Research

Faculty in the Department of Sociology and Social Work are actively engaged in a wide variety of research. During the past decade department members have been awarded nearly a million dollars in research grants from the Lilly Endowment, Michigan Department of Education, the Aspen Institute, the Reformed Church in America, and several other funding agencies. Majors are encouraged to collaborate with faculty on research and to participate in the presentation and publication of their findings.

Students have open access to state-of-the-art research equipment. The department is located in Van Zoeren Hall, a facility housing the Frost Center for Social Science Research. In addition to a large electronic library of social science data, the department has access to a computer assisted telephone interviewing system (CATI), quantitative and qualitative data analysis software packages, an optical scanner, and a local area network of computers for student use.

General topics of collaborative faculty-student research have included:

• gender differences in educational attainment
• organizational changes in religious denominations
• growth of Third World urbanization and inequality
• post-traumatic stress and violence
• funding of non-profit organizations
• attitudinal surveys of Reformed Church seminarians, clergy, and laity
• development of grassroots social movements
• issues related to rural family life
• teaching strategies
• the social construction of motherhood
• nonprofit organizations in Romania
• recruitment and retention of athletes in MIAA
• community health
• violence exposure and coping
• women's health
  

For more information about research opportunities contact Professor Deborah Sturtevant, Chair, Department of Sociology and Social Work.

	Dr. Debra Swanson and her student research assistant, Jenelle Dame present their research on "motherhood" at St. Mary's College.
	Student researchers Jenelle Dame, Audra Jobin, and Jeffrey Seymour.
	Research presentation on "community health" to the Holland Hosptial Foundation Board of Directors.

May 2005 Research in Romania. Jeffrey Seymour, Audra Jobin, Professor Sturtevant, Daniela Banu, and Professor Nemeth visit Veritas in Sighisora.

Professor Villarreal, Chris Alcenius, & Chrissy Wahlstrom present their findings from, "A Qualitative Investigation of Hispanic Women's Reasons for Disclosure of Sexual Assault" study conducted by Professor Villarreal and Sarah Sterling, at the 5th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance.

Monique Hoyle presents her research at the "Healthy Church, Healthy Community" conference held at the Haworth Center on September 26, 2006. She worked on the project with Prof. Sturtevant.