Sociology Newsletter - September 2026

Our department is excited to announce the addition of 5 new members of our department. Dr. Cathy Simmons and Melissa Thompson have joined our department as Director and Field Education Director for our new Bachelor of Social Work program. We also welcome Dr. Elizabeth Brooks and Courtney Lange. Dr. Brooks is teaching Foundations of Behavioral Health with us, while Professor Lange is offering Understanding the Social World. Foundations of Behavioral Health is a core course for our new  Behavioral Health Certificate. Finally, we are delighted to introduce Carmen Jura, our department’s new Business Operations Professional, who will be helping us deliver programs and services to you.

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! If you are a graduate student, our Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Adam Lippert, has the answers!

With a new academic year upon us, be sure to check out our social media—Instagram, X, and Bluesky—to stay up to date on Soc Club events, sociology happenings, events on campus and around town, volunteer and internship opportunities, scholarships, and much more.

The Office of Global Education offers 45 study abroad programs across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. You can find details about these offerings here. Winter program application deadlines range from September 1st to October 15th. And all students who apply to our short-term programs can also apply for $500 Global Education Scholarships. The CU Denver Semester in Beijing program is also accepting Spring semester applications, which are due on September 28th. Learn more about study abroad at CU Denver at the Study Abroad Fair on Tuesday, September 1, 9:30AM-1:00PM in Tivoli Turnhalle. 

Speaking of global education, our own Dr. Adam Lippert runs a popular summer semester study abroad program in Spain that has students build highly sought-after skills in GIS and spatial analysis while exploring Spanish culture, history, and society. Descubre España offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to earn 6 credits over the summer, explore 4 iconic Spanish cities, and earn hands on training with GIS. Contact Dr. Lippert for more information. 

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is seeking outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to serve on the 2026-2027 Dean’s Student Advisory Council. The Council meets 2-3 times per semester to give the CLAS Dean’s Office feedback on CLAS policies, processes, programs, and other issues relevant to students. This is a vital group that provides you access to the Dean and the chance to inform policy. Meetings will be held on a Thursday each month, from 11:30AM-1:00 PM. You can participate either by Zoom or in person. If you’re interested in serving on the Council, contact Keith Guzik, department chair. 

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. 

Urban Peak is hosting its annual fundraiser gala, Urban Nights, on Friday, September 18th, 2026. This year's event will honor Chad Holtzinger, founder and president of Shopworks Architecture, as the 2026 Urban Legend for his decade-long support of Urban Peak and his trauma-informed approach to affordable housing design. Interested in attending? Learn more and RSVP here.

The Sociology Club is back!  The Sociology Club is excited to begin its 5^th year.  Biweekly meetings have already begun! The Club meets in the library of the Sociology Department (Fourth Floor of the Lawrence Street Center) from 5:30-7:00PM. Snacks and soft drinks are provided. 

The Club offers community for students, provides professional development opportunities, and advocates for social justice issues that you care about. If you are interested in any of that, we hope to see you at a meeting and/or one of our events. Stay tuned for announcements about Club events. Contact the Club Officers—Mason Thomas, President, Destiny Martinez, Vice President, Jennifer Martinez Garcia, Treasurer— or faculty Club Advisor, Dr. Vermilya, with questions. And see you at the Club! 

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 with Nicki Gonzales, Vice Provost and Professor at Regis University, on Wednesday, September 16^th from 8:30-10:00AM at the Terrace Room (2^nd Floor) in the Lawrence Street Center. 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.

Every semester, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) publishes a Dean's List honoring students who demonstrate high scholastic achievement. To make the Dean's List, students must earn a minimum 3.75 semester GPA. We want to give a loud shout out to all the Sociology majors who made the Spring 2026 Dean’s List!

Carina Brizzard, Jude Clinchard, Samantha Fagerman, Luz Florentino Avila, Yasaman Hakimifar, Chaeli Hobbs, Cierra Kriska, Allison Lynch, Rahel Makonnen, Derek McCurdy, Ashley Miller, James Munsdeane, Samantha Pavlisko, Kandyce Sanchez, Alexander, Vela Ortiz, Madeline Ward

Congratulations to Dr. Edelina Burciaga on her latest publication! Her research report, "Methodological Innovations for Understanding the Reproductive Aspirations of 1.5 and 2nd Generation Latinas," was published in Frontiers in Political Science. Drawing on longitudinal interviews and weekly surveys with undocumented 1.5-generation DACA recipients and second-generation Latinas in Colorado and Arizona, the study connects immigration policy, reproductive health, structural inequality, and research methodology. Congratulations, Dr. Burciaga!

