FSU Sociology Newsletter, Spring 2024

Spring 2024 Sociology Newsletter

Note from the Chair

Hello from FSU Sociology! I hope that you all had a wonderful Spring and are enjoying the start of Summer. I'm happy to report that FSU Sociology is growing in exciting new ways and continuing to achieve great things. This Spring, our faculty and students won numerous awards and honors, received excellent course evaluations, published research in top-tier journals and academic presses, and held important leadership roles at FSU and within the larger discipline. We also celebrated the graduation of roughly two dozen undergraduate students and three graduate students.

Over the course of the academic year we welcomed to our department six new faculty members, two of whom started in Spring of 2024. Dr. Andy Chang and Dr. Corey Moss-Pech both joined us as tenure-track Assistant Professors this past semester and have quickly become an integral part of our program. Check out our Faculty Spotlight section of the newsletter to learn more about these phenomenal scholars!

This Spring we also hosted a number of guest speakers, held multiple social events for students and faculty, began developing an undergraduate Sociology club, held an open house for prospective graduate students, and engaged in a faculty mini-retreat to connect with one another and discuss our vision for the future of our department. All in all, it was a busy and productive semester that left me energized and excited for what comes next!

In addition to all of this activity, we continued to receive a great deal of support from our amazing alumni and friends. Our fifth annual fundraising campaign was a great success! Thank you to everyone who contributed to that campaign or at other times throughout the year. Each gift is having a direct impact on FSU Sociology students, helping us to support them in ways we otherwise could not (e.g. recruitment efforts, awards, small research grants, supplemental training and workshops, etc.). Your support has been crucial to our collective success! Please continue to keep the Department in mind as you consider ways to give back (Donate to FSU Sociology).

Please read further into this newsletter to learn about the achievements, awards, and recognitions recently garnered by our Sociology community. I also encourage you to keep up with the Department on Facebook (FSU Sociology), where we provide updates, as well as links to many of the newspaper articles, magazines, and online media sites that quote or discuss the work of FSU Sociology members.

In closing, I invite you to share updates about your own accomplishments and life events in our next newsletter by contacting me at ktillman@fsu.edu or sending us your information through this survey form.

Kathi Tillman

Professor and Chair of Sociology

In this issue…

Meet Our Recent Graduates
Grad Students On the Job Market
Alumni Spotlight
Faculty Spotlight
Student Spotlight
Invited Speakers
Sociology Open House
SWS Update
AKD Update
Newsworthy News
Thank You to Our Donors
Social Events & Celebrations

Our Spring 2024 PhD Graduate

Emily Šaras (PhD)

Dissertation: "Theory and Evaluation of Undergraduate STEM Education Intervention Programs"

Advisor: Dr. John Reynolds

Our Spring 2024 Master's Graduates

David Okunlola

Thesis: "Empowerment Dimensions and Risk of Multiple High-Risk Births among Married Women in Northern Nigeria."

Advisor: Dr. Michael McFarland

Yuki Maynor

Thesis: "Citizencraft: Asian American Olympic Athletes & National Loyalty"

Advisor: Dr. Deana Rohlinger

Graduate Students On the Job Market

Taylor Darks

Taylor is a doctoral candidate whose primary focus revolves around conducting in-depth policy research, with an emphasis on examining the development and effectiveness of policies aimed at addressing race and class inequalities. By delving into the underlying mechanisms that perpetuate inequalities, Darks aims to contribute meaningful insights and recommendations to inform future policy-making efforts aimed at fostering greater equity and social justice. This Spring, Taylor received the McKnight Dissertation Fellowship at the 38th Annual McKnight Fellows Meeting and Research & Writing Conference.

Taylor also is an excellent instructor, with experience teaching undergraduate courses on Race and Minority Relations and Social Problems. In recognition of her work in the classroom, she was recently nominated for an FSU University Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.

In addition to her academic work, Taylor is a published author of four children's books and a collection of poetry.

