The College of Social Sciences prepares students for careers in education, the professions, business, government and social services, contributing to society by training strong leaders, highly skilled professionals and responsible citizens.
Some highlights from the past year include:
- “From Strawberries to Software: Immigration to Silicon Valley,” an international academic conference, was held in April 2008 with generous support from the Knight Foundation. Researchers from all disciplines, city and county officials, and representatives from community-based organizations converged to explore economic, social, cultural, religious and public policy issues related to immigration.
- Global Studies Program graduated its first class of majors. This robust, new degree program now has over 70 majors and is creating an online version of the program.
- New Communications Studies Laboratory opened in Clark Hall and offered peer tutors, workshops, instruction, and videotaping and playback to over 3,000 drop-in students.
- 51st annual Spartan Psychological Association Research Conference (SPARC) was held. This student colloquium evolved from a research conference founded in 1957 by James L. McGaugh, a renowned researcher and the College's 2008 Outstanding Alumni Award recipient.
- Study abroad programs flourished, sending contingents of students to Bath, England, and Cuzco, Peru.
- Habitat for Humanity in Guatemala partnership engages geography Professor Kathryn Davis and students in formulating a disaster plan for catastrophic events such as Hurricane Stan, mapping locations of Habitat homes to replace records lost in decades of civil war, and analyzing the effects life in decent homes have on first-time occupants.
The College received strong support from many directions:
- Proposals by Kevin Jordan, professor of psychology, garnered over $75 million in grants to support student and faculty research on visual perception with scientists at the NASA Ames Research Center.
- A gift from the estate of the late Marie Carr, former chair of the Communication Studies Department, established an endowment to support the department's scholarly activities, including faculty research expenses, colloquia and seminars, and scholarships.
- Nicole Vecchi pledged a gift to establish an endowment in the Anthropology Department for fellowships supporting scholarly activity related to Native American cultures. Our anthropologists have an excellent relationship with the local Ohlone tribe and have the largest collection of Native American osteological remains from a single site west of the Mississippi.
- Phyllis A. Ward established an endowment in the Political Science Department to support students interning with members of Congress in Washington, D.C.
- Sociology Professor Geoffrey Tootell pledged a gift to endow a fund that will support faculty and student memberships in professional organizations, subscriptions to journals, and publication awards.
- Charlotte Payne pledged a gift to create an endowment in honor of her husband, the late psychology professor Frank Payne, to support students who pursue advanced degrees in psychology.
Tim Hegstrom
Dean, College of Social Sciences
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Ann Kotas
Director of Development, College of Social Sciences
408-924-1749
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