While at AUA, Dr. Overby hopes to give students a deeper understanding of American politics, including both the ways the United States can serve as a model and the lessons it can offer as a cautionary example. As a senior scholar with experience at several prominent American universities, he also hopes to mentor junior faculty and students interested in pursuing further education.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.