Molloy College, Long Island, NY
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Hello and welcome to my website.
I am an assistant professor of Sociology at Molloy College in Long Island, NY. My teaching and research interests include race and ethnicity, political sociology, social movements, media, and human rights.
My first book, Debating the Drug War: Race, Politics, and the Media, has a release date in March 16, 2021 with Routledge Press.
Pre-order the book hereMy work has appeared in venues such as Social Currents, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Ethnic and Racial Studies, and Deviant Behavior.
My current research examines how the participants in a progressive grassroots party in the Northeast engage with issues of racial inequality and injustice in their identities, habits, and political strategies. This project seeks to illuminate possibilities and barriers for building a racially just and inclusive grassroots democracy and advance a new understanding of racial politics grounded in everyday social life.
Contact Me
Academic Appointments
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Fall 2020 - Current
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2014 - 2020
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Graduate Instructor, Department of Sociology (Spring 2015 - Spring 2020)
Teaching Assistant for Prof. Mary Donegan (Fall 2019)
Teaching Assistant for Prof. Matthew W. Hughey (Summer 2018 & Spring 2020)
Research Assistant for Prof. Matthew W. Hughey (Spring 2018 - Fall 2018)
Special Lecturer in Sociology, Student Support Services (SSS), Institute for Student Success (Summer 2015 & Summer 2017)
Social Studies Instructor, Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCAP), Institute for Student Success (Summer 2016)
Teaching Assistant for Prof. Davita Silfen Glasberg and Prof. Barret Katuna(Fall 2014)
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Fall 2018
University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Sociology
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Summer 2018 - Fall 2019
Everyday Democracy, Hartford, CT
Research and Training Associate
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Fall 2017 - Spring 2020
Trinity College, Hartford, CT
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Sociology
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Summer 2014
Beckfield College, Florence, KY
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Sociology
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2010 - 2014
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Research Assistant for Ervin (Maliq) Matthew (Fall 2012 to Spring 2014)
Instructor of Sociology (Summer 2013)
Teaching Assistant (Fall 2010 to Summer 2012)
Education
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Ph.D. 2020
Ph.D., Sociology 2020
Dissertation Title: “Democracy is Awkward: Progressive Grassroots Politics and Racial Inequality”
University of Connecticut
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M.A.2013
Master of Arts, Sociology
Cincinnati University
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B.A.2008
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology
Economics Minor
Ohio Wesleyan University
“The benefit of sociological analysis is that it can aid our moral deliberations by bringing to light the harms that are done when inequality is reproduced.”
-Michael Schwalbe
Honors, Awards, Grants, and Fellowships
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2020Ron Taylor Award for Best Graduate Student Paper, for “Why Black Rights Matter: Political Discourse in the Mississippi Freedom Movement, 1961-1966,”
Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut -
2017 - 2019 (each year)Recognition for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching
Office of the Provost, University of Connecticut
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2017Graduate-Undergraduate Research Team Grant (with Fatuma Belly), University of Connecticut, Department of Sociology ($750)
This grant is awarded to promote the enrichment of the undergraduate experience through partnerships between undergraduates and mentors in research, scholarship, and creative activity. -
2017Spring Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, The Graduate School, University of Connecticut ($2000)
Predoctoral fellowships are awarded to doctoral students on the recommendation of the graduate faculty in their program and carry no service commitment. -
2017University of Connecticut Emeriti Faculty Research Travel Grant
Awarded to facilitate travel related to areas of research
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2016Lee Student Support Fund, Society for the Study of Social Problems
The fund provides up to $500 in travel support (transportation costs only) for undergraduate and graduate student conference participants. Awards are allocated by the committee.
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2016Outstanding Graduate Research Award, University of Connecticut, Department of Sociology
Awarded annually since 1997 and is given to a student who demonstrates excellence in scholarly accomplishments as evidenced by research publications, funded grants and fellowships, and research-related awards. -
2016Recognition for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching, Office of the Provost, University of Connecticut
Through this award, the UConn Foundation Office of Alumni Relations recognizes the outstanding contributions and achievements of UConn Graduate Student instructors
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2016Michael L. Dunphy Scholarship Award, University of Connecticut ($500)
UConn Sociology Department scholarship
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2015-2017University of Connecticut, Department of Sociology, Fall and Summer Predoctoral Fellowships
Predoctoral fellowships are awarded to doctoral students on the recommendation of the graduate faculty in their program and carry no service commitment.
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2016Human Rights Graduate Student Research Grant, Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut ($1000)
Awarded to support and promote research projects on human rights related questions
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2015University of Connecticut Emeriti Faculty Research Travel Grant
Awarded to facilitate travel related to areas of research
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2014Beckfield College Faculty Enrichment Fund
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2013Charles Phelps Taft Research Center Graduate Research Travel Grant
Awarded to facilitate travel related to areas of research
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2010Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
Named after Eli Segal, one of the pioneers of the national service movement and the first CEO of the federal Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is a post-service benefit received by participants who complete a term of national service in an approved AmeriCorps program.
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2007-2008Dean's List - Ohio Wesleyan University
To qualify, students must achieve a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in a semester.
Research
Research Interests and Works in Progress
My overall research program concentrates on using in-depth qualitative analysis to reveal the intersecting social dynamics of racial inequality, digital communication, media representations, and politics and social movements.
Interests
- Race and Ethnicity
- Political Sociology
- Media
- Social Movements
- Human Rights
- Symbolic Interaction
- Digital Sociology
- Qualitative Methodology
- Culture
- Theory
Ongoing research project topics:
- the racial politics of political parties
- racialized dynamics of political power
- the racial politics of mass media debates over drug policy
- the human rights framework in collective action against racial injustice in the U.S.
