Department of Sociology

Gwendolyn Zugarek earned her B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and her M.A. in Sociology from Bowling Green State University. Her primary areas of study are demography, health, family, and aging. Before entering the world of Sociology, she worked as a licensed practical nurse. Ms. Zugarek spent two years as the Executive Director of a homeless resource center in Arkansas. There, she used applied sociology to inform her training of volunteers and student interns from various majors to work with those struggling with homelessness in their journeys to stability and to collect data for the organization to present to the local community and municipality. She has traveled to multiple countries, participated in international volunteer work, and completed two study abroad programs while in her undergraduate program. She has taught at four higher education institutions and actively pursues pedagogical and sociological training opportunities to keep her teaching practices current. She is passionate about Sociology and enjoys connecting class material to real life.

Courses Taught

• SOC 1000: The Sociological Perspective
• SOC 1100: Social Problems in American Society
• SOC 2600: Medical Sociology
• SOC 2850: Constructions of Gender

Research Interests

• Family
• Demography
• Health
• Aging