Ron Schmidt has taught in the Davidson Learns program since 2018, and before that he taught political science courses on racial politics and on immigration policy at Davidson College for six years, after retiring from California State University, Long Beach where he was a professor for forty years. He has published three books on racial and ethnic politics in the United States, one of which won a “best book” award from his professional association. Ron lives with his wife Rosemary in Davidson and (in the summer) in Portland, Maine, near his children and grandchildren.