- the relationship between racial oppression and grassroots democracy
- the reproduction and contestation of racial oppression in daily social interactions
“There is no wealth like knowledge and no poverty like ignorance.”
-Siddhartha Gautama
Research Collaborations
Call me a Collaborator
The great collaborator, Daryl Hall, once said "I'm a born collaborator. This is what I was born to do, really" and I can't help but agree with that sentiment.
I have had a lot of great experiences working with a lot of great people. Please check out all of their work with and without me.
Publications
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“The War on Drugs, Racial Meanings, and Structural Racism: A Holistic and Reproductive Approach.”
Articles & Book Chapters American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 77(3-4):849-892.
Abstract
While the historical and ongoing symbolic and material inequalities and violence faced by African Americans can be understood as a human rights violation, the efficacy of the human rights framework for addressing racial injustice in the united States remains contested. In this article, I examine the relationship between the emergence and dominance of the geopolitical doctrine of human rights and the struggle for racial justice in the united States. through historical, legal, and sociological analysis of relevant issues and cases, I discern the benefits and limitations of the human rights framework for achieving racial justice and elucidate dynamics between relevant institutional, political, and social actors. I argue that the human rights framework opens international pathways for information, accountability, and symbolic politics conducive to combating racial injustice, particularly regarding overt manifestations of oppression and violence, but enduring issues such as the role of the state in racial politics and the dehumanization of people of color present hindrances.
“Book Review: Producers, Parasites, Patriots: Race and the New Right-Wing Politics of Precarity.”
Book & Media Reviews Ethnic and Racial Studies DOI:
10.1080/01419870.2020.171546.
“Book Review: Seeing Race Again: Countering Colorblindness across the Disciplines.”
Book & Media Reviews Contemporary Sociology 49(3): 255-257
"Race and Ethnic Politics."
Entries in Edited Volumes Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of
Sociology, 2nd Edition. Edited by G. Ritzer and C. Rojek. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell
Press. (Forthcoming)
“Book Review: Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism.”
Book & Media Reviews Social Forces 97(4):e1-e3.
“A Problem of Humanity”: The Human Rights Framework and the Struggle for Racial Justice
Articles & Book Chapters Sociology of Race and Ethnicity 4(3):338-352.
Abstract
While the historical and ongoing symbolic and material inequalities and violence faced by African Americans can be understood as a human rights violation, the efficacy of the human rights framework for addressing racial injustice in the united States remains contested. In this article, I examine the relationship between the emergence and dominance of the geopolitical doctrine of human rights and the struggle for racial justice in the united States. through historical, legal, and sociological analysis of relevant issues and cases, I discern the benefits and limitations of the human rights framework for achieving racial justice and elucidate dynamics between relevant institutional, political, and social actors. I argue that the human rights framework opens international pathways for information, accountability, and symbolic politics conducive to combating racial injustice, particularly regarding overt manifestations of oppression and violence, but enduring issues such as the role of the state in racial politics and the dehumanization of people of color present hindrances.
Book Review: The Race Whisperer: Barack Obama and the Political Uses of Race
Book & Media Reviews Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, DOI: 10.1177/2332649217707200 (2017)
“Decoding the Drug War: The Racial Politics of Digital Audience Reception.”
Articles & Book Chapters How Racialized Media is Designed, Delivered, and Decoded. M. Hughey and E. Lesser (eds). New York University Press.
“Distinctions, Dilemmas, and Dangers: Sociological Approaches to Race and Nationalism.”
Articles & Book Chapters Routledge International Handbook of
Contemporary Racisms. Edited by J. Solomos. Routledge.
“Sociology, Political Inequality, and Democracy Beyond 2020.”
Blogs, Essays, Research Reports, & Other Publications Sociological Forum DOI: 10.1111/socf.12610
“Social Contact, Racial Equity, and Democracy: Evidence-Based Practices for Everyday Democracy.”
Blogs, Essays, Research Reports, & Other Publications Research report submitted to Everyday Democracy
“Make America White Again: The Racial Reasoning of American Nationalism.”
Articles & Book Chapters Structural Racism and the Root Causes of Prejudice. H. Mahmoudi and R. Ray (eds). University of California Press (forthcoming).
Making Everyday Microaggressions: An Exploratory Experimental Vignette Study on the Presence and Power of Racial Microaggressions
Articles & Book Chapters Sociological Inquiry, Vol. xx, No. x, 2017, 1–35
Abstract
The term “microaggression” has experienced a lively existence in the field of psychology since its introduction in 1970s. Sociology has recently come to study microaggressions, yet serious gaps remain in the study of microaggressions. In particular, sociological analysis has not taken into account how exposure to microaggressive interactions may affect racial attitudes, how variations in microaggressive interactions have different effects, and what racial and gender positions render one more or less likely to engage in, or fail to oppose, microaggressions. Based on a GSS-based survey and an experimental vignette design, we address the following two questions: First, how might the presence of racial microaggressions affect racial attitudes? Second, what is the power of specific types of interactional microaggression? Results indicate that both exposure to microaggressions and the type of microaggressions are correlated with changes in specific racial attitudes associated with the marginalization, problematization, and symbolic and physical repression of people of color.
Boundaries and Barriers: Racialized Dynamics of Political Power.
Articles & Book Chapters Sociology Compass 10(10):939-951.
Abstract
Recent sociological works establish the significance and role of the state and political sphere in the enactment of racial oppression and construction of racial categories. However, less understood are the racialized dynamics that mediate exclusion and access to political power, particularly at the meso- and micro-levels. Synthesizing extant theory and research on racial inequality, the state, politics, and power, this article advances a framework centering on boundaries and barriers. First, it discusses the relationship between the state and political sphere, political power, and racial inequality. Next, it explores the literature on the deployment and contestation of racialized boundaries to the symbolic and material benefits of the state. It then examines the literature on racialized barriers to engagement, participation, and influence in the political sphere. The article concludes by suggesting future research in the related areas of agenda-setting and influence and the microdynamics of political power.
