Rate My Professor Elizabeth Wiles

Elizabeth Wiles is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies and Director of Interdisciplinary Studies & Student Research at Truman State University. A proud alumna of the university, she earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion magna cum laude in 2006. Wiles then obtained her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Missouri School of Law, where she served on the Editorial Board of the Missouri Law Review. During law school, she interned for the Honorable Mary R. Russell of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Following graduation, she served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Patricia Breckenridge of the Supreme Court of Missouri. These foundational experiences shaped her deep understanding of judicial processes and legal systems.

In her multifaceted roles at Truman, Wiles chairs Legal Studies and Pre-Law Programming, dedicated to providing meaningful mentorship that improves access to legal education for students from all backgrounds. As Director of Interdisciplinary Studies & Student Research, she oversees the Interdisciplinary Studies Major, interdisciplinary minors, Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar, First Year Seminar, and key student research programs such as Tru Scholars, Grants in Aid of Scholarship & Research, and the annual Student Research Conference. Her courses include Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies, Wrongful Convictions, American Law & Society, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law & Due Process: Limits on Law Enforcement, First Amendment: Fight for Free Speech, and Criminal Justice Studies Capstone. Wiles' academic interests focus on higher education and legal education policy, wrongful convictions and the innocence movement, and merit-based judicial selection methods. She has organized impactful events like “Tru Crime Day,” featuring student-led book discussions on justice themes, community participation, and a Holman Family Distinguished Speaker Series address by Anthony Ray Hinton, author of The Sun Does Shine. Her contributions have earned her the William O'Donnell Lee Advising Award in 2020, Educator of the Year in 2024, and the Governor's Award for Excellence in Education from Governor Mike Kehoe in 2025. In 2025, Wiles was promoted to Associate Professor and granted tenure.