Let's get to know Ella...
Hometown: Frankfort, Michigan
Major/Minor: Sociology & Socialocial Work sub-major, minors in Intergroup Relations and Education for Empowerment
What inspired you to major in Sociology?
I have wanted to study Sociology full-time since my sophomore year of high school, when I took an Introduction to Sociology course at a local community college. That first class gave me a working vocabulary for the social forces and experiences I had been noticing my whole life, which was a very empowering experience.
What classes have you most enjoyed?
I've really enjoyed all of my sociology classes! I would have to say that my favorites have been Sociology of Education with David Schoem and Sociology of Gender with PJ McGann.
Have you participated in undergraduate research, fieldwork, or an internship experience?
I have participated in both undergraduate research with SURO and fieldwork with Project Community. In my freshman year I was a research assistant for Kimberly Hess on her project, Foundations of American History: Minority Representation in K-12 Social Studies Education. For the past two semesters I have been volunteering with 826michigan as fieldwork for both Sociology and Education-related courses (and because I love the organization!)
What do you hope to do after graduating from the University of Michigan?
I'm currently applying for the Master of Social Work program here at the University, and afterwards I'm hoping to move back to Northern Michigan and work as a social worker! My passion is youth civic engagement and involvement in social change, so I hope to continue working in the realm of social justice education in some capacity.
Do you have advice for prospective Soc majors in this moment?
If you are at all interested in exploring your own social identities or getting more actively involved in social justice education, I can't recommend highly enough participating in an ALA/SOC/PSYCH 122 intergroup dialogue. Participating in and co-facilitating intergroup dialogue has given me life-long critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills which have served me in learning more deeply from every other Sociology course I've taken.