Speaking through Silence: Racial Discourse and Identity Construction in Mass Mediated Debates on the ‘War on Drugs’.”
Articles & Book Chapters Social Currents. 4(3):246-264
Abstract
As a set of criminal justice policies and practices, the “war on drugs” is a contested social issue linked to specific racial meanings and structures and political logics. As the legitimacy and value of the “war on drugs” has increasingly become a topic of public discussion, how such debates are shaped by both media communication and contemporary racial discourses warrants rigorous sociological analysis. In this article, we use a content analysis of newspaper manuscripts and online comments on “war on drugs” news stories to examine (1) the racial discourse within mass media agenda-setting and framing and (2) patterns of discursive identity construction in the context of digital and mass-mediated social commentary. Our findings show how “racial silence,” implicit and explicit racial discourse, and identity construction via racialized subject-positions assist to rationalize and legitimate racial inequality. We also outline the theoretical implications of these findings and avenues of future research.
Who’s Invited to the (Political) Party: Race and Party Politics in the United States.
Articles & Book Chapters Ethnic and Racial Studies Review,
Volume 39, Number 3, 325–332 (2016)
Abstract
From the political behemoths of the Democratic and Republican Parties, to the Civil Rights Era racially progressive Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and reactionary American Independent Party, to the contemporary third party Green and Libertarian Parties, party politics in the USA has a long and storied relationship to the reproduction and contestation of racial domination. Recent works illuminate the strategic use of racial discourse by major party political elites, their deployment of racialized political platforms, and the relationship of these phenomena to power dynamics and racial interests but have yet to fully move beyond the two-party system and engage with innovations in political and cultural sociology. We outline openings for an empirically-grounded sociology of political parties that would reveal the micro- and meso-level features of racialized party politics and the operations of discursive and performative power within both major and minor political parties.
Dramaturgical Domination: The Genesis and Evolution of the Racialized Interaction Order
Articles & Book Chapters Humanity & Society. 41(2):158-181.
Abstract
The history of racial domination in the United States is multifaceted and therefore cannot be explained through simple reference to ideologies or institutional structures. At the microlevel, racial domination is reproduced through social interactions. In this article, I draw on Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical approach to social interaction to illuminate the development of the racialized interaction order whereby actors racialized as white impose a set of implicit rules and underlying assumptions onto interracial interactions. I examine archetypal instances of racialized social interactions in America’s history and present-day to reveal the role of social interactions in racially structuring social institutions and everyday lives. First, I discuss the development and racialization of chattel slavery and its routinization as an interaction order. Next, I explore the dramaturgical and symbolic significance of the postbellum emergence and spread of racial terrorism such as white lynch mobs. I then analyze the contemporary discursive and performative strategies of white racial dominance and aspects of the contemporary racialized interaction order such as the de facto racialization of spatial boundaries, mass media and the digital sphere, and police violence. I conclude by discussing the significance of interactional analysis for understanding the present racialized social system.
Book Review: The Struggle for Black Freedom in Miami Civil Rights and America's Tourist Paradise, 1896-1968
Book & Media Reviews Ethnic and Racial Studies, DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2015.1124133 (2016)
Profits over People: Media Discourses of Corporate Diversity as ‘Good for Business’.
Articles & Book Chapters Underneath the Thin Veneer: Critical Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Inclusion in the Workplace a volume of Studies in Critical Social Sciences. Edited by D. Embrick, S. Collins, and M. Dodson. New York, NY: Brill (Forthcoming).
Howard Becker in Hyperspace: Social Learning in an On-line Drug Community
Articles & Book Chapters Deviant Behavior, Volume 36, Issue 9, Pages 725-739 (2015)
Abstract
Analyzing on-line drug communities provides important insights into the connection between computer-mediated communication and drug use in contemporary society. Drawing on social learning theory, we analyze conversations within the on-line community DMT-Nexus. We find that the on-line context affects the social learning process concerning drug use in distinct ways and identify how users gain relevant knowledge and interpretive strategies and acquire credibility. Based on these findings, we propose an expansion of Becker’s social learning model of drug use reflecting the unique constraints and opportunities of on-line contexts including the importance of vivid textual descriptions and modes of communication.
Book Review: Demonizing a President: The ‘Foreignization’ of Barack Obama
Book & Media Reviews The American Review of Politics (Forthcoming)
Podcast Review: Yo, Is This Racist?: Racial Discourse and Comedic Articulations of Systemic Racism
Book & Media Reviews Humanity & Society, Volume 38, Issue 4, Pages 480-482 (2014)
Abstract
Yo, Is This Racist? is a popular comedy podcast hosted by self-proclaimed ‘‘race obsessed’’ comedy writer Andrew Ti. It has been profiled by mainstream news outlets including National Public Radio (NPR 2013) and The Huffington Post (Miller 2013). The podcast is based on Ti’s successful tumblr page (yoisthisracist.com) in which he answers queries about the relative racism of various situations, events, and people. Each episode features a prerecorded race-related question from a caller which Ti and a guest, generally a comedian or entertainer, discuss in an irreverent, profanity laced, and comedic manner and ultimately attempt to address the podcast’s titular question. In this media review, I analyze the content and premise of Yo, Is This Racist? and address major sociological concerns that emerge from its existence and popularity.
“Media Depictions of People of Color” and “Hate Crimes and their Impact on Communities of Color.”
