© Joan Ferrante, for instructional use
works at PNC Bank as a
. She decided to major in sociology
after taking two elective courses in social
psychology and marriage and the family. She
realized that the sociological perspective
intertwined with her work at PNC and could assist
her in reaching her ultimate goal of working in the
field of
,
particularly consulting with minority
entrepreneurs looking to start their own
businesses and gain financial independence. While
most of her colleagues have some sort of businessor finance-related degree, Megan believes that a
degree in sociology allows her to stand apart. At
the end of the day if the financial services officer
understands the diverse needs, situations and
aspirations of her customers then she is in a
position to form a constructive working
is a sociology major with a
concentration in organizational leadership. She is
already on a path to a good career as she currently
works as a
in the technology
division of U.S. Bank. Tee believes that developing
a sociological perspective is important to success
in her job. As a business analyst she is the bridge
between IT and the bank employees who use
software systems to do their jobs and to meet
customer’s financial needs. Sociology offers a
framework for factoring in the human element
and for anticipating employee and customer
reactions (expected and unexpected) to new and
existing software systems.
is a sociology major with
areas of concentration in psychology and
criminal justice. Shannon has worked for over
10 years at Meritor, a global leader in the
commercial vehicle and industrial market. She
is a member of the Quality Assurance Team,
and was recently promoted to
. Shannon enjoys working with
people who come from diverse backgrounds.
Shannon believes that sociological forces are
everywhere and shape everything we do. The
world is diverse. We all have a life story
shaped by time, society and experiences. She
believes we benefit by embracing diversity
because it cultivates broader understanding
and new perspectives that will lead to
innovations and an improved society.
is a sociology major with a
minor in exercise science. She believes this
combination will best prepare her for a career as an
. For one thing the
American Physical Therapy Association
recommends those pursing a career in physical
therapy take sociology courses because therapists
must understand the diverse situations and needs
of clients. They must also understand the complex
health care system of which they are apart and
sociology provides the tools for understanding and
negotiating that system. Currently Amber works
part-time as a hospital room assistant. This job is
particularly relevant to her career goals because
she aspires to work in a hospital setting. Amber
also plans to apply a graduate school program in
occupational therapy.
declared a major in sociology
when he saw the potential of that degree to
help him realize his goal of becoming a high
. School counselors help
students develop social and academic skills to
succeed in school, assist them in making career
decisions, and coach them about career options
and programs of study.
Michael plans to apply to a graduate program
in counseling. He believes that sociology will
help him to stand out among applicants for this
reason: Sociology offers a framework that
allows him to grasp the larger social context in
which high school students’ lives are embedded
and that presents them with challenges and
opportunities.
is a sociology major with
concentrations in history and communication
studies. Shawn, who plays Division I soccer,
works at the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy where
he coaches boys under age-12. In his role as a
youth coach Shawn has opportunities to travel
to South America in the summers 2013 and 2014
to coach and to learn from established South
American coaches.
Shawn believes that sociology helps him to
understand and appreciate team dynamics and
to interact with adults and children of culturally
diverse backgrounds who are part of the global
sport of soccer. He also believes sociology will
give him an added advantage in realizing his
dreams to play pro soccer and eventually
become the
.
believes a major in sociology
is perfect for helping him to realize his career
goal of working in
. Currently he is employed as a
sworn deputy jailer and has earned 12 co-op
credit hours for working at a jail. Cameron
believes that he has an advantage over other
college graduates who only have degree and
no experience working with populations that
are involved with criminal justice system.
Cameron had learned from those working in
the field that the sociology major gives him a
distinct advantage in the job market because
of its focus on diversity and the social context
underlying activities considered criminal.
a sociology major, realized she
chose the correct career path when she met
sociology professors who were passionate about
what they taught and who encouraged students to
make a difference in their communities. Kelley
plans to
, federal
programs that offer people of all ages an
opportunity to apply their skills toward serving
others and addressing critical needs in
communities across the United States. She
eventually hopes to counsel youth living in urban
environments. Kelley finds that the study of
sociology is best suited to her because of the high
value she places on taking risks and engaging in
innovative activities and programs.
, a double major in sociology
and political science, plans to pursue a career in
public service as a
preferably with the National
Park Service, the Forest Service or a state fish
and game department. He believes his academic
background relates well to these careers. In
addition Nathan has first-hand experiences with
public affairs and the legislative process as an
intern with the Frankfort Legislative Internship
Program (2007), as a community organizer for
Working America (summer 2008) and as a field
organizer for the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee in the 8th Congressional
district of Tennessee to help elect Roy Herron
(2010).
is a sociology major with
an area of concentration in criminal justice.
After completing his degree Clinton plans to
apply to
with the Navy
or Air Force. A degree in sociology offers a
valuable perspective for understanding the
relationship between military and other
institutions including the family and community
from which service members come. Sociology
also provides Clinton a framework for relating to
people from diverse socio-economic and cultural
backgrounds and for appreciating the ways the
military environment cultivates selflessness and
strong ties among its personnel .
One day Clinton hopes to work for the
is sociology
major with minors in Spanish and honors. She
is a student worker in the Office of Latino
Affairs and is active in Latino and other
campus-related activities. Mayra believes that
a degree in sociology will help her realize her
career goal of
(e.g., Latinos, women, veterans). The
sociological perspective gives her concepts for
thinking about the role of culture and
organizational structures in shaping
experiences and interactions. Sociology also
cultivates sympathetic understanding for all
parties involved in any setting.
is sociology major with
concentrations in professional writing and
communication studies. When Laura began
looking for internship opportunities she
noticed that many announcements made no
mention of sociology as a degree of interest.
But Laura decided to submit her resume
anyway because she realized she possessed
the asked for skills. Today she is a
with the Kroger Co. In her
job interview Laura explained that sociology
is a discipline that cultivates an appreciation
for diversity, emphasizes how the workplace
can empower or alienate employees and that
places importance on employee
demographics. In reflecting on the interview
process Laura believes that this answer was
important to her success in landing the job.
decision to major in sociology
can be traced to a life-changing mission trip to
Nicaragua where she experienced first hand the
difficulties faced by the people of Nicaragua.
Brittany has also traveled to Amsterdam and Paris.
These trips offered an interesting contrast to the
Nicaragua trip and helped her to see that
inequality and poverty cannot be explained simply
by pointing to a person’s lack of effort.
Brittany plans to apply to a graduate program
in social work. Ultimately she wants to work with
low-income families offering
that
will increase opportunities for social mobility. She
believes sociology relates well to her career goals
because it provides her with an analytical tool for
placing prospective clients’ lives in a broader
context and for devising collaborative strategies
that will bring positive change to their lives.
is a sociology major with a
concentration in criminal justice. Currently she
works as a support provider for mentally and
developmentally challenged populations. She
hopes to eventually
. Sociology has
helped Diamond to place the “individual in trouble
with the law” in a larger social context allowing her
to think strategically about the obstacles and
opportunities each client faces.
Diamond believes that she holds an advantage
in the job market because she has experience
working with and motivating people who are
cognitively challenged. Thus she has the academic
background and practical experience working with
those who are misunderstood and have difficulty
communicating effectively with others.
, a sociology major, aspires
to work for a not-for-profit organization that
serves vulnerable populations (jobless,
homeless, troubled teens, disabled, and elderly
individuals etc). He has volunteer experience
working at a senior center and has worked as a
clerk processor at Goodwill. He believes that
sociology has equipped him with qualitative and
quantitative perspectives on social inequalities
experienced by poor, near poor, and working
classes. Kenny believes that his academic
studies, in combination with his field
experiences, offer him the best preparation for
.
chose to double major in
sociology and criminal justice. Her goal is to be a
for children and young teens.
She believes that a sociology major is key to
becoming an effective advocate because it helps
her to think about childhood socialization and the
ways family dynamics affect children’s social and
psychological well-being. A sociological
perspective will also help her identify and address
the medical, mental health, education and policy
needs of children and teens.
Devinne’s academic and career goals have
been shaped by volunteer work with the Children’s
Law Center where she assisted attorneys with
billing, filing case work, entering closed cases into
the database and working with other interns to
make calls and do miscellaneous paperwork.
is a
sociology major with a concentration in women
and gender studies. Chryssy has worked as a
resident assistant (RA) in the campus dorms
receiving co-op credit for that work which
involved cultivating social bonds among
residents and addressing issues related to
dorm life. She has also interned for co-op
credit as a pantry aid at Churches Active in
Northside (CAIN), a not-for-profit food pantry.
Chryssy plans to apply to a
. She views her work as
an RA and pantry aid as providing her the
opportunity to engage in applied sociology and
participant observation research, skills that will
prepare her for graduate schools as she
considers to which program to apply.
is a sociology
major with a concentration in social
work. In spring 2012 Whitney studied
abroad in South Africa on an Honors
International Teaching Fellowship. She
is attracted to sociology because it
gives her a perspective for thinking abut
social movements especially those
taking place in South Africa.
Whitney plans to apply to a joint
degree program in
at Ohio State University. Ultimately she
hopes to
) dedicated to
addressing poverty and inequality
around the world but specifically in
South Africa.
John Wooden
Research Methods
 Statistics
 Demography
 Other career-related sociology courses

