Wilkes Students and Professors Present at Sociology Conferences In Chicago

This past June, four undergraduate students in the sociology / criminology program at Wilkes attended the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) in Chicago. Accompanied by professors Andrew Wilczak and Kaitlyn Langendoerfer, students Alyssa Donnini, Lindsey Kausmeyer, Courtney Mallon and Emily Roberts each participated in presentations and partook in roundtable discussions addressing a wide variety of pressing sociological topics.

The two conferences provided students an opportunity to share, and build upon, original research they conducted as part of their capstone projects, or on work they produced in collaboration with Wilczak. In addition to receiving feedback on their work, the conferences also gave the students an opportunity to network and explore various career paths.

Presentations the students gave were formal in nature, with students presenting their completed work to an audience, while the roundtable discussions provided an opportunity for authors to receive responses and questions about their work, with the ultimate goal of moving the project forward.

Roberts and Donnini presented alongside Wilczak at the SSSP on the destruction of the Lifeworld, a concept set forth by acclaimed sociologist Jurgen Habermas. Roberts, who also participated with Donnini in a round table at the ASA on the same topic, says, "I received incredible feedback and suggestions by the brilliant members of these groups, and I am fortunate to have been able to experience it."

Other student presentations and roundtables included "The Effect of Juvenile Detention Center Admittance on Recidivism in Adulthood" by Mallon and "Education's Effect on Feminist Attitudes" by Kausmeyer. Additionally, Langendoerfer presided over a discussion on social ties and networks across the life course, as well as a roundtable discussion titled "Fostering Connections: The Role of Senior Centers in the Lives of Older African American Adults."

Central to this trip was the theme of mentorship. "While I was at Wilkes, Dr. Langendoerfer and Dr. Wilczak were my two biggest supporters," says Mallon. "They were my mentors for everything, from homework to life decisions. Both inside and outside the classroom, they helped me recognize when I needed to take a step back, and when I needed to kick it into gear."

"When I joined Wilkes University, I knew that I wanted to emulate the mentoring experiences that I had as a student," says Langendoerfer. "It has been exciting to partner with Dr. Wilczak to bring students along for the ride to national conferences."

Of the four students who attended, two have already begun post-graduate schooling in pursuit of their career goals. Roberts is currently in her 1L year at Widener Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, and Mallon is working toward her doctorate in clinical psychology at Alliant International University in Fresno, California. Both are glad to be taking with them the lessons and guidance they received here at Wilkes. "I recommend you form a relationship with Dr. Wilczak, Dr. Langendoerfer and the other wonderful professors in the criminology / sociology departments," says Roberts. "The opportunities, lessons, advice and support they can present you with are invaluable."