Academics

Fall 2007

SOCY 101 - Basic Concepts in Sociology

This was my first sociology course, which is significant as sociology was going to be my second major. The course was interesting and the material clicked for me. That feeling when material just clicks and you just know you were meant to do this, that sealed it for me. I enjoyed Dr. Zeynep Tufekciololgi. She taught the material succinctly and made it easy to do well in the course while still expecting us to know our material. When I look back, I can see how her lectures would somtimes by subtly colored by what I presume are her feminist or liberal leanings, contrasting with some of the more overt, overbearing sociology professors. This course made me certain about going into sociology as a second major.

SOWK 260 - Intro to Social Work I

Dr. Tiffany Burgess taught my first social work course and this also clicked for me. It was my introduction to the strengths perspective, which will become the recurring theme throughout my social work courses. I also began to integrate this strengths approach into my life, and I feel like I matured and grew to be more accepting.

ENGL 100 - Composition

There was a certain sense of déjà vu in this course. In high school too, I was uncertain about my skills in the visual arts, and it was a basic arts course that led me to be more confident and eventually moving into the visual arts as my elective Sixth Subject in the IB Program. I was uncertain about pursuing writing in college and it was receiving the strong feedback from my professor, Philip Macek, that I felt more certain about moving into acquring a writing minor.

Spring 2008

SOCY 204 - Diversity and Pluralism

My Spring 2008 semester involved a much deeper learning in sociology and these issues I am concerned with. Although in some ways, I was already aware of much of what Dr. Fred Pincus was teaching, the material was incredibly educational. The classes themselves were questionable as his lectures simply reviewed our readings and for whatever reason, despite this being a discussion-based course, there was very little discussion. There just happened to be a collection of students that were not as responsive. The readings themselves were amazing and I kept the texts. They provided me with a deeper understanding of these class, race, gender, sexuality issues, at least from an oppression perspective. And although I felt like I was stereotypically delving into more radical liberalism as a college student, I think I kept my voice, disagreeing with the material as appropriate. I didn't feel obligated to conform to what Dr. Pincus was saying or what the readings or videos were expressing.

I am not always the best scientist, totally grounded in rationality and empiricism. There are things I feel are right or intuitively understand, and one thing this course gave me was the ability to ground myself further into empirical support. I reject essentialist ideas and I do not always have the strongest reasonings, but I repeatedly felt vindicated as I learned the material.

ENGL 291 - Intro to Writing Creative Essays

Like the Composition course I took, this course again solidified writing as a pursuit for me. Not to be egotistical, but in a sense, the course was easier for me, because I think I had already developed a sense of my own voice and style. Sally Shivnan gave me lots of positive feedback, even putting me up for a fine arts scholarship, and it spurred me on. She also gave me a list of professors to take classes with and professors to not take classes with, which served me well.

SOCY 333 - Human Sexuality in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

My first upper-level course was absolutely fascinating. Ignoring Dr. Ilsa Lottes' anti-Bush rants, I felt like I really learned, and this was maybe my first course in college where I really had to read extensively. I had moved beyond material that I simply understood already. The course also helped broaden my base of knowledge, as I learned about sex and sexuality as it appears in different cultures and nations. I grew away from ethnocentrism, developing my understanding of concepts from a, well, cross-cultural perspective.

Fall 2008

SOWK 360 - Social Welfare, Social Policy, and Social Work II

In this course, Dr. Carol Tice introduced us to public policy. It wa

BIOL 106 - The Human Organism

SOCY 300 - Methodology of Social Research

Spring 2009

PUB 150H - Public Affairs Scholars Seminar

My SOWK 360 course set up the background for me in this course, having introduced me to some

SOWK 387 - Policies, Programs, and Services for Children

SOWK 388 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment

Fall 2009
SOCY 298 - Social Entrepreneurship and Civic Imagination

SOWK 397 - Social Work Methods

Spring 2010
Sociological Theory

Sociology of Racism

The Scottish Enlightenment

Fall 2010
GWST 327 - African-American Women's History

GWST 490 - Critical Studies of Pornography