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Meet Katie Greenway, Sociology Major and HSS Scholar

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | April 19, 2019 | No Comment |

 

What made you decide to major in sociology?

My intro to sociology course made me very interested in the subject and I knew that having a major in Sociology could be a valuable tool for making a difference in the world.

How does this major fit into your life plan?

I am also a major in urban studies with a focus in planning. My ultimate goal is to start my own consulting firm with my sister, focusing on reuniting city planning and public health. Sociology has given me a unique perspective to city planning that is of great importance to understanding community and how to plan for inclusion.

What are some of your favorite courses?
Urban Sociology, Criminology, and Social Statistics.

 

Who is/ are your favorite professor(s) and why?

Dr. Auriffeille, Dr. Hatteberg, and Dr. Hoffmann are my absolute favorite professor because they are encouraging, helpful, and friendly people who are always willing to assist with anything I need help with. On top of being great professors, they also care about me as a person and make me feel like I always have someone to go to no matter if it helps with an assignment, job searching, applying to graduate school or if I just need advice. They are more than great professors, they are amazing people and The College is lucky to have them.

Are you working on a Bachelor’s Essay, Independent Study, or Internship? If so, what are you working on?

I am working on an independent study with Dr. Hatteberg researching best practices for teaching online. There is a good amount of literature on online courses for graduate-level students, but not much on undergraduate students. We are attempting to feel this gap with a specific focus on Statistics for the Social Sciences.

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan to obtain a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration on Urban Planning. Following this, I would like to establish a consulting business for urban planning and public health.

What advice do you have for students deciding on their major?

I would advise future sociology majors to have a plan for what they want to do with this major. Sociology can be very valuable knowledge, but you need a plan to utilize this knowledge in the workforce whether it be teaching, developing a non-profit, or going into social work. There are many opportunities with a major in sociology, but those opportunities will not just show up right after graduating with a bachelors. Make a plan, because you will certainly be able to make a difference in the world with all the knowledge obtained through your four years at The College of Charleston.

What has been your greatest accomplishment at the College of Charleston?

My greatest accomplishment has been graduating in three years with a double major, participating in two internships, all while developing a strong passion for both my majors and a plan following graduation.

under: Uncategorized

Meet Samantha Fresh, Anthropology Major and HSS Scholar

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | April 17, 2019 | No Comment |

What made you decide to major in Anthropology?

Dr. Joyce’s Introduction to Anthropology class challenged me to look at the world differently and more holistically. I found the eye-opening perspectives provided by anthropology to not only validates my experiences but seeks to validate the human experience.

How does this major fit in with your life plan?

Anthropology is a stepping stone for me to pursue an advanced degree in Biological Anthropology. I hope to one day have the experience and knowledge to help identify victims of war crimes and genocide.

Do you have any favorite anthropology courses?

Introduction to Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Forensic Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, Archaeology, Language and Cultures

Who is/are your favorite professor(s) and why?

There is not one professor in the Sociology or Anthropology department that has not positively influenced my experience at the College of Charleston. I could write pages on how the faculty has been a pivotal part of my college and personal experience; however, for the sake of brevity I am going to highlight a couple professors that have been involved in my journey:

Dr. Hays: Dr. Hays has been my adviser for my time as an anthropology major, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to help guide be through my time as an undergraduate.

Dr. Foley: Dr. Foley is a never-ending source of inspiration and encouragement. With her help and support, I doubt I would have been able to adapt to the changes and hurdles that life and my education has thrown my way.

Are you working on a Bachelor’s Essay, Independent Study, or Internship? If so, what are you working on?

In 2017 I worked on an Archaeological project in the Ancash Region of Peru, during my time there I worked to document and measure different metatarsals and metacarpals. Out of this experience came a research project that I have been working on, in conjunction with others, to analyze whether certain metatarsals and metacarpals were smaller than the general population. After determining they were small (only in their length), the findings and differential diagnosis were presented in a poster at the Annual North American Paleopathology Association meeting in March 2019.

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan on working in Cultural Resource Management or as an Administrative Assistant for a University, while I apply to graduate programs.

What advice do you have for students deciding on their major?

Keep an open mind, and try to let go of your exceptions of what an Anthropologist “should” be or what a Chemist “should” be or even what a linguist “should” be.

What has been your greatest accomplishment at the College of Charleston?

My greatest accomplishment at the College of Charleston has been learning how to accept my limits and push beyond my fears.