Jason V. D'Amours

Jason is a doctoral candidate whose research program lies at the intersection of the sociology of sexualities, medical sociology, and the sociology of science, knowledge, and technology. His dissertation employs qualitative methods to explore the changing landscape of HIV prevention. In particular, his dissertation examines new and emerging methods of HIV prevention—such as multipurpose prevention technologies—with a focus on how inequality is implicated in contemporary “best” ways of responding to the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Jason’s most recent publication in Culture, Health & Sexuality is a case study of how health advocacy groups—such as the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP)—make sense of advancements in health prevention technology. His publications also include a series of qualitative, longitudinal, studies resulting from a team-based project, led by Dr. Koji Ueno, that follows a cohort of sexual minority young-adults as they navigate various institutions, including education and the workplace.

Jason is also a committed instructor, dedicated to transforming and applying the pedagogy he received in small undergraduate courses at New College of Florida to larger courses at state universities. He has developed and taught Sociology of Sexualities, and his teaching interests also align with the material taught in Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Sex and Gender, and Sexual and Reproductive Health. Jason has published course materials in the American Sociological Association’s teaching journal, Teaching Sociology, with the goal of advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Jason is trained in both qualitative and quantitative methods and is interested in a career in both academic and applied settings.

Hailey McGee

Hailey is a doctoral candidate researching LGBTQ+ populations and policy in the U.S. South using qualitative methods. Her dissertation employs a life course perspective to explore how the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Southerners are shaped by the cultural, historic, and political context of the South.

Particularly, she is interested in how these contexts play a role in how queer Southerners learned about sexuality growing up and how they navigate adulthood in the South. Both her master’s research, which focused on how LGBTQ+ see themselves as safe or unsafe, and her dissertation draw from 68 in-depth life history interviews she conducted between October 2021 and March 2022. She first became interested in studying Southern politics while working on a co-authored publication in ASA’s Contexts with colleagues at James Madison University. The publication examined college yearbook imagery to explore institutional racism on Virginia college campuses in the Progressive Eray.

Hailey also has been working for the past year on a qualitative interview study with Dr. Doug Schrock that explores how directors and facilitators of Batterer’s Intervention Programs frame their programs as effective in diminishing violence against women. The project combines an interactionist perspective of meaning-making with research on institutional and state-level policies. They are hoping to start publishing their findings later this year.

Hailey is very excited to start teaching Sociology of Sexualities this summer and Methods of Social Research this fall. She believes that understanding research design and methods is essential for sociological research and application and is dedicated to engaging students to think critically and creatively in their coursework. She is interested in a career in both academic and applied settings.

Christine Matragrano

Christine is a doctoral candidate who studies culture, identities, and the reproduction of inequalities. Her dissertation focuses on the impact that pets have on the lives of older adults and aging identity construction. Her master’s research used in-depth interviews to examine the ways women voters constructed a political identity during the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. She has presented both projects at conferences and is revising her master's work for publication. Christine is also a member of an NIH-funded interdisciplinary research study focusing on disaster resiliency among minority older adults in North Florida.

Christine is a passionate instructor and mentor. She has taught Culture and Society and assisted with numerous Sociology courses during her graduate education. She has mentored undergraduate students through FSU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, where she taught students about collecting original data and guided them through transcribing interviews. Christine is the president of Florida State’s Sociology honor society, Alpha Kappa Delta, and has organized events that bring undergraduates together.

Kyle Rose

Kyle is a doctoral candidate researching the intersection of digital communication technologies and collective action. His dissertation explores how climate activists use social media to manage social capital, frame issues, organize action, and elicit change from target actors. Kyle has also earned grant funding, presented, and published research on social media deplatforming and influencer-audience relationships.

Kyle is a committed instructor and mentor. He has taught New Media and Social Change, Introductory Sociology and Social Problems. He is also mentoring three undergraduate research assistants in a project which analyzes the content of previously banned Twitter accounts that were reinstated by Elon Musk.

Kyle is also invested in data analysis and management. The data for his dissertation and other projects were collected and analyzed in R. He has assisted an Intro to R workshop and a population data visualization workshop.