Entries in Edited Volumes People of Color in the United States: Contemporary Issues in Education, Work, Communities, Health, and Immigration. Edited by P.B. Jackson. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press.
“Unemployment and Families” and “The ABCX Model of Family Stress and Coping.”
Entries in Edited Volumes The Encyclopedia of Family Studies. Edited by C. L. Shehan. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell Press.
People or Profits? How Business Media Outlets Make the ‘Business Case’ for Corporate Diversity Initiatives
Blogs, Essays, Research Reports, & Other Publications Blog Post for Work in Progress: The Blog of the American Sociological Association's Organizations, Occupations, and Work Section
Blog Post
One only need picture the typical American corporate boss (white, male, and wealthy) in order to conjure up the history of discrimination and inequality within the business realm. Over the past few decades, business leaders have attempted to address these problems through efforts oriented at increasing diversity. For instance, in 2014, major tech companies including Google, Apple, Twitter, and Facebook released their diversity statistics in reports to the media under pressure from journalists and activists. While the reports revealed the overwhelming white masculinity of the modern corporation, the companies still framed their statistics as reflecting their commitment to diversity. (Cont.)
Why Black Rights Matter: Discursive Constructions of Black Political Rights in the Mississippi Freedom Movement
Manuscripts Under Review
Consequences of Consciousness: How Racial Habits Shape Grassroots Political Strategies
Manuscripts in Progress
Reflections on Civic Ethnography
Manuscripts in Progress
“Rethinking Political Identity: Regionality, Reactions, and Racial Meanings.
Manuscripts in Progress
Teaching
I have a deep appreciation for the learning process and I devote a great deal of energy and reflection toward honing my pedagogical craft. My experiences and training have provided me the capabilities to educate a wide variety of students. I have acquired an effective approach to teaching that centers on combining the accessible elucidation of sociological concepts with sociologically informed discussions of real world issues. This approach enables students to develop their own abilities for critical thinking and social empathy while learning sociological insights in an engaging and approachable manner.
I have taught 14 core and upper-level courses in sociology at various institutions.
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SOCI390W/URBN3276W: Urban Problems
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Some classes will be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Other classes will consist of a small amount of lecturing at times but will mostly provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues. If possible, I will also be inviting scholars, practitioners, and experts to provide guest lectures at various points to provide “insider” knowledge about various topics.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. In-Class Participation and Homework (10%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments. There will also be short homework assignments assigned sparingly throughout the course to facilitate in-class activities.
- 2. 6 responses to the readings via HuskyCT (30%) – You will have weekly opportunities to write a short 1-2 paragraph reaction to the readings and pose 3 discussion questions to be used in class. You must fully complete 6 of them for full credit.
- 3. Literature Review (20%) – A seven-page research paper summarizing the scholarly literature on a given urban problem.
- 4. Op-Ed (20%) – A four-page op-ed paper in which you make an argument about current events and issues related to an urban problem, written for a public audience using research, persuasion, and examples.
- 5. Policy Brief (20%) – A four-page paper in which you draw on scholarly research to argue for new or changed policies that would help address an urban problem.
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course, Syllabus, and Major Assignments
- Week 2 – Developing and Applying a Sociological Approach
- Week 3 – Urbanization and the Construction of Urban Problems
- Week 4 – NO CLASS THIS WEEK
- Week 5 – Stratification and Segregation
- Week 6 – Criminalization and Injustice
- Week 7 – Gentrification and Wealth
- Week 8 – Education Systems
- Week 9 – SPRING BREAK!!!
- Week 10 – Inclusion and Exclusion
- Week 11 - Health and Illness
- Week 12 – Environment and Climate
- Week 13 - Housing and Homelessness
- Week 14 – Resistance and Change
- Week 15 – Solutions
- Week 16 – FINALS WEEK / POLICY BRIEF PAPER DUE
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SOCI2501: Sociology of Intolerance and Injustice
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Classes will generally be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Some classes will consist of a small amount of lecturing at times but will mostly provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. In-Class Participation (15%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments which will count toward this portion of your grade.
- 2. Quizzes via HuskyCT (30% or 6% each as one can be dropped) – There will be 6 online quizzes on blackboard each consisting of 15 multiple choice questions covering content from both the readings and course lectures. Each quiz is worth 6% of your total grade. The quizzes can be found on the course website under the header “Quizzes.” Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
- 3. Paper Proposal (5%) – You will need to submit a paper with a short paragraph explaining your topic, and at least 3 articles you have selected and why by the 6th week of class.
- 4. Literature Review (25%) – A 3-5-page paper that summarizes and integrates the sociological research on a topic relating to intolerance and injustice will be due during the last week of class (Week 15).
- 5. Final Exam (30%) – There will be a cumulative final exam during finals week.
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course, Topic, and Assignment
- Week 2 – LABOR DAY NO CLASSES!!
- Week 3 – The Sociological Imagination and the Question of Justice
- Week 4 –Capitalism, Class Ideology, and Class Oppression
- Week 5 – Racism, Racial Ideology, and Racial Oppression
- Week 6 – Sexism, Gender Ideology, and Gender Oppression
- Week 7 – Stigma Power and the Construction of Deviance
- Week 8 – Intersectionality and Multiplicity
- Week 9 – Political Power and the State
- Week 10 – Social Control, Policing, and Incarceration
- Week 11 - Mass Media, Social Interactions, and Everyday Life
- Week 12 – FALL BREAK/THANKSGIVING/NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING
- Week 13 - Collective Action and Social Movements
- Week 14 – Self-Definition and Everyday Resistance
- Week 15 – What We Can Do…
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SOCI1251W: Social Problems
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Tuesday classes will generally be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Thursday classes will consist of a small amount of lecturing at times but will mostly provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues. If possible, I will also be inviting scholars, practitioners, and experts to provide guest lectures at various points to provide “insider” knowledge about various topics.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. In-Class Participation and Homework (15%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments. I will be assigning the class to come up with discussion questions in response to the readings for certain weeks. There will also be short homework assignments assigned sparingly throughout the course to facilitate in-class activities.
