Febuary 2026
Jason Downing is one of six Best Teacher Award recipients this year out of over 200 nominations from across campus!
The CSU Alumni Association surprised Jason in class recently and will honor him at their annual Best Teacher Awards event March 30 at the LSC Theatre. Everyone is invited to attend and cheer him on!
“Professor Downing inspired me by his curiosity and kindness. He always wants to genuinely understand every student’s ideas, and he ends every class by saying ‘be good people, do good things.’ I left every class feeling inspired.” – Daniella Adams, Human Development & Family Studies (’28)
For over 20 years, Jason has created classrooms that encourage connection, critical thinking, and compassion. Known for his mentorship, inclusivity, and service learning projects, Jason challenges students to see their education as a tool for positive change and to carry its impact far beyond campus.
Dr. Joshua Sbicca has been serving as an expert witness in a federal class action lawsuit that was recently covered by Verite News' "Lawsuit over farm line work assignments at Angola goes to trial" article and The Advocate's "Advocacy groups press to abolish Angola prison’s Farm Line in Baton Rouge federal court" article.
Last spring, Josh was featured in New Orleans Public Radio's coverage of the trial hearings, "Angola 'farm line' hearings highlight controversies over prison labor, heat."
"...what happens at Angola is out of step with contemporary correctional institutions, according to his observations and his national research on prison agricultural programs" wrote Kat Stromquist, New Orleans Public Radio.
Dr. Jessie Luna recently returned from a research trip to Côte d’Ivoire.
"I spent most of my time head-to-head with sociologists there, hammering out ideas for our research plans," says Jessie. "I also led a university session on 'How to Publish in International Journals.' attended by about 50 professors, researchers, and doctoral students."
Dr. Elena Windsong recently re-connected with fellow CSU Sociology alum, Dr. Christy Craig, Associate Professor of Sociology at Fort Hays State University.
Dr. Craig led a workshop on "Fostering Connection, Community, and Engagement in the Digital Classroom" at the Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) winter meeting.
Elena and Christy also reminisced about completing their M.A. degrees in the CSU Sociology Department nearly 20 years ago!
Verena Knerich successfully defended her dissertation, "Mind the Gap! Empowering Large Cross-disciplinary Teams to Bridge Divides."
Verena's committee:
Co-Chairs Drs. Jeni Cross & Ivett Guntersdorfer (LMU & Universität Salzburg) and Members Drs. KuoRay Mao, Stephanie Malin, and Louise Jennings (School of Education)
Three superstar students recently took over our Instagram account to show "a day in the life" in each of our concentrations. Beforehand, Tara Opsal, Elena Windsong, and Emily Martin contacted prospective students to invite them to follow along on social media.
Kileigh Devlin, our Sociology Undergraduate Representative, showcased our Criminology & Criminal Justice concentration. Pi Blehm, a transfer student in CSU's Honors program, represented General Sociology. Sidney Stadelmann, founder of CSU's Community for Climate Anxiety Club, promoted our Environmental Sociology concentration.
Click on their names to find out about their favorite classes & much more!
As we celebrate 50 years of Sociology at CSU, we are especially grateful for alumni whose experiences continue to shape our future. Sociology alumnus Robby Laitos ('83) recently made a generous $10,000 gift to the department in honor of two faculty who were deeply influential during his time at CSU—Professors David Freeman and Max Lowdermilk.
Robby has invited others to join him in supporting Sociology by helping match his gift as part of our 50th-year fundraising effort. Contributions support student research, scholarships, and professional development—ensuring today’s students receive the same mentorship, intellectual engagement, and opportunities that have defined Sociology at CSU for five decades.
We're inviting alumni, past donors, and friends of the department to help us honor our past and invest in our future.
Please continue to submit your news and events to Sociology's Communications Coordinator. Thank you!