 

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Field School in Archaeology

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | March 24, 2019 | No Comment |

under: Uncategorized

Summer and Fall 2019 Course Descriptions

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | March 24, 2019 | No Comment |

Course Descriptions

Summer 2019 Anthropology Courses

Summer 2019 Sociology Courses

Fall 2019 Anthropology Courses

Fall 2019 Sociology Courses

 

 

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Fall 2018 Sociology Courses

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | March 28, 2018 | No Comment |

SOCY Course Flyer 3-23-18-2bqhiux

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Fall 2017 News

Posted by: Tracy Burkett | October 24, 2017 | No Comment |

Spring 2018 Sociology Courses

Spring 2018 Anthropology Courses 

Volunteer Opportunities for Sociology and Anthropology Students-2071rfv

Professional Development Tracks In Sociology 

Haddad Internship Award

October 2017 Sociology Newsletter

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Meet Katie Forrest, Sociology Major

Posted by: tillilied | April 21, 2016 | No Comment |

Forrest, KatieWhy did you choose to attend the College of Charleston?

I chose the College of Charleston because of a previous interest in astrophysics. The College of Charleston is one of a select few colleges that offers a major in astrophysics rather than a minor. After visiting a couple of schools in the southeast, I decided on the College of Charleston because of its liberal arts focus, the majors it offered, and of course the beautiful weather!

What made you decide to be a sociology major?

After my first year as an astrophysics major I realized that I wanted to make more of a difference in our community instead of studying distant objects in our universe. As an astrophysics major, I felt disconnected and without a purpose. Sociology allows me to study groups of people and then, hopefully, help as many people as I can.

How does sociology fit into your life plan?

Sociology, along with my double minor in international studies and women’s and gender studies, provides me with the ultimate combination for my desired career. For the past four years I have been dedicated to survivors of sexual assault. I intend to continue to work with sexual assault survivors after college, especially internationally.

What was your favorite sociology class?

SOCY 272: Making Sense of Social Data, specifically taught by Dr. Dave Morris, was my favorite sociology class. I have always loved numbers. This class was extremely fun for me because I got to learn how to analyze data using SPSS. This class was also essential because it has helped me during my Independent Study that I am currently working on. In the future, I hope to use these skills to benefit the study of sexual assault cases. Dr. Morris made this class fun and it was well structured which was helpful during difficult statistics problems.

Who is your favorite professor and why?

My favorite professor at the College of Charleston is Dr. Von Bakanic. Dr. Bakanic has been on the board for People Against Rape, our local rape crisis center, for many years and has devoted her career to the care of sexual assault survivors. She is an exceptional mentor and has guided me through a full research project for an Independent Study course this semester. Not only is she my favorite professor, but she is a wonderful role model! I could only hope to be as intelligent and caring as her one day.

Do volunteer anywhere?

I have volunteered with People Against Rape since 2012. As a sexual assault advocate, I accompany survivors to the emergency room at the Medical University of South Carolina, provide support over the phone, and give referrals based on the needs of the survivor. My volunteer work eventually progressed to an internship, event coordinating for Take Back the Night and my current independent study with Dr. Bakanic

What are your plans for after graduation?

I plan on staying in Charleston until this coming July and then I plan to move to Asheville, North Carolina to work with a rape crisis organization. After a year of extra experience and obtaining residency in North Carolina, I will be applying for graduate school at the University of North Carolina for a MSW.

What is your most challenging event or greatest accomplishment at the College of Charleston?

The greatest challenge for me at the College of Charleston was switching from astrophysics to sociology. There was a lot of pressure to stay in my previous major from peers and my family. However, after making the switch I could safely and enthusiastically say that I have never made a better decision. The passion I have for working with sexual assault victims is enormous and making that switch has greatly increased my overall happiness and desire to pursue higher education in this field.

 If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Currently, I would love to live in Asheville, North Carolina and I am making progress to work there this coming August. I would also love to travel to India to experience the culture and perhaps do some future work in my field.

under: Student Spotlight, Uncategorized

Meet Heath Hoffmann, Sociology Professor

Posted by: tillilied | April 12, 2016 | No Comment |

How long have you been teaching at CofC?

I started teaching at the College in the fall of 2003, so I am just finishing my 13th academic year here. It’s gone by incredibly fast!

hoffmann-hWhat were you doing before coming to CofC?

I received my Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in 2002 and taught at UGA for a year as an adjunct faculty member before accepting the faculty position at the College of Charleston.

Where did you study and what inspired you to study sociology and become a professor?