- 2. Quizzes via HuskyCT (30% or 6% each as one can be dropped) – There will be 6 weekly online quizzes on blackboard each consisting of 15 multiple choice questions covering content from both the readings and course lectures. Each quiz is worth 6% of your total grade. The quizzes can be found on the course website under the header “Quizzes.” Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
- 3. Paper Proposal with 3 Citations (5%) – A one-page proposal of your paper topic, methodological approach, data source, and at least 3 relevant sociological research articles (properly cited) will be due Sept 28 at 5pm. You must submit a proposal on time to hand in a final paper.
- 4. Rough Draft/Meeting about Paper (10%) – A 5-10 page rough draft of your paper for the course will be due Oct 30 at 5pm. Week 11 will consist of individual meetings (required) with the instructor to discuss the paper in detail and devise a strategy to improve it for final submission. You must submit a draft on time to hand in a final paper.
- 5. Media/Literature/Interview Analysis Paper (40%) – A 15-page paper analyzing media content, sociological literature, or 5 interviews through the theoretical and topical readings introduced in this class and outside scholarly research will be due during finals week.
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course, Syllabus, and Major Assignments
- Week 2 – The Sociological Imagination
- Week 3 – Major Theoretical Approaches
- Week 4 – Mass Media and the Construction of Social Problems
- Week 5 – Capitalism and Class Oppression
- Week 6 – Racial Oppression
- Week 7 – Gender Oppression
- Week 8 – Intersecting Oppressions
- Week 9 – Housing and Homelessness
- Week 10 – Power, Politics, and the State
- Week 11 – Meetings to Discuss Paper
- Week 12 - Physical and Mental Illness
- Week 13 – National Day of Mourning
- Week 14 – Environmental Inequality and Ecological Crises
- Week 15 – Policing and Imprisonment
- Week 16 – FINALS WEEK / FINAL PAPER DUE THIS WEEK
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SOCL336: Race, Racism, and Democracy
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Many classes will be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Other classes will consist of a small amount of lecturing at times but will mostly provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues. As this is an upper level course, we will be having in-depth conversations about critical and contested social issues. I expect all of you to come to each class with questions and reactions to the readings.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. Responses, Discussion Questions, and In-Class Participation (20%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely collect discussion questions on the readings and in-class discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments which will count toward this portion of your grade.
- 2. Online Quizzes (30% or 6% each as one can be dropped) – There will be 6 online quizzes on blackboard each consisting of 15 multiple choice questions covering content from both the readings and course lectures. Each quiz is worth 6% of your total grade. The quizzes can be found on the course website under the header “Quizzes.” Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
- 3. Paper Proposal (5%) – You will need to submit a paper with a short paragraph explaining your topic, and at least 3 articles you have selected and why by the 6th week of class.
- 4. Literature Review (25%) – A 3-5-page paper that summarizes and integrates the sociological research on a topic relating to intolerance and injustice will be due during the last week of class (Week 15).
- 5. Final Exam (25%) – There will be a cumulative final exam during finals week.
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course and Sociological Thought
- Week 2 – The Promise and Limits of American Democracy
- Week 3 – The Political and Legal Construction of Identity
- Week 4 – Structure, Ideology, and Intersectionality
- Week 5 – The State and Political Power
- Week 6 – Policing, Incarceration, and Social Control
- Week 7 – Electoral and Party Politics
- Week 8 – Political Rights and (Dis)enfranchisement
- Week 9 – Sociopolitical and Legal Systems
- Week 10 – Citizenship, Belonging, and Exclusion
- Week 11 – Disasters, the Environment, and Exploitation
- Week 12 – Contemporary Issues
- Week 13 – Collective Action and Political Empowerment
- Week 14 – Resistance, Agency, and Strategy
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SOC 382: Race and Ethnic Relations
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Tuesday classes will be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Thursday classes will consist of a small amount of lecturing at times but will mostly provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues. As this is an upper level course, we will be having indepth conversations about critical and contested social issues. I expect all of you to come to class each week with questions and reactions to the readings.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. In-Class Participation (15%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments.
- 2. Sociological Art and Media Projects (15%)- You will be split into 5 groups and on assigned days (see course schedule below) a group will bring one example of art or media (e.g. video, song, image, meme, news article, blog post) that demonstrates a topic covered recently in class. Each group will share it with the class, provide a brief explanation of how it relates to course material, and pose at least 2 discussion questions for the class to engage in conversation. Presentations (i.e. Prezi, PowerPoint, or Google Slides) are encouraged to provide context but they are not required.
- 3. Weekly Responses and Discussion Questions (30%) – For each week, you will turn in written responses (1 paragraph per reading) and discussion questions (3 per week) on the readings. The course is heavily discussion based and these discussion questions and responses will ensure that you are prepared to participate in class discussions based on the readings.
- 4. Paper Proposal and Bibliography (10%) – You will submit a one-page paper explaining your topic and the question you will address and a one-page bibliography of 5 social science research articles with a one sentence description of each.
- 5. Review of Op-Eds (5%) – You will submit a 1-2-page paper examining the strengths and weaknesses of 4 Op-Eds on issues of race and ethnicity, including a paragraph on how reading these Op-Eds influences your own choices in writing your final product.
- 6. Rough Draft (10%) – You will submit a rough draft of your paper for in-class, peer feedback.
