Greetings from Bloomington!
On behalf of all our colleagues in the Department of Sociology, I am delighted to share our Spring 2023 newsletter. It was a pleasure to reconnect with many of you last summer at the American Sociological Meetings in Los Angeles, and we look forward to the Philadelphia meetings. If you plan to attend, save Friday August 18, 6:00-8:00 for our Department Alumni gathering! This year’s event will be held at Tir na Nog Irish Bar & Grill.
This is my last newsletter column as Department Chair. It’s been an honor to welcome each new cohort of graduate students and congratulate our graduating majors, Phi Beta Kappa recipients and undergraduate award-winners each spring. Through it all, I’ve marveled at the resilience of our community and reveled in the amazing achievements of faculty, students, and alumni. Although I step down with some sadness, I’m thrilled that Fabio Rojas, the Virginia L. Roberts Professor of Sociology, has agreed to take the helm starting July 1. The Department will be in excellent hands.
Our spring newsletter is focused mostly on stories about our alumni, and stories submitted by our alumni. These stories 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!
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
Professor and Chair
The College of Arts