Edith Martindale will go down in the annals of this University and department as someone who made a difference.  

Congratulations, Madison!

Undergraduate Atosha Rypa uses spoken word to bring awareness to social issues, tell her story, and inspire others. Her words aim to educate people about the American Black experience and the power that language has to perpetuate discrimination. Rypa’s words heal her own past and provide motivation for future change.

Chilean attorney and nonprofit organization founder Isabel Arriagada uses her unique combination of knowledge to approach penal research with a fresh perspective. “There is much more to the prison system than just ‘right’ and ‘wrong,’” explains PhD student Arriagada.

Morals and religion may have less in common than you think. PhD candidate Jacqui Frost digs into false stereotypes, room for growth, and steps for improvement as sociologists and citizens around the country study the nonreligious population in the US.

Sociology Professor Chris Uggen, posits that “a good portion of the U.S. jail population, which hovers at around 600,000 people" retains the right to vote.

Sociology Professor Ann Meier's class gets a special history lesson.

Often it’s difficult to know whether we tell our stories or they tell us. Today’s sociologists are not only interpreting the complex social issues affecting our communities, they’re enabling us to better understand ourselves. In an increasingly diverse and ever-evolving society, sociology encourages us to see the world through a broad lens and helps us address the critical questions that shape our everyday lives.

With its first cohort celebrating its graduation this spring, the University of Minnesota Advanced Careers (UMAC) Initiative joins an elite group of leading-edge higher education institutions to transition experienced professionals from career jobs into opportunities for meaningful engagement.