Joy Rhodes

Joy Divine Rhodes is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the University of Oklahoma and a Graduate Research Fellow at the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center. Her research focuses on American politics, including race-based identity and politics, community-based organizations in shaping electoral outcomes, political parties, and legislative institutions.

She has presented research at APSA and the Cooperative Election Study Conference and is working on a center project under review on public support for congressional campaign finance practices. She has received multiple awards and grants in recognition of her research, teaching, and service, and has contributed to the profession through peer review and graduate student leadership. Joy is teaching Politics in America (Spring 2026) with prior teaching roles in undergraduate and graduate courses, and the University of Michigan’s ICPSR summer program.

Joy earned a B.A. in Political Science from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2020 and an M.P.A. from OU in 2022. She has served as the president of the OU Graduate Association in Political Science and received the Provost’s Certificate of Distinction in Teaching (Fall 2020).