Jonathan Rutgers
Adjunct Professor

• M.A., Kansas State University

Email: jonathan.rutgers@mso.umt.edu
Phone: 910-432-2867

Jon Rutgers is a retired soldier, serving in the U.S. Army for 28 years in conventional and special operations units with assignments in Haiti, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, India, and Nepal. He has also worked as a security consultant supporting protective services and security training requirements in the U.S., Middle East, and Asia. 

Dr Maz Mazinani
Assistant Professor

Email: mehran.mazinani@mso.umt.edu
Phone: (406)243-3600

Currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Regional Studies at the University of Montana's Mansfield Center within the Defense Critical Language and Culture Program, I collaborate closely with a diverse group of students and professionals. My background includes impactful roles at the Defense Language Institute, where I supported military service members as an Assistant Professor, Team Lead, and Acting Department Chairperson. My teaching experience extends internationally and domestically, including researching and teaching at the University of Utah, where I completed my Post-doctorate, PhD, and MA. I've designed and taught graduate and undergraduate courses covering Middle Eastern Studies, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Islam. I have several publications in peer-reviewed journals mostly on the Middle East. I've been honored with several awards, notably my induction into the Army Antiterrorism Honor Roll, a distinction recognized across the US Army.