Alumni Spotlight

Dr. Brandon A. Jackson - PhD 2013

Dr. Brandon A. Jackson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at John Jay College, City University of New York (CUNY). He previously worked as an Associate Professor at Purdue University (2020-2024) and began his career at the University of Arkansas (2013-2020). His forthcoming book, “Brotherhood University: Black Men’s Friendships and the Transition to Adulthood” (Rutgers University Press), will be published in June.

Dr. Jackson was born and raised in Texas. He discovered sociology during his undergraduate studies at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Studying sociology helped him to more fully understand the patterns of inequality that he noticed while a student at the predominantly White and wealthy university. Intrigued, he asked his professor during class, “What can I do with a sociology degree?” The professor’s answer, “You can be a professor,” convinced him to pursue an academic career.

As a graduate student at Florida State University, Dr. Jackson had the opportunity to interact with numerous highly regarded faculty members and fellow students. As faculty members mentored him on the specifics of an academic career, he found support among his cohort, peer mentor, and the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA). Additionally, as a McKnight Fellow, he was able to network with graduate students from across Florida. He fondly reflects on his time in Tallahassee and will always be grateful for the experience.

After completing his Ph.D., he started his career at the University of Arkansas. During his seven years there, he was promoted to Associate Professor and served as the Assistant Director of the African and African American Studies Program. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he transitioned to Purdue University. While at Purdue, Dr. Jackson finalized his book manuscript, taught large sections of Introductory Sociology (450 students!), and in 2021 received the Daryl P. Evans Outstanding Teaching Award.

Dr. Jackson joined the John Jay College faculty during the Spring 2024 semester. He was excited about working in New York City and joining the CUNY system. Additionally, as a first-generation college student, he appreciates the college’s social justice mission, as John Jay College is a Minority Serving Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution, and 50 percent of the students are the first in their families to attend college.

In his research, Dr. Jackson employs qualitative research methods to examine the relationship between racial inequality, emotions, and social support. As a graduate student, he received research awards from the Association of Black Sociologists and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. In addition to his book, he has a forthcoming article in RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, and his previous work has appeared in the ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Sociological Inquiry, Symbolic Interaction, and the DuBois Review.

In 2021, he married Dr. Brittany N. Hearne, and in 2023, they welcomed their first child, Everett. In his spare time (what is that??), he cultivates his interests in watches and travel (this summer, he and his family are visiting Copenhagen, Pisa/Florence, and Montreal). He wishes for more time to enjoy movies, reading, producing music, and DJing.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Andy S. Chang

Dr. Andy Scott Chang joined Florida State University this spring as an Assistant Professor. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to his appointment at Florida State University, he was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Singapore Management University. His research has been published in journals such as Social Forces, Social Problems, and Pacific Affairs, and has won various section awards from the American Sociological Association.

Dr. Chang's research interests span international migration, labor, and gender, with a geographic focus on Southeast Asia. His research explores the development of international migration and its consequences for people's lives. He is currently working on a book project, which is a comparative ethnography of recruitment agencies that supply migrant care workers from Indonesia to emerging destinations across the world.

At Florida State University, Dr. Chang will be teaching a variety of courses, including Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, International Migration, and Social Problems. He looks forward to collaborating with students and colleagues on projects related to migration, aging, gender, and work in the current moment of globalization.

Dr. Corey Moss-Pech

Dr. Corey Moss-Pech joined FSU this spring as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. Prior to that he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Moss-Pech received his PhD from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!). This spring, Corey is teaching Intro to Sociology. He also has experience teaching Social Theory and is always happy to chat about Theory and Qualitative Methods. Dr. Moss-Pech's research focuses on people’s experiences navigating higher education and labor markets, with an emphasis on the impact of intersecting inequalities, specifically those related to race, class, and gender. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation. Dr. Moss-Pech has published in Social Forces, Sociology of Education, Qualitative Sociology, The Washington Post, and other outlets.

Dr. Moss-Pech is now finishing a research monograph, Major Tradeoffs, which is under contract with University of Chicago Press. The book explores the relationship between college majors and entry-level jobs. He’s also starting to work on his second book project, which examines how gender inequality at work emerges during the early career phase.

