Department of Sociology & Crime, Law and Justice

A Message from the Department Head

January 3, 2008

Dear Alumnus:

As this New Year begins and I reflect on my first year as Department Head, it was clearly an exciting and productive time. In addition to my administrative duties, several students and I launched a survey of the largest U.S. universities to learn what it is that makes some campuses vulnerable to riots while others remain riot-free. We expect results from the survey in the near future. My background in riots and protests took me to China last August where I spent two weeks lecturing at Renmin University of China in Beijing. My audience was forty young professors from all over China who are studying the country’s rapidly expanding local protests against corruption, housing policies and pollution. It was very interesting to meet with Chinese scholars who share my interests and to see such a rapidly changing country confronting its new realities.

Here at University Park, the Department of Sociology & Crime, Law and Justice continues to thrive. A key initiative for the College and Department is increased student participation in undergraduate enrichment activities such as internships, study aboard and undergraduate research. These activities deepen the learning experience as well as ready students for professional careers. In the last year, through the hard work and support of our alumni, we added four new internships to our program. Internships can be career-defining experiences and students with career-related experience prior to graduation enjoy twice as many job interviews. Our thanks go out to Penn State alumni Andrea Shiroff (‘70), Louis Pfeffer (‘81), Jim Cunfer (’81), Lisa Arnold (‘68), Anna Burger (‘72), and John Gayner (’76) who opened their workplaces to our students and made these enrichment opportunities possible. If you think your office could be a good place for an internship, we would be happy to talk to you about what is entailed.

In a similar way, our study abroad program also gives students an advantage in planning their careers. Here are a few examples of comments from students who recently studied abroad.

I studied in Spain and learned much about myself because it forced me to embrace another culture and meet people I would otherwise not meet. Not only did I become more independent and self sufficient, I discovered Spanish culture while discovering myself. Allison Elosua, Crime, Law and Justice, class of 2009.

Classes are focused on community development in Northeast Thailand and include hands-on experience in working with local community leaders to solve problems. Currently we are working on reducing health risks associated with living in a landfill community. Anne Kirner, Sociology, class of 2008.

Living in Mexico I developed an appreciation of the language, the culture, and the people, while gaining a new perspective on the world and a deeper understanding of life beyond the U.S. borders. I “grew up” as an individual, a student, and as a U.S. citizen. Cheisy Santoro, Crime, Law and Justice, class of 2009.

From their comments, it is clear these students’ experience abroad was a defining event in their time at Penn State.

You may remember that in 2006 Anna Burger was awarded the Liberal Arts Outstanding Alumni Award. In 2007 she was named a Penn State Alumni Fellow, the most prestigious award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. While Anna was here for the awards ceremony, she taught a session of the Sociology capstone course and met with groups of students and faculty. She is the highest ranking woman in the labor movement and was selected in recognition of her success in organizing workers in economic crises including women, minorities, and immigrants from such diverse fields as health care, property services, and public service. Like so many of our alumni, she had much to offer and her visit enriched faculty and students alike. Visit our new website, www.sociology.psu.edu, and click on Alumni to see photos of Anna’s visit.

The Department’s alumni are a talented and diverse group of people and a vital part of our department’s community. Our goal is to improve alumni communication and connection. We would like to know more about you, most especially your career path. Please complete the brief online questionnaire. The survey only takes a few minutes. The last question on the survey lets us know whether you would like to stay on the list of alumni to receive an annual letter from the Department and news about recent changes, upcoming events, and other Department and College activities. Click here for the Alumni Survey.

We truly appreciate your interest in the Department, in our students and faculty. As always, if you have news or comments on our program, I would very much like to hear from you.

Cordially,

John D. McCarthy
Professor and Head
Department of Sociology

Email: sociology@la.psu.edu