You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home: A Biography of Dr. Heather Rice

Dr. Heather Rice, a Political Science professor at Slippery Rock University, has overcome a wide array of obstacles throughout her life. From a father who has legal problems and is in and out of rehab, to a family who misunderstands her, it took a great amount of effort to get where she is today, to finally be 'content'.

The Pittsburgh Pirates stadium, PNC Park, where Dr. Rice got married.
Photo taken by Autumn Hannold 

Rice was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a Pittsburgh sports enthusiast, especially when it comes to the Pittsburgh Pirates. She was raised by a single mother who had left her father when she was just two years old. As Rice grew up, she began to understand that her home life was not "normal". Rice realized why her mother had left when she was so young; her father was dealing with his own personal battles.



Rice attended Castle Shannon High School, where things started to look up for her. College application time was nearing, and she wanted to get "as far away from home as possible." Therefore, she applied to and was accepted to Clemson University in South Carolina. Dr. Rice would become the first member of her family to go to college.

After graduating in four years with her undergraduate degree in Political Science, Rice considered graduate school, and began the application process. Ironically enough, the best program she was accepted to was none other than the University of Pittsburgh, taking her right back home where she started.


Rice is now an Assistant Professor at Slippery Rock University. Prior to her full-time position here, she served as an instructor in a number of political science courses at Pitt, including "American Constitutional Law," "American Political Process," "Religion and Politics," and has served as a teaching assistant and department mentor. Rice was also the editorial assistant and reviewer for "Political Behavior".

Dr. Rice leading discussion in a Congress lecture.
Photo taken by Autumn Hannold 

Dr. Rice is popular among the students of the Political Science Department here at SRU, primarily because she connects on a personal level with all of her students. She has been teaching American National Government for years, which is a 100 level liberal studies course, which is dominated by non-majors. Rice told her upper-level Congress students about how frustrating it is to see students who don't care, because she wants them to care, and because she cares. "I just do not understand why a student would go through all the work of getting accepted into college and not put the work in. All of my students have potential, and if I have to push them to reach that potential, I will do that," Rice said.

Rice is open to suggestions for all of her classes, actively accepting feedback at the conclusion of every semester for every class. She values student opinion, and encourages all of her students to be vocal. "I was a student once, and I would not feel right making students do things that I would have hated, or did hate, as a college student. It's only fair," Rice said. It may come as a surprise, however, that she did not always
want to be a professor, until Ms. Laura Olson came along.

Dr. Rice's Congress students circle up for an intense discussion on policy making.
Photo taken by Autumn Hannold 

Congress is a 300 level course that Dr. Rice teaches every two years, during every election season. She has students maintain a weekly journal, containing reflections on the readings, class lectures and discussion, and the overall productivity of each class session. The class is also a discussion based course, so students actually rearrange the seating and make a circle. Rice reads all of the journals and leaves personal comments in each of them. Students applaud Rice for always giving them  the extra "shove" at the end of the semester when they are all struggling to stay afloat.


Angie Buchowski, a Political Science minor, gives credit to Dr. Rice for contributing to her experience as a Slippery Rock student.



Dr. Rice, as previously mentioned, was the first member of her family to attend college, let alone obtain a PhD. Although her efforts do not go unnoticed here at Slippery Rock, it is unfortunately an obstacle she faces with her family.

Dr. Rice with her husband and her son, Robinson, at a Pirates game.
Photo courtesy of Heather Rice 

Rice has had many problems growing up with her family, specifically her father. He is a drug addict and is struggling to find himself. However, Dr. Rice has worked on her relationship with him, and they have come a long way over the years. She may have had problems at home, and with her family, but she has made a name for herself here at SRU. She has a body of students who respect her and appreciate her hard work. She is now happily married and has a son, who she adores, named Robinson. The students in the Political Science Department are happy to have her.

Dr. Heather Rice: The Road to Becoming Laura Olsen on Dipity.