I completed my Bachelors degree at Western Washington University (WWU) in Washington state and, as mentioned above, completed graduate work at the University of Georgia. I started as a psychology major at WWU—I wanted to become a school psychologist. I did not take a sociology class until the first quarter (I think; it was a long time ago) of my Junior year. I avoided the introductory sociology class because it was one of, if not the, largest class offered at WWU with 300-400 students. To this day, I still don’t know why I decided to sign-up for the class…but I did and it changed my life. I remember vividly the day I decided to change my major to sociology. The class was required to read a classic research article titled, “On Staying Sane in Insane Places.” The research involved sending research confederates to psychiatric hospitals who reported hearing the words, “thud,” “empty” and “hollow.” Each person was previously of sound psychological health but, upon reporting hearing these words, was admitted to the psychiatric hospital with a tentative diagnosis of schizophrenia (or some other pretty serious diagnosis). Once admitted to the hospital, the researchers acted “normally.” Yet, every behavior they exhibited in the hospital—taking notes, pacing out of boredom—were framed as evidence of the psychiatric illness by doctors and nurses; it was the other patients in the hospital who expressed suspicion that the research “patients” were journalists or researchers and not really “sick.” This experiment led me to question the validity of psychiatric diagnostic categories and how powerful are the social forces that affect every aspect of our lives, including who we incarcerated, define as ill and what we deem is “normal.”

Are you involved in any research at the moment? If so, what is it about?

I currently have several research projects in various stages of development. I am working with George Dickinson on a paper exploring whether veterinarians experience changes in behavior of animals nearby an animal being euthanized. If so, to what do they attribute those behavior changes?

I am also working with George and two graduate students of social work at Florida State University on a survey of hospice and palliative care programs in prisons. George and I published a paper on this topic 5 years ago so this project will follow-up with those facilities we surveyed then and expand to other prisons that have adopted end-of-life care programs since our initial study.

Finally, I am working with a star student, Shannon Wischusen, on a survey of college students and how they use social media to share images and videos relating to alcohol and other drug use. The bulk of the literature on the topic treats students’ sharing of alcohol and drug content in social media as “pathological”, something that yields negative consequences. Shannon is looking at the topic without judgment, trying to understand from the students’ perspective why they share alcohol and drug content in social media and what meaning it has for them.

What is your favorite class to teach?

I really don’t have a favorite class to teach. I have been teaching a lot of classes online and I like that format for covering topics differently than is possible in a face-to-face class. Whatever class I teach, I enjoy the process of interacting with students and making the content on crime, prisons or alcohol and other drugs relevant to their lives and contemporary society.

What was your favorite class when you were in school?

As an undergraduate, any class that my mentor, Dr. John Richardson, taught was my favorite. He specialized in the sociology of education but I also took several social theory classes that he taught. He was amazing.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective sociology students?

Don’t listen to people who say that you are not already living in the “real world.” College students deal with incredibly challenging life experiences and we do a disservice to them when we imply that they are not experiencing “real world” problems.

Also, no matter what you do in life, strive for happiness and health—life is too short.

What do you like most about teaching and/or CofC?

The best thing about teaching in a college environment is that I always surrounded by young people with their energy, hopes, dreams and life challenges. I learn a lot from students.

George Dickinson is the best thing about CofC.

What do you like to do outside of teaching? Any hobbies/interests?

Wood working–I like to build stuff. It’s a great break from the academic stuff.

What is your favorite book or are you reading anything interesting?

Academic Book: Radley Balko’s Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces.

Guilty Pleasure Book: I could not put down Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl.

Where is your favorite place on earth- vacation spot, writing/reading corner, etc.?

My backyard with my wife and 4 dogs.

under: Faculty Spotlight

Meet Shannon Wischusen, Sociology Major

Posted by: tillilied | March 22, 2016 | No Comment |

Why did you choose to attend the College of Charleston?

Originally, I was running away from the New Jersey winters, but I fell in love with CofC immediately. I always tell people that coming to this school is the best decision that I have ever made in my life.

Wischusen, ShannonWhat made you decide to be a sociology major?

I found myself attracted to the Social Sciences before I really knew what Sociology was. After my Honors intro class with Dr. Burkett freshman year, I was hooked.

How does sociology fit into your life plan?

I am an aspiring professional academic. In two years I hope to enroll in a Ph. D. program for Sociology, and eventually become a college professor (in Soc of course).

What have you learned from your professors?

All of my professors and peers at the College of Charleston have reinforced that this department is exactly where I am supposed to be. My professors at CofC have provided me with an endless system of support, and my peers challenge me and motivate me every day.

What is your favorite sociology class?

I’ve had so many favorite sociology classes in the last 4 years! Right now I am participating in an academic apprenticeship for the Honors Intro to Sociology class where I get to be a TA. This class is really important to me because I love being able to lead class discussions, and at the same time I get to reflect on what kind of professor I aspire to be.

Who is your favorite professor and why?

Heath Hoffmann. I am so fortunate to have him as my mentor at the College. His passion, intelligence and kindness inspire me every day, and he is definitely the reason I want to become a professor.

