More information
about our MA and PhD programs can be found on the Graduate
Program Page.
.
Graduate
Students on the Job Market
Christine Witkowski,
M.A., Geography and Environmental Studies, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL, 1998, M.S. & B.S. Education,
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 1993. Christine's primary
interests are in the areas of social psychology, social movements,
social change, environmental sociology, social identity, and
rationality. Christine is exploring the intersection
between communication, message framing, and social change. Email: CSWITKOWSKI@YAHOO.COM
Nick Berigan,
M.A. Sociology, University of South Carolina 2008; B.S.
Sociology, University of Iowa 2006. Nick's interests are
in formal theory, social psychology and mathematical
sociology. His previous research looked at issues
concerning altruism, cooperation, and conceptions of
fairness. His
dissertation looks at how interpersonal comparisons impact
cooperation in social dilemmas. Email:
berigan@email.sc.edu
Alison
McLetchie,
B.Sc. Psychology (2000), South Carolina State University;
M.A. Anthropology and Certificate in Museum Management
(2003), University
of South Carolina. Alison’s
dissertation explores the relationship between the political
and economic elites of Trinidad and Tobago. Her major
interests are in the areas of ethnicity, race and
identity formation in Trinidad and Tobago (and the wider
Caribbean); religion; calypso; the Caribbean Diaspora in the
Southeastern U.S. and Creolization.Email:
mcletchi@mailbox.sc.edu
.
CURRENT Graduate
Students
Hatice Akca,
BS Sociology, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul,
Turkey, 2005. Main interests are currently in Cultural
Studies, Globalization, Political Sociology, Women Studies,
and Religious Sociology. I specifically studied on Political
Modernization of Turkey for my Dissertation. Email:
haticeakca@gmail.com
Tim
Bertoni, BA History, USC 2002; MA Sociology, USC 2009. Tim is
currently a PhD candidate
specializing in evolutionary
sociology.
He is
working with Patrick Nolan on extending
Ecological-Evolutionary Theory in regards to the evolution
of religion. Email:
bertoni@mailbox.sc.edu
Matthew
Alexhan Cazessus, BA Sociology and BS Psychology Stetson
University 2001. Matt previously worked as a case manager
and supervisor at Covenant House Florida, a crisis shelter
for homeless and at-risk youth in Orlando, for four years.
He is presently a doctoral student and research
assistant/lecturer. His
sociological interests include urban sociology, subculture
identity and societal implications of new technology. Email:cazessus@yahoo.com
Yamilette Chacon,
MA, University of South Carolina, 2009; BA, Winthrop
University, Rock Hill, South Carolina; Associate of Arts,
Anthropology, El Camino College, Torrance, California. My
interests includeSocial Psychology, Sociological
Theory, social complexity, social mobility, Historical
Sociology, education, race/ ethnic/minority relations,
belief systems, and ritual violence.
Email: chacony@mailbox.sc.edu
Stephen Chicoine, B.S.
in Sociology from Lander University, Greenwood, SC.
Stephen's Interests include political sociology, terrorism, and social
movements. He is working on a thesis to employ
criminological perspectives in the study of terrorism. Email:
chicoins@mailbox.sc.edu
Frances Choe, B.A. Sociology
and French, Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC, 2011.
Presently a first-year master’s student, Frances is
interested in race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, crime,
and deviance. Email:
choef@email.sc.edu
Michelle Deming, M.A. Sociology, University
of North Carolina at Wilmington 2009. B.A. Psychology,
University of North Carolina at Wilmington 2007. Michelle’s
research interests include social psychology, group
processes, women’s and gender studies, and family
structures. Email:
demingm@mailbox.sc.edu
April Dove,
M.A., Sociology, University of South Carolina, 2009. B.A.,
Sociology, University of South Carolina Upstate,
2005. April's interests include social movements, social
control, cultural and collective memory and museum creation.
Her most recent research centers on the framing techniques
utilized by anti-illegal immigration social movement groups
operating along the U.S.-Mexican border. Email: aldove1@yahoo.com
Tara
Dunnavant, BA Sociology, Western Kentucky
University, 2009. Tara's primary interests include
gender inequality, family, social movements, and deviant
behavior. Email:
DUNNAVAN@mailbox.sc.edu
Tabitha Epperson, Tabitha Epperson, BA in history and
political science, University of Southern Hattiesburg,
Mississippi, 2006. Tabitha's main interests in sociology are
family structure and sibling relationships. Currently,
Tabitha is the graduate assistant for the Trio Program's
Opportunity Scholars Program. Email: tdepperson@gmail.com
Jake Frederick,
BS Sociology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas,
2009. Interested in identity construction, social
psychology, experimental methods, religion, theory, and
pro-social behavior. Email:
frederit@mailbox.sc.edu
Michael Hahn studied
Political Sciences at Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg and
Free University Berlin (Germany) but has always considered
himself rather a sociologist than a political scientist.