At Florida State University, Dr. Moss-Pech will be teaching a variety of courses, including Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Education, Sociological Theory, and Qualitative Research Methods.

In his free time, Dr. Moss-Pech enjoys reading novels and magazines (he’s currently reading Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart) and is a big New York Mets fan.

Student Spotlight

Bridgett Birmingham

Bridgett Birmingham just completed her second year as a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at Florida State University, where she is on the Inequalities track. In addition to her studies, Bridgett holds a permanent faculty position as the Community Experiences Librarian at FSU's Strozier Library. She has held this position since 2004, working diligently to ensure that all communities are included in the library's collections and services.

In April 2023, Bridgett was elected to serve as Faculty Senate President and an FSU Trustee. This past April, she was elected to serve another term. In this role, Bridgett assigns University committee memberships across academic units and meets regularly with University leadership, including weekly meetings with the Faculty Senate Steering Committee and monthly meetings with the university President, Provost and Vice President of Faculty Relations. Her mission is to highlight faculty voices and perspectives on university-related policies and procedures and to help build endowments for the University.

Bridgett's current research focuses on how the Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching utilized gender-based organizational strategies to discourage spectacle lynchings on the national level. The ASWPL created a campaign that leveraged existing social power structures and hierarchies, such as government officials and law enforcement, to develop a movement that framed lynchings as against community norms of acceptable behavior.

Invited Speakers

Dr. Ivan Ermakoff (Sewell-Bascom Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison) joined us on campus for our Spring Colloquium. While here, he was able to meet with faculty and students and give a fascinating talk entitled “Facing Authoritarian Power Bids.”

Dr. Jennifer Karas Montez (Prof. of Sociology, Syracuse University) joined us as our Annual Charles B. Nam Guest Lecturer. Meeting with her and attending her presentation, "U.S. States and Population Health: What do we know and where do we go from here?," was a wonderful treat for faculty and students within Sociology and the Center for Demography and Population Health.

Dr. Patricia Warren (Professor, FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice) gave an amazing lunch time lecture for our faculty and students. The talk, "Why Race Still Matters, Assessing the School to Prison Pipeline," had a great turnout and sparked an invigorating discussion.

Sociology Open House

In March, the department hosted an open house event for prospective students who had been accepted into our graduate program. Visitors traveled to Tallahassee to meet faculty, students, and staff. We organized a variety of events for them while they were here, including having them sit in on classes, working groups and brownbags, take a tour of the campus, and participate in a social mixer at FSU's new bowling alley. Fun was had by all!

We are excited to announce that eleven applicants have decided to accept our offers. We couldn’t be more thrilled that they are joining our FSU Sociology community in the Fall!

SWS Update

Sociologists for Women in Society is a national feminist organization committed to promoting social justice, the development of sociological feminist scholarship, and feminist leadership.

Tallahassee’s local Sociologists for Women in Society chapter hosted two in-person events during the Spring 2024 semester.

For their first meeting of the semester, they met at Dr. Anne Barrett’s house for a Feminist Game Night, which is quickly becoming a crowd favorite. They played “Wonder Woman Bingo,” “Icon,” and other games. For their second event, they went to Tallahassee Theatre to see Silent Sky, a play by Lauren Gunderson that tells the story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt.

SWS Feminist Game Night

AKD Update

The FSU Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta Honors Society, the International Sociology Honors Society, was created in 1949. FSU Sociology professor Dr. Raymond Bellamy, for whom our building is named, was among the charter members.

The 2024 Spring AKD Induction Ceremony was held on Friday, April 26th. We welcomed four new members to our chapter - some of whom are pictured below alongside the AKD president, Christine Matragrano (right)!

AKD Induction Ceremony

Newsworthy News...

Recent Faculty Promotions

Dr. Shantel Buggs has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure.

Dr. Sourabh Singh has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure.

Recent Faculty Grants, Fellowships, and Contracts

(Spring 2024)

Dr. Anne Barrett received a grant from the Borchard Foundation Center on Law and Aging ($20,000). The award will support a project examining depictions of technology in policy documents from entities that are key players in shaping U.S. aging policies. It will examine which technologies are promoted, their rationales, and the interests of various stakeholders – older adults, caregivers, the state, and the technology and aging industries.

