Patrick Flenniken

Research interests include diaspora political behavior and civic engagement; behavioral measurement in political science; international conflict and peace processes; public policy analysis; foreign policy; genocide and transitional justice.

Founder & Executive Director at Pax Studium Peace Research Institute (2026-01 – Present)

Independent scholarly institute advancing peace research through behavioral measurement, civic engagement scholarship, and campus-based dialogue programs. Founded to provide an institutional home for the OSEI research program; operates outside any university affiliation and is not grant-funded. All working papers undergo editorial review prior to release. Publisher of the OSEI Working Paper Series.

• OSEI+ Cross-Context Validation Program (multi-population validation study across Christian Zionist, Catholic, and evangelical Protestant communities)
• Campus Peace Index (CPI) in development (campus adaptation of the OSEI framework for university-based civic engagement research)

Supreme Court Oral Argument Simulation — Creator & Director at Collin College, Hallmark University, Alamo Community College District (2020-01 – Present)

Conceived, designed, and launched an original Supreme Court appellate simulation competition with no known direct equivalent elsewhere in American higher education. Unlike existing mock trial programs (limited to criminal and civil trial formats), this simulation places students in the role of counsel before a simulated high court bench, requiring constitutional research, oral argument construction, and real-time response to judicial questioning.

• Adopted institution-wide at Collin College across six campuses and multiple course sections
• Deployed at Hallmark University and Alamo Community College District
• Currently expanding into a comprehensive appellate simulation format with structured bench questioning protocols across eight landmark cases

Adjunct Professor — U.S. Government, Political Science & Texas Government at Collin College (2022-01 – 2026-12)

• Taught across six campuses, including dual credit sections at Allen, Hebron, McKinney, and The Colony high schools
• Designed syllabi, assessments, and discussion activities across in-person, online, and dual credit formats
• Created and directed the Supreme Court Oral Argument Simulation, adopted institution-wide

Adjunct Professor — Federal Government & Political Science at Hallmark University (2020-01 – 2022-12)

• Delivered Introduction to U.S. Government & Political Science in fully online and synchronous virtual formats
• Launched Supreme Court Simulation to increase student engagement with constitutional law

Adjunct Professor — U.S. Government & Texas Government at Alamo Community College District (2019-01 – 2022-12)

• Taught Federal Government and Texas Government online and virtually to diverse adult learner populations

Dual Credit & AP Government / Economics Instructor at San Antonio I.S.D. (2021-01 – 2022-12)

Dual Credit & AP Instructor — Government & Economics at Northside I.S.D. (2001-01 – 2019-12)

Eighteen-year tenure teaching AP U.S. Government, AP Macroeconomics, and Texas Government. Directed Mock Trial, Model UN, Supreme Court Simulation, and Junior Statesman of America programs.

Social Studies Curriculum Specialist at Edgewood I.S.D. (1999-01 – 2000-12)

• Led Social Studies curriculum across two high schools, four middle schools, and thirteen elementary schools
• Defined district-wide learning outcomes and performance metrics

Specialist — Food Service (MOS 94B) at U.S. Army (1987-01 – 1990-12)

Honorable Discharge, 1990. Army Service Medal Recipient.

Doctor of Public Policy (D.P.P.) in Public Policy with Cognate in Foreign Policy – Liberty University (2026-01)

Master of Science in Political Science – Liberty University (2019-01 – 2019-12)

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership – The University of Texas at San Antonio (1997-01 – 1997-12)

Bachelor of Science in History & Kinesiology – The University of Texas at El Paso (1992-01 – 1992-12)