App State Sociology offers a research-driven, impact-focused curriculum that prepares our students for success. Whether you aspire to lead innovative research or solve community problems, our faculty has the expertise and opportunities that can help you succeed. Don't just take our word for it. Consider the success and advice our alumni students have provided below. If these alumni's success and words of wisdom spark your interest in sociology, don't hesitate to contact us!
Taylor Craig
Name: Taylor Craig
Graduated in 2023 with a BS in Sociology with a Criminology, Deviance, and Law Concentration and a BSBA in Management.
Current Position: JD Student at Elon University School of Law
How Sociology Helped:
“Sociology has helped me pursue a degree in law because it allowed me to develop my writing skills, both objectively and persuasively. Writing is an essential skill for lawyers and society at large. Throughout my time in the Sociology Department, I worked alongside my professors, sharpening my writing and research skills. It is pertinent to my success that I know how to effectively communicate and advocate for clients in and out of the courtroom. Besides giving me the knowledge base and capacity to think critically, Sociology has reinforced the importance of writing and researching in my chosen career path. As for my next steps, I hope to intern at a family law firm and dive into divorce, child custody, and child advocacy law.”
Advice for Current Students: “My advice to current Sociology majors is to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Join the club, run for that position, write a thesis, and sign up for events. Do anything that piques your interest because I promise you are actively building life skills while doing so, even if you fail. Writing, researching, public speaking, and networking are essential to pursuing any career, especially in Sociology.”
Ethan Flynn
Graduated in 2015 with a BS in Sociology Concentration in Criminology
Current Position: Director of Grant Funding - Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina
How Sociology Helped: “Between my amazing professors, and the nature of the course material, Sociology single-handedly changed the way I think about the world around me. I participated in a service-learning project through one of my classes that introduced me to Hospitality House. My passion for helping others and doing work that is meaningful to me led me to pursue a career with the agency. I like to think that Sociology allowed me to think about the impacts that our social world has on us, and created a better critical thinker in an increasingly complex world. I now help manage a growing non-profit in our community, in hopes to continue creating a positive impact on the world around me and being a voice for those without one.”
Advice for Current Students: “My advice for Sociology majors is to try to sink your time into the real world in any way that you can. I never would've imagined working for a homeless services agency until I was introduced to Hospitality House and had an opportunity to learn what they really do. Allow yourself to experience the world organically, and your passion and interest will grow from experiences both good and bad.”
Sam J. Massey
Graduated in 2024 with a BS in Sociology, Concentration: Social Inequalities, Minor: Gender, Women, and Sexuality, Summa Cum Laude with Departmental Honors
Current Position: Doctoral Student in Sociology and Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado Boulder
How Has Sociology Helped:“During my undergraduate studies at Appalachian State University, Sociology resonated with my intellectual interests and provided strong support for doing the kind of research I hoped to pursue. The department’s curriculum is well rounded, preparing both students who continue in academia and those who enter the workforce. Thanks to my coursework and working closely with my mentors, I feel like I was better prepared to begin my doctoral program. The advice I give below is what I think helped me the most in preparing for graduate school.”
Next Steps: “Currently, my research focuses on how transgender individuals navigate and experience joy and pleasure in their daily lives. By shedding light on these experiences, I aim to advance discussions and understanding of gender identity and social inclusion. Moving forward, I plan to deepen this research, honing my methodological and theoretical skills while contributing valuable insights to both academic and public discourse.”
Advice for Current Students: “Whenever you write a paper for one class, consider how you might expand or adapt it for another. Once you find a topic that genuinely excites you, focusing your coursework on it can make larger projects, like your senior capstone, way more manageable because you build upon your knowledge over time. Focusing on a specialized area such as political sociology, hazards and disasters, or gender and sexuality, can set you apart in the job market or when applying to graduate programs. A clear focus demonstrates your passion and drive to potential employers or admissions committees. If you are contemplating graduate school, forming meaningful connections with professors in and outside your department is invaluable. They can provide mentorship, research opportunities, and guidance about future career paths. Hands-on experiences such as research assistance or internships not only sharpen your skills but also strengthen your game. Ultimately, approaching your undergraduate Sociology experience with curiosity and strategic thinking can open doors to a wide range of opportunities!”
Emma Wille
Graduated in 2024 with a BS in Psychology, with minors in Sociology and Child Development.
Current Position: Graduate Student in Special Education at App State.
How Sociology Helped: “Sociology has helped me in my Special Education journey because it gives me a new perspective on working with children and their families. There are so many sociological factors that impact my career field and so many of these factors that I need to understand in order to effectively support my students. Sociology has helped me understand the impact of society and our communities on children and families, and how major social institutions play a role in families and communities. After I graduate, I am planning on becoming an elementary special education teacher in North Carolina, and I will most definitely be using what I learned from my sociology minor in my career!”
Advice for Current Students: “Some advice that I have for current sociology majors is to utilize all of your resources! Look at all of the resources professors are giving to you, and use your professors as a resource as well! There is so much to learn outside of textbooks and outside of the classroom, and I highly recommend getting to know your professors and discussing all of these topics for them. They can also be great help for things other than sociology! I learned so much just from visiting my professors in their office hours. Make connections with your peers and your professors, and learn as much as you can while you are there!”
App State Graduation