Dr. Matthew Brooks received a First Year Assistant Professor Award from FSU's Council on Research and Creativity for his project, "Missing Parents, Multigenerational Households, and Child Poverty in Rural America."

Dr. Yao Li received a First Year Assistant Professor Award from FSU's Council on Research and Creativity for her project, "Mobilizing for Waste Sorting—Campaigns and State Capacity in China."

Dr. Miles Taylor and Dr. Dawn Carr received funding to conduct a Department of Health SMMT Expanded Evaluation from the Florida Department of Health ($637,991).

Recent Faculty Achievements, Awards, and Honors

(Spring 2024)

Dr. Anne Barrett received the 2024 American Sociological Association Section on Aging and the Life Course Outstanding Publication Award. The award, which will be presented at the upcoming ASA conference in Montreal, recognizes her article published in Annual Review of Sociology, titled "Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework" (https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-083121-043741).

Dr. Azat GÜNDOĞAN (Associate Teaching Professor, University Honors Program & Affiliate Faculty in Sociology) received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Community and Urban Sociology Section (CUSS) of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

Dr. Mathew Hauer was awarded the prestigious Early Achievement Award from the Population Association of America (PAA).

Dr. Mathew Hauer also guest lectured at Westminster Oaks. Dr. Hauer discussed potential climate migration and the effects it could have on coastal populations.

Dr. Patricia Homan was awarded Florida State University's highly competitve Developing Scholar Award (DSA). The DSA recognizes outstanding research and/or creative activity of eligible Florida State University faculty currently at the rank of Associate Professor.

Dr. Charles Nam (Professor Emeritus) was awarded the prestigious Torch Award by the FSU Faculty Senate. Specifically, they bestowed upon him the Vires award, which represents moral, physical and intellectual strength.

Dr. Teresa Roach was awarded the 2023-24 College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Specialized Faculty Teaching Award.

Dr. Kelly Russell was awarded the Sociology Department's 2023-24 J. Michael Armer Faculty Teaching Award.

Dr. Miles Taylor was awarded the 2023-24 College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Tenure Track Faculty Teaching Award. She also was awarded the 2023-24 Sociology Graduate Student Union Facultly Mentor Award.

Dr. Kathi Tillman was awarded the 2023-24 College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Tenure Track Faculty Service Award. She also was awarded the 2023-24 Sociology Graduate Student Union Faculty Teaching Award.

Recent Faculty Appointments (Spring 2024)

Dr. Dawn Carr was recently appointed to serve as Primary Investigator and Director of the Office of the Vice President for Research's FSU Health Participant Research Registry.

Dr. Deana Rohlinger was recently appointed to serve as the Editor in Chief of Social Science Computer Review.

Recent Graduate Student Achievements, Awards and Honors (Spring 2024)

Kristen Amaya, a sixth-year graduate student, has accepted a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at Salem State University in Salem, MA. She will start the position this fall.

Rose Archer, a third-year graduate student, was awarded the Southern Sociological Society's Howard Odum Graduate Student Paper Award for her paper, "Surviving in the Midst Of 'Nowhere': Disrupting the Conceptualization of a Maternity Care Desert." She presented this paper, as well as another entitled, "A labor of love: A womanist exploration of the historical and contemporary formations of Black birthing hush harbor," at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

Skyler Bastow, a third-year graduate student, presented their paper, "The effects of household and community erasure on depression among LGBTQ+ adults: The moderating roles of race/ethnicity" at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

Rebekah Carpenter, a fourth-year graduate student, was awarded the Sociology Department's 2023-24 Allen/Klar Graduate Student Research Paper Award .

Taylor Darks, a fifth-year graduate student, received the McKnight Dissertation Fellowship at the 38th Annual McKnight Fellows Meeting and Research & Writing Conference in February. Darks is researching reparations in Evanston, Illinois, that address decades of segregation and legalized housing discrimination. Her goal is to give a unique perspective on what local reparations initiatives look like: how they are passed, what it means for residents, and what it means for the national conversation. Taylor was also nominated for an FSU University Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.