- 7. Op-Ed Paper (15%) – A 500-700-word paper that summarizes and integrates the sociological research on a topic and forms a strong argument or commentary on current events will be due during finals week.
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course
- Week 2 – Introduction to Race and Ethnic Relation
- Week 3 – The Construction of Racial and Ethnic Categories
- Week 4 – Racial Structure, Ideology, and Intersectionality
- Week 5 – Ethnic Group Relations and Stratification
- Week 6 – Policing, Incarceration, and Social Control
- Week 7 – Electoral and Party Politics
- Week 8 – Surveillance and (Dis)enfranchisement
- Week 9 – Economic Inequalities
- Week 10 – Citizenship, Belonging, and Exclusion
- Week 11 – Disasters, the Environment, and Exploitation
- Week 12 – No Classes (National Day of Mourning)
- Week 13 – Collective Action and Political Empowerment
- Week 14 – Resistance, Agency, and Strategy
- Week 15 – Where Do We Go from Here?
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SOCI1501W: Race, Class, & Gender
“W” Course:This is a writing intensive course and thus we focus on scholarly research and writing skills throughout the course alongside relevant topics. At the completion of this course, the student should be able to construct logical arguments, write and cite appropriately for academic work, understand and utilize research methods, and have produced a 15-page scholarly research paper.
Pedagogical Approach:
The course consists of both lectures and weekly discussions or activities. Monday and Wednesday classes are generally devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information. Friday classes consist of relevant discussions or activities to provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues.
Course Grade Components:
- 1. In-Class Participation (15%) – Attendance and participation are essential components of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require participation and handing in in-class work/assignments.
- 2. Quizzes via HuskyCT (30% or 5% each as one can be dropped) – There will be 7 weekly online quizzes on blackboard each consisting of 15 multiple choice questions covering content from both the readings and course lectures. Each quiz is worth 5% of your total grade. The quizzes can be found on the course website under the header “Quizzes.” Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
- 3. Paper Proposal (5%) – You will need to submit a paper with a short paragraph explaining your topic, which news media content you have selected and why by the 6th week of class.
- 4. Media Analysis Paper (25%) – A 3-5-page paper analyzing media content through the theoretical and topical readings introduced in this class will be due during the last week of class (Week 15).
- 5. Final Exam (30%) – There will be a cumulative final exam during finals week.
Readings:
In order to cover a wide range of material and save you some money, there is no textbook for this course! All of the readings for this course can be found online on the course website under the heading “Weekly Readings.”
Course Schedule:
- Week 1 – Introduction to the Course & Sociology
- Week 2 – LABOR DAY NO CLASSES!!
- Week 3 – The Sociological Imagination and Social Inequality
- Week 4 –Theories of Race and Racial Inequality
- Week 5 – Racial Inequality in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 6 – Theories of Class and Class Inequality
- Week 7 – Class Inequality in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 8 – Theories of Gender and Gender Inequality
- Week 9 - Gender Inequality in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 10 - Intersectionality: Race, Class, and Gender
- Week 11 – Race and Gender in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 12 – FALL BREAK/THANKSGIVING/NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING
- Week 13 - Race and Class in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 14 – Gender and Class in Institutions and Everyday Life
- Week 15 - Race, Class, and Gender in Institutions and Everyday Life
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SOCI1001: Introduction to Sociology
Pedagogical Approach:
The course will consist of both lectures and weekly discussions or activities. While many classes will generally be devoted to lectures covering both material in the readings as well as further context and information, other classes will consist of relevant discussions or activities to provide an opportunity for greater interactive engagement with the material through media, active learning exercises, and open dialogue on contemporary and controversial issues. Prepare yourself to think critically, read a lot, and engage in some very interesting and informed class discussions!
Course Grade Components:
- 1. Attendance/ Participation (10%) – Attendance is an essential component of success in this course. I will routinely take attendance during lectures and discussions/activities. Additionally, many of the activities and discussions in this course will require full participation and will influence your grade.
- 2. 3 Quizzes (30% or 10% each) – There will be 3 quizzes each consisting of 15 multiple choice questions covering content from both the readings and course lectures.
- 3. News Media Content Analysis Paper (20%) – A 3-4 page paper (double spaced, times new roman size 12 font) analyzing recent news media content through the “lens” of sociology.
- 4. Final Exam (25%) – There will be a cumulative final exam.
- 5. In-Class Presentations (15%) – Each student will be required to prepare and give a short 5 minute presentation on the last week of class explaining the news item they used as their paper topic and how they applied concepts from the course.
Readings:
The textbook for this course is You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking like a Sociologist (4th Edition) by Dalton Conley (W.W. Norton Co. Press).
Course Schedule (summer semester class):
- Week 1 – The What and How of Sociology
- Week 2 – The Building Blocks of Social Reality
- Week 3 – Principles of Society: Groups, Deviance, and Stratification
- Week 4 – Socially Constructed Inequalities: Race and Gender
- Week 5 – Social Institutions: Education, Economy, and the State
“The function of the university is not simply to teach bread-winning, or to furnish teachers for the public schools or to be a centre of polite society; it is, above all, to be the organ of that fine adjustment between real life and the growing knowledge of life, an adjustment which forms the secret of civilization.”
