Jacob Hardesty is an Associate Professor of Education at Rockford University, where he teaches foundations courses in educational history and research methods. He completed his doctorate in 2013 at Indiana University in educational history. His work has appeared in High Ability Studies, American Educational History Journal, History of Education Quarterly, and edited volumes. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. Dr. Hardesty has a B.M. in Music Education from Ithaca College and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Before coming to Rockford, he taught music for four years in public and Catholic schools, as well as education courses at DePauw University and Indiana University. Dr. Hardesty’s primary research interest involves the historical connections and tensions between popular culture and public education.