Already having spent an academic year as an exchange student
at USC 2008-09, he is currently working as an assistant with
main research interests in the experimental study of social
networks, social-psychology and the sociology of
organizations. Email:
Hahn@email.sc.edu
Ashley Harrell,
BA Psychology, University of South Carolina
2008. Ashley's current interests include social psychology,
particularly pro-social behavior and religion. Email:
HARRELLA@mailbox.sc.edu
Jordan Keels, BA Sociology and BA Studio Art, Furman
University 2008. Jordan's interests include cultural
sociology and collective memory, especially art, pop
culture, and subcultures. Jordan is also interested in
qualitative methods, urban sociology, symbolic interaction,
and medical sociology. Email:
keelss@mailbox.sc.edu
Colby King,
BA Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, 2007. MA
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 2009. Colby is a
Ph D candidate who studies urban sociology and inequality.
Originally from Western Pennsylvania, he is particularly
interested in how changes in regional economic structures
effect stratification and mobility opportunities, especially
for the working class. He also participates in the
scholarship of teaching and learning. You may find links to
some of his work, related projects, and his CV on his blog:
www.colbyking.com
Email:
kingcr@mailbox.sc.edu.
Naomi Kolberg, M.A., Sociology,
University of South Carolina, 2009. B.A., Sociology,
Bloomsburg University, 2004. Naomi's interests include
stratification, inequality and education. She also
incorporates geographical spatial analysis into her research. Email: kolberg@mailbox.sc.edu
Danielle
Lewis, BA Psychology with a minor in Sociology,
University of South Carolina with Honors from the South
Carolina Honors College, Columbia, South Carolina, 2006. My
main area of interest is prosocial behavior. I am currently
a research and teaching assistant for David Willer. Email: Mullett02@aol.com
Dan Lucas,
B.A. Secondary Education, University of Evansville,
Evansville IN, 1982, U. S. Air Force, 1984-2006. B.A. Sociology, University of South Carolina,
Columbia, 2009. Dan’s
interests include political and historical sociology and
inequality and stratification. Email:
Lucasd@mailbox.sc.edu
Shannon
McDonough, B.A. Sociology, Miami University, Ohio,
2003. M.A. Sociology, University of South Carolina, 2008.
Her M.A. Thesis is entitled, “Safety Cultivates Fear? The
Unintended Consequences of School Surveillance Measures,”
Shannon's main research interests include surveillance
studies, criminology, and gender inequality. Email:
Smcdonough1@sc.rr.com
Josephine McKelvy,
B.A. Sociology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2008.
Josephine’s sociological interests include identity, the
life course, women's and gender studies, marriage and
family, and qualitative research methods. She currently
works as a research assistant for Dr. Brent Simpson.
Email:
mckelvyj@email.sc.edu.
Jennifer McLeer,
B.A.
Organizational Psychology and Religious Studies, Manhattan
College, 2007. M.A. Religious Studies, USC, 2009. Jennifer's
main interests are in group processes, education, religion,
theory construction and experimental methodology. Her
research is concerned with status inequalities and prosocial
behavior. Jennifer's dissertation examines how status
processes affect IQ scores. Email:
jmcmac205@gmail.com
Mary F. McKenzie, M.S. North Carolina State University.
Research interests include criminology, deviance, and family sociology.
Mary is also a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte. Email: mfmck@attglobal.net
Hyomin Park, B.A.
Sociology and Philosophy 2003, M.A. Sociology 2005,
Sungkyunkwan Univ., Seoul, Korea. Hyomin's major is social
psychology and interests are social order and pro-social
behavior as a social exchange. Main topic is "How people
perceive social order level and how they response on that."
He is also interested in quantitative methods in
experimental design as well as sample survey. Email:
hyomin@mailbox.sc.edu.
Christopher Robinson, BS in
Science, Technology and Culture, Georgia
Institute of Technology 2004, MA in Sociology, Georgia State
University 2008. Christopher’s previous research was in
sociology of
the body. His current focus is in social stratification,
labor and economic sociology, specifically looking at the
process
of internships in employment. Email:
robin648@email.sc.edu
Deronta Spencer, BA
Sociology, University of South Carolina, Columbia,South
Carolina,2009. His research interests are social
stratification, social mobility, and social inequality.
William Tinney,
Jr. A.S.
(Criminal Justice, 1993), B.A. (Sociology, 1996), University
of South Carolina-Aiken; M.A. (Sociology, 1999), State
University of West Georgia. Ph.D. Candidate (ABD.),
University of South Carolina. Will's main interests in
sociology center on social demography, deviance and social
control. Will served as an assistant professor at Black
Hills State University in South Dakota (2003-2008) and
currently is an Instructor of Sociology at University of
South Carolina (2008-) and Augusta State University (2009-).
