By the time you read this we will be well into our third year of Covid-19, and our first spring newsletter since 2020.  The pandemic disrupted our personal lives, and it now pervades our research mission and our commitment to provide our students with meaningful and equitable education. Nearly every one of our courses, from introduction to sociology to computational sociology, addresses the impact of the pandemic. Our faculty have upped their game, jumping on new research to understand how Covid-19 illuminated ethnoracial and gender inequities, inflamed political cleavages, changed sexual behaviors and family dynamics, and exacerbated a quiet mental health crisis. For better or worse, the pandemic highlights how important the sociological perspective is to developing effective responses to societal challenges.

In this context, I am pleased to let you know that our undergraduates have shown remarkable resilience. Many have been active in research, and many have been active in the undergraduate sociology club rechristened Woke!  We are delighted to share this newsletter, focused mostly on stories that were submitted by alumni this spring. They offer us a welcome glimpse into your lives and close the distance between us. Many, many thanks to those of you who sent information about your comings-and-goings. To those who did not submit alumni news this year, never fear: you will have another chance in spring 2023.

The strength of our department derives from our deep and abiding connections to each other: those still living in Bloomington and those who have carried the spirit of Indiana University Sociology to new locales. We hope that you enjoy the newsletter, and look forward to staying in touch!

Patricia A. McManus