Jay Pope has been teaching in the psychology program at Fresno Pacific University since 2005 and has served as Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) since 2022.
Pope was raised in the Central Valley town of Sanger and spent his high school years in suburban Philadelphia, graduating from Unionville High School in Kennett Square. A huge basketball fan, Jay fondly remembers taking in numerous games at the Spectrum in Philly, seeing the likes of Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Larry Bird. Jay's first love in his younger years was sports broadcasting and journalism before discerning a call into the mental health profession.
A licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California, Pope also maintains a part-time private practice. He is a graduate of Westmont College (BA, Communication Studies) and Fuller Theological Seminary (MA, Psychology; MA Theology; PhD Clinical Psychology). His research interests are varied and include working with clergy in cross-cultural contexts, forgiveness and mental health, and social media use and well-being.
A pastor's kid, Pope currently serves as a ruling elder at First Presbyterian Church of Fresno. He has been married to his wife Rebecca since 1998 and they have four adult children.
