Inside Sociology @ SAM serves as our revamped, biannual newsletter. Its aim is to increase connections between current students, alumni, and faculty and staff. We hope you enjoy reading and look forward to our Winter Edition to be published next January.

Recent rhetoric and declines in fertility pose challenges for universities across the US. Sociology @ SAM continues to thrive in a difficult climate, but we need your help articulating the value our discipline provides for local communities and our state. I hope this newsletter equips each of you – as alumni, students, and faculty/staff – to celebrate some accomplishments in our department and find ways to clearly communicate those in your professional networks, in conversation with friends and family, and to your political representatives.  

At their core, sociologists translate personal troubles into public issues, but our work doesn’t stop there. Our unique perspective enables us to develop, implement, and evaluate systemic solutions to the public issues we can identify. 

This year alone, our department secured over $2 million dollars in external grants with two projects bringing in over $500K. Each of these large projects reflects our department’s longstanding commitment to public sociology by bridging the gap between the academy and the communities we serve. 

Help us spread the word! Please share how your perspective as a sociologist brought “added value” to your workplace or in your interactions with others here. Follow us on Instagram, where we will be working to share the stories we collect. 

In this column, I have emphasized some of the ways our scholarship directly serves and supports our local communities. The remainder of this edition highlights exciting investments our department has made in the students we serve in the classroom and some of the returns on those investments. 

Thanks for reading,

Bart - jbs048@shsu.edu

Our students are fantastic. This past year Libby Fenstermacher secured another NASA internship, Janesha Hollerman received a fully funded fellowship to pursue doctoral study in Sociology at Texas A&M, Stephie Bertorelli and Stephen McWilliams presented research at an academic conference, and Jazmine Rivera served our Student Government Association as a CHSS Senator. If you are a current student who would like to be considered for a spotlight in our upcoming newsletter, please share your story here!    

I interviewed Pedro Ramirez, Alex Lutz, Dustin Wyatt, and Timi Akindele to learn more about their time here at SHSU as sociology students. It's clear they've gained a lot and are taking steps toward their future goals. But don't just take my word for it! Read what these students have said for yourselves. – Loni P.

is a recent MA graduate, who pursued a degree in sociology, even though he had not studied it as an undergraduate. He shared that he originally did not know he was interested in, since there are many pathways to take in sociology, but he gained a lot of research experience in our program. Pedro currently works for Urban Alchemy; a non-profit organization that serves the homeless and prioritizes hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. There, he is putting what he learned to good use to help those who often are dehumanized. I admired how he decided to take his own adverse experiences to heart, so that he could use it as fuel to help and serve others. 

“...we show love and respect to homeless people. Because we know what they’re experiencing, we can empathize. (We want) to let them understand that we don't see them as an undervalued person in society, but someone valuable, and that’s how we treat you, with respect and dignity. We can serve them in a way that other people can’t. Going through the master's program at Sam for sociology has equipped me with research skills and sociological knowledge that I am right now trying to apply to Urban Alchemy (non-profit org.)”.  -- Pedro R.

is a recent graduate, who just completed her bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology and worked for the department as a teaching assistant, while being an active member of the Sociology Club. Alex was initially a pre-med major but was drawn to sociology in Dr. Shuker’s Introduction to Sociology course, which inspired her to take more courses in sociology. She shared that she flunked her first year of university, but that experience  motivated her to do better and to pursue studies that she enjoyed. Thank you, Alex, for reminding us that a setback does not equal failure, it just means readjustment. Congratulations on your recent graduation; we wish you the best in graduate studies at Denver!

“I was just accepted into graduate school at the University of Denver on a merit scholarship. Sociology taught me an amazing tool for thinking critically and empathetically about people and systems. As I enter into a career as a psychologist, I have a better understanding of the way that society's social structures—like institutions, stereotypes, and systemic inequalities—have a drastic effect on mental health. I don't just see people; I see the social forces that drive them. That insight will be a point of reference for all that I do henceforth.”  - Alex L

is an undergraduate who will be Dr. Sherer’s teaching assistant this fall. He is majoring in sociology and working towards a master's degree in hopes of eventually getting his PhD. Dustin expressed excitement about his new position because he appreciates the nuance of sociology and is glad to have a job where he can work alongside a professor, since he wants to work in academia. We are excited to welcome him to the department as a new student assistant!  

