Biography
Dr. Arthur received his Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University (WVU) in 2013. Before coming to Marshall in 2014, he served as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at West Virginia State University (WVSU). Recently, he was appointed to the endowed position of Distinguished Scholar and Director of The Center for Consumer Law and Education (CCLE).
Damien is currently writing the definitive political biography of Senator Robert C. Byrd, contracted with Oxford University Press. The writing of this book has been, appreciatively, funded and supported by multiple organizations. This manuscript tells the story of Robert C. Byrd, a distinguished senior Senator from West Virginia. Byrd was the longest serving Senator in American history, he cast more votes than any other member, reaching 18,689 in 2010. He was elected Senate Majority Leader on two separate occasions and Minority Leader from 1981 – 1987. He served as President Pro tempore of the Senate. Lastly, he served as Chairman and Ranking Member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee on four separate occasions, for a total of 20 years, 1989 – 2009. Byrd’s journey from the hills of West Virginia to the halls of the Senate was long and wrought with changes, changes to the world, to the Senate, and to Byrd himself, from 1917 to 2010.
Fundamentally, I see teaching as a public service, an obligation to further the progression of humanity on an individual and collective level. I embrace teaching as an opportunity to inspire my students to adopt learning as a life-long passion and to empower my students with the knowledge and wisdom they need to foster personal growth and responsibility. I am committed to aiding students as they cultivate a positive experience with higher education. I want to demonstrate for them, as my professors did for me, how education can be an illuminating force in life. I feel led to impart this same love of learning, this same opportunity for advancement and elucidation, to the next generation of students.