Eric’s advice on how to get through what amounted to be a very grueling first semester, including how to make time for your own mental health and well-being, proved invaluable. Our discussions helped to put what at the time seemed like ‘end of the world’ school-related issues in perspective.

Eric encouraged me to get involved with department activities in order to meet upper-year students and to future integrate myself into the department.

When I began to put together ideas for my master’s project, Eric was the first person who I could consistently bounce my ideas off of. When I described my initial idea to Eric he was very supportive, but at the same time, offered constructive feedback.

He offered advice on how to use certain statistical models to work around this issue (and described them to me in laymen’s terms) as he realized all of this was still way over my head.

Put plainly, Eric cares. I know that Eric will continue to be someone who I can rely upon for and non-school related issues alike during my time here.

I can think of no other nominee who more highly embodies what a mentor should be, or what IU sociology is all about.