Sociology Newsletter - May 2024

Registration for the Summer and Fall remains open. Take a look at our department course offerings! We have a lot of our usual great courses available, and then some things we haven’t run in a bit! Like Sociology of Music taught by Carlos Reali! Or Social Meanings of Reproduction with Jennifer Reich. There are interesting courses being taught across our College this summer and fall as well. Like Disparities in US Maternal Health by Hyeyoung Nelson in Public Health, being offered this summer.

And remember, Undergraduate Advisor Dr. Maren Scull is available to meet with you in person or on Zoom to talk about your scheduling or program questions.  

The department expects to begin offering Qualitative Methods (SOCY3119) in person again. We expect the Spring section of Qualitative Methods to be face-to-face. So, if you would like or need to take the course online to graduate, you can plan do so in the Fall 2024 semester. If you have questions or concerns about this (or anything else related to your schedule or registration), you know who to call! Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Maren Scull is ready to help.

Dr. Marty Otañez from Anthropology is leading a project designed to increase awareness about first-generation students of color among CU Denver students, staff, and faculty. If you are first-generation, come share your story! Undocumented undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply.

Story themes may cover challenges related to your financial situation, social life, work life, family life, academic stress/burnout, university bureaucracy, or learning style. Each individual who completes a story by May 10 will receive a $200.00 stipend. Additional details are here.

CU Denver has a 30-year relationship with International College Beijing (ICB). The program is a national model for study abroad programs with China. Studying in China is a wonderful opportunity to explore the world’s most populous country and experience its unique blend of ancient and modern civilization, scenic beauty, and bustling, cosmopolitan nightlife. At ICB, you will take courses with local Chinese students that are taught by CU Denver faculty. The university is currently offering generous scholarships for CUD students studying in Beijing. If you want to stand out in the global job market, this is an incredible opportunity. But act fast, as Fall applications are due soon! Contact Emily Wheeler for additional details.

The Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is seeking a full-time summer marketing and communications intern. The successful applicant will work closely with experienced professionals, who are fellow graduates from Colorado-area colleges, to assist in the day-to-day aspects of fulfilling the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) mission. The ideal candidate will be a junior or senior studying marketing, communications, public relations, creative writing or business and is interested in community outreach within the nonprofit sector. Applicants who are a current DSF Scholar is a plus. The full-time summer internship will consist of 30-40 hours per week for three months from June – August. This is a fully onsite position located at the downtown Denver office.

The Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) division within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources is seeking individuals with familiarity using research software (SPSS, R, Qualtrics, NVivo) for Human Dimensions (HD) research, outreach, and support. This work will help CPW understand and forecast public perceptions, concerns, and preferences about natural resource management and inform agency decision making and policy processes. The mission of the Department of Natural Resources is to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. Additional details on the position can be found here.

The CU Denver Writing Center is available to help you with your upcoming writing assignments. Even if you don’t have a paper due tomorrow, the Center is available to meet to talk about your ideas and how you might grow as a writer. You can meet with them in-person or online. To learn more and schedule an appointment, head here!

Alpha Kappa Delta is continuing its workshop series for sociology graduate students: The Graduate Student Lounge. The AKD Grad Student Lounge is an initiative sponsored by Alpha Kappa Delta to support and foster graduate students’ professionalization, well-being, and peer networking. It meets monthly to discuss various topics of interest to graduate students in sociology and offers a grad-only safe space to share tips, ideas, and recommendations. Graduate students are welcome to sign up to be invited using this link: https://bit.ly/3nE7kQQ

Alpha Kappa Delta currently provides funding to AKD student members who present at regional sociology conferences. Awards are up to $500/student, although no more than $1,500 may be awarded per chapter. This is another great reason to join sociology’s honor society. For more information about AKD, contact Dr. Jenny Vermilya.  

The CU Denver Lynx Food Pantry responds to the need of CU Denver students for resources to fight food insecurity. CU Denver students have access to free food and hygiene products. All students are allocated 10 points each week to use on items from the pantry, whether it's just to grab a snack for the day or to help out with a meal. Bring your student ID when you visit. The Lynx Food Pantry is located on the 3rd floor of the Wellness Center. 

Each year, a select group of sociology majors engages in year-long research projects putting their sociological knowledge to work to unravel the mysteries of the social world. This year, four students are completing honors projects: Mercy Kibet (project title: “Black Maternal Health Experiences in the US: A Qualitative Study”, mentor: Dr. Edelina Burciaga), Angela Kirth (project title: “Understanding How Criminality Impacts Social Structures and Networks in a Rural Community”, mentors: Drs. Kari Alexander & Keith Guzik), Siyu Qi (project title: “In-person, Online, or Remote? Exploring CU Denver Students’ Perceptions and Preferences for Three Delivery Modes of Learning”, mentors: Kari Alexander & Keith Guzik), and Leia Rockhold (project title: “The Impact of Contemporary Antisemitism on Jewish Identity, Presentation, and Personal Security”, mentors: Drs. Kari Alexander & Keith Guzik).