–W. E. B. DuBois
Academic Conference and Colloquia Presentations
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2020 JACKSONVILLE
“The Racial Geography of Democracy: Racialized Space and Community Among Grassroots Progressives,” Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Jacksonville, FL
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2019 NEW YORK
“Blue State Blues: Regionality, Racial Meanings, and Reactions in Political Identity Construction,” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY
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2019 UCONN
“Consequences of Consciousness: How Racial Habits shape Grassroots Political Strategies,” Lunchtime Seminar, University of Connecticut Human Rights Institute, Storrs, CT
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2019 BOSTON
“Decoding the Drug War: The Racial Politics of Digital Audience Reception,” Eastern Sociological Society Mini-Conference on Digital Sociology, Boston, MA
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2019 BOSTON
“Consequences of Consciousness: How Racial Habits Shape Grassroots Political Strategies,” Eastern Sociological Society Mini-Conference on Race and Organizations, Boston, MA
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2019 HARTFORD
“Democracy and Social Contact: Research and Practice,” Everyday Democracy Strengthening Democratic Capacity Unit Retreat, Hartford, CT
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2018 PHILADELPHIA
“The Racial Politics of Meaning in Media and Everyday Life,” Presidential Panel, Society for the Study of Symbolic Interactionism Mini-Conference on The Roots and Branches of Interpretive Sociology: Cultural, Pragmatist, and Psychosocial Approaches, Philadelphia, PA
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2018 PHILADELPHIA
Panelist, “Getting Published in Social Problems and the Student Editorial Board,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
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2018 PHILADELPHIA
“Consequences of Consciousness: How Racial Habits Shape Grassroots Political Strategies,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
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2018 PHILADELPHIA
“Blue State Blues: Regionality, Racial Meanings, and Reactions in the Construction of Political Identity,” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
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2018 NEW ORLEANS
“Making Everyday Microaggressions: An Exploratory Vignette Study on the Presence and Power of Racial Microaggressions,” (with Matthew W. Hughey), Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
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2018 NEW ORLEANS
“Progressive Whiteness: Racial Habits and Grassroots Political Strategies,” Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
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2017 MONTREAL
“From Ideology to Identity: Racial Meanings in the ‘War on Drugs’ Debate,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC
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2017 MONTREAL
“‘A Problem of Humanity’: The Human Rights Framework and the Struggle for Racial Justice,” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC
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2017 UCONN
“‘A Problem of Humanity’: The Human Rights Framework and the Struggle for Racial Justice,” Borderlands Research Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
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2017 BOSTON
“From Ideology to Identity: Racial Meanings in the ‘War on Drugs’ Debate,” 12th Social Theory Forum, Boston, MA
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2016 SEATTLE
“Dramaturgical Domination: The Genesis and Evolution of the Racialized Interaction Order,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA
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2016 SEATTLE
“Why Black Rights Matter: Discursive Constructions of Black Political Rights in the Mississippi Freedom Movement,” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA
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2016 SEATTLE
“The White Pages: A Meta-Analysis of Journal Articles on Whiteness,” (with Matthew W. Hughey), American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA
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2016 UCONN
“Speaking through Silence: Racial Discourse and Identity Construction in Mass Mediated Debates on the ‘War on Drugs’,” Borderlands Research Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
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2016 BOSTON
“The Generic Processes of White Racial Identity Formation: A Sociology of Sociology,” (with Matthew W. Hughey), Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
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2016 BOSTON
“Pipeline or Prejudice: Media Narratives of Barriers and Downsides in Corporate Diversity Initiatives,” (with Devon R. Goss), Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
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2015 CHICAGO
“Colorblind and Callous Critiques: Racial Discourse and Identity Construction in Debates on the ‘War on Drugs’,” (with Matthew W. Hughey), American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
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2015 CHICAGO
“Profits over People: Media Discourses of Corporate Diversity as ‘Good for Business’,” (with Devon R. Goss and Matthew W. Hughey), Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
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2014 NEW YORK
“Colorblind Critiques: Racial Discourse in Mass Media Debates on the ‘War on Drugs’,” (with Matthew W. Hughey), Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, New York, NY
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2014 CINCINNATI
“Reflexive Validation: Knowledge and Meaning Construction in Online Communities,” North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH
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2014 CINCINNATI
“Reflexive Validation: Knowledge and Meaning Construction in Online Communities,” Charles Phelps Taft Research Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
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2013 NEW YORK
Describing the Indescribable: Interpretation, Discourse, and Social Learning within an Online Drug Community,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, New York, NY
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2013 INDIANAPOLIS
Casualties of America's Longest Running War: The War on Drugs and its Effects on Black Families,” North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN
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2013 CINCINNATI
Describing the Indescribable: Interpretation, Discourse, and Social Learning within an Online Drug Community,” Charles Phelps Taft Research Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
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2012 PITTSBURGH
Racial Ideology: Approaches to, and Applications of the Concept in Recent Social and Behavioral Research,” North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA
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2011 CLEVELAND
Unemployment’s Effects on Relationships and Individuals within Families,” North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH
Media Features, Interviews, and Consultations
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2020
Interviewed by reporter Eglė Krištopaitytė for Lithuanian news site 15min.it on racial politics and the War on Drugs in the U.S.