“I'm really excited to get some actual teaching training; not that I'll be teaching the class, but I'll get to see the thought process behind what goes into the assignments, and how students answer the questions. As a student, I know how I would answer these questions and what a right answer is to me, but I'm excited to see other perspectives for the same assignments. I'm also just very excited to be involved in the process of going through a course from an administrative perspective. Since I will be pursuing a PHD at some point, I think that having a diverse perspective is going to be very beneficial and marketable to me in the future.”  - Dustin W.

is an undergraduate minoring in sociology who hopes to become a lawyer. Timi decided to capitalize on the opportunities presented to her as a third-year student (i.e., a Model UN student representative, and an internship). Because of her hard work, she received an outstanding individual award scholarship. Timi went on to share how sociology coursework expanded her thinking and caused her to become a more careful consumer of information. Thank you, Timi, for inspiring us to say “yes” to those extracurricular opportunities! 

“(Sociology) made me think on a deeper level about inequality. So, any time I'm hearing stuff on the news, I do my own research about where it stems back to, and what law it is...you can see in specific laws how they can be targeted at specific people. So, when I do my own research, I can look back to understand why they are acting this way, or why they are pushing certain motives.”  - Timi A.

Dr. Rin Ferarro

joins our faculty as an Assistant Professor of Sociology from the University of Oklahoma. They are enthusiastic about their research and developing connections with students. Dr. Ferarro has a wonderful way of speaking in an engaging way that impressed both our students and faculty. Their dissertation collected data on foster youth using innovative tools (e.g., photovoice methodology), which complement a strong background in social statistics. We are thrilled Dr. Ferarro will be joining us, and students can take their classes in SOCI 2319 (Introduction to Ethnic Studies), SOCI 3371 Qualitative Methods, and other methods course.

“I'm really excited to get to know all the students! I'm especially excited about working on research projects with students. Ever since I started graduate school, I have become really excited about learning about different kinds of research methods. But I wish I had this experience earlier in my education. I think it's awesome that there's such an emphasis on undergraduate students getting involved in research at Sam, and I can't wait to be a part of students' journeys as they learn about the research process and collaborate on sociological research!” - Dr. Ferarro

Dr. Olena Leipnik 

has been working in our department as a lecturer for some time, but we are excited to celebrate her recent promotion to the tenure track. She will be joining our faculty as an Assistant Professor this fall. This new position will allow her to pursue research on the intersections of identity formation, culture, and myth-infused public narratives.  Dr. Leipnik also expressed a love for rhythms in dance and even throughout daily life. She is passionate about older styles of dance like mazurka and flamenco, as well as poetry. Students will see Dr. Leipnik in courses like SOCI 3327 (Sociology of Pop Culture) and SOCI 4344 (Sociological Theory).  

“I'm looking forward to having the support to pursue long-term intellectual work — especially projects that bridge sociology, media, and mythology…This appointment allows me to deepen my work, publish more ambitiously, and build lasting collaborations. I’m also excited that I’ll now be able not only to teach sociology of popular culture but to guide student research on pop culture-related topics. There’s clear student interest in these areas, and now I’ll have the capacity to support it through advising, mentorship, and research supervision.”  - Dr. Leipnik

During the Fall 2024-25 academic year, the Sociology Department made significant investments in student success. We hired three departmental student workers from the ranks of our majors (Terra De La Porte and Loni Parrish) and minors (Star Hernandez Maldonado) and increased expenditures on student scholarships from our department’s operating budget by over 100%. In real numbers, that meant more than $15K directly awarded to 18 majors and minors. Moving beyond our department, we secured an additional $4K from the CHSS Dean’s Office, to support student success initiatives. 