The US Congress in 1861 ceded a “notch” of land home to thousands of Hispanic Americans in New Mexico Territory to the new Colorado Territory. The land grab was justified in part by questioning the cultural and racial fitness of the area’s Hispanic residents. Miguel Antonio Otero (1829-1882), one of the few Hispanic Delegates to serve the New Mexico Territory, vigorously opposed the move, observing: “It has been the custom, on the part of gentlemen on the other side of the House [Republicans], I am very well aware, especially since this Congress began, to bring up New Mexico and her people, in every shape and form, and try to hold [them] up to the ridicule of the nation. I protest most solemnly against such a course of conduct. And gentlemen think now they are at liberty to cut it up in any shape they please. I have listened to these aspersions on the people whom I represent with a great deal of calmness. I have stood all sorts of opprobrium cast upon them; but I cannot sit here quietly and see the people of that Territory, who, as I have said, are a homogeneous people, cut in pieces, and a portion of them transferred to another jurisdiction, when I know it is against their wishes.” And the fight for the respect and equality of all Americans continues. 

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 opportunities on their webpage and schedule an appointment with their office to put your ideas into action. 

The Learning Resources Center (LRC) is kicking off Fall 2026 with its full lineup of free services, available to all CU Denver students both virtually and in-person, including peer tutoring, the writing lab, supplemental learning, individual coaching, study skills workshops, 24/7 virtual tutoring through Brainfuse, and asynchronous workshops via Student Lingo. In-person hours run Monday–Thursday 9:00AM–5:00PM and Friday 9:00AM–4:00PM (see the LRC homepage for online hours). And new, new, new this semester, come join LRC for weekly Study Jams on Mondays, 10:00AM–12:00PM and monthly Trivia Nights for study support, coffee, and prizes. 

Presenting at a conference or finishing up your thesis or dissertation? The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' Office of Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) offers competitive travel awards of up to $500 to help cover the costs. Graduate students in STEM fields should also check out the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), a prestigious five-year fellowship that provides three years of funding, including an annual stipend of at least $37,000, for students pursuing research-based master's or doctoral degrees. Visit ORCA's website for application forms, eligibility details, workshop slides, and instructional videos.

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 spot. 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 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. More information on OE offerings and a link for making an equity report can be found here.  

September is here and football is in the air. Denver's beloved Broncos have plans to build a new stadium at Burnham Yard, an 80-acre former railyard bordering the La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood, one of the city's oldest and most historically Latino communities. The neighborhood already survived one wave of "urban renewal" in the mid-20th century, when city planners bulldozed homes and businesses in the name of progress. Today, many residents fear a repeat. The story is a compact case study of how large-scale development decisions reshape neighborhood identity, displacement risk, and who gets a say in the process. Denverite traces the neighborhood's history alongside residents' current concerns.

On June 30, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled, by a 6-3 vote, that individual states can prohibit transgender girls and women from competing on girls' and women's school sports teams. The case involved two states, West Virginia and Idaho, which had passed laws banning transgender athletes from those teams. Transgender students in both states sued, arguing the bans were discriminatory. The decision, while leaving unresolved the constitutional standard for deciding such cases in the future, immediately impacted the 27 states with similar laws on the books.  SCOTUSblog and the ACLU offer analyses of the ruling's reach and its implications for gender, embodiment, and institutional inclusion.

Over the summer, you might have noticed that the United States celebrated its 250^th anniversary. Despite the US’s declining international commitments, its birthday was not only celebrated here. One of the biggest Independence Day celebrations outside of North America takes place in Macharaviaya, Spain, a mountain town with 500 residents, located in the southern province of Málaga. Macharaviaya is the birthplace of Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish governor of Louisiana whose troops, including Spaniards, Spanish Americans, American Indians, and Black people, both enslaved and free, defeated the British in Florida. The Atlantic and El País both featured fascinating biographies of the Hispanic founding father this summer.