Though her mom taught for more than 30 years, Jacobsen didn’t plan to follow in her mother’s footsteps.

“I thought I would be a policymaker,” Jacobsen said. “Now, I just want to influence policymakers.”

Jacobsen received degrees in both social policy and women’s studies as an undergraduate at Northwestern University before realizing those who wrote educational policies never spent eight hours inside a classroom with more than 30 kids to gain a full experience.

She received a graduate degree in politics and education from the Teacher’s College at Columbia University in 2007 before joining MSU’s College of Education faculty.

“Rebecca has a real passion for teaching,” said Tamara Wilder, a research fellow at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Gary Sykes, a teacher education professor, first became familiar with Jacobsen when asking her to write a chapter for a book he was editing.

“She brings distinctive expertise to the college on an issue that is of great historical and continuing significance,” he said.