Sociology Newsletter - September 2024

Our department is excited to announce the addition of 3 new faculty members: Guinevere Chambers (M.A., Sociology, UC Colorado Springs), Lori Hughes (PhD., Sociology, Washington State), and Lonnie Schaible (PhD, Sociology, Washington). Guinevere studies disability and sexuality and is joining us as a Lecturer this Fall to teach Understanding the Social World. Dr. Hughes and Dr. Schaible join us from the School of Public Affairs (SPA). Both have distinguished careers as Criminologists, specializing in youth gangs and police reform, among other topics. We’re super-excited to have all 3 on board and working with our students. Welcome!

The addition of new faculty to our department means that we will be able to offer a greater variety of courses and in a variety of formats. If you have advising questions as you advance with your studies, Undergraduate Advisor Dr. Maren Scull is ready to meet with you. You can reach her at maren.scull@ucdenver.edu.

Employers are increasingly seeking job candidates trained in research methods. Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative methodological skills improve one's prospects of securing well-paid and rewarding careers. The Department of Sociology’s new Graduate Certificate in Social Science Research Methods provides graduate students training in research design, data collection, and data analysis utilizing a variety of statistical and text analysis software. The certificate is available to graduate students in any degree program as well as non-degree seeking students. Contact Dr. Adam Lippert for more information.

Imagine yourself on a 16-day adventure across four of Spain's most enchanting cities: Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, and Cádiz. Earn six credits and a certificate in GIS and Spatial Analysis with instruction from the Spanish National Research Council while immersing yourself in the rich tapestry of Spanish culture. Under the guidance of Dr. Adam Lippert, Descubre España: GIS, Research Training, and Cultural Immersion across Spain allows you to explore historic sites, savor local delicacies, and put new skills to work while studying social life in Spain. For more details, contact Dr. Lippert.

Enjoy research? Thinking about graduate school? The TRIO McNair Scholars Program is for you! The program provides students the opportunity to conduct research with faculty, prepare for graduate school, and get paid $4,000 during the summer! McNair Scholars participate in a two-year program working directly with a faculty member on research related to their area of interest. Scholars are supported by TRIO staff, who provide regular workshops about graduate school, the graduate school application process, and academic coaching. McNair also provides paid conference travel to present research at academic conferences and to network for graduate school. For more information, contact Dr. Daniel Cicenia, Program Manager for the TRIO McNair Scholars Program.

The United States Secret Service (USSS) National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) is accepting applications for a Social Science Research Specialist (SSRS) position. NTAC is tasked with conducting research, training, consultation, and information sharing in the areas of behavioral threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence. The job position is posted on USAJOBS.com under the following announcement number, NTAC-WJ-12527868-24-DH, and is open until Friday, September 6.  

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. This is another great reason to join sociology’s honor society. For more information about the chapter, contact Dr. Jenny Vermilya.

Casa de Paz, a non-profit organization in Aurora, CO, is seeking volunteers to support immigrants and asylum seekers who have been released from ICE detention centers. Volunteers can fill a variety of roles. Casa de Paz welcomes individuals upon release and offers them necessities for their travel, such as toiletries, snacks, phone service to call loved ones and arrange travel, and free transportation to the airport. Prior to detainees’ release, Casa runs a letter-writing initiative, Cartas de Paz, which allows volunteers to correspond with someone in detention, providing them with a sense of connection and hope during their incarceration. Volunteers are also needed to conduct visitations with those in detention to provide a connection to the outside world. Please contact Gabrielle Levy for more information.

The Denver Council on Foreign Relations (DCFR) is a non-profit organization committed to building public awareness and understanding of international issues. The Council holds programming throughout the year, including a Global Affairs Speaker Series, a Leadership in Global Engagement Award, and a Young Professional Committee. DCFR is seeking volunteers to assist with its programming, which offers a great way to network with peers and professionals. The Council’s first speaker event this year will be on Thursday, September 12, 5-8:30PM and feature former Colorado Governor Bill Owens, who will be speaking on “Russia and the U.S. - Why Can’t We Just Get Along?”. Contact Casey Moher or Keith Guzik for more details.

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is seeking excellent undergraduate and graduate students to serve on the 2024-2025 Dean’s Student Advisory Council. The Council meets 2-3 times per semester to provide feedback and insight to the CLAS Dean and the Dean’s office regarding CLAS policies, processes, academic programs and other student issues relevant to CLAS. This is a vitally important group that provides students direct access to the Dean. Meetings are still being scheduled for the fall semester (likely the 4^th Thursday of the month, from 11:30AM-1:00 PM, and students may participate either by Zoom or in person. (Students interested in serving on the Council should contact Keith Guzik, Chair of Sociology.

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. 

The Sociology Club is back! The Club meets every other Tuesday from 6-7:30 at the Sociology Department (Lawrence Street Center 420). The next meeting will be September 10. The Club held its first meeting August 27, and turnout was awesome!

Adriana Davis is Club President, Maddie Fetterolf is Club Vice President, and Brooklyn Blue is Club Treasurer. The Club will be planning a series of events for the Fall semester. Come to our next meetings to help in the planning. And check social media, email, and the newsletter for details about these events. Stay tuned!