Rachael Dominguez-Sandru, a third-year graduate student, married Ryan Dominguez-Sandru at Wakulla Springs in March 2024. Best wishes to you both!

Sunshine Jacobs, a sixth-year graduate student, was awarded the Sociology Department's 2023-24 Gloria T. Lessan Best Graduate Instructor Award.

Christine Matragrano, a fifth-year graduate student, presented her paper "The role of pet ownership in aging identity construction" at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

Yuki Maynor, a third-year graduate student, presented a paper entitled "Members Only: Asisan American Citizenship in the U.S." and presided over a paper session entitled "The Racialization of Asian/Asian Americans" at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

Hailey McGee, a fourth-year graduate student, presented her paper, "How did you know about this?!”: LGBTQ+ Southerner’s discovery of non-heterosexuality and transgender identity during childhood," at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

Hope Mimbs, a third-year graduate student, was awarded the Sociology Graduate Student Union's 2023-24 Graduate Student Mentor Award.

Levi Mitzen, a second-year graduate student, presented his paper “Proud Month”: An analysis of Proud Boys Telegram posts from June 2023" at the April 2024 SSS conference in New Orleans.

David Okunlola, a second-year graduate student, was awarded the Sociology Department's 2023-24 Allen/Klar Graduate Student Research Paper Award .

Jordan Scott, a fourth-year graduate student, was awarded the Sociology Graduate Student Union's 2023-24 Graduate Student Service Award.

Rachel Sparkman, fifth-year graduate student, successfully defended her dissertation and will officially graduate in Summer 2024.

The following students successfully defended their dissertation prospectus and are now officially ABD!!:

Kristen Amaya, "Identity Construction and Stigma Among U.S. Central Americans." Chair: Dr. Doug Schrock.

Tim Arthur, "Birth Outcomes and the Carceral State: How Paternal Incarceration Impacts Occurrences of Birth Outcomes." Co-Chairs: Dr. Katrinell Davis and Dr. Miles Taylor.

Tara Henry, "The Beauty of Health Work." Chair: Trish Homan.

Destiny Reices, "Cycle Tracking Technology: Impacts on Women’s Contraceptive Decisions and Experiences." Chair: Dr. Anne Barrett.

SGSU Elections - New Officers for 2024-2025:

President – Rachael Dominguez-Sandru

Vice President – Kyleigh Moniz

Treasurer – Rebekah Carpenter

Secretary – Brianna Soulie

Departmental Policy Committee Rep – Jordan Scott

Graduate Program Committee Reps – Hailey McGee and Yang Zhong

Departmental Meeting Rep – Tara Henry

Information Resources Committee Rep – Megan Skowronski

Colloquium Committee Rep – Elijah Oluwasanmi

Awards Committee Reps – Skyler Bastow and Hope Mimbs

Nominations Committee Reps – David Okunlola and Levi Mitzen

Diversity & Inclusion Committee Reps – Monika Pareek and Yuki Mayor

Graduate Mentorship Coordinator – Bridgett Birmingham

SWS Liaison – Sally Warren

Recent Undergraduate Student Achievements, Awards and Honors (Spring 2024)

Quentin Adkins was awarded an Excellence in Research Practice Award for their successful completion of Research Directed Independent Studies with Dr. Koji Ueno.

Pictured with Dr. Teresa Roach (right)

Stephanie Cinor was awarded an Excellence in Research Practice Award for their successful completion of Research Directed Independent Studies with Dr. Shantel Buggs.

Syd Cole, a graduating major, is the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship to Belgium. Syd will spend the 2024-2025 academic year pursuing a Masters in Sociology at Universiteit Gent. During her time there, she plans to study the concepts of sustainable development, analyzing environmental policy and ethical models of engagement within a globalized world. She hopes to translate this into further work with issues of humanitarianism.

Syd Cole, pictured with Dr. Kelly Russell (right), also was awarded the Irene Padavic Award for Sociological Imagination. This award is given to one undergraduate sociology major or minor student who can best express in writing how sociological thinking has impacted their own worldview, ideas, or other areas of their life, with specific attention to gender and the economic system.

