Sociology Newsletter - September 2025

The start of the academic year can bring questions about courses to take and what is needed to finish your program. If you are an undergraduate student and have questions about the sociology major, minor, certificates, or whatever else, Undergraduate Advisor Dr. Maren Scull is ready to help!

Thanks to the capable hands and creative mind of CU Denver Sociology master’s student, Raisa Melo, the department is giving its social media a refresh. We have Instagram, X, and Bluesky. A resuscitated Facebook page is coming! Check our social media for information on Club events, happenings around campus and the city, volunteer and internship opportunities, scholarships, and more. And we can be friends! So, send your follow requests!

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is seeking excellent undergraduate and graduate students to serve on the 2025-2026 Dean’s Student Advisory Council. The Council meets 2-3 times per semester to provide feedback to the CLAS Dean’s office regarding CLAS policies, processes, academic programs, and other issues relevant to students. This is an important group that provides students access to the Dean and informs policy. Meetings will be held on a Thursday each month, from 11:30AM-1:00 PM, and students can participate either by Zoom or in person. If you’re interested in serving on the Council, contact Keith Guzik, department chair.

The Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities (URCA) is your connection to research opportunities at CU Denver. URCA is here to help students jump-start their research careers. Its Education through Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities program, or EURēCA, has research assistantship and grant opportunities that fund undergraduate students for doing research. Explore the opportunities on their webpage and schedule an appointment with their office to put your ideas into action.

The Learning Resources Center (LRC) at CU Denver is committed to student academic success, retention, and graduation by promoting and fostering independent learning and critical thinking skills. The LRC strives to cultivate effective learning strategies, skills, and study habits while empowering students to be life-long learners in a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. The office offers a bevy of services to help students meet their academic and personal goals. These include peer tutoring, a writing center, supplemental learning, individual coaching, study skills workshops, and more. Visit their website for more information and schedule a session!

The Office of Equity (OE) is dedicated to advancing an inclusive environment free from sexual misconduct and discrimination based on age, color, creed, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy or related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and veteran status. The OE strives to foster a community where all identities are respected, and every individual has equitable access to education and employment opportunities. This semester, the Office is holding a series of workshops as part of its Meet Your Moment, Make It Matter campaign. Information on the workshops and a link for making an equity report can be found here.

Urban Peak is a Denver-based organization providing a full convergence of services focused on one of the most vulnerable populations in our community: youth ages 12 through 24 who are experiencing homelessness. To move from homelessness to safety and stability, youth require intensive, strengths-based case management; access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care; education and employment opportunities; 24/7 crisis support; and a place to call home. Urban Peak meets youth where they are at and ignites a spark that puts them on a path toward self-determined, fulfilled lives. Urban Peak also has volunteer opportunities available. You can check out the different ways to help here. This includes donating deodorant, sports bras, reusable water bottles, disinfectant wipes, and reusable grocery bags through Amazon.

The Wilderness Society Action Fund is an advocacy organization focused on building political power to protect healthy public lands and defend our shared access to their benefits. Currently, WSAD is working alongside the Arctic Defense Campaign to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most ecologically and culturally significant pieces of untouched public land in the US. The ADC is a diverse coalition of Indigenous peoples, Alaskans, wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, veterans, sportsmen, scientists, athletes, people of faith, and many others committed to protecting landscape from the threat of oil and gas development. If you’re interested in learning more, contact Ford Young at Green Corps. 

The Colorado 17th Judicial District services Westminster, Commerce City, Thornton, Broomfield, Brighton, and other cities around the Denver metropolitan area. Their office is seeking students interested in volunteering or interning with them. If you’re interested in getting a head start with a career in justice services, and/or taking internship credits, check them out. You can also reach out to department chair, Keith Guzik, for more details.  

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.

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 the chapter, contact Dr. Jenny Vermilya.

Milo’s Market is CU Denver’s grocery. It’s a hub for students, staff, and faculty to access free food and hygiene items. Milo’s Market embodies CU Denver’s belief that every person deserves to live free of food insecurity. All students are allocated various goods each week, whether it's a snack for the day or ingredients for a meal. All you need is your LynxCard and a reusable bag! Milo’s Market is located on the 3rd floor of the Wellness Center. 

The Sociology Club is back!  The Club meets every other Tuesday from 6-7:00 at the Sociology Department (Lawrence Street Center 420). The Club held its first meeting August 26, and turnout was robust! The next meeting will be on September 9. The Club's mission is to offer community for students, provide professional development opportunities, and advocate for social justice issues that students care about. If any of that resonate with you, we hope to see you at a meeting or one of our events!

Club officers this year are Edward Blake (President), KC Van Doren (Vice President), Jennifer Martinez Garcia (Treasurer), and Destiny Martinez (Marketing). Thanks you four for serving as officers! Check social media, email, and the newsletter for details about upcoming events. Stay tuned!

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 will be sharing 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 15^th from 11 AM-1 PM at Benson Terrace. The University Events Calendar, Denver’s Hispanic Heritage Month website, and History Colorado have more information on events celebrating the rich Hispanic roots and cultures of our campus, city, and state. Also check out this cool virtual tour by Denver Public Art showcasing a few of the many projects in their collection created by Hispanic and/or Latino/a/x artists.

The Lynx Day of Service at CU Denver provides time for students, staff, and faculty to give back to the larger Denver community. This year, Lynx Day of Service is partnering with Project Helping. Students, staff, and faculty can come together and make Kynd Kits for three different groups: Dignity Bags for the Unhoused, Toys for Shelter Animals, and Sight Words for First Graders. This year will also feature a Volunteer Fair during the lunch hour, where students can learn about long-term volunteering opportunities. Students who volunteer will also receive lunch as part of the day. The Lynx Day of Service runs from 9:00am-3:00pm on September 27th and will primarily be based at Tivoli Turnhalle in the Tivoli Student Union. A remote option will also be provided. More information can be found here, with sign-up links appearing here.