Email:
wjtinney72@yahoo.com
Jennifer
Triplett, BA Sociology
(2004), Business Administration and Behavioral Science,
Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA; MA Sociology (2007),
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC. Current research
interests include social psychology, group processes,
medical sociology, childhood and family studies, and
education research. She is currently assisting Dr.
Stepanikova with research on doctor-patient relationships
and research assessing the relationship between racial bias
and cooperative behavior. Email:
TripletJ@mailbox.sc.edu
Aaron Vincent, BS Sociology and BA
Psychology University of Iowa 2009. Aaron’s interests
surround social psychology including theories of status and
power. A particular interest is how status characteristics
operate in the education system, and how they shape
interactions at the elementary school level. Email: vincenad@email.sc.edu
Qian
Zhang, BA Sociology at Huazhong
Normal University,
China
, 2004; MA Sociology at
Wuhan University
,China, 2004. My main interests are social stratification, family research
and social Psychology. Currently, I am working as a graduate assistant
for Dr. Stepanikova to do research about the effect of
Patient-Physician encounter. Email:
zhqwind@gmail.com
FORMER GRADUATE STUDENTS (PhD)
Darwin Ramsey (2012)
University of Tennessee at Martin
Samantha Hauptman (2010) University of South Carolina
Lisa Dilks (2010) West Virginia University
Dayang Suria Mulia (2009) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS),
Malaysia.
Kyle Irwin (2009) Baylor University
Lynn Frederick (2009) Assistant Professor, Texas
Pamela Emanuelson
(2008) North Dakota State University
Pamela Ray Koch (2008) Hope College
Ying Yang (2008) Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Wenqian Dai (2008) University of South Dakota
Suzanne Sutphin (2007) Center
for Child and Family Studies, University of South Carolina
John Eagle Shutt (2007) University of Louisville
Alex O. Miller (2007) Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology, University of South Carolina-Lancaster
Chris Robinson (2007) Associate Pastor of Youth &
Families, Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church
Holly Ventura (2006) Assistant Professor,
Department of Criminal Justice, University of Texas at San Antonio
Sangyoub Park (2004) Assistant Professor,
Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Washburn University
Susan Frazier Kahl (2004) Professor, North
Greenville University
Sangmoon Kim (2004) Assistant Professor, Department
of Sociology & Criminal Justice, University of North
Carolina-Wilmington
J. Scott Carter (2003) Assistant Professor,
Department of Sociology, University of Central Florida
Megumi Omori (2003) Assistant Professor, Department
of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice, Bloomsburg
University
Danielle Taana Smith (2003) Assistant Professor,
Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Rochester Institute of
Technology
Mitch Mackinem (2003) Assistant Professor,
Department of History & Social Sciences, Claflin University
Paul Roof (2002) Visiting Assistant Professor,
Department of Sociology & Anthropology, College of Charleston
Mamadi Corra (2002) Assistant Professor, Department
of Sociology, East Carolina University
Virginia Martin (2002) Instructor, Department of
Sociology, Appalachian State University
James Adcock (2001) Assistant Professor, Department
of Criminal Justice, University of New Haven
Linda Bridges Karr (2001) University of Groningen,
Netherlands
Gretchen Koehler (2001) Assistant Dean, Educational
Affairs, University of South Florida
Wesley Abercrombie (2001) Instructor of Sociology,
Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Midlands Technical
College
Casey Borch (2001) Assistant Professor, Department
of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Patricia Graham (2000) Part-Time Instructor,
Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminal Justice, Augusta
State University
David Rowlee (2000) Vice President of Research &
Development, Moorehead Research and Development Group
Marilyn Dudley-Rowley (2000) CEO & Chief Research
Scientist, Oceanic Polar Space, AK
Tasha Anderson (2000) University of Maryland
University College adjunct, federal Government employee
Janeen Demi-Smith (2000) Executive Director of
Assessment, Enrollment and Research Office, Colorado Springs School
District 11
Bettina Friese (2000) Associate Research Scientist,
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and
Evaluation
Jennifer Stewart (2000) Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology, Grand Valley State University
Karin Roof (2000) Survey Analyst, Institutional
Research Center, College of Charleston
Joong-Hwan Oh (1999) Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology, Hunter College, CUNY
Vinetta Witt (1999) Professor, Department of
Sociology, Newberry College
Paul Nisbet (1998)
Vice President, Heath Care, Harris Interactive Inc.
Pidi Zhang (1997) Associate Professor, Department
of Sociology & Anthropology, Georgia Southern University
Tracy Burkett (1997) Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology & Anthropology, College of Charleston
Tonji Durant (1997) Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Lisa Eargle (1996) Associate Professor, Department
of Sociology, Francis Marion University
Kimberly McCabe (1996) Dean, School of Humanities &
Social Sciences, Professor, Department of Sociology, Lynchburg
College
Meifang Zhang (1993) Professor of Sociology,
Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Midlands Technical
College