Department of Sociology Anthropology and Gerontology Archives

HERC sociology students present research at regional conference

April 30, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Students representing Missouri State University’s Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG) recently presented their research at the Midwest Sociological Society (MSS) conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Gabriel Patino, Sophia Sampson, Anthony Lam, Jayden Echols, Sophia Dela Coleta and Bruno Guerra Miranda are members of the Health Equity Research Collective (HERC). HERC is directed by Associate Professor Dr. Kyler Sherman-Wilkins.

Founded in 2021 by Sherman-Wilkins, HERC consists of undergraduate students who conduct research in the social, behavioral and health sciences. They specifically research health inequities, Sherman-Wilkins explained.

The goal of HERC is to provide talented undergraduate students with opportunities to sharpen their research skills. Through HERC, they also gain professional and academic experience, he added.

Regional conference ideal learning environment

Sherman-Wilkins described the MSS conference as an ideal place for undergraduate students to present their research.

“[The MSS conference] combines the rigor of a formal academic conference with a welcoming, encouraging and empowering environment for students,” he explained.

In particular, Sherman-Wilkins enjoys seeing his students interact with leading scholars and professionals.

“In a typical paper session, undergraduate students may be presenting their own work alongside prominent sociologists who have contributed much to the discipline,” he said.

HERC students continue to impress Sherman-Wilkins with their work ethic, critical thinking skills and intellectual curiosity.

“What brings me the most joy as a professor is the ability to work with some of the brightest minds of the next generation,” he said. “This year, the students engaged in amazing projects, all aimed at examining the mechanisms underlying inequities in health.”

Alum Sarah Lynne Skrzypczak thrives in law school

April 14, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Contracts, Torts, Constitutional Law, Legal Writing and Analysis…these are just a few of the courses Missouri State University alumna Sarah Lynne Skrzypczak has taken during her first year of law school at the University of Wisconsin.

Skrzypczak graduated from Missouri State’s Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology in 2021 with a degree in sociology and a minor in law and society.

Now, as she wraps up her first year in law school, Skrzypczak reflects on her time at Missouri State and how she got to where she is today.

Taking things one step at a time

When Skrzypczak first enrolled at Missouri State, she was an undeclared major. She spent a year and a half taking different courses, learning as much as she could while waiting to see where her path would lead.

“I was in no way sure of who I truly was or what I really wanted to do moving forward with my life,” she said. “I just knew I liked to learn.”

By her sophomore year, however, Skrzypczak knew her future rested with sociology.

“Once I had gotten into the program, [there] was never a doubt that I was happy to be where I was in terms of academic progression and my own knowledge,” she explained. “Sociology for me was fun, complex and intriguing to learn about.”

“Learning of other cultures, studying the past, learning about people in general, I’ve always just been curious,” she said. “Sociology was a great way to get a better grasp on those things I found interesting. It was easy to learn about because I had always found it so fascinating in the first place.”

From sociology to law

Studying sociology led Skrzypczak to choose law as a career.

“Other studies such as criminology, pre-law and political science are all great to study before moving forward in law,” she said. But for her, sociology was the best choice because it included aspects of all those other disciplines.

“In a sense they all intertwine,” she said. “Sociology kind of seems like a bit of all of them plus more and just gives you a broader look on things.”

Still, Skrzypczak tailored her studies to include specific law-related courses with her minor in law and society. This gave her “a nice foundation of legal knowledge before moving into law school,” she said.

Young woman standing at law library shelves. — Sarah Skrzypczak hits the law books again.

Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues publishes research on STEM scholarship program

April 3, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Associate professor Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG) recently published her research on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) scholarship equity.

The article, “Participation of women in STEM: an intersectional approach,” appeared in the open-source Brazilian journal Revista Estudos: Feministas in March 2025. Templer Rodrigues originally presented this research in 2023 at the 21st Biennial Conference of the Brazilian Sociological Society in Belém, Brazil.

Templer Rodrigues has taught at Missouri State since Fall 2018. Her research interests include work and occupations, qualitative methods and social inequities. She is currently writing a book on the creative economy in rural Massachusetts.

Answering a request to evaluate a scholarship program

Previously, Templer Rodrigues has researched equity issues for faculty in higher education. When asked to evaluate a scholarship program that supports academically talented students with financial need, she saw an opportunity to explore equity in higher education for students as well.

Templer Rodrigues was asked to study a scholarship program designed to increase access to STEM degrees based on social class. Her objective was to evaluate whether the program had met its goals.

In addition, Templer Rodrigues examined the program’s impact on participants based on their multiple or intersectional demographic characteristics. She wanted to determine whether a scholarship program aiming to improve class-based equity in STEM could also impact gender- and race-based equity.

Paws to the Polls wraps up successful 2024

February 25, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Members of Missouri State University’s Paws to the Polls (PTTP) organization spent the Fall 2024 semester in a whirlwind of activity, concluding with the 2024 presidential election.

The group oversaw a variety of outreach events dedicated to providing voting information and encouraging registration. They kept pace throughout the fall semester, attending conferences and fairs, giving talks and distributing information.

Civic engagement creates learning opportunities

In August, PTTP worked with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the local chapter of the League of Women Voters to present at the city’s Youth Civic Leadership Institute.

At the event, PTTP president Grace Wasson and vice president Amanda Gott ran a panel discussion and oversaw a voter simulation activity for high school students.

During September, PTTP continued its high school student voter information activities, collaborating again with the League of Women Voters. They held a voter registration information event for area high schools and registered 22 voters.

Also that month, the group coordinated a voter registration drive with the Springfield NAACP and the League of Women Voters at Springfield’s historic Washington Avenue Church.

For Gott and Wasson, working with the local community proved to be an invaluable learning experience.

“I found out very quickly that we not only register voters, but we [also] provide people with information on the voting process, upcoming elections, non-partisan resources for staying informed and much more,” Gott said. “I saw it as an opportunity to learn about voting and Missouri legislation, as well as an opportunity for engaging with my peers, my campus and my community.”

Gott, a sophomore double majoring in anthropology and modern language, joined PTTP in fall 2023.

Wasson had a similar reaction when first encountering PTTP. She joined the organization in fall 2022.

“I care deeply about local issues and civic engagement,” said Wasson, a sophomore political science major. “Paws felt like the perfect way to get involved and meet incredible, passionate people.”

Criminology graduate advocates for justice and community

January 21, 2025 by Damilola R. Oyedeji

When Haley O’Brien first visited Missouri State University in fall 2020, she knew she had found her home.

“I grew up in Marion, Iowa, but I knew I wanted to study out of state,” she said. “When I walked onto [the Missouri State] campus, I fell in love with the environment.

“The handwritten acceptance letter I received also made me feel like I was more than just a number here,” she added. “It felt like a community.”

And so, from the middle of Iowa to MSU, O’Brien has spent the past four years carving out her path in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Her passion for advocacy and restorative justice, combined with her education at MSU, shaped O’Brien’s journey. She now feels equipped to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

O’Brien graduated in December 2024 with a degree in criminology, a minor in sociology and certificates in victim advocacy, criminal courts and family and juvenile support services.