We are absolutely thrilled to invite you to their honors presentations on Thursday, May 9, from 2:00-4:00 in the Fourth Floor Conference Room (LSC450) at Lawrence Street Center. Please come to hear about our students’ excellent research and celebrate their accomplishments!

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) will host its Award & Retirement Ceremony on Friday, May 3, from 4-5:30 in the Terrace Room of the Lawrence Street Center. This is a great occasion to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of our College colleagues. The Office of Graduate Education will hold its Graduate Award Ceremony on Monday, May 6, 2024, from 4-5pm in the Terrace Room of the Lawrence Street Center. The event recognizes the outstanding work of graduate students throughout CU Denver in scholarship, creative works, teaching, service, and leadership. RSVP to the Graduate Award Ceremony is requested via the following link.

“Power & Equality” (2018), Shepard Fairey, Crush Walls, Denver, CO.

It is with great appreciation that the Department of Sociology recognizes the retirement of Dr. Lisa Ransdell. Dr. Ransdell has taught in our department since 2014. Over that time, she has assembled a remarkable record of instruction, leading courses in medical sociology, sex & gender, race & ethnicity, and global perspectives. Students will remember her expert explanation of complex social issues and careful creation of respectful intellectual spaces where students could engage with sensitive topics. Her time in our department serves as one part of a longer career of impactful instruction and student-facing service at MSU Denver, Denver University, Denison University, and Ohio State University. Her excellence in the classroom, combined with her versability, kindness, innovation, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion will be sorely missed. We wish Dr. Ransdell all the best as she embarks on the next stage of her intellectual journey. Thank you Lisa!!!

The department would like to give a big shout out to all of our master’s students who successfully defended their theses and portfolios this past month. Join us in celebrating the excellent work of the following students:

Maxwell Cornett (thesis title: On Being Queer or Being a Southerner: An Autoethnographic Examination of Utilizing Queer Identity Dissonance; committee chair: Dr. Maren Scull)

Emily Leonard (thesis title: A Path to Healing: An Examination of Where Restorative Justice Belongs Through the Eyes of Restorative Facilitators and Practitioners; committee chair: Dr. Keith Guzik)

Jose Puente Puente (thesis title: Breathing Easy? An Examination of Pulmonary Health at the Intersection of Race, Nativity, and Community; committee chair: Dr. Adam Lippert)

Emma Rogers (portfolio; committee chair: Dr. Jennifer Reich)

Michele Schilling (thesis title: Celibacy and Heterodoxy: Journeys and Pathways of Gay Latter-day Saint Men; committee chair: Dr. Maren Scull)

The department would like to extend its warmest congratulations to this year’s recipients of WJS Keep on Truckin’ Scholarships. Thanks to the generous giving of the scholarship’s funder, we were able to provide 3 awards this year. The awardees were Nereida Arroyo-Ramirez, Mercy Kibet, and Isabella Luna. Congratulations!

And if you applied for a scholarship this year but did not receive one, we encourage you to apply again in next year’s cycle.

Congratulations are also in order for Veronica Potter and Mireya Walker, our two newest inductees to the CU Denver chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society. Induction into AKD is reserved to undergraduate and graduate students in sociology who have maintained a record of high academic achievement. Excellent work Veronica and Mireya!

Alpha Kappa Delta Society was founded in 1920. The name, Alpha Kappa Delta, represents the first three letters of three Greek words: anthropon (mankind), katamanthanein (to investigate thoroughly or to conduct research) and diakonesein (for the purpose of service). The name, freely interpreted, signifies social research for the purpose of service. If you like to join AKD, please contact Dr. Jenny Vermilya for details.

In his Nobel Peace Prize lecture (1986), Holocaust survivor, writer, and political activist Elie Wiesel observed that, “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” Also, “peace is not God’s gift to his creatures, it is our gift to each other.” As we close this semester and move deeper into this contentious year, we can remember that the gift of peace and the rightness of protest know no boundaries.

On Friday, April 26, Auraria Campus leaders had police clear an encampment of students and community members protesting US support of Israel's military actions in Gaza.  The arrest of over 40 protesters has reverberated across our campus in the time since. Many of us are receiving updates on events through emails, social media, and personal networks. But Denverite and Met Media have also offered unique insights into this unfolding local story. Check them out and stay engaged.

The student protests on the Auraria Campus are part of a broader wave of collective action on college campuses across the country. Demonstrations have varied from campus to campus, as have university leaders’ responses to them. The Guardian has excellent coverage of this unfolding national story without a paywall.

To counter low levels of economic growth, China is looking to shift from an investment-led growth economy to a consumption-based model. Women have a vital role to play in that effort as both workers and consumers. The South China Morning Post has an interesting story describing China’s growing “she-conomy” and how women’s purchasing power is helping redefine social roles and relationships.