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2019
Interviewed by and provided research consultation on racial consciousness among white progressives for New York Times reporter Amy Harmon
Invited Scholarly Talks
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2014
“Indigenous Feminism and Environmental Justice: Social Movements in a Transnational Context,” Guest Lecture – Society in Global Perspective, University of Connecticut
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2013
“Social Learning Theory and the Social Construction of Drug Use in Internet-Based Subcultures,” Guest Lecture - Drugs & Society, University of Cincinnati
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2012
“Experiencing Socioeconomic Inequality and Poverty in the United States,” Guest Lecture - Introduction to Sociology, University of Cincinnati
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2012
“Negotiating the Presentation of Self and Stigma in Deviant Occupations,” Guest Lecture - Introduction to Sociology, University of Cincinnati
Workshops
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2019
Research Support, Webinar on Racial Equity for Anchor Partners, Everyday Democracy
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2019
Participant, Everyday Democracy Train-the-Facilitator Training, The Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System
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2019
Panelist, Navigating the Annual Meeting Webinar, American Sociological Association
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2019
Participant, Community Dialogue on Immigrant and Refugee Justice, Everyday Democracy
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2019
Presenter, Institute for Community Change Leaders Webinar on Using Dialogue in Community Change Work, Everyday Democracy
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2018
Participant, A Time to Talk: Poverty, Criminal Justice, and Race, Poverty, Criminal Justice, and Race Collaborative of Connecticut
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2018
Participant, “Cross-Cultural and Diversity Inclusiveness Training for Graduate Students,” Institute for Collaborative Health Interventions and Policy, University of Connecticut
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2017
Participant/Discussant, “The Politics of Social Change,” Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut
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2017
Participant, “Media Training for Scholars and Researchers,” Drug Policy Alliance - Office of Academic Engagement
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2016
Participant, “Grantsmanship Workshop: Specific Aims Section,” Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy (InCHIP), University of Connecticut
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2016
Consultant on Teaching/Research Balance, “Challenges and Joys of Graduate Teaching” Workshop, Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut
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2015-present
Participant, “Research in the Borderlands”: An Interdisciplinary Workshop Series for Critical Researchers, El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies and the Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut
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2009-2010
Participant/Facilitator, “Justice Talking” Discussion Group, AmeriCorps/American Red Cross of Greater Columbus
Service
I serve on a number of committees and belong to a variety of scholarly organizations to which I contribute.
Journal and Scholarly Press Service
- 2016-Present: Editorial Board Member, Sociology Compass - Race and Ethnicity
- 2014-2018: Student Advisory Editor, Social Problems
- 2014-2018: Social Media Committee, Social Problems
- 2014-Present: Manuscript Reviewer, Critical Sociology, Humanity & Society, Social Currents, Sociology Compass, International Journal of Drug Policy, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Routledge Press, Social Problems, Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, Sociological Spectrum, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Journal of Hate Studies, Psychology of Violence, American Behavioral Scientist, Sociological Forum
Association Service
- 2017-2019: Newsletter Editor, Society for the Study of Social Problems, Division on Racial and Ethnic Minorities
- 2015-Present: Mentorship Committee, American Sociological Society, Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Association Membership
- 2019-Present: Du Boisian Scholars Network
- 2017-Present: Southern Sociological Society
- 2017-Present: Association for Humanist Sociology
- 2016-2017: Society for the Study of Symbolic Association
- 2015-Present: Eastern Sociological Society
- 2010-Present: American Sociological Association: Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities
- 2010-Present: American Sociological Association: Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements
- 2010-Present: American Sociological Association: Section on Communication, Information Technologies, and Media Sociology
- 2010-Present: American Sociological Association: Political Sociology
- 2010-Present: American Sociological Association: Section on Human Rights
- 2012-Present: Society for the Study of Social Problems: Division on Racial and Ethnic Minorities
- 2012-Present: Society for the Study of Social Problems: Division on Social Problems Theory
- 2010-2014: North Central Sociological Association
Conference Service
- 2019: Panel Presider, “Populism: Left & Right,” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, New York, NY
- 2018: Session Presider, “Rage, Anger, and Dissent for Social Change,” Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Philadelphia, PA
- 2018: Session Co-Organizer (with Matthew W. Hughey), “The Everyday Racial Mechanisms of Structural Inequality,” Society for the Study of Symbolic Interactionism Mini-Conference on The Roots and Branches of Interpretive Sociology: Cultural, Pragmatist, and Psychosocial Approaches, Philadelphia, PA
- 2018: Session Discussant, “The Kerner Report at 50, Part II: Politics, Programs, Possibilities, and Paradoxes,” Mini-Conference on The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report (1968-2018), Annual Meeting of the Southern Sociological Society, New Orleans, LA
- 2018: Session Presider, “The Kerner Report at 50, Part I: Poverty, Policy, and Policing,” Mini-Conference on The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report (1968-2018), Annual Meeting of the Southern Sociological Society, New Orleans, LA
- 2017: Session Presider, “Race, Class, and Corporate Capitalism,” Annual Meeting of the Association for Humanist Sociology, Havana, Cuba
- 2017: Session Presider, “Race, Rights, and Representation,” Annual Meeting of the Association for Humanist Sociology, Havana, Cuba
- 2017: Session Presider, “Trump, White Victimhood, and Post-Colorblindness,” Annual Meeting of the Association for Humanist Sociology, Havana, Cuba
- 2017: Session Presider, “Roundtable on Social Movements and Storytelling,” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC
- 2017: Session Organizer, “Racial Politics, Law, and the State," 12th Social Theory Forum, Boston, MA
- 2017: Session Co-Organizer (with Corey Dolgon), "Race and the Working Poor," Society for the Study of SOcial Problems Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC
- 2016: Session Presider, "30 Years since Racial Formation: Promises, Pitfalls, and Prospects," Society for the study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA
- 2016: Session Organizer, “A Sociology of Success: Getting it Right in the Global Fight for Racial Justice,” Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA
Department Service
- 2016-2017: Graduate Executive (Position Shared with Miranda Wu), Executive Committee, Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut
- 2015, 2017: SSS Portal Selection Committee, Student Support Services, Institute for Student Success, University of Connecticut
- 2011-2013: Student Faculty Representative, Department of Sociology Graduate Student Lyceum, University of Cincinnati
National and Community Service
- 2009-2010: Community Disaster Education Instructor, American Red Cross of Greater Columbus, AmeriCorps National Service, Columbus, OH
- 2009-2010: AmeriCorps/ARC-GC ‘Justice Talking’ Discussion Group Discussion Leader/Facilitator, Columbus, OH
- 2007-2008: Delaware People in Need, Inc., Office Intern and Food Pantry Volunteer, Delaware, OH