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-abuse concerns. The course covers where to turn for help, risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction, and strategies for helping those in crisis and non-crisis situations. The course will be offered at the Wellness Center on September 12, 9AM-3PM and November 14, 9AM-3PM and on Zoom on October 24, 9AM-3PM and December 5, 9AM-3PM. You can register for a training here.

The CU Denver Student Wellness Center also offers Opioid Prevention & Response Training. Trainings cover how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and administer the overdose reverse drug, Naloxone. Attendees will also be provided free harm reduction tools, including Naloxene and Fentanyl testing strips. These trainings happen from 12-1PM in the third floor seminar room of the Wellness Center on the following days: September 9 and 25, October 9 and 28, November 5 and 19, and December 2. Register here.

The CU Denver Office of Global Education is holding a Study Abroad Fair on Tuesday, September 9^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. Snacks and swag will be available.

The CU Denver Wellness Center is so much more than a place to work out. It’s also a place to study, hang out with friends, grab food from Milo’s Mart, and more. That more includes a variety of offerings and events. Spirit Thursdays happen every other Thursday and feature Milo—the next event is Lawn Games on September 18. The Center organizes Outdoor Adventure Trips where students can go backpacking, rock climbing, bouldering, skiing, and more for about $20 a trip. Free yoga and pilates sessions are offered throughout the semester. Intramural sports ranging from badminton to wiffleball are also available. Finally, financial wellness workshops are offered in conjunction with ENT Credit Union. A full list of events and services can be found on the Center’s website.

The CU Denver Department of Sociology is thrilled to announce Gregory Carpenter, Rahel Makonnen, and Derek McCurdy as this year’s recipients of Keep on Truckin’ Scholarships. The WJS Keep on Truckin’ Scholarship Fund, made possible through the remarkable generosity of a private individual, allows the department to award multiple annual scholarships covering most tuition and fees. Inspired by the donor’s deep love for CU Denver and the discipline of sociology, KoT scholarships reflect the department’s commitment to empowering students and advancing the study of social dynamics.

Upon receiving her award, Rahel shared, “This scholarship has truly reshaped my academic path and future goals. It enables me to fully engage in my passion for understanding the complexities of society.” Congratulations Gregory, Rahel, and Derek! And keep on truckin’!

A loud shout out to Dr. Esther Sullivan for being recognized with the Community and Urban Sociology Section (CUSS) Publicly Engaged Scholar Award by the American Sociological Association. In announcing its selection, CUSS noted Dr. Sullivan’s “exceptional dedication to public sociology through collaborative research and intensive community engagement” and her “15-year record of engaged scholarship focused on housing and environmental inequalities in urban communities”. Congratulations Esther on this well-deserved award and for your dedicated hard work on behalf of those experiencing housing insecurity!

Over the summer, the New York Times ran a piece on hypergamy and sugar relationships. What are those, you may ask? Well, when the Times was looking to find out, they consulted CU Denver Sociology’s own Dr. Maren Scull. Dr. Scull has published numerous articles on the topic. The Times piece is linked above. Thanks for representing us so well Maren!

The department wants to shout out the first cohort of students who braved the delicious food, rich history, and warm hospitality of Spain while earning six credits and a certificate in GIS and Spatial Analysis with instruction from the Spanish National Research Council. Descubre España: GIS, Research Training, and Cultural Immersion across Spain has students explore historic sites, savor local delicacies, and put new skills to work while studying social life in Spain. Dr. Adam Lippert put this unique program together, which he plans to offer again next summer. Mark your calendars! And contact Dr. Lippert for more details.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th-century Mexican nun, writer, and scholar who became a feminist icon for her intellectual pursuits and her defense of women's right to education. Writing on her intellectual inspiration, she wrote, ““O world, why do you wish to persecute me? How do I offend you, when I intend only to fix beauty in my intellect, and never my intellect fix on beauty? I do not set store by treasures or riches; & therefore it always brings me more joy only to fix riches in my intellect, and never my intellect fix on riches. I do not set store by a lovely face that, vanquished, is civil plunder of the ages, and perfidious wealth has never pleased me, for I deem it best, as one of my truths, to deplete the vanities of this life & never this life to deplete in vanities.” (Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Selected Writings).

Late last month, President Trump fired the director of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Susan Monarez, after she refused to resign under pressure from his office. Her firing led to an exodus of leadership from the CDC, which is responsible for safekeeping public health in the United States. Meanwhile, cold and flu season is approaching. What are local and state authorities doing to keep Coloradans safe? KUNC has the story on the efforts of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and other state agencies to ensure Coloradans have access to updated COVID-19 vaccines.

The crypto industry has welcomed the second Trump Administration, which has featured fewer regulations and investigations of the sector. The Trump family, in turn, has embraced crypto. The Wall Street Journal explains how President Trump and his sons have amassed $5 billion in paper wealth after their cryptocurrency, WLFI (World Liberty Financial), began trading on the open market earlier this week. 

Sudan has been locked in a civil war since 2023 between two rival factions of the government military, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Civilians fleeing the conflict have sought refuge in the Marra Mountains in the southwestern corner of the country. Earlier this week, a landslide caused by heavy rains and flash floods struck a village in the area. Hundreds of people are thought to have perished. The BBC and the Guardian have coverage.