Are you working on a Bachelor’s Essay? If so, what are you writing it on?

Yes! I am working on my honors Bachelors Essay in Sociology. I am studying how undergraduate college students share drug and alcohol content on social media platforms. I’m really excited about how it’s progressing!

Do volunteer anywhere? If so, what type of work is it?

Currently I volunteer for ABRAZOS, a federally funded program in North Charleston that offers English as a Second Language classes to Spanish-speaking mothers. The program also involves health and nutrition and parenting classes. I mostly volunteer in the program’s childcare center with Spanish-speaking preschoolers and toddlers.

What are you plans for after graduation?

After graduation I am moving back home and starting a new job as an Early Childhood Education Teacher in New York City for Teach for America! I will be a TFA corps member for two years while also enrolling in a Masters program for Early Childhood Education.

Do you have advice for students deciding on a major?

Place less emphasis on the end game. It’s okay if you don’t know “what you want to be when you grow up.” Find something to study that you love and you’ll find a job that you love. College is such an amazing opportunity to immerse yourself in academics; don’t spend all of your time in college worrying about what you are going to do afterwards.

What is your most challenging event or greatest accomplishment at the College of Charleston?

Next year I will be an early childhood educator for Teach for America, so I have started a new job teaching Spanish language preschool programs in Charleston. I absolutely love it, I am having so much fun and getting great experience, but it is definitely the hardest thing I have done while in college. Western Civ seems like nothing compared to a room full of four-year-olds.

What is one surprising fact about you?

I’m a power yoga addict!

under: Student Spotlight

Meet Dave Morris, Sociology Professor

Posted by: tillilied | March 17, 2016 | No Comment |

How long have you been teaching at CofC?Morris, David

This is my third year teaching at the College.

What were you doing before coming to CofC?

I was at the University of Virginia (UVA) as a graduate student before coming to the College. And before that I was a middle school teacher in Cincinnati.

Where did you study and what inspired you to study sociology and become a professor?

I did my undergraduate work at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and my graduate work at UVA. I guess two things inspired me to study sociology and become a professor. First, my parents always encouraged me to think about external forces that impacted the lives of people like amounts of wealth and education, local job opportunities, and cultural expectations (they didn’t use those exact terms when I was a kid, though). I carried this way of thinking into my first job as a middle school teacher in a poor area of Cincinnati. While teaching I saw firsthand how community, family, law enforcement, labor market, and political circumstances affect the opportunity kids have in school and their levels of success in life. It made me curious and I wanted to study these issues in more detail. I realized I could do this and still teach if I became a college professor. So here I am.

Are you involved in any research at the moment? If so, what is it about?

I am involved in a few projects at the moment. One research project looks at whether police, metal detectors, and security cameras reduce crime in school and students’ experiences of mistreatment at the hands of classmates. Another research project looks at how the Internet reduces discrepancies in political awareness and participation between affluent and underprivileged Americans.

What is your favorite class to teach?

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I like teaching all of my classes since each course offers something really cool and rewarding. But I’m not going to take the easy way out and stop there, so I’ll choose one. I’d have to say that my favorite class to teach is social statistics because I think it provides tangible and invaluable skills and knowledge for students that they can use for the rest of the lives. Plus, I think it is an incredibly interesting subject because of what analysis of numerical information can tell us about the world we live in. It’s fun convincing students of this, too.

What was your favorite class when you were in school?

My three favorite classes when I was in school were social studies (shocking, right?), science, and art classes.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective students?

I’m surprised by how many of my students think that they need to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives while they’re in college, and that if they choose a certain path now that it will dictate the rest of their future and they won’t be able to change course. This just isn’t true. Follow your instincts, think about what you value, don’t be afraid, and pick a path. If it ends up not being the right path, then change what you do. There will be plenty of opportunities to do so as your life unfolds. Nobody knows what they want to do with the rest of their lives when they’re in college. And that’s okay.

What do you like most about CofC?

A lot of things, but it’s definitely the people that I like the most. Who you work with and teach matters so much, and my colleagues and students are great, down-to-earth, good people. I think there’s something in the water in Charleston.

What do you like to do outside of teaching? Any hobbies/interests?

I like to run, watch movies, and read mysteries. And go to good restaurants when my wallet allows for it. Oh, and the beach, anything to do with the beach.

What is your favorite book or are you reading anything interesting?

To Kill a Mockingbird. I also love reading a good mystery novel. I’m currently working my way through the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly.

What is your favorite food?

A perfectly cooked steak with a glass of sturdy red wine.

If you could have dinner with one person, living or dead, who would it be?

My mother.

Where is your favorite place on earth- vacation spot, writing/reading corner, etc.?

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

under: Faculty Spotlight

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