The department will be hosting a graduate program mixer on Tuesday, September 10 from 6:15—9:15PM at Rhein Haus. This is a great chance to meet other graduate students as well as faculty in a less formal setting. Undergraduates interested in the graduate program are more than welcome to attend.

September 15-October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Heritage Month honors the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. During this month, our campus and the City of Denver will be celebrating the history, heritage, and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans of past and present. CU Denver will hold a Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff event on Monday, September 16^th from 11 AM-1 PM at St. Cajetan’s Church. Check the University Events Calendar and Denver’s Hispanic Heritage Month website for many, many more events recognizing the campus’s and city’s rich Hispanic roots and cultures.

The CU Denver Office of Global Education is holding a Study Abroad Fair on Tuesday, September 10^th, from 9:30 AM–1:00 PM in the Tivoli Turnhalle. Studying abroad offers a unique chance to learn new skills and experience other cultures to give you a head start on life after graduation. The Study Abroad Fair will showcase a number of upcoming short-term, programs led by CU Denver faculty as well as partner programs available for longer-term study. Breakfast burritos and swag will be available.

The Philosophy Department is holding its first talk of its Fall speaker series on Thursday, September 5, at 3:30pm in the Plaza Building, Suite M108. Dr. Erica Ferg and Dr. Bryan Hall from Regis University will be speaking on Kant's concept of a "public moral religion" using Christianity as an example and considering whether non-orthodoxic religion may better answer Kant's question of how to achieve a public moral religion.

CLAS MixTape is hitting the replay button. MixTape features presentations from CLAS students, staff, and faculty about their research and creative activities. It’s a great opportunity to learn what your peers and professors work on outside the classroom. This Fall’s talks will focus on health & medicine (Thursday, September 12, 11AM-12:15PM at Students Commons 2500) and technology & society (Friday, November 15, 11AM-12:15PM at Student Commons 2600). See you there!

Para Mi Familia (Armando Silva, 2023), Los Tarascos restaurant, Fort Collins (Photo: KDVR, October 6, 2023)

Dr. Jenny Vermilya received the 2024 Distinguished Book Award from the Animals & Society Section of the American Sociological Association at its annual conference held in August in Montreal. Her book, Identity, Gender, and Tracking: The Reality of Boundaries for Veterinary Students (2022, Purdue University Press) explores how veterinary programs produces multiple boundaries for students that have consequences for veterinarians and the treatment of animals. You can hear more about Dr. Vermilya’s award-winning research in her Animals & Society course, which she’ll be offering this Spring. Awesome work Jenny!

Congratulations to Valentina Serrano-Salomón and Jay Pecenka, two CU Denver Sociology MA graduate students whose research with Dr. Esther Sullivan on community science air monitoring in North Denver was recently published by Frontiers in Environmental Science. Way to go Valentina and Jay! We’re so proud of you!

Congratulations to all of our graduates who are pursuing doctoral studies across the country. This includes Courtney Thornton (Washington University St Louis), Jose Puente Puente (University of Maryland), Beza Taddess (Princeton University), Des Salais (University of Washington), Danielle Maestas (Northeastern University), Clayton Buck (University of Maryland), and current University of Colorado Boulder PhD students Valentina Serrano Salomon, Lisa Hollister, and Don Mather. And a shout out as well to Grace Venechuk (nee Finnigan Fox) who just started her postdoc at Chicago after defending her dissertation at Wisconsin in May. Good luck to you all! And we can’t wait to see you shaping the future of our fields!

Dr. Esther Sullivan took a position this past summer as a Nonresident Fellow in the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute to focus on manufactured housing and disaster resilience. Urban Institute Fellow is an invited position and there are fewer than five Urban Institute Nonresident Fellows. Congratulations Esther on this honor!

Dr. Jennifer Reich served as Vice President of the American Sociological Association this past year. ASA Vice President is an elected position, and it consists of a range of leadership obligations and responsibilities, including workshops, service on the program committee, and organizing invited panels for the annual meeting. Thank you Jennifer for your service!

“The answer to the problem between the white race and the colored, between males and females, lies in healing the split that originates in the very foundation of our lives, our culture, our languages, our thoughts. A massive uprooting of dualistic thinking in the individual and collective consciousness is the beginning of a long struggle, but one that could in our best hopes, bring us to the end of rape, of violence, of war.” Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera.

The Denver metropolitan population and economy have been booming for years, yet schools and other social services find themselves strained for funding. What gives? The Colorado Sun has excellent coverage on Colorado lawmakers' recent four-day special legislative session, where they agreed to property tax cuts and limits on future property tax growth in exchange for removing two measures from the November ballot that would have enacted far deeper cuts if passed.

What is government regulation good for? PBS reports on the deadly listeria outbreak at a Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia that has been linked to the death of at least 9 people in the US.     

Venezuela held its presidential election on July 28, which most believe was won by Edmundo González, a 75-year-old retired diplomat. President Nicolás Maduro has refused to concede, however, and a Venezuelan court has now issued a warrant for González’s arrest. Follow reporting on current events in Venezuela in The Guardian, including Maduro’s plans to celebrate Christmas in October to distract from the ongoing crisis.