I earned my B.A. degree in Psychology and my M.A. degree in Sociology at Appalachian State University. My Ph.D. degree in Sociology is from the University of Georgia.
I teach Introduction to Sociology, both regular and Honors, Social Problems, Successful Aging, Contemporary Issues in Aging, and Context of Aging. As a student mentor, I organize the Oconee Social Sciences Poster Session which showcases student research. I am also an active member on the Faculty Senate and other various departmental and institutional committees.
I am most interested in the importance of how groups of which we belong shape perspectives and beliefs as well as contributes significantly to everyday experiences.
I require all my students taking the Social Problems or Marriage and Family courses to engage in a semester long Service Learning Project. I find it very rewarding to see the changes in their attitudes and perspectives by engaging in service. Many students also obtain employment with the organizations that they served. I've also noticed differences between male and female students dispositions regarding their service learning experiences and I plan to research this trend.
Highlights of my UNG career have included serving as Co-chair for Quality Enhancement Plan and participating in the first Faculty Academy through the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Leadership. I am looking forward to serving on the first UNG Faculty Senate and the first Academic Affairs Committee which I feel will future ‘highlights’.
I hope that all my students gain an appreciation for and an understanding of the field of sociology and that they will view their communities, their lives, and the world through a sociological perspective.
