Dr. Lori Maxwell joined Tennessee Tech in 1995 and has served as the Department Chair of Sociology and Political Science since fall 2017. She earned her undergraduate degree in English from Carson-Newman, with a religion minor from Oxford University, and received both her master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in Political Science. In addition to her degrees, Dr. Maxwell is also credentialed in higher educational leadership. She regularly teaches classes in constitutional law, a variety of legal studies options, the presidency, American government, and politics and gender. 

Dr. Maxwell is one of Tech’s pre-law advisers and teaches the Moot Court competition team whose students have won the state championship twice, along with winning many individual student awards.  Dr. Maxwell researches the convergence of the popular culture and political culture and her publications can be found on her curriculum vita. She is the recipient of several QEP grants, the Tennessee Tech Home Instead Senior Care Distinguished Service Learning Award, and the state-wide Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award.