Hello from FSU Sociology!
Our faculty and students are committed to rigorously studying and teaching about the social institutions and inequalities that define our times. We also are strongly committed to sharing sociology with non-academic audiences and providing the public with unique insights that can improve policy responses and inform collective action. As part of our mission, we take very seriously our role in educating and mentoring the next generation of scholars and community leaders.
Last year we put out a call to our alumni and friends, asking for help in raising funds to support our graduate student recruitment efforts and to enhance our ability to offer supplemental learning experiences for our students at all levels. Your response was amazing! With your help we were able to hit our fundraising goal of $3500. With those funds we were able to support our students in a number of ways, including:
- Hosting a successful Spring Recruitment event for top PhD candidates (luckily, this occurred just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit!). We were able to offset most of the travel costs for all of our out-of-town candidates and to pay for a number of networking activities, such as group meals and receptions. These investments were key in securing the acceptance of 11 exceptionally strong students, including two university-level award-winning scholars!
- Hosting a lunch workshop for our undergraduate and graduate students involved in the Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) honors society, as well as a separate celebratory reception for new AKD inductees.
- Holding several supplementary workshops for undergraduates, including workshops focused on career opportunities and the Honors in the Major program.
- Hosting a departmental competition with monetary prizes for Best Undergraduate Student Research Paper, Best Graduate Student Research Paper and Best Graduate Student Instructor.
"Thank you to all the donors who give to the department. With your help, I was able to fly to Tallahassee from Virginia and visit campus during the 2019 Spring Recruitment weekend, which led to my decision to accept to the PhD program. I was able to visit Tallahassee for the first time, meet my cohort, and get to know the department. Being able to visit made all the difference in my decision to come to FSU!" -- Rachel Sparkman, doctoral student from the 2019 cohort
This year we would like to provide more support for students to attend conferences and professional workshops – we’re planning to support both virtual and in person opportunities (as time and safety allow). It’s also important for us to be sure that we can provide easier access to the technology necessary for remote work.
Unfortunately, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related economic downturn has led to a dramatic tightening of university budgets. Once again, we will need the support of alumni and friends like you in order to meet our goals.
Please help us to:
Continue attracting the very best graduate students to our program. The competition is growing ever higher. Over the years, we have learned that bringing these top candidates to campus for a program of events that introduces them to the department is key to successful recruitment. Once students come to visit us, the vast majority of them want to sign on to stay! Helping to cover travel costs is crucial to making these visits happen for many candidates and ensures greater inclusivity. In the case that it is still too dangerous to have candidates visit us this Spring, we will do all we can to create an engaging and informative online event.
Continue to provide supplemental learning and networking experiences for all students. Out-of-classroom activities and networking opportunities enrich the learning environment, help forge important professional ties with faculty and peers, and create a sense of community and engagement among our students. Ultimately, these are the types of activities that make FSU Sociology such an exciting place to be and help our students to move into outstanding graduate/professional programs and careers!
"The Spring Recruitment event is what really solidified my decision to attend FSU. Before coming to the campus and meeting the faculty, staff, and students of the department, I was wary that the program would be a good fit for me; it is such a large university, and I couldn’t imagine myself living in the South. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to spend two days learning about the program through firsthand experience because it made me realize how wonderful this program and all its members are. If I had not received funding to attend the Spring Recruitment event, I would not have been able to visit FSU and I would most likely be at a different university right now." -- Tara Henry, doctoral student from the 2020 cohort