Spring 2025 Celebration Banquet
Department Celebrates Sociology Graduates and Awards at End-of-Year Banquet
The department held its yearly celebration and banquet to recognize our outstanding graduating seniors, present our annual awards, and welcome new members into our AKD National Honor Society. We were honored to have Dr. Saugher Nojan, an Assistant Professor of Sociology from San Jose State University, deliver a special keynote address at the event.
Congratulations to all of our graduating Sociology Majors: Janelle Abbott; Julia Barazi; Jason Chenhao Zhan; Iselda Diaz; Maya Diaz; Isabella Fernandez; Brenton Knapper; Sydney Nguyen; Madison Patrick; Genovieve Pisor; Iliana Rodriguez; Amelia Ross; Bijan Sepehri; Jason Sunghoon Sohn; Vanessa Sordello; Audrey Taylor; Nive Tuileta; Gregory Walswick; Lindsay Wemer; Alexandra Zabalza
The department acknowledged its graduates for their achievements and contributions with special awards, recognizing their hard work and commitment to the discipline.
Krassowski Award winners
The Krassowski Award is presented to the senior(s) with the best sociological research paper. This year’s first-place Witold Krassowski Award was awarded to Isa Fernandez for the paper, “Radicalization and Exodus: Analyzing the Impact of Governmental Extremism on Migration Patterns in Venezuela.” Second place was awarded to Sydney Nguyen for the paper, “Legislation, Racialization, and the Societal Issues Southeast Asian Americans Face.”
The Sociology Academic Excellence Award is presented to outstanding sociology students who achieved the highest Sociology GPA among the graduating seniors. This year's recipients of the award all had a 4.0 GPA. Congratulations to Kaitlyn Robles, Annie Yaeger, Madison Patrick, and Isa Fernandez.
2025 Sociology Award winners
2025 Creative Expression in Sociology Award winners
This is the first year we are offering a new award: the Creative Expression in Sociology award. This award recognizes creative or innovative student work in Sociology other than traditional research papers. The first prize was awarded to Amelia Ross for her project titled “Letters from Apartheid.” This year’s second prize winner was Janelle Abbott for the video she created titled “Movement and Countermovement: How Black Lives Matter and the Radical Right Shape Modern Activism.”
2025 Sociology Alumni Award winner
The Sociology Alumni Award for Excellence in Community-Based Work recognizes the exceptional contributions made by the recipients through their community service benefiting both the university and the wider community. This year’s first-place award for Excellence in Community-Based Work was awarded to Alex Zabalza for her work with Together for Ladies of Color, the campus Multicultural Center, and her sorority Sigma Omega Nu, among other organizations. Two students were awarded second place: Maya Diaz for her work with Los Mestizos de San José, a Folklorico dance group; and Madison Patrick for her work with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop anti-trafficking educational initiatives.
To honor their excellent academic performance and dedication to sociology, the department welcomed new members into the Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) International Sociology Honor Society. We extend a warm welcome to our new initiates for 2025:
Alexis Alvarez Figueroa; Leila Anaya; Miguel Colin; Mia Flores; Michelle Flores; Cinthia Hernandez; Meg Jones; Genovieve Pisor; Jazmin Rivera; Amelia Ross; Eliana Schaer; Carla Schmitt; Jason Sunghoon Sohn; Linda Soto; Saron Weldermariam
2025 Alpha Kappa Delta new members
2025 Alpha Kappa Delta new members