Maria Gregg '21 presents at National Conference
As a recent graduate of Santa Clara’s University Honors Program with majors in sociology and political science and a minor in history, I completed an honors thesis project that intertwined these studies. My mentor on this thesis, Dr. Molly King, helped me to formulate a project that combined the theories and methods from those disciplines with a topic that spoke to my interests. Specifically, I utilized a historical case study and sociological digital ethnography to research how social constructions of girlhood have shaped and continue to shape girls’ means of environmental activism. Dr. King informed me of the American Sociological Association’s annual conference and this summer I had the opportunity to present my thesis as part of the student forum. Doing so allowed me to continue to work on this project, to gain confidence in my work and my presentation skills, and to meet other scholars with similar interests. Both during and after the conference I talked to people researching related topics who have referred me to more resources and met people with career paths I am potentially interested in. The connections I made and the information I gained during the ASA conference have expanded my research and will continue to inform my future educational and professional goals.