Brianna Cortez was awarded an Excellence in Research Practice Award for their successful completion of Research Directed Independent Studies with Dr. Lisa Munson.

Kya Doty was awarded the Sociology Department's Outstanding Undergraduate Paper Award for her paper, "Cities in Dust: British Labor Tradition and Gender in the Post - Punk Scene."

Pictured with Dr. Teresa Roach (left)

Parker Johnson was awarded the Sociology Department's Outstanding Undergraduate Paper Award for her paper, "White Supremacy's Cancerous Roots" Examining the Nature of White Supremacy and Transphobia in the United States."

Pictured with Dr. Melissa Bamford (right)

Olivia Klepk was inducted into the FSU Garnet and Gold Scholar Society. This Society recognizes undergraduates who excel within and beyond the classroom in at least three of five areas: international experience, internship, leadership, research and service.

Madeleine Traylor was awarded an Excellence in Research Practice Award for their successful completion of Research Directed Independent Studies with Dr. Doug Schrock and Dr. Deana Rohlinger.

Pictured with Dr. Doug Shrock (left)

Recent Alumni News (Spring 2024)

Dr. Metin Güven (PhD 2023) started a new position as an Assistant Professor at Kilis 7 Aralık Üniversitesi in Turkey.

Dr. Brandon Jackson (PhD 2013) has recently taken a new position as Associate Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY). He also has recently published a research monograph entitled, "“Brotherhood University: Black Men’s Friendships and the Transition to Adulthood” (2024 Rutgers University Press). See the Alumni Spotlight above for more information about the book!

Dr. Elizabeth Martin, an international affairs and political science major, took our Honors Sociology of Education class in 2012. In the class, she developed her ideas for an honors in the major thesis that examined whether the growth of charter schools in Florida increased the level of racial segregation in Florida's public schools. She presented the results of her honors thesis at the 2013 meetings of the Southern Sociological Society, and after graduating from FSU she entered the PhD program in Sociology at Ohio State. She completed the PhD program and has been on a postdoc at Cornell. Next fall, she'll start as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. https://www.elizabethcmartin.com/

Dr. Edward (Ned) Rinalducci (BS 1991), has recently taken a new position as Chair of the Department of Social Sciences at Miami Dade College, North Campus.

Dr. Stacy Salerno (PhD 2017) was recently promoted to Associate Professor at Broward College.

Dr. Emily Šaras (PhD 2024) and her company Knowli Data Science were awarded the 2024 Ethics in Business Award at a joint meeting of all the Tallahassee-area Rotary Clubs. The winner of this award is chosen from among many nominees by a panel of judges composed of students in the FSU College of Business.

Thank You to Our Donors!

Our fundraising efforts have continued to be very successful! As a result of your generosity, we surpassed the fundraising goal we set last Fall, raising just over $6,000. That money has helped us to fund graduate student recruitment efforts, grant awards to both undergraduate and graduate students, and provide some supplemental educational opportunities for our students. We truly appreciate these investments in our programs and students!

We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to all of those who have donated to the department during this Spring semester. We couldn't do it without you!

Dr. Anne Barrett
Dr. Dawn Carr
Dr. Robert Hummer and Ms. Dawn Hummer
Dr. Charles Nam
Dr. Xan Nowakowski and Dr. J Sumerau

Dr. Ladanya Ramirez Surmeier and Mr. Lee Surmeier
Mr. Michael Reilly
Drs. George and Clyda Rent
Dr. John Reynolds
Dr. Miles Taylor
Dr. Kathi Tillman
Dr. Koji Ueno

If you would like to support our student recruitment and training efforts, please donate today!

DONATE TODAY!

Social Events and Celebrations

This Spring we held a fun happy hour social event for graduate students and faculty at the new Student Union. There was a great turnout!

Annual Departmental Awards

We wrapped up the academic year with a wonderful department Awards Ceremony (coordinated by Lettie Keen and Kim McClellan!). It was a fun opportunity to catch up with one another and to celebrate the amazing people in our department!