Sociology of Aging – working with older populations
and elderly
 Sociology of Medicine – working in health care
 Sociology of Education – working in field of
education
 Sociology of Environment – working in field of
environmental education


Gain first-hand
experience in the
field

Gain first-hand
experience
with foreign
culture
“Socially Responsible Investing”
“Imagining Marx, Weber
and Durkheim as High
School Counselors:
What Advice Would
They Give?”
“Inmate to Student:
Conversations with 5
Students
Who Made the Transition”
.
International Studies
 Exercise Science
 Criminal Justice
 Management
 Sports Marketing
 Geography
 Organizational Leadership


Volunteer at a
nonprofit (church,
school, etc)
 Serving
disadvantaged
 Mentoring student
defined as at high-risk
 Running errands for
homebound residents
Pick up information about organizations that
are hiring
 Bring copies of resume to distribute


Articulate how the
job you hold
relates to the one
to which you are
you are applying




Deals with customers who
demand quick and efficient
service
Handles multiple tables of
customers making
requests at the same time
Makes food
recommendations
Converses with customers
from diverse backgrounds
to identify population trends related to
births, deaths, migration, age-sex
composition;
 to appreciate and articulate diverse
viewpoints;
 to anticipate intended and unintended
consequences that accompany change;

to gather information via interviews,
questionnaires, observations, case studies,
secondary data analysis, content analysis, and
to analyze the results;
 to avoid using superficial knowledge or
personal bias as a basis for making decisions
that affect others;
 to appreciate how culture and society shape
people’s choices and responses
