FINAL PRODUCT

College Persistence and the Division II Athlete

Final Product

I used my placement as an opportunity to create a project for the Humboldt athletics department. I used existing Humboldt student data to create a report relevant to Humboldt issues and to help break down the stigma surrounding student athletes. The report compared the Humboldt student body to the Humboldt student athlete body. All of the data was presented visually so any person, at any intellectual level, could easily understand the information being reported. It is now a report that is completed on a semi-annual basis and can be used as a model for other special student populations on campus. Especially those groups that don't have the resources available to conduct a large scale research project.

Current Career

During my second year of the program I became the Assistant Athletic Director at Cal Poly Humboldt. This was a big change and one that required a higher level of responsibility and time management. Working full time while doing any graduate program is really tough but I felt very supported by the faculty and my cohort.  I am still working at Cal Poly Humboldt however I’m now the interim Director of Admissions.  I apply my sociological lens daily to help with alumni programming and interactions. 

Before the Program

Prior to starting the Sociology MA program I was an admissions counselor at Cal Poly Humboldt. I never thought I'd pursue a graduate degree but all of the right doors opened up for me to have the opportunity. I was able to work with the faculty to accommodate my work travel schedule and we were creative in how I attended class. When I was out on the road recruiting for the university I would attend class via Skype. My cohort was so flexible and understanding about the "virtual" version of my participation. It wasn't ideal but we worked hard to find a solution so I could start the program. Fortunately, my work situation changed and we only had to do that for one semester.

Methods Used

I chose to do a quantitative project. I wanted to do something that used existing data. Prior to starting my graduate degree, I was always under the assumption that research had be from data an individual personally collected, not necessarily from data that was already in existence. In a world of limited budgets for research, I found it very fascinating to be able to create a project that didn't collect new data but utilized information already in existence. Being able to use data that doesn't have a price tag to gather, means there are more projects that can be done in offices that might not otherwise think they could look deeper. I'm hoping more departments on campus will look more critically at their student populations and be able to report the information they find to the general population.

Why Humboldt Public Sociology

When I first started looking into graduate programs I was ready to complete an MBA. As I was getting ready to take the GMAT I realized that I wasn't passionate about business as a career but was simply pursuing an MBA because it seemed like a good career move. So, I didn't show up for the test even though I'd already paid for it. Fortunately, I decided not to listen to what I thought I should do and instead decided to pursue something that I was excited and eager to learn more about, sociology. It is one of the best decisions I've ever made and I would be happy to chat with anyone who is on the fence about starting the program or not.

How Humboldt Public Sociology Helped

Sociology gets me excited! I use the skills and knowledge I've gained through my masters degree everyday to better understand the people I encounter. It definitely gives me a new lens with which to see the world. I'm more conscious of the media and what's not being reported. I spend a lot of time reflecting on my experiences, how they have effected my life and those around me, as well as how I can continue to work towards social justice in everything I do. I don't want to be a person that is easily content, rather someone that is always questioning the world around me. Sociology most certainly has given me an outlet to find interesting ways to do just that.

About Humboldt Public Sociology

Wow! What an amazing group of people. My cohort was very small, five students to be exact. I loved having such an intimate graduate group to share experiences with. We really became family and still stay in touch. We have all said how lucky we feel to have had such a tight knit cohort.

The faculty are really easy to connect with. I feel comfortable reaching out to any of the professors and know that they will provide good advice or feedback on my inquiries. They are good about being understanding of students' situations but also good about keeping us on track when we get unmotivated. They are also very supportive of their students' interests. It's not uncommon to receive an email about an opportunity that is within my topic of study and could be a possible new path for further research. They are very good about connecting and networking their students into career and research opportunities.