These scholarships were in addition to $69K awarded to 20 students thanks to the generosity of our donors! If you received a scholarship, please take some time to write a thank you note to our donors. I’ll be sure to pass those kind notes along.

For this edition of the departmental newsletter, we are featuring three initiatives. Each of these will be returning in some form or fashion in Fall 2025. If you’re a current student, please be sure to check them out! 

During Spring 2025 our department launched a pilot program where we hired Chara Murphy, an English major minoring in sociology, to provide peer writing support to students enrolled in SOCI 2399.

Starting Fall 2025, Chara will continue to provide writing support to any student enrolled in sociology coursework (except for SOCI 4344 Sociological Theory).

To view Chara’s availability and book an appointment –online or in-person, click here starting Fall 2025

In 2024-25, three undergraduate majors received a scholarship to participate in our inaugural research lab.

These students met weekly with their faculty mentor to pursue an independent research project that aligned with one of their sociology courses. 

In addition, everyone came together once a week to support one another and share what they were learning throughout the research.

Amyria submitted her proposal to a federally funded fellowship.

Layla’s project was accepted for publication in The Measure.

Rikki begins a research assistantship positon for Fall 2025.

Stay tuned for an email inviting all students enrolled in Sociology courses in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 to apply to join the lab!

The Sociology Department continues to invest in its majors and minors through its successful peer mentor program.

Keep an eye out for an email to join the program within the first month of classes this Fall!

Participants benefit from a “student only” space and receive:

Monthly meals

Insider intel on thriving in our department

Access to unique professional development

Indirectly, our department invested in student success by investing in its faculty.

The CHSS Dean’s Office supported a graduate course redesign initiative to increase student engagement in our fully online program, brand our program, and maximize our efficient us of Blackboard Ultra.

Our department awarded its first set of Pedagogy Development awards to disseminate high impact teaching practices in undergraduate courses.

Congratulations and thank you to Professor Caron Cates, Professor Haitrieu Nguyen, Professor Olena Leipnik, and Professor Brooklyn Wynveen for preparing to share creative ideas!

Collectively, these projects embrace student-centered learning and equip students to apply abstract concepts (like the sociological imagination) through storytelling and photo-voice assignments, equip faculty to embrace the flipped classroom, and structure assignments that equip students to engage in responsible AI-use in the classroom.

Sociology Partners with the Academic Success Center (ASC) 

During Spring 2025 our department launched a pilot program where we hired Chara Murphy, an English major minoring in sociology, to provide peer writing support to students enrolled in SOCI 2399.

Starting Fall 2025, Chara will continue to provide writing support to any student enrolled in sociology coursework (except for SOCI 4344 Sociological Theory).

To view Chara’s availability and book an appointment –online or in-person, click here starting Fall 2025

It is admittedly, too early to evaluate the impact of these student success initiatives on student outcomes and a number of factors can impact enrollment. That said here are a few encouraging updates on enrollment in programs, indicating our investments in student success are paying off:1.Summer 2025 saw a 29% increase in the number of majors enrolled in our BA and BS programs from the previous year.  

2.It is still too early to finalize Fall 2025 enrollment. However, the number of students enrolled in our graduate programs for Fall 2025 is already 80% higher the previous year.  

3.Our most recent Fall-to-Fall retention rate for the MA program increased by 28% points from the previous year.  

Save the Date Sociology BBQ on August 20 @ 4:30 PM

Our hope is to connect incoming students with some of our current majors, faculty, alumni, and scholarship donors. We plan to cater BBQ (with vegetarian and GF options), offer a DIY crafting workshop, and have friendly yard games.

Stay tuned for more details about the event in early August. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us at jbs048@shsu.edu if you have any questions!

If you have any events, stories, successes, announcements, or news about students, faculty, staff, or alumni please send it over!

We want our Bearkat Community to celebrate with you!

Sociology Newsletter Team

Loni Parrish - Writer

Tamara Draper - Editor

Tiffany Hubrig - Marketing and Communications Coordinator

This email is being sent to Sociology Faculty, Staff and Students

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