Danyel LaFear

Professor of Political Science

To never discount a well-earned degree - I earned my high school diploma from TC Roberson High School in Asheville North Carolina

I am a Valencia alumnus! I got my AA here and took advantage of Direct Connect to UCF

UCF BA in History and Social Science Education (Go Knights!)

Southern New Hampshire University MS in Political Science

Currently working on:
Masters in Political Management from George Washington University

Masters Certificate in History from Minnesota State Mankato


Past Experience
An American history teacher at Orlando Science School and Dr. Phillips High School here in Orlando

Gifted social science instructor at John Lewis Middle in Waukegan, Illinois

More about me:
I was born and raised here in the Sunshine State where I have lived most of my life. I grew up around the Sunrise-Plantation-Coral Springs area of Broward County and moved briefly to Asheville, NC (the most beautiful place to visit in the Fall - highly recommend)

For college, I moved to NYC for about one semester, experienced a little bit of burnout, and came back home to Florida (why am I telling you that? Because it happens!), got a job at Disney (where I've been part-time ever since) and enrolled here!!

I took a little bit of a break from Florida to move near family in Chicago where I taught middle school for one academic year - I realized I don't like snow as much as I thought I did and.....came back home!

(Maybe I'll move back to Chicago when the Bears win a Super Bowl...so you'll have me for a bit)

If you know how to utilize Google, you will see that I have a political affiliation - but I do not expect to or plan on requiring you to share that affiliation with me. (If you do, great! If you don't, also great!)

My classroom, both virtually and in person, is an open space where we are respectful of a diversity of both people and ideas (as long as those ideas are respectful of others)

Contact

Winter Park Campus
219
dlafear@valenciacollege.edu

Hours

Virtual:
Thursday/Friday

Winter Park:
Monday/Wednesday

Downtown/UCF:
Tuesday

Additional Engagement Hours: If these office hours do not fit into your schedule, please email me and we will try to arrange something. I cannot promise to be available at all times due to in-person classes and other school obligations, but we will figure something out! If your need is urgent, please send me a DM on Canvas.