Alli Willingham

Achievements

Education

• BS in Criminal Justice, Kentucky Wesleyan College
• MS in Criminal Justice, Kentucky Wesleyan College
• PhD in Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina

Biography

Alli Willingham is an Adjunct Instructor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Kentucky Wesleyan College, as well as a proud alumna of the institution, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University and completed doctoral comprehensive examinations and dissertation research in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina.

Her scholarly work centers on victimology, gender and justice, qualitative research methods, corrections, and crime affecting special and underserved populations. Her doctoral dissertation examined the intersection of traumatic brain injury and intimate partner violence through qualitative inquiry, and her master’s thesis explored familial and intimate partner abuse of transgender individuals in Central Kentucky. She has also contributed to research on community policing, disability and victimization, and gender-based violence.

Willingham brings extensive experience in applied teaching and community-engaged research, having served in multiple funded program evaluation roles with treatment courts, victim service organizations, and law enforcement partners. These experiences inform a classroom approach grounded in real-world practice, ethical decision-making, and strong community relationships.

Prior to returning to Kentucky Wesleyan College, Willingham served as an Assistant and Associate Teaching Professor and as Academic Program Director for Legal Studies and Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin–Superior. She is committed to inclusive, student-centered learning and to mentoring students as they prepare for professional and civic engagement in criminal justice–related fields.