The Department of Sociology is a close-knit community of students, faculty, and staff. We teach thousands of students every year about topics like marriage and family, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, research methods, and statistical analysis, all through a sociological lens. We pursue research that is leading many sociological subfields in new directions, and public service is one of our key values. In the tradition of William H. Sewell, we value and promote methodological, social, and cultural diversity; basic human decency to others at all times; and excellence in everything we do.
How your gifts make an impact
The Joann and Joe Elder Undergraduate Fund in Sociology supports undergraduate sociology majors with community building and belonging while they are students and strengthens our ability to help them prepare for life after graduation. For our students considering careers in research, this fund supports undergraduate participation in regional and national conferences. The Elder fund also allows the department to provide career development opportunities through each year. These events help students connect what they are learning in the classroom to the skills that they will need to succeed after graduation. Events include Sociology at Work, which brings dozens of alumni to campus for student career exploration and networking, speed mentoring nights for students interested in careers in and near the legal system, and the Undergrad Colloquium, a series of casual lectures and discussions featuring a different speaker every week. The faculty, alumni, and staff who lead the colloquium sessions expand students’ understanding of sociology and the myriad paths available to them after graduation, and give them the best possible chance to succeed in college and beyond. Through this colloquium, students have interacted with sociology faculty they might not have met before, learned from alumni what they have chosen to do with their sociology degrees, and even met therapy dogs during finals week. This colloquium series is an important part of convincing more students to pursue a sociology major and enriching sociology majors’ experiences on campus.
The Elder fund also enhances our undergraduates’ experience while they are at the UW by funding community-building events, movie nights, speaker series, and other events designed to support students’ sense of belonging in the department and the university — and as sociological research shows, belonging supports student success and graduation!
Why we need your support
Instructional funding from the college and university cannot be used for these important student opportunities that enrich our students’ experiences and prepare them for life after graduation. In our current economic climate, we rely on donations now more than ever. You have the power to ensure that we can continue to build community among our majors and help our students appreciate the myriad opportunities available to them during their time at the UW and after.
If we can get 100 supporters to give just $20, we’ll be well on our way to continuing to offer these opportunities to future Badgers. Please consider making even a small gift today.
Gifts made in support of the Department of Sociology will be contributed to Joann and Joe Elder Undergraduate Fund at the